Been four hours stuck in snow in kent

[Stuckinsnowinkent]

We have been stuck in Chatham now for four hours. Got about 7 miles maybe? Think we will be stuck in the car overnight now.

It snowed about 3-4 inches in one hour.

Why did you go out in the snow?

Where I live there is about 3" of snow. My DH has just had to shovel it away from our gate as he can't get out. I've been watching the forecast for days and at no point, did it ever say it was going to snow where I live. It said fog for 2 days, then a very small possibility of snow on Saturday next week.

How f*cking hard is it to get the weather sort of right? Peoples lives have been put at risk.

We have mud and snow tyres on our 4x4, not sure what they are, they aren't changed in the summer, I don't think they are proper winter tyres though probably better than normal summer tyres.

Hope you are home now OP

Though however excellent your car and tyres are it isn't much help if all the cars around you are stuck, you still aren't going anywhere

I'm really worried now. I have an electric car and if I get caught out, I can't stop and top it up for hours in the freezing cold.

Mars bars
Blanket
De-icer
Ice scraper
Shovel

What else do I need?

@NotAHouse

How helpful

Would people risk Hertfordshire to london this evening? Setting off around seven and returning about midnight?

I can't decide what to do. I would be passenger rather than driver either way.

Don’t think I would risk it, far too cold so roads will be icy.

Apparently Nigel Farage was stuck in the same traffic so it wasn’t all bad.

Hhahahahahaha!

I was lucky to get out of Gloucestershire yesterday thought would end up in same position. Scary how quick it cane down

Flask of hot water /tea

Something non perishable such as trail mix

Hat, scarf and gloves

High vis in case you need to abandon the car

Torch

Why aren’t the authorities pre-gritting the roads before a weather incident? This is terrible mismanagement.

stuck in Chatham now for four hours

The idea of being stuck in Chatham for any reason sends shivers down my spine. Though it could be worse, OP could be stuck in Gillingham.

This was the problem where I was no roads gritted people sliding everywhere . They'd only gritted the town centre and everything else was freezing as soon as it fell. Was v dangerous good to see though most people driving carefully. Roads never that bad where I live as snow is always expected

Saving money probably. Everything has gone to shit.

I live in the north of Scotland where it’s common to have to drive in snow. I don’t have winter tyres, though other family members have all weather ones which have a cross tread.
The most important thing is to keep your revs low otherwise you’ll wheel spin, and don’t use your brakes- do it all on gears by changing down.

For those worried about the need for a wee when stuck in traffic, keep a Shewee in the car. While still not ideal, it is better than the alternative.

I've been checking the weather apps daily, cos I hate the snow.

There was absolutely no snow forecast for the weekend. It didnt stop the 2 inches we got on Saturday morning.

The bbc app is crap. Gonna have to find a new one instead.

My kid has an important hospital appointment on Friday morning nearly 90 minutes away. Currently it looks like it should be fine but worried about what can happen suddenly.

I wouldn't bother having winter tyres for all of a few days a year (if that). Part of the issue is that people on the whole aren't skilled drivers anymore, they just drive as normal and perhaps a little slower and brake more- aside from that less capability to assess the risk and drive actually effectively for the conditions; see it in fog as well.

Grit is only effective in certain conditions, whilst undoubtedly cuts mean services are reduced its not always effective either.

"The bbc app is crap. Gonna have to find a new one instead. "

Netweather.
Met office.

Both much more accurate.

Because it does nothing in snow like this. It's for ice and then it needs to be 'activated ' hence the times the gritters are out.

The idea of being stuck in Chatham for any reason sends shivers down my spine. Though it could be worse, OP could be stuck in Gillingham.

🙄 grow up

Wow. Calm down! Of course they can’t always get it exactly right. Why don’t you go do it as your job since you’ll be so perfect!

Its winter. Be prepared.