100 days of snow ..on the way!

[Bypassblade]

And even Sweden struggle sometimes:

 

http://www.thelocal.se/20121206/44878

 

 

 

http://www.thelocal.se/20121205/44856

 

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2013 at 18:07 ----------

 

 

Nothing to do with the effects of ice and snow on bricks, then?

 

People misremember their school days.

 

The idea that all schools used to be open in deep snow is rose-tinted nonsense. I can remember listening to local radio for school closures during heavy snow in the 1970s/1980s.

 

Things have changed which might make things more difficult: increasing reliance on cars to get to school, and much longer school journeys for many - thanks to government policy people often go further to school now, often beyond walking distance.

 

Teachers will live much further away than they used to. So you get a problem because you haven't got enough teachers to supervise the children.

 

One thing that has improved is the quality of heating pipework. You get far fewer schools closing these days due to burst pipes.

 

The other year I did a bit of searching through newspapers in the 1940s/1950s, and found plenty of stories of schools closing due to snow, often because of burst pipes.

 

Here were some examples I found and posted then, all from The Times (you'd get more from local newspapers of course):

 

January 1936, schools in Llanidloes, mid Wales, closed

 

January 1945, “some schools had to be closed through lack of fuel and frozen pipes”

 

January 1947, “at Portsmouth 2000 schoolchildren had a holiday when 12 schools closed because of frozen pipes”; later the same month: “A number of schools in various towns, including Oxford, Hove, and Dover, were closed because hot water pipes were frozen.”

 

February 1956, “About 3000 Birmingham school children were sent home when 12 schools were closed because it was too cold for the children to work. Nine schools in Bournemouth have had to be closed, and in Hertfordshire nearly 600 pupils at Chestnut Grammar School were sent home when burst pipes caused flooding.” Also: “12 schools in Bridgwater, five at Weston Super Mare, two at Yeovil, and one at Taunton had been closed.”

 

And so on.

 

Er I remember going to school in deep snow in early 70's and doing cross country, you don't forget bloody cold like that. And you said it many closed due to burst pipes, sod all to do with half an inch of snow on floor.

[L00b]

Oh you are in for some real fun, I was spanking mine round last year in the snow and it was pretty much unstoppable.

Well, my daily is a mk1 mx-5. Rwd, no weight on the back.

 

I can 'do' snow and wintry with it (and indeed have done 5+ years of it, before & since '08 - even got caught out with it in '10 in that snow drift on A57/Anston) and it's certainly oodles more fun on snow than a scoob (I've had 2 imprezas before )...but it's a PITA in snowy/slushy rush-hour traffic.

 

She's an old girl now, and she's earned her hibernation

 

Bring on the white stuff this year, sez I

[Norseman]

100 days of snow and this country would grind to a halt.

 

2 hours of snow and Sheffield grinds to a halt! Last year being a prime example. Quite frankly a 100 days of snow concerns me and Sheffield City Council bury their heads in the sand until its too late...start stockpiling the grit NOW! and have some heavy duty plows ready...not located in Cheltenham!

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2013 at 20:06 ----------

 

Er I remember going to school in deep snow in early 70's and doing cross country, you don't forget bloody cold like that. And you said it many closed due to burst pipes, sod all to do with half an inch of snow on floor.

 

You and I must've gone to the same school, our PE Teacher had us doing cross country in almost waist deep snow in some places...he never did it mind, just watched us killing ourselves in it. It wouldn't be allowed now would it?

To be fair my secondary school was very close to the moors so was hit super hard with snow and drifts and the only time it did close was in the winter of discontent 78/79?!?!

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2013 at 20:08 ----------

 

Well I for one think its an absolute disgrace that the council and government are not doing more to prevent the citizens of this country from the aerial threat that awaits us.

 

In 1939 we had air raid sirens to warn us when the Germans were coming over to drop bombs, and what do we have in 2013? NOTHING :rant:

 

We are facing a real threat to our way of life with the up and coming snow and the people in power are quite frankly sleeping. Will we have air raid sirens when the snows arrive? what do you think?

 

God help us all

 

Whats the government got to do with it? why is it their fault???

 

No, its more Sheffield City Council's problem

[HTM_1983]

Right so we have numerous warnings appearing about months of snow ahead, so does this mean when it does happen we (as a country) will be prepared? Councils will be ready to go with gritters/ploughs whatever it takes to clear it up and make the roads usable and the paths safe to walk on?

 

My guess to the above questions will be NO! despite the last few years us having horrendous winters and plenty of snow I don't think anyone has learnt to take on board the scouts moto of 'be prepared'

[ricgem2002]

Right so we have numerous warnings appearing about months of snow ahead, so does this mean when it does happen we (as a country) will be prepared? Councils will be ready to go with gritters/ploughs whatever it takes to clear it up and make the roads usable and the paths safe to walk on?

 

My guess to the above questions will be NO! despite the last few years us having horrendous winters and plenty of snow I don't think anyone has learnt to take on board the scouts moto of 'be prepared'

its a pity the council arnt on here seeing how its tax payers are responding to how poorly their perfomance is

[steroc]

snow doesnt stop people from working. Those employed by others manage to get in to work so what's different being self employed? In my 22 years in employment i've never missed a days work due to the weather. I did get sent home early once due to the floods..

