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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not understand why so many people drive in the snow?

105 replies

littlemisssunny · 26/01/2013 10:26

It's a genuine question as I am intrigued.

The snow last night was forecast days before so it wasn't a surprise. It was gone 8pm when it started, if it was rush hour or something I could understand it.

People were getting stuck all over the place on main roads, the gritters and ploughs were struggling to get through the traffic to clear it all. There were a lot of cars on the road!

Also saw on the news a man who got stuck on the m6 saying it came from nowhere, err no it was forecast!

I know sometimes people have to travel, and my husband is lucky that he can walk to work, but I just don't get it?

I might be unreasonable but I genuinely don't understand Confused please explain!

OP posts:
pjmama · 26/01/2013 10:30

Because life doesn't grind to a halt when it snows? I imagine most people would try to avoid travelling in heavy snow if they could, it's not fun. Sometimes I guess it's just not an option.

nefertarii · 26/01/2013 10:35

Here is was forecast but not expect to settle or be as bad.

The weather front that brought the snow acted unusually. The front would normally get weaker as it goes but it got stronger. So it alot heavier here than forecast.

Dh for example has to drive. He can't afford to close our business because of snow. people still want to use us. The weekend is the busiest time for us.

mrsjay · 26/01/2013 10:37

because people have to be places or get places like work and home, maybe if more people didn't panic when the snow comes the councils would clear roads quicker etc, what do sweden do when it snows norway do they not drive anywhere, MY dh drives as part of his job his van was skidding all over but he still had to work, IT is just snow we shouldn't have to grind to a halt imo

NoCoolUsername · 26/01/2013 10:39

Because some people don't have the luxury of just being able to stop at home or not go out Hmm

Some people have to go to work

HecateWhoopass · 26/01/2013 10:40

They forecast a blizzard for us.

Didn't happen.

They forecast sunshine the other day.

We got snow.

I think that forecasts are wrong so often that people don't believe them. So you look up at the sky and try to judge for yourself.

I look at the 5 day weather forecast every day.

Every day it's different.

Two days ago they were saying we'd get snow today. Yesterday it was saying it would be cloudy.

It's actually bright and dry.

Driving in actual snow is another thing.

But basing your decisions on what the weather forecast says? I wouldn't bother. They're wrong more often than they're right.

HollyBerryBush · 26/01/2013 10:40

I looked at the photos in the DM this morning - I mean, seriously, what plank , when stuck in snow on a motorway, thinks it is a good idea to build snowmen in the fast lane??? I realise no cars are moving, but "doh!" it will tke ages to melt

LittleChimneyDroppings · 26/01/2013 10:40

Because they need to be somewhere I would imagine.

BooCanary · 26/01/2013 10:42

Because people don't necessarily have employers who let them leave early if snow is forecast.

Because peoples journey home on a Friday could take a few hours, so they may gave left at 6 and hoped to get home by 8.

Because people may have a range of obligations (elderly parents e.g.) that don't just stop cos of snow.

I personally would have loved not to drive in the snow this week, but my work opened as normal and I couldn't afford to use a week of annual leave. If I could have avoided skidding down my road, and then being stuck in traffic for 2 hours every day this week, don't you think I would have.

Do you have a job you have to drive to op?

mrsjay · 26/01/2013 10:44

MY dd chose not to drive yesterday which is fair enough but she still had to get to work so her dad dropped her off half way and she walked the rest of the way , her shop didn't shut because of snow they were expected to go in , she wouldn't have got paid if she didn't go,

uggmum · 26/01/2013 10:44

Because I work until 10pm. It was not snowing when I started work.
Because I'm customer facing (telephone) and work at a 24hour organisation which has never closed.

I had no choice but to drive home. It took me 1hr, 10 mins. It usually takes me 15 mins. It was very hairy, mainly due to people who drive like nutters.

SkinnybitchWannabe · 26/01/2013 10:45

Not everybody works 9-5. My oh and I certainly don't and we also wont get paid if we don't go in.

shesariver · 26/01/2013 10:49

Because I didnt fancy spending the night at work thats why I had to drive last night in the worst snow we have had (West Scotland, luckily we have missed it recently), Im a Nurse and I live 20 miles from work.

Don't get whats so hard to understand that people need to go to work, have family caring commitments and such like Confused

Original poster
littlemisssunny · 26/01/2013 10:50

Sorry I don't think I was very clear in my OP, I understand people have to get to work, etc and in the week I totally understand it, what I meant was it was Friday night and there was a snow blizzard and there aren't normally that many cars out at that time, I understand essential journeys, and that the weather forecast isn't reliable, but I just was surprised by the amount of people who were out.

I walk to work in my current job, but have had to travel in the past, up to 20 miles away.

OP posts:
mrsjay · 26/01/2013 10:51

but I don't think a lot of people want to drive in a blizzard for a laugh hopefully the majority have to be somewhere,

ItsAFuckingVase · 26/01/2013 10:51

The snow started here at about 3pm. Most of my friends would have been still at work. I was at a wake in the sticks and had to leave straight away as my car doesn't cope in snow. My friend had a 4 hour drive home from work, unavoidable really.

BooCanary · 26/01/2013 10:52

But op it has taken me 2 hours to do a 25 minute journey every day this week. Maybe they left work at 5 or 6 and were stuck in traffic. Or maybe they work shifts, or have to travel a long way to get home for w/e.

BadgersNadgers · 26/01/2013 10:53

It's too cold to walk in a blizzard, brrrr Grin

phantomnamechanger · 26/01/2013 10:55

The ones I really don't get are those who go out in the car as usual despite the forecast, just dressed for the office, assuming they will get there without problems - so no coat, no blanket, no shovel/wellies/flask in the car with them. Totally stupid & irresponsible.

At this time of year we carry a sleeping bag in the car just in case we break down in the cold & dark on the way home from somewhere & we always pack drinks and snacks for long journeys

amazes me that so mnay people go out totally unprepared

MrsDoomsPatterson · 26/01/2013 11:10

Sometimes I read a fred title and wonder why ayone would ask such a question.

This is one of those times [bwink]

MrsDoomsPatterson · 26/01/2013 11:12

Friday night isn't stop everything for a takeaway night in lots of households, it's not batten down the hatches for lots of people, but business as usual.

Iactuallydothinkso · 26/01/2013 11:14

Got stuck in a blizzard last week, forecast said light snow.

That night I cancelled all non essential things. The next morning I still had to go to work and the kids still had to go to school ( day pupils in a boarding school so it doesn't shut). Buses were cancelled and it was a bit of a mare but providing you're not utterly stupid, life continues.

JenaiMorris · 26/01/2013 11:16

Some people are just bloody stupid.

Says the woman who tried to get her rear wheel drive roadster down a snowy lane this week [idiot]

juneybean · 26/01/2013 11:18

Because not every one works 9 - 5 Mon - Fri?

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 26/01/2013 11:18

It started at 3 here. I had to drive to pick up my son. Bloody terrifying it was too. Our bit of the m6 was blocked by 5.

MrsDoomsPatterson · 26/01/2013 11:21

I'd imagine there are all sorts of reasons for having to go out, I'm sure they're not all idiots.