To think they are insane to travel in this?

[hugsandpugs]

Booked onto a bus trip to Birmingham a couple of months back. Travelling from South Wales. Trip was planned for today, guessed it would be cancelled due to the red/yellow weather warnings.

Apparently though, the trip is still going ahead 😬🤷‍♀️ Honestly can’t understand how the bus company are still gonna risk driving in these conditions. I’ve said I’m not taking the risk and decided not to go. Yes it’s annoying that I’ll lose my money but I’d rather have my life especially with three young children who need me.

Would you have still gone on the trip? Or am I right in thinking the bus company should have cancelled and refunded everyone or given the option to reschedule?

The main roads will be fine ... a coach can cope with surface water. I'm on S Wales border and things are OK. I am sure the coach company will have looked into the road conditions en route.
However, Birmingham in the rain and wind does not appeal!

It's not madness for the coach company. Imagine how much money they'll lose if they cancel. They don't care if the coach is stuck in traffic for an extra hour or 2 or the markets are shut. It's highly unlikely anyone will be killed. People are killed every day on our roads, yes there will be a few who die as a direct result of this storm out of the whole population but the odds of it being someone on this particular coach are tiny.

Reasonable for you to cancel, it will be miserable. Unreasonable to expect a refund, it'll be safe enough to drive.

Do people think there's like some huge wall along the Wales England border or something?!

I asked my DH who is an insurance professional about this and he says he doesn’t know motor specific clauses but for sure, any personal accident insurance would be impacted if you took on ‘excessive needless risk’. So being a doctor driving to work is needed, going on a shopping trip perhaps needless. So whilst the motor insurance might pay out if the bus was damaged, there’s a possibility any accident claims for the driver or passengers would be reduced.

The weather in York seems fine at the moment.

But...it looks like it's going to hit around 11am

This thread reminds me of the classic joke …

How do you get two whales in a Mini?

Over the Severn Bridge!

I'm watching a live stream from Birmingham airport, flights are taking off but virtually sideways.

Leave them to it, You will be safe at home.

if they're going north, then there are no bridges.

I think you’ve made the right call. The roads will be treacherous and Xmas shopping certainly isn’t an essential journey. Better to leave roads clear for people who do have to make essential journeys. Plus radio reports saying many Xmas markets cancelled for obvious reasons.

Try to get some sort of refund if you’ve had to cancel due to a red weather warning.

Other consideration is that if roads get closed due to accidents, flooding, fallen trees etc, there could be horrendous tailbacks. You could be left sitting on a freezing coach for hours running out of phone battery.

usually the weather is a mix

One of the bridges is frequently closed. The other less so but it's not completely unheard of. We're used to going "up and round"

Well that is the sensible route whatever the weather - from South Wales to Birmingham.

Yeah it's not really 😬 omg they're using a road that will take them in the direction they want to go

I’d take it further regarding the refund and share screenshots of all the official travel advice etc. tell them you’ll take it up with the official regulator and see what they say!

This country crazy when it comes to weather bit of wind n rain n it comes to a standstill woth scaremongering texts and dont start me on the omg i seen one snowflake quick lets go to lock down

Slight exaggeration there

Pmsl at so many people who seem to think Wales is an island with one Bridge over 😂

I wonder if some people look at Anglesey and think that's Wales. Who knows?

People's perception of Wales is hilarious. I'm from London and live in North Wales and I can't tell you the amount of people who say things like "I'll come and see you when I'm in Cardiff", do you know xxxx in Swansea? 😂

Well I am in South Wales and there are a few trees down blocking roads. We are well used to wind and rain here but this is a fair bit worse than normal bad weather.

I don’t know who the actual bus company is that’s done the journey as I asked the organiser and she just said I’m the organiser message me.

She has said if you just drop out because of weather your not entitled to a refund but if the bus company cancel you are entitled to a refund.

So kinda stuck in limbo now as I don’t even know who to contact about it.

I know it’s funny! North Wales is a good 4 and a half hours drive from us in South Wales

I wasn't sure how to vote. I would still have gone, but I don't think you are unreasonable at all to back out. Personal safety is really subjective. I'm sorry you weren't able to get a refund.