 

Completely incorrect. Not everybody works in a nice warm office in a permanent location near home. I'm self employed and work outdoors on building sites up to two hours drive away. Building sites now close when it snows due to OTT Health & Safety policies the main contractors have. No work for self employed people equals no pay, simple really. Not to mention the two hour drive each way extended to four each way because of the amount of drivers who are clueless at driving in snow to be sent home equals not only no pay but a large amount of money spent on overpriced petrol. So don't tell me snow doesn't stop people just cause you are fortunate be in the type of employment the weather doesn't affect.

[strongsteve]

If you are worried about the snow, then perhaps this advice may help you

 

1) Plan your journey, know where you are going

2) Make sure your car has enough petrol to complete the journey

3) Have a warm flask of soup

4) Have a warm coat and wellies

5) Have a whistle, blowing a whistle will help emergency services locate you

6) Ring relatives, tell them where you are going and what time you expect to arrive

7) Have survival rations in the car, tinned fish etc....

 

That trip to Tescos, although usually a run of the mill drive can turn into a deadly nightmare if you find yourself cut off in the snow.

[ECCOnoob]

Completely incorrect. Not everybody works in a nice warm office in a permanent location near home. I'm self employed and work outdoors on building sites up to two hours drive away. Building sites now close when it snows due to OTT Health & Safety policies the main contractors have. No work for self employed people equals no pay, simple really. Not to mention the two hour drive each way extended to four each way because of the amount of drivers who are clueless at driving in snow to be sent home equals not only no pay but a large amount of money spent on overpriced petrol. So don't tell me snow doesn't stop people just cause you are fortunate be in the type of employment the weather doesn't affect.

 

So I assume like many other self employed construction workers you have prepared for winter driving/possible stayovers should the weather turn nasty and/or allocated your finances and saved what you can to compensate for any potenital lost work days etc and/or made enquiries for other temporary/casual employment during the winter periods should you not be able to undertake your main role?

 

You are not the only one self employed who face these challenges each and every winter but neither is it the case that snow is an unexpected phenomenon that it should catch anyone unaware.

 

Its how you prepare and deal with it that matters.

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2013 at 21:02 ----------

 

Right so we have numerous warnings appearing about months of snow ahead, so does this mean when it does happen we (as a country) will be prepared? Councils will be ready to go with gritters/ploughs whatever it takes to clear it up and make the roads usable and the paths safe to walk on?

 

My guess to the above questions will be NO! despite the last few years us having horrendous winters and plenty of snow I don't think anyone has learnt to take on board the scouts moto of 'be prepared'

 

I thought the Council or more accurately AMEY did a pretty good job last year. Some of the most regular and efficient gritting I had personally seen.

 

Although there was always those never satisfied I seemed pretty good to me.

[GLASGOWOODS]

We may get light snow over the north/west of Scotland..I hope it gets as far down as Glasgow.I like snow..

[steroc]

So I assume like many other self employed construction workers you have prepared for winter driving/possible stayovers should the weather turn nasty and/or allocated your finances and saved what you can to compensate for any potenital lost work days etc and/or made enquiries for other temporary/casual employment during the winter periods should you not be able to undertake your main role?

 

You are not the only one self employed who face these challenges each and every winter but neither is it the case that snow is an unexpected phenomenon that it should catch anyone unaware.

 

Its how you prepare and deal with it that matters.

 

Never had a problem getting to work because of the snow. My rant was because he stated that snow doesn't stop people working when it does, mainly outdoor workers. How do you prepare yourself for unexpected snowfalls. You obviously don't work in the construction industry. First off there is no excess money to put away for a snowy day. Everything I earn goes back into mortgage and family, only just scraping by. Being self employed in the construction industry doesn't mean you're a business owner. Many self employed like myself work for an hourly rate for a contractor just like a PAYE employee, except we don't get the privileges like holiday pay, minimum contracted hours etc. Basically because we don't have a permanent place of work and all our work is short term jobs the contractors don't have to take employees on on the books. Don't get me wrong I got into this line of work cos the money was good (15 years ago) buy over the last 10 years or more the hourly rate has gone down yearly. I was earning far more 15 years ago than now. Our wages don't rise with inflation as we are classed as self employed under the 'Construction Industry Scheme'. If there's no work about we have to take what we're offered. When times are good and there's plenty of work then we can negotiate as we could just walk away and get another job at the drop of a hat (the one advantage of no contract), but times are hard at the moment. If the met office can't predict the weather accurately as self confessed then how do we prepare? Anyway back on topic my main point was that building sites will get closed under Health and Safety grounds by the main contractors (the reality is that if they can't concrete or bricklay due to weather then they're not making money but blame health and safety for the site closure) so yes snow can and does stop people earning. PAYE employees will be paid there contracted hours regardless as long as they've made the effort to turn up. CIS employees aren't entitled to anything.

 

On a side note, I love the snow and always look forward to it as I'm a keen snowboarder. But earning a living takes priority.