more snow today: open and shut

[GabbyLoggon]

Shops open...library closed.

Is it just that one was taking money and the others werent?

Perhaps cameron should forget footie...and go to
Austria to ask them how they do snow.
Still spring is just around the corner yippeeee

People need to buy milk, bread, nappies etc. Nobody urgently needs to get out a library book. YABU.

oh no i urgently need to get hold of 'lumberjacking for beginners' arse

Asking Austria, or Canada or Russia is no good.

Britain is in a particular position because of the temperature fluctuations and the fact that this generally lasts days rather than weeks or months.

Regardless of whether you currently own one, if you didn't, would you be happy with your (or DH's) employer INSISTING that you buy a 4x4 vehicle, or move closer to work?!?!

This is how it still is in the countries listed above EXACTLY BECAUSE their snow lasts so long, but we are not likely to spend personal or public funds for something that only MIGHT happen for one or two weeks every few years. No-one would argue with the assertion that this bad snow is rare compared with the last 10 years or so. Maybe this is the sign of things to come, but until it does happen more regularly and for longer, we'll just have to suck it up.

Well, where I am, the shops are shut as well, so, erm, no. It?s about safety and only making journeys which are necessary and which people are able to make.
It took us 2.5 hours to walk the mile to the town centre yesterday, the supermarket was shut, the banks, post office and all the independent shops were shut, wilkos were shut - the only thing that was open was the petrol station, but all the pumps were frozen, so people were in there buying necessities. And the guy only opened up because he lives next door

Also - great post meowy. I?ve been trying to say that to people (RL) but unable to put it quite so eloquently. Will quote you, if that?s ok!!

Our library was open yesterday I was a bit shocked when they rang about my dads books.

I agree totally with Meowy.
To add though : my sis lives in Alaska, and the schools, local uni, and all governemtn offices are closed there this week due to bad weather (ice storm). OK, far worse than we have here (obviously!) but they invest heavily in robust infrastructure etc etc to cope with "normal" winter conditions. Even they get caught out by spectacularly bad weather, just as we're doing now. It's all relative.

Gabby, where will the homeless people go if the library is shut?

Meowy that's not what happens in Austria. Nobody insists anybody has to have a 4x4 unless they work for e.g. the park service in which case one is provided by the service itself, as it is here.

Austria doesn't grind to a halt in snow, because the snowclearing mechanisms are super efficient, and because people know how to drive in the cold conditions, and their vehicles are suitably equipped with winter tyres and chains where appropriate. FWIW though, chains are relatively rarely used as quickly cleared snow plus winter tyres mean they're not often necessary unless you live up a farm track.

D