To think we are pathetic in the UK re weather?

[Usery]

Whether it's too hot (it's going to be 40° on Monday don't you know🙄) or too cold or snow or wind etc...

AIBU to think we are a bit pathetic in the UK and a bunch of over reactors when it comes to any sort of "extreme" weather.

As it happens the victorian tiles in my hall are really cool and the dog lies there.

The top of the house in the attic area is roasting but we open windows on both sides to create a through breeze.

I grew up in the tropics. School started and finished early. We wore cotton uniforms and were accustomed to the heat. Had a 10 week summer holiday too. Spent a huge chunk of my childhood by the pool and slept in an air conditioned bedroom. The next couple of days will be horrid, this country isn’t set up for the heat. I think those who are saying people are making a fuss don’t live in a house/flat that’ll heat up like a furnace. Friends who are saying it’ll be glorious, either live by the coast, have huge shady gardens a pool or aren’t in the red zone. We never have any time to acclimatise here.

My daughter knows someone who grew up in Texas and now lives here. He said that he dreads the temperature getting above 27 degrees here because we aren't prepared for those kind of temperatures in the UK. If a Texan thinks it's too hot then I think it's fair enough for us to think about, moan about and prepare for the heatwave.

Yip and I bet Texas couldn't cope with minus temperatures either.

Countries cannot cope with extremes beyond their normal because they aren't set up for it.

Ha ha ha. This is so funny. You do realise there is nothing different (apart from better roads/car handling capabilities/ insulation of houses) to how things were back in the sixties when we used to have 3/4/5 ft snowdrifts for days (and sometimes weeks) and used to walk to school and back. Wet socks, wet gloves, wet wellies when we arrived at school but put on radiators and we were ready for playtime/home time again. Didn’t have the infrastructure, that’s why

The summer of ‘76 was a corker. Yes we had standpipes for the water rationing but it lasted for over 10 weeks, not a few days and yet we survived - didn’t have the infrastructure, that’s why

When I was younger I lived in Cyprus and Singapore, going to school in both countries and our classrooms were made from corrugated iron (tin huts basically). We had no aircon, no fans, only open windows and shade. Didn’t have the infrastructure, that’s why.

Most people just get on with it. Do what you need to do. But really, until the weather becomes predominantly very hot/very cold we shall just have to deal with the extremes as and when - because there isn’t currently the need for the infrastructure, that’s why!

When I was younger I lived in Cyprus and Singapore, going to school in both countries and our classrooms were made from corrugated iron (tin huts basically). We had no aircon, no fans, only open windows and shade. Didn’t have the infrastructure, that’s why.

There in lies the difference. Our schools are designed to keep the heat in reduce the heating bills.

Think how Cyprus or Singapore would cope with temperatures close to zero or before?

Doesn't matter where you are countries have their infrastructure and buildings designed to cope with their 'normal' range of weather. Too hot, too cold, too dry, too wet they really struggle.

You're right but other countries hit 40 land locked Hungary much hotter weather and many no air con and they don't go on and on and on. It's not even the whole of the UK 28c and they are fretting in other parts of the UK. 28!! Come on lol. I can't wait for autumn myself but the reaction is pathetic.

The summer of ‘76 was a corker. Yes we had standpipes for the water rationing but it lasted for over 10 weeks, not a few days and yet we survived - didn’t have the infrastructure, that’s why

No, you survived. Some unlucky people didn't.

You're basically lying lol. I know texans and they lol 😆

Actually, if you read the European news, most of Europe is going 'on and on' about the weather - possibly because their governments, like ours, are warning the population and are seeking to minimise loss of life.

For example, over 300 deaths in in Portugal, where the temperature is equalling their higest ever. It's being taken serioisly everywhere.

Except on this thread, of course

In 5 years it’ll hit 45 degrees and bores will still be going on about the summer of 76.

all you have to do is stay inside with the fan on, if its that bad. It will soon be over sadly.

It’ll go back to the mid-20s. A temperature range most non-masochists find preferable.

Starting a thread stating how pathetic people are for having the audacity to find the heat unbearable is the true definition of pathetic.

Talk about missing the point - not having the infrastructure is nothing to do with wet socks etc - it is about the heat insulation around components of the national grid, the way our train tracks are laid, the properties of the road surfaces we use.

UK is dealing with rapidly rising temperatures and the things we have built in the last 150 years are not engineered to cope with it.

FO. I am not lying.

I'm assuming Texans have lots of lovely air con.

How would you know that? On a lot of Hungary based forums, are you?

We have air con on the train and at work which makes it a lot more comfortable.....but will it become a viscious cycle if air con becomes more prevalent (in homes etc) ? that's another lot of fuel/electricity being used....contributing to climate change ....which increases the need for air con....

This country is always look for an excuse that grind to a halt. Blaming the weather for everything not going right.

i remember one “storm” back in Feb. The whole council office closed, even those WFH had a day off (given not out of annual leave) it was windy but closing the office? Fucking farce.

school closed years ago due to impending snow. Not a fucking flake fell.

this country is lazy.

@Dinoteeth - inrastructure problems and sustained failure of the utilities serving Texas to prepare for an unusual cold spell left Texas in a bad way last winter or possibly two winters ago, can't recall specifically.

Otoh, Chicago's rail network keeps going in the extreme cold, including polar vortex conditions, because of gas burners which set the rails on fire to keep them from freezing over. The City of Chicago recently passed an ordinance forcing building management in residential buildings below a certain age to turn on central AC and keep it at a certain temperature during specified weather conditions. All landlords in buildings over a certain number of units and with central heat are already obliged to keep heat at certain minimum day and night levels from October to April.

It behoves utility companies to plan for extremes of temperatures and to anticipate demand. Governments have a very basic duty to protect the lives of citizens.

@mathanxiety
Basically you have confirmed my through Texas copes very well with the heat which is within their range of normal. But can't cope with snow which isnt normal for them

Chicago copes well with their normal cold winters. But they probably also have 'snow days' the same as parts of Canada for when it's below their normal.

People slate the UK for not being able to cope with extreme weather. But they'd also moan if gas burners were installed on rail lines and only used once every 10 years.

People moan about everything nowadays, if it's not too hot it's too cold. Just deal with it is my advice. People having days off work or taking kids out of school because of a hot day is just ridiculous.

I am dealing with it. By keeping my kids at home so they don't get heat exhaustion by having to walk for 45 minutes at 3pm in 40 degree heat.

It's not that difficult to understand that this is highly unusual and potentially dangerous, is it?

YABVVVU. Other counties are built for the weather, and used to it.

Some of us have lived abroad. The idea all houses in hot countries have air conditioning or are built to be cool is simply not true.
What is true is that people have different behaviour i.e. closing shutters, blinds and windows and staying indoors. Not going to a theme park as some on MN are planning.