Snowed in

[sadako]

I am currently sitting in a corridor at the motel in Petersfield services. The A3 is closed, I tried getting around it but I just found a steep hill I couldn't get up. I got back to Petersfield thanks to a landrover and my CB. BTW it is possible to tow a smart out out of the ruts in the road using the seat belt if you don't have the towing eye you are supposed to get with the car that I don't have.

Anyone else stuck?

[eharding]

sadako said:

I am currently sitting in a corridor at the motel in Petersfield services. The A3 is closed, I tried getting around it but I just found a steep hill I couldn't get up. I got back to Petersfield thanks to a landrover and my CB. BTW it is possible to tow a smart out out of the ruts in the road using the seat belt if you don't have the towing eye you are supposed to get with the car that I don't have.

Anyone else stuck?

Please explain the term "Smart Car", and your involvement with said vehicle.

[Kermit power]

Have the police actually closed the A3, or is it just that most people couldn't get up it?

I always think it's a bit out of order when they close roads to vehicles that could get up it with no problems, just because there are others which can't.

[sadako]

eharding said:

sadako said:

I am currently sitting in a corridor at the motel in Petersfield services. The A3 is closed, I tried getting around it but I just found a steep hill I couldn't get up. I got back to Petersfield thanks to a landrover and my CB. BTW it is possible to tow a smart out out of the ruts in the road using the seat belt if you don't have the towing eye you are supposed to get with the car that I don't have.

Anyone else stuck?

Please explain the term "Smart Car", and your involvement with said vehicle.

Smart car = my DD, and a hoot to drive in the snow. MR2 is also fun in the snow but I can't afford tyres for it so it is currently on sorn.

[elster]

sadako said:

I am currently sitting in a corridor at the motel in Petersfield services. The A3 is closed, I tried getting around it but I just found a steep hill I couldn't get up. I got back to Petersfield thanks to a landrover and my CB. BTW it is possible to tow a smart out out of the ruts in the road using the seat belt if you don't have the towing eye you are supposed to get with the car that I don't have.

Anyone else stuck?

Can you not just pick it up and move it?

It only weighs about 50kg.

[Col 666]

you want to tow a Smart out of a rut using your seatbelt?
This I gotta see!

[Hedders]

CB?

CB radio?

[Col 666]

Hedders said:

CB?

CB radio?

Chastity belt? Cheese and biscuits?

[ineedagallardo]

We have towed cars using seat belts.....

I take it you mean by using a seatbelt and tieing it to the towing eys and not litteraly pulling it by the seatbelt

[Robster]

Talking from experience, Smart cars are great fun in the snow, rear wheel drive and short wheel base, but only fun if you take out a certain fuse to disable the esp!

[ThunderSpook]

Couldn't do me a favour and go and check on my car periodically during the night could you? My other half has left it just at the top of the sliproad from where you are

[sadako]

Robster said:

Talking from experience, Smart cars are great fun in the snow, rear wheel drive and short wheel base, but only fun if you take out a certain fuse to disable the esp!

Don't have ESP in mine. I could disable the trust system but I can get the tail out fine with it on, snow or not.


And yes, I am a a minor radio nerd. It does come in handy sometimes.

[rallycross]

Robster said:

Talking from experience, Smart cars are great fun in the snow, rear wheel drive and short wheel base, but only fun if you take out a certain fuse to disable the esp!

Indeed. I took a smart out in the snow we had last Feb looking for some fun and it was utterly and totally useless due to its rubbish t/c which cannot be switched off and cuts the power at the first hint of w/spin.

I couldnt even manage much in the way of donuts in fresh snow on a flat surface, the pathetic peice of crap got stuck in its own tracks! Hatefull car, wish I'd known there was a fuse that could be taken out and then given it another go, in theory with skinny tyres, engine over driven wheels etc it should have been great fun.....

[Andoo]

I went to visit my friend last night to get some keys for a Genie scissor lift (I passed my test to operate these and some t1tt lost the key....).

What fun I had 40 miles from home in my 4.2 litre V8 Jaguar XK8........






Did I get stuck with my rear wheel drive car in this stuff?


Not a chance

Mind you, I was a tad worried when some wker in a 4x4 came towards me at speed purely because he was OBVIOUSLY a driving God in his Japanese wonder truck

Anyway, in reply to your question...I am currently stuck at home due to A) being married. B) having a gorgeous baby son that needs my loving attention coz his mum is Hitlers daughter and C) I have had several shots of Aberlour 10 year old single malt.

Mind you, it is seriously white up here and bloody freezing (I have to finish taking apart my 3.2 litre Vectra tomorrow to replace the clutch...can you believe it, drop the subframe to remove the gearbox to change the clutch!!! WTF?).

Happy days. At least you are safe

[Poledriver]

sadako said:

I am currently sitting in a corridor at the motel in Petersfield services. The A3 is closed, I tried getting around it but I just found a steep hill I couldn't get up. I got back to Petersfield thanks to a landrover and my CB. BTW it is possible to tow a smart out out of the ruts in the road using the seat belt if you don't have the towing eye you are supposed to get with the car that I don't have.

Anyone else stuck?

Were you going up the A3 (Petersfield area) at about 5:45 tonight? Saw a Smart car which seemed to be making reasonable progress!
I made it from Liphook to Rowlands Castle in 2 hours 15 minutes, instead of the usually 25 minutes, would have been quicker without the muppets!

[sadako]

Poledriver said:

sadako said:

I am currently sitting in a corridor at the motel in Petersfield services. The A3 is closed, I tried getting around it but I just found a steep hill I couldn't get up. I got back to Petersfield thanks to a landrover and my CB. BTW it is possible to tow a smart out out of the ruts in the road using the seat belt if you don't have the towing eye you are supposed to get with the car that I don't have.

Anyone else stuck?

Were you going up the A3 (Petersfield area) at about 5:45 tonight? Saw a Smart car which seemed to be making reasonable progress!
I made it from Liphook to Rowlands Castle in 2 hours 15 minutes, instead of the usually 25 minutes, would have been quicker without the muppets!

Just got back home. I don't think my train had arrived by then so probably not. My smart is bright green with a huge aerial on it so it does stand out. I did take some pictures on my phone but none of the ones outside came out.

Edited by sadako on Wednesday 6th January 06:57

[lance1a]

We are stuck too. My driveway is 200 yards long and slightly uphill all the way, all I have is rwd's except the wifes car. The A reg car though, might have a chance of getting out.

[Syndrome]

The A 3 is closed from junctions 5 to 9 because of abandoned vehicles. Fortunately I don't have to go that way. It was a piece of piss getting to Chilworth (from near Durley) for me this morning, mainly because most people seem to have heeded the advice not to bother if they didn't have to

[sadako]

When I came through there was a path through the abandoned vehicles. Things should sort themselves out as people who actually got rooms in the motel wake up and go back to the car.

[bennyboysvuk]

Syndrome said:

mainly because most people seem to have heeded the advice not to bother if they didn't have to

I'm currently heeding that advice.

I'm not sure whether to try getting to work or not. The M3's no snow god and there are some fairly tricky hills on my route and of course, more snow is forecast.

What's it like on the main roads?