Wednesday 23rd November 2005

Agency warns about traffic and weather

Gritters are out so watch your paintwork

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Gritting lorry: stone chips are free

A rash of traffic and weather warnings has been issued by the Highways Agency, which runs Britain's major roads.

Weather problems

The Agency also said that fog patches and freezing overnight temperatures were expected in many parts of England over the coming days, especially in central and southern areas. Low overnight temperatures are also predicted to reach freezing after dusk. As the temperatures drop the fog will form in dense pockets. