Would you go out in this storm?

[blinddoorshyt]

Well it's not meant to hit my area (north east coast ) till around 11am but I'm meant to be heading to Durham (1 hour train ) for a festive afternoon tea with a friend.
She lives in Durham and says it's okay for now.
According to the weather like I say it's moving over this way.
Would you risk it ?
Or not ?

It is likely it will be upgraded to an amber as the North East is going to be hit badly this afternoon. Yes it started West but it's travelling East. I certainly wouldn't rely on public transport in a storm with gusts of 70mph winds. If you were going for a hospital appointment that's one thing, but an afternoon tea you're not even fussed about and an unreasonable friend? No.

She doesn't sound like much of a friend, if she'd stop speaking to you for cancelling! A friend would rather you be safe than risk your life just to go for a coffee and cake somewhere

She's also said if I don't go she will be upset

well, let her get upset, big deal - she'll get over it.

stay put and prepare for her ghosting you - she'll be doing you a favour. You don't need people like her in your life.

Don't go. A good friend would understand

If I had a "friend" who didn't understand my concerns about weather and kept badgering me to do something I felt uncomfortable about, I wouldn't want her as a friend

Seriously, OP.....can't you see the coercion here?

Your friend is a needy dick. Don't go.

Is your friend a toddler 🤔

And you value this friendship because...?

Really OP, unless you're 12, having a friend who will'probably stop speaking to you' if you don't do what suits her is ludicrous.

I'm in the west, in the red zone and really hasn't been significant. I honestly think yet again they overcooked the warnings. Problem is we won't believe them in the future. I'm not cancelling my plans

Seriously?

Just message saying "sorry, decided not to travel due to the storm, will rearrange." then make yourself a hot drink and put her on mute

I'm deffo sticking to my guns

It's an hour on the train. I'd go personally. Looks a bit like you're looking for excuses.

Excellent. Have the BEST fun, @mitogoshigg !

Well yes @RedHelenB at the point I posted OPs friend didn't sound like a complete twit, and tea and cake over zoom for a catch-up seemed a perfectly reasonable replacement for an afternoon tea to avoid adverse weather.

As is, OPs friend sounds horrendous with no concern for her personal wellbeing and I'd be tempted to cut her off entirely.

We're north west and it's quiet here so far. We've family travelling over as we speak from Teesside and the roads are fine.

You must take your own concerns seriously of course. Maybe travel now and have lunch instead so you can get home early if it gets worse later.

I don't understand comments like this. Our public system is so fragile. Here in Leeds trains are already cancelled because of damage to the overhead wires on Thursday, when there was light wind.
Last December there was a similar storm. I decided to be gungho and continued with my plans which involved train travel. I ended up being stranded on a train in the middle of nowhere for hours. No food or water (none on train either), ended up getting home at 4am. It's sensible to postpone. This isn't the only afternoon they can meet.

I actually thought your suggestion about the zoom call was a good one. 😘

For me personally I wouldn’t go. The friend sounds an absolute nightmare. I’d really struggle to stay friends with someone so manipulative.

The problem is more the return journey though isn't it? I wouldn't want to be stranded somewhere because the trains have been cancelled and I had no way of getting back home.

Why don’t you say ‘you’re welcome to come over to mine instead’ and see how she feels about a long journey in these conditions. Might be a different story!

And what about if the trains cancelled which is likely in a storm?

I don’t get comments like this either. You might get there ok but what are you going to do when all the trains are cancelled and you can’t get home? 🤦‍♀️

I'm not looking for excuses but I can't think of anything worse than walking around in 70mph winds and rain
The train home would be a train that starts from Birmingham/London and passes through us -so if there's any disruption anywhere on the line it's going to impact my train.

True

I am working today so had to, otherwise I wouldn't. Luckily my commute is on the tube all underground so travel wasn't disrupted.