idiot bastard car drivers

[JoanByers]

Fucking hell.

We've got 1/2cm of snow on the roads, I just went out, within 2 miles of home a car coming out of the leisure centre drive overshoots the junction and nearly smashes into me as I'm driving past - he obviously didn't think to test his brakes on a snow covered, downhill slope (leisure centre drive not gritted).

Half-a-mile up the road went to pick something up off freecycle, but no, the road is blocked, so I get out and see what's going on, an idiot has gone into the back of a 4x4, impaled on the towbar.

It's not that hard. Either stay at home, or don't drive like a cunt.

[JustAHolyFool]

Randall yes SENSIBLE precautions. Snow tyres/chains/socks, driving slowly and keeping distance with the car in front of you = sensible.

Staying at home because there's 1 inch of snow = hysterical.

[frogspoon]

YABU

Today I drove home from my job teaching in a secondary school, in at least 2 inches of snow. Although this may not seem like a large amount, both the school car park and most of the roads I drove on were on were not gritted. I am not a very experienced driver, and this is the first time I had driven in proper snow.

I drove very slowly and carefully and the journey took twice its normal length. Despite this I skidded twice but fortunately due to the low speed I was driving at, and the large distance I was leaving in front of me, I did not have an accident. However if I had have had an accident, it would be just that: an accident.

If teachers chose not to make these "non essential" journeys to schools, the schools would have to close (oh, wait, they already have!)

[RandallPinkFloyd]

At what point did I say stay at home if there's one inch of snow

Snow tyres and socks would be useful yes although quite an expense or the amount of use you'd get out of them unless you live high up.

Not sure you'll ever need chains in the uk!

[Mintyy]

Where should we keep our out of season tyres can I ask?

[BackforGood]

The 3 bumps outside our house today, and the one I've had described to me that I didn't see, all happened to drivers who were crawling along, barely 5mph. One the road is like a skating rink, there's not much you can do except stay off the road.

[RandallPinkFloyd]

I'm going to keep mine on the street outside next to my car. Or in my invisible garage!

No, the are a good idea if you can afford them and its practical for you to store them and change them if it gets too warm etc. I would say socks are probably a more practical solution for most people if they really want something.

[Fimbo]

I was most perturbed today by the idiot that drove past about 80 miles an hour in my slushy village, covering me from head to foot in ice and snow. So you in your white car in Norfolk, yes you, I'm coming to get you.

[poozlepants]

I shelled out for good winter tyres and we have no snow here in my part of Scotland. I feel cheated of feeling smug.

[ShellyBoobs]

And say a wee prayer to whichever Finnish genius invented Nokian tyres

That's exactly what I have on my car - Nokian WR D3 to be precise and I had Nokia WR 'something else' for a few years before these ones. I worked in Finland for quite some time a few years ago and once I'd seen and experienced the difference good winter tyres make it made perfect sense to buy them over here.

And no, whoever asked, there's no issue with winter tyres above 7C. They don't wear out massively quicker than summer tyres in warmer weather but they do feel a bit 'squidgy', perhaps.

If you also consider that summer tyres wear out massively quicker in the winter then consider average temperatures and the fact that you're sharing the wear between 2 sets of tyres, it's not an issue at all.

My European colleagues would think anyone driving in the winter on summer tyres was utterly mad, tbh.

[CommanderShepard]

A van turned left into our road, span in s circle and stalled inches from my car bonnet (parked and unoccupied - I saw from my front garden).

People try to drive like they always do and it's fucking madness.

OH! And you can't just clear your windows of snow; it needs to be as much as you can get off the whole car. I saw once a horrible collision where a car was driving along with a roof and bonnet both full of snow - it all slipped off onto the road and onto his windscreen and caused a pile up.

[Bogeyface]

Re: Essential journeys. What one person deems non essential is not the same for everyone. If my DH had refused to go to work on a late shift for the sake of 1/2 cm of snow (he couldnt walk the 18 miles and public transport stopped at 6pm) then he would have been sacked.

I deem that pretty fucking essential, and if somewhere else was on the way then it would make sense to me to do both in one journey.

But of course, feel free to tell me how you can run a large leisure complex "from home", or cook food for a school full of pupils via email

[malinois]

Mintyy In the garage? We have our winter ones on a set of cheapo steel wheel and it takes DP and I half an hour to change over the wheels. Means you're not exposing your nice alloys to all the salt and grit too.

My European colleagues would think anyone driving in the winter on summer tyres was utterly mad, tbh.
This.

[JoanByers]

I was just watching the news, a car spinning away in a little bit of slush. FFS, stop revving so hard, try 2nd/3rd gear.

[Bogeyface]

Malinois

What garage?

[MurderOfGoths]

"People try to drive like they always do and it's fucking madness."

It makes no sense does it?

[poozlepants]

You can get your winter/summer tyres stored at places that fit them- like ATS and Kwik Fit. It's not very expensive. Winter tyres are also very effective in the wet and we get lots of that.

[JoanByers]

Police advice here:

www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10151428361411341&id=22018596340

"Following today's snowfall the advice from the police, to those travelling this evening, is to leave more time for your journey home and plan your route carefully.

Congestion is likely on routes as traffic will be moving slowly. However, all major trunk roads have been gritted and the local authorities will be operating gritters throughout the night and into tomorrow. Minor roads may present some difficulties but are passable with care.

With the temperatures remaining low, conditions are likely to turn icy tonight and tomorrow. If you are unsure about driving in these conditions consider using public transport, bus services are returning to limited operations"

In other words, either stay at home, or don't drive like a cunt.

[MurderOfGoths]

"In other words, either stay at home, or don't drive like a cunt."

Oh I so want the police to release that as a statement! Actually, it's pretty relevant even when it isn't snowing!

[RandallPinkFloyd]

Who told you that wasn't essential bogey? That would be a very harsh thing to say. Half a centimetre of snow isn't going to affect any main roads at all. I'm sure no one would be in their boss's good books if they refused to come to work for that reason.

[MrsMeow]

To be fair, I left this morning to take DS to school and go to work myself and within a usually 2 minute journey, which incidentally took me about 10 minutes because I didn't want to be an idiot bastard car driver so was taking my time, I skidded three times. At that point there was only about 2cm of snow but the roads were still treacherous.

Maybe I should have just stayed home though and taken the day off work. I don't want to get in the way of people making necessary journeys to pick up freecycle stuff after all

[Bogeyface]

Your journey wasn't 'essential'. I hate the spoilt and precious use of the word essential.. Nobody was going to die if you didn't drive. It only mattered in your little microcosm.

Said to the OP after she said she was driving her DH to work and picking something up on the way.

[Bogeyface]

Her DH is a chef btw, as mine ran a leisure complex, neither jobs that you can do at home or just "call in" as there is no one else to do the work. Especially not for a sprinkling of snow.

[RandallPinkFloyd]

Then it is essential isn't it

And no one has suggested anyone change any plans for a 'sprinkling' of snow have they? That would be a bit hysterical.

[JustAHolyFool]

Randall but you ARE suggesting people stay home in this weather. And there really isn't that much snow. We've an inch or two at most and everything has ground to a halt - buses, trains, taxis.

Plenty of people use snow chains in the hilly regions of Scotland/north of England. Maybe they're not necessary, but, like you, not everyone has space to store snow tyres. So they buy chains instead. They're really not expensive, £40 or so, and you can keep them in your boot.

Sort of seems like you'll just argue black is white to be honest.

[ajandjjmum]

MrsMeow
Not meaning to pick holes, but if your usual drive to work only takes 2 minutes, why didn't you walk? Seriously, just wondering.