To think there is a complete over reaction to a bit of snow?

[MycatsaPirate]

Firstly I'm on the south coast of England but I lived in Scotland for 23 years where they get proper snow. It wasn't unusual to have months of icy pavements and roads and it was regularly below zero.

The amount of snow that has fallen in England (particularly the south) is pitiful and the BBC have devoted their entire morning to it. Reporting live from Canterbury is some poor reporter who has to pan the camera round to the grass where it looks like they may have had a heavy frost.

I have already seen two threads about ice and snow and how they can't possibly leave the house today.

Every single time there is snow in England, the whole place seems to grind to a halt. It's actually embarrassing.

1cm of snow is not dramatic, nor will it stop you going about your daily life. Just wrap up warm and leave earlier than usual.

Scotland, I apologise for the BBC this morning. You must all have been cringing into your cornflakes.

[MooseBeTimeForSnow]

I moved to Canada 6 years ago. Its the schools closing thing that gets me. It was -46c here yesterday with the windchill. We've had snow/ice on the ground since November. I wait outside with my son for his school bus. Schools never close here.

[SunnyDayDreaming101]

Us Scots find it hilarious and embarrassing (not that I want to speak for everyone)

I was down south with work yesterday and it is all anyone could talk about, was I crazy driving around for work - snow was forecast! When it gets thick enough to come up my shins I'll start to think about getting home in case it gets too deep.

As a few others have said, it's not the snow that causes the issues is people reaction and panic towards it - 1 inch of snow pretty much means a wet road and not much else.

Besides the day it falls it isn't so bad, good grip for walking when it's fresh - it's the next day when it's freezing your arse off temps and all the slush freezes.... then the fun really begins!

I have never had a day off because of weather, had to leave early or arrive a little late occasionally but that's it!

[MissMooMoo]

Hilarious that people think Scotland is prepared for snow!
I am Canadian and have been in the UK 10 years,nowhere in the UK is prepared.
They showed news reports of the snow on a Canadian morning news program yesterday (ironically from Scotland) and they were talking about very dangerous driving conditions, my dad was howling with laughter.
Pavements should not be covered in ice for weeks! They should be cleared and salted so you can walk on them safely.

[VioletRoar]

I'd say it's just the inconsistency and lack of preparation/ability to prepare that's the issue. I'm hardly going to swap to snow tyres and buy a ski suit for one week of snow a year. May as well just stay in where possible. We've had barely any snow where I am in the east. No-one has complained much though.

[halfdoneharris]

meh! I think it depends where you are in the south and how big a hill you live on. I live in rural, hilly Surrey and by 5.30/6pm last night the roads were gridlocked and no-one could get up or down the very steep hills between the train station and our homes. Lots of abandoned cars and hiking up steep hills in ice and snow.
Tried to take children to school this morning and whilst the main roads were a bit slushy and mainly fine if you drove slow - the side roads to get to the school were treacherous and after 90 mins of driving a 10 minute route we gave up and had a snow day.

[halfdoneharris]

I should add that the school itself was actually open but was seriously low on children in the classes - some parents are braver than others I guess.

[SomewhatIdiosyncratic]

I live in an area with varied microclimates. Years ago, I was working 10 miles north of my home where it's hillier and it stayed around freezing all day with a few light flurries. I had a straightforward but slower drive to work and back. No issues.

DH works 3 miles away near the city centre which is down a river valley. It's normally 1-2oC warmer there than our hillier neighbourhood. It thawed, rained, turned to hail then suddenly froze up again. He took over half an hour scraping the thick glazing of ice off the car despite bringing it into the warehouse to help it thaw. On other occasions, colleagues have been amused by the light topping of snow on his car when there's none in most of the city.

Schools are susceptible to local kids getting in, and staff from further afield living in places more affected. Schools also have to consider the likelihood of disruption on the return journey.

I've worked in a school 45 minutes away. At the time I set off, there was no issue in my local side roads. The snow intensified on the journey, but still wasn't problematic on the A roads I was on. The last 2 miles were difficult, particularly as the school was on a steep slope (emergency shovel handy). By this point the local staff now had problems setting off, and the school busses getting around villages to collect the students. The school was closed after 30 minutes of assessing the situation. Typically, it eased off as I got home. Sigh.

So why does much of England struggle? Microclimates make conditions unpredictable and varied, especially as we're just on the cusp of rain/ sleet/ snow temperatures. Significant snow is not frequent enough to be worth investing in snow tyres or to maintain driving skills. Key routes are prioritised, but many people struggle to access them from side roads.

Having annual snow that falls and stays put is much easier to manage.

Saying that, the winter of 2010 finished me off. At 36 weeks pregnant, with a bump rubbing the steering wheel and awful SPD, I wasn't prepared to risk damaging myself by slipping and sliding the car up the 100m of caked ice on an uphill slope to get out of our cul-de-sac, so was trapped in the house unless someone took me out for that last month. I was well beyond staggering 200m to a bus to the bus stop. Frustrating!

[miserablesod]

I live in Greater London. My estate is up a hill, the roads and pavements were not gritted at all. Buses and cars got stuck on the estate lastnight and the only way to get onto it was by tram that were consequently delayed.

This morning it was like an ice rink, buses were not coming onto the estate after one got stuck again. My eldest kids couldn't get to school because of this, my you ger lot did as their school is not too far. However after nearly all of us slipping over i wish i hadn't bothered taking them!

[MycatsaPirate]

High tides are causing problems. Scarborough looks pretty bad and Whitby. Hope that no one gets hurt but having seen a video doing the rounds where the water is pouring up onto the prom and there's a man on the beach with a woman in a wheelchair, I do wonder.

Flooding and high tides are going to cause huge problems, hope you all stay safe.