Would you drive from Kent to Southport tomorrow (Sunday)

[Flowersandforests]

Hi ladies - we are due to be going to a family party tomorrow in Southport and the plan was to drive up and then stay with family for a few nights. We would be driving through almost all of the Amber weather warning Sunday morning.

I think we should cancel especially as we have a 4 month old baby and I’m concerned about how dangerous the roads would be / if we got stuck on the motorway for hours and hours.

DH (whose family we are visiting) says it would be extremely rude to cancel this last minute and we should still go.

WWYD? I’ve looked at trains but it would involve lots of changes from our house and not sure they would be any better in the bad weather.

If you’re going for a few days is it not an option to travel on Monday instead which looks calmer?

we’re not very far from Southport and we’re reconsidering a 30 mile journey for tomorrow. Will see how things are in the morning

It isn't rude to cancel, it is fine to cancel in these circumstances.

We crashed in a snowstorm with DS when he was about 15 months old. It was crap. It took us 4 hours to get the last 10 miles home. So I wouldn't , just based on that experience.

Send husband and stay at home

Not that far with a 4 month old in this weather no chance. Dp go by himself?
Oh and fuck what they say. Baby comes first and if they've got a problem with it fuck them that's their problem.

No, no, no and then no some more.

See what's it like in the morning
..it's not setting here and the rain has set in

Absolutely fucking not.

If travelling in these conditions consider setting off not before say 11 a.m. when ice begins to defrost, and aim to complete the journey by 3 p.m. - when water can start re-freezing (is what I had to do successfully in the past).

But check temperature forecasts for your route - it may well not be freezing.

Don’t let family pressurise you to travel when you judge it’s not safe to make an unnecessary journey. Especially with a baby. Your safety is everything.

(After a relative insisted I travel in severe adverse weather and a 3 hour journey took 7 hours). Trust your own judgement in the morning.

Such a glib answer.

I've only just seen your post OP. Had I seen it earlier, I'd have said travel today in daylight.

No.

We did a u turn in bad weather with a little one because if we got very stuck- nappy changes, needing to BF or needing extra formula plus the risk of a little baby in the cold if there was a breakdown or something. I just had a gut feeling and went with it.

Check the forecast in the morning. At the moment today/tomorrow for Southport is Sleet so no settling snow, it will be fine. However check tomorrow in case it has changed to more snow.

I think it’s really rude of your in laws to dismiss your safety (all of you) just because they want to see you.

It’s a really long, non-urgent journey, through sections of the UK with an Amber weather warning. And it’s not just about your competency of driving - it’s the other non competents who will be on the road that would worry me.

See how you feel tomorrow but only go if you feel safe. Don’t get guilted into it.

I'm in Liverpool so not far from Southport (and PIL closer again). No issues as yet but snow is due.

Just check the weather in the morning.

You’ve been warned not to travel so don’t. If you get into trouble I’d only feel sorry for the people who will have to risk their safety to rescue you.

This. The warnings are for a reason. People who put pressure on others to ignore them are exceptionally selfish.

I'm not far from Southport and it's just started sleeting. It's baltic out there. No way would i consider anything other than a totally necessary journey. Imagine if there was a crash or even just bad traffic on the way and being stuck in the freezing temperatures for hours with such a tiny baby. No chance.

I live in Southport we have just started getting snow here I wouldn’t come if I where you the weather is set to be bad and it’s not like your going round the corner it’s already a long drive that will be made even longer with the bad weather and a 4 month old in tow I wouldn’t chance it if I where you. I’m sure your DH’s relatives will understand why you can no longer make it and I highly doubt they would want you travelling in the bad weather.

With a 4 month old in the car? Not a chance!

We are south midlands and at low level so rarely get snow. Birmingham is 1000m higher and will definitely have a foot or more snow by the morning. If you are travelling M40 then M6 then the area around Birmingham will be the problem.
My DSis once set off to visit us from South Yorkshire. There was no snow until Birmingham, it took her nearly 4 hrs to do the last 30mins because the roads were blocked by cars stuck in the snow. Fortunately she had a 4x4 at the time so could drive round them with a bit of digging out along the way. She had thrown a shovel in the boot last minute. We are from West Yorkshire originally where it snow heavily every year so always travel well prepared.
So if you are not travelling in a 4x4 forget it.

There is an interesting design fault along most of the Midlands motorway network, all the exit roads are uphill. They become blocked with stranded vehicles and I have had friends stuck on the M5 and M42 for hours (12+) some years. In fact there was a baby born on the M5 a few years back when snow blocked all the carriageways.

The only motorway that you can always drive on during snowy weather is the M62 because they are so used to snow the council are well rehearsed in keeping it clear.
I suspect that the warnings have been very loud this week because they are not prepared, haven’t stocked up with salt and unable to guarantee they can continually salt to keep the motorways ice free.

I think it is worth cancelling. It would be awful if you were held up. I would stay at home. There will be other times you can meet up. The weather is freezing anyway.. I wouldn't travel if it was me deciding.

I definitely wouldn’t even think of attempting it, @Flowersandforests.

(FWIW I drive up to where you’re going from the SE on a regular basis and know that route like the back of my hand)

Not with the baby.

Talk about selfish - my parents and even my ILs would have been talking us out of it!!

With a 4 month old baby I absolutely wouldn't go. Or with a 4 year old either. But I am a wimp who drives very rarely, so I'm not the oracle on this.

This!