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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

how do you define essential travel?

71 replies

k2p2k2tog · 28/02/2018 11:00

Blizzard conditions here today. Very heavy snow, high winds, roads absolutely dreadful. Police Scotland "urging people not to travel on the roads".

So how do you define essential journeys? We're not going anywhere today in the car, have already trudged through the snow to the local shop for a pint of milk and we're just staying in and waiting until it gets better.

However on my FB feed this morning I've already seen two posts, one along the lines of "Can't do without my Costa, hope I make it back home in the car" and "snow day - anyone up for a trip to soft play this afternoon?"

Feel sorry for the people who DO need to make essential trips to hospital or work, on;y to get stuck behind numpties on a trip to the coffee shop or soft play.

OP posts:
specialsubject · 28/02/2018 13:35

The funeral is not essential - living people take priority. I'm sure the deceased would have understood.

hotcrossbunsandtea · 28/02/2018 13:36

I don't think most jobs are essential, really. Essential for you to pay your bills, maybe, but the world isn't going to implode if you can't get to the office/shop for a couple of days.

I certainly wouldn't risk my life for my job.

Cerseilannisterinthesnow · 28/02/2018 13:36

seniorrita. Agree my work tells us this too no point taking unnecessary risks and coming off the road, possible knackered car = more time off than if you’d just stayed home or worse having a serious accident and needing even longer off work

Redpony1 · 28/02/2018 13:40

Getting to my horses is an essential for me, it's the only journey i will go on if it gets bad!

PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 28/02/2018 13:42

School's within walking distance, so is Sainsbury's, and I don't work. It's pretty much life as normal here!

letsgetcake · 28/02/2018 13:43

Yeh getting to horses for me too.

specialsubject · 28/02/2018 13:43

That's a good one. Essential is medical emergency, medical workers, medical deliveries, carers, emergency services and animal carers/ farmers.

Can't think of much else. Stay out of the way , if you cock up your journey you'll be in that ditch for some time. And there is always the risk of the other driver doing just that.

ruleshelpcontrolthefun · 28/02/2018 13:45

I walked DD to school and will walk back to collect her. DS's buggy is slipping about but rather a buggy than a car. We're skipping DD's swimming lesson though as we'd need the car. School is essential as long as we can get there safely. Everything else can wait.

Cheekylittlenumber · 28/02/2018 13:50

We're moving house Friday and I'm worried my inlaws won't be able to make it to us and DH will have to move all our stuff by himself while I try and entertain two DC's (3yrs and 5 months)

We can't not move though- need to get out of our house by 1pm.

gillybeanz · 28/02/2018 13:55

Unless you are emergency services or your trip is essential you don't drive.
appointments you cancel, schools and work take the day off.
We haven't got it bad at all, but if we had I'd be staying put.
Just ask is it worth breaking bones falling, or dying in a pile up.
This will identify what is essential travel.

Gingernaut · 28/02/2018 13:57

I work in an admin function in a hospital.

I'm considered essential even though I have no direct patient contact.

There have been appeals through social media for volunteers with 4x4s to help collect medical staff to get them to and from work.

If I worked in an office with no essentisl role, then no. I'd take a snow day.

shouldnthavesaid · 28/02/2018 14:01

I'm in Glasgow centre- universities are all shut, no deliveries of any sort, and no public transport. I had a Tesco booked as no other slots and no nearby supermarkets and no car - Tesco phoned saying no chance will I get it today and not likely tomorrow either. Student flat with only one shelf in fridge and freezer.

Thankfully I have - potato wedges, chicken fillets, mayo so chicken isn't overly dry, 4 slices of bread, beans and custard creams, plenty of teabags and hot chocolate and porridge oats. Hopefully will be able to go out tomorrow. It isnt worth it today, can survive on what I have for twenty four hours!

madeyemoodysmum · 28/02/2018 14:01

The only thing I'd say essential is
Women in Labour
Seriously ill
Caring for at risk groups
Nhs workers.
Police
Fire

Etymology23 · 28/02/2018 14:02

I definitely don't define my work as essential - our teams are working from home wherever possible.

Sometimes the emergency services instruct staff to go to their nearest available station and work from there. In our county there's a 4x4 response group helping with transporting hospital staff who can't otherwise get to work.

Hobbies and grocery shopping are not essential travel, unless you somehow have literally no food.

Wauden · 28/02/2018 14:02

Its only just stopped snowing here (for now) after over an hour of heavy driving snow. Few people driving. The problem will be the icy roads and pavements. And the wild birds' food and water!

speakout · 28/02/2018 14:06

Blizzard conditions here. Total white out. We are in the Red Warning area.
OH is trying to get home from, work and is stuck.

JaneEyre70 · 28/02/2018 14:13

We were watching the news last night, thinking that people seem to lose all common sense when we get extreme weather. I personally think the emergency services have enough to do without risking their lives digging idiots out of snowdrifts that have gone to Costa/shopping/soft play. Perhaps if they were charged for their rescue knowing its probably cost hundreds if not thousands of £s, things would improve.

Nonibaloni · 28/02/2018 14:21

Anyone remember the 2010 snow? I left a job because we had to come in, even though public transport was cancelled. I was heavily pregnant and walked for an hour in. Was ok, except I finished at 11pm and it was an actual blizzard. I fell multiple times and ended up getting taken to hospital, couldn’t get transport from the hospital. Massive company and the terminated loads of contracts. There should be laws against that. The car park wasn’t clear, it was knee deep.

Nonibaloni · 28/02/2018 14:23

Sorry rhat was a total moan but I was suddenly jobless and 8 months pregnant. All for the sake of 2 maybe 3 days off. I should have taken it further but I was in hospital haven fallen on my bump and in total survival mode

Ilovecoleslaw · 28/02/2018 14:23

I'm a nurse so travelling to the hospital is an essential for me. I'll likely have to walk an hour to work tomorrow if the snow keeps up, I won't risk driving if it's bad

Ebeneser · 28/02/2018 14:25

I'm with the posters that say essential travel is for emergencies and key workers like doctors, nurses, police etc.
I work in an office and don't consider that essential travel. I tried to go into work yesterday but turned round and went home before I got out of the village. I think I could have got to work, but it was still snowing heavily and there are too many tits that can't drive in the snow, and I didn't want to be stuck. I have a dog and it's not fair to leave her at home for over 8 hours (I come home every lunch time which I'd not have been able to risk doing). So I phoned work and said I was taking the day off. Dog and I had a fun snow day instead (she loves playing in the snow).

PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 28/02/2018 14:25

Surely not all nurses and doctors live within walking distance though? It's worrying.

LegallyBrunet · 28/02/2018 14:32

@PerfectlySymmetrical My OH is a nurse who lives an hour away from his hospital in quite a rural area. He was told if any of the staff couldn't drive in, they would be picked up by volunteers in 4x4s so I wouldn't worry!

IpreferFrieda · 28/02/2018 14:33

Huggy

I am sorry about your specific circumstances and I hope things improve for you Flowers I was making a general point but I do apologise for upsetting you.

PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 28/02/2018 14:41

That's really good Legally. I can't help being relieved that DS1's just back from hospital though!