how do you define essential travel?

[k2p2k2tog]

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.

Need to water the horses, they have hay and shelter but need the ice breaking on their water buckets. Still parked up just off the main road and walked a mile over the fields to get there, no chance I was ending up in a ditch on the lanes. If I wasn’t seeing to them I’d be staying in until it’s melted, I hate the snow.

IMHO, if not travelling would risk the health of you or others, then it's essential travel. This includes going into work if your company is an arsehole and threatens to fire you for not coming in, since losing your job would put you at risk.

My husband does to work no matter what, to him it’s essential.

Emergency services definitely aren't the only essential workers Gilly - my job isn't "important" in a dramatic way, but if nobody did it people would die pretty quickly.

Mind you it's minus 14 here and we've had snow on the ground for weeks but it's business as usual. Frozen roads certainly don't make driving unreasonably dangerous with winter tyres.

The weather has deteriorated significantly in the last couple of hours, we have at least a foot of snow and there is just no way I could get anywhere, even if I was an A&E nurse or a firefighter.

Stay safe - espeecially those of us in the red alert zone!

I'm having this dilemma right now! I'm in a red weather warning area, all schools/libraries/council buildings are closed but I work in a hospital and am absolutely expected to be there tomorrow at 8am. I also need to negotiate childcare/driving to work and all public transport is off here. Nobody will die if I don't go but I'm already worried about it.

Electricity, gas and water company workers aren't emergency services but I would say that the country would be completely at a standstill if they couldn't get into work.

Reading this thread whilst the sun shines on my very green lawn. Amazing how different the conditions can be throughout such a small island.

Keep safe everyone.

I'd wait until tomorrow and make the decision then, Stitchit.

I'm going to have to get to work tomorrow and hopefully my parents will have my kids as school more than likely closed. Non patient facing NHS role. The hospital doesn't shut so we are expected to turn up. I've run out of leave and don't want to lose pay, plus finance role so busy time of month and year. I live in S Devon on the coast and can't cope with snow and ice at all. I have become very soft after 18 years here. Not much in the cupboards as I didn't believe the warnings, first snow in 7 years.

My daughter is a doctor. She struggled in to the hospital on two delayed trains this morning but I don't think she'll be able to get home tonight.

I'm not in an essential job role at all but I work in a very small team and my job would definately be at risk if I took the day off because of the snow. We are in an orange/yellow area though so not as serious but I am (and will be) going in for work because I really can't afford to not have a job but everything else can wait I think.

essential for me today was getting to work at 7.30 this morning luckily only a ten minute journey in the car, my partner takes me , but when i came out to arctic temps and a blizzard going on i went to the cash point and grabbed a cab home, yes twice as expensive but better than standing freezing at the bus stop

I'm in the red zone and am a carer so essential.

Someone was trying to drive up my street earlier and got stuck and blocked my car in. Cars behind me and in front of me. The other car was left in the middle of the street and is still there now.

I couldn't make it to my clients today so had to phone in explaining the situation. I don't think I could have got my car out of the street as the snow was so heavy this morning. It's even heavier now.

We've been discussing this.
SF said a doctors appointment is essential but, since all public transport has stopped round here, is it that essential for a routine appointment?
Is getting to work important if it's blizzard conditions? Visibility here was about 10 yards at 11am and DP has to go to work for 7.30 tomorrow morning and I'm honestly hoping he doesn't go as it was bad enough this morning. Knowing him he'll go anyway.

Pretty much any member of NHS staff is essential. Yes Drs and nurses are the ones who spring to mind but if the porters, caterers, cleaners aren't there then the Drs and nurses have no hope!

Ambulance staff, police, firefighters, carers, utility workers..... All essential in my eyes and there will be others that I've not immediately thought of.

Baby getting to work's essential if someone's life depends on it.

Depends on many things. I think my basic idea would be...i am prepared to risk the following in order to do this thing? crashing? Getting injured, potentially seriously? Being stuck in traffic for 8 hours? Walking home if I get stuck?

Work? Might be essential, (medical, police carer, in charge of keeping the electricity working etc) or if you have a boss who is likely to sack you for a sick day.

School? Non essential.

Shopping? Can I live without?

My dear mother's funeral? Essential. Funeral of that bloke who used to live down our street when we were kids? Not essential.