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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

… to have little sympathy for people stuck in the snow!

51 replies

OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 10/03/2023 08:20

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-64905906

There were plenty of warnings about this, it was moving slowly up the country. Hampshire had heavy snow on Wednesday.

Yet people are still surprised that heavy snow will affect the roads! It takes time to get them clear and given the infrequency of snow, the UK does not have the full infrastructure to do this quickly.

OP posts:
Ponderoveryonder · 10/03/2023 08:57

I never understand these threads. Busy doctors on night shifts? People going to buy supplies for elderly relatives ? Not everyone is on a jolly.

pharmachameleon · 10/03/2023 08:59

This post really annoyed me! I work in a hospital and not going to work in the snow is not an option. I would obviously try and leave as much time as possible to get to work but I have to get there at some point. What would you suggest I do OP? I can't work from home unfortunately.
When snow is forecast I feel almost physically sick as I really hate driving in the snow and I would much rather stay at home but not an option.

GotABeatForYouMama · 10/03/2023 08:59

Some people have no choice but to attempt the journey in order get to work. Those snowploughs and gritters don't drive themselves you know.

exLtEveDallas · 10/03/2023 09:02

No-one who had to go to work or to go out in an emergency are the people that the OP are talking about. So you need to back off.

The people on my news reports this morning were travelling back from football, concerts, gigs and in one case a family birthday that was held in the home - she could have stayed over! THOSE people were foolish to travel.

BreviloquentBastard · 10/03/2023 09:02

Oh yes, congratuwelldone, clever you, you're clearly a cut above the rest of the plebs. Are you heating your entire house with the warmth of your smug superiority?

Throwncrumbs · 10/03/2023 09:03

I got stuck in snow on my way home from my 13 hour night shift at a hospital once. I abandoned my car about half way as I was sliding all over the place, I walked the rest of the way, and got home at 11.00 after leaving at 8am. I then had to go back to work for that night but had no way of getting there apart from walking there. Nurses can’t work from home unfortunately!

WhiteFire · 10/03/2023 09:09

My work has basically said come in no matter what. I haven't, I live considerably further away from work than many others and I personally think it is completely unnecessary to do so.

icelolly12 · 10/03/2023 09:13

Some might be delivery drivers, carers, nurses, doctors, police. Some might have family commtments. Sorry but just because you can sit at home nice, warm and cosy doesn't give you the right to judge others who have a life outside their four walls.

JunkinDonuts · 10/03/2023 09:13

The thing is, the forecasters have been tipping it to snow for the last month and no snow arrived, so people became blasé about it.
The infrastructure is shit in the UK when it comes to snow, no ploughs or gritters to be seen, which is ridiculous.
The council's and highways knew that snow was imminent, yet did sod all to keep the network moving.
I can see the main road from my home, it's a busy bus route, yet it's covered in snow and no buses are running. Why? Why haven't the council been out with ploughs and gritters to keep a bus route running?
Too busy having bloody snow and duvet days I suspect!!

GotABeatForYouMama · 10/03/2023 09:13

No-one who had to go to work or to go out in an emergency are the people that the OP are talking about.

I used to work for an employer who expected people to come in no matter what the weather. Anyone who didn't was not paid and it would count against them in regard to their Bradford factor score. When the Beast from the East was forecast we still had to get in. By the time they relented and sent everyone home it was too late,. A 20 minute drive took 3 hours. You have no idea who "has" to work and who doesn't neither does the OP. Those people who "foolishly travelled" may well have had no other choice but to do so in order to be able to go to work the next day.

Fifi0000 · 10/03/2023 09:15

I live semi rurally and the roads aren't being gritted properly budget cuts? I think I will have to get winter tyres now every year.

WhereIsMumHiding3 · 10/03/2023 09:20

If HCPs in the NHS and workers in social care stayed home for snow, a huge number of people would die. (Of neglect & failure to be treated.)

Over a million NHS workers. We don't all have access to a special snow shuttle transport....
Let alone all the other essential workers that we rely on to keep the infrastructure going - utilities, food, water, police, waste disposal, medical and product supply, etc.. People are trying their best, many don't have the luxury of choosing to stay home "because snow"

TheYearOfSmallThings · 10/03/2023 09:21

As the weather forecast is very rarely correct I don't blame anyone for mostly ignoring it.

I agree with this. They are so frequently wrong that it wouldn't make sense to cancel your life and sit home because snow is predicted, especially in March.

I believe I've seen "snowmageddon" predicted every day since October, somewhere or another.

Heartsandbirds · 10/03/2023 09:22

Meandfour · 10/03/2023 08:25

Moving up? We’ve had snow since Wednesday in Yorkshire. My friend went into labour last night and needed to get to hospital. Should she have stayed home with no assistance?

Show quote history

@OhBeAFineGuyKissMe 😱 I had a January baby and was terrified of that happening! Hope she was okay.

lovedive · 10/03/2023 09:27

donttellmehesalive · 10/03/2023 08:50

Just quietly enjoy your superiority without sharing it in public because it makes you sound like an unkind, unimaginative knob.

Bravo to this comment

dottiedodah · 10/03/2023 09:30

YABU ,Many people have no choice .The emergency workers (not just obvious ones like 999,but Power Station ,Newspapers,the postal workers and so on.

CMO · 10/03/2023 09:31

I think people need to learn the capabilites of their vehicles. Going into work this morning was like a slalom course, driving arouns all the stuck and abandoned cars.

Cosyblankets · 10/03/2023 09:37

OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 10/03/2023 08:45

That is kind of my point. I’ve had to sleep at work because of the snow. I didn’t drive onto a motorway as I knew it would be too hazardous and there was a big risk of getting stuck. Which is a) very very unpleasant for everyone and b) makes the job of clearing the motorway so much harder and creates a lot of extra work for the emergency services.

If there is an amber warning, and you can stay safe inside, then you should not be travelling. Unless it is an emergency. Especially across mountains.

Show quote history

What job do you do and what is your family situation that you can sleep at work? People have kids and elderly relatives to get to

xogossipgirlxo · 10/03/2023 09:43

Well, I have some sympathy for HGVs stuck on the side of the road. They didn't have choice, did they. World won't fall apart if office workers don't come, but tell the same to care workers or NHS.

Doesthepopeshitinthewoods · 10/03/2023 09:50

unclebuck · 10/03/2023 08:23

I never understand threads like this. We have no idea why they are stuck and it does not effect you, why make a post stating you have no sympathy? Does it make you feel very clever and well organised?
I have sympathy because I am sure some of them had absolutely no choice, others missed the forecast and others made a poor decision. We all do all these things at some point or other.

Is it the same ‘snow exercise’ poster?!!

They believe you must wear trousers in the snow and you must not exercise because exercise makes you colder and kills you in snow. Or something.

shelbyger · 10/03/2023 10:00

That's a bit mean. Folk still need to work. I imagine most of the folk stuck were going out because they had to. Yea there will be the odd idiot that fancied going to a shopping centre or something but most folk will be commuting. Can't exactly call ur boss and say I won't be in today as there is a weather warning for snow.

HyggeTygge · 10/03/2023 10:02

Why are you constantly saying people are 'surprised' rather than accepting that many will have taken a calculated risk which didn't work out?

zingally · 10/03/2023 10:03

Because many people, myself included, have to work if they want to get paid.

As it happens, I have this morning off, but am working this afternoon, and will need to head off at about 11:15. The bit I'm most nervous about is the walk from the front door to my car, as it's on a slight slope!

Porkandbeans1 · 10/03/2023 10:17

I work for the NHS. I'm sure it will be fine if none of us turn in today! And great if you can sleep at work but do you know how many staff we have? Maybe we can use all those spare beds?

Whereareallthejellyfish · 10/03/2023 10:52

13 years ago we had horrific snow in the town I lived in, the ring road ground to a halt and it was really spooky seeing all those abandoned vehicles.

I was 24 and pregnant with my first baby. My job wasn't "important" like NHS or anything that couldn't have waited, my boss still insisted I went in.

So I walked, took me 1.5 hours in the slippery snow. My then DH was livid! I wouldn't have done that now I am older and wiser. But some employers are so unsympathetic to their employees. We really can't judge as we don't know all the circumstances.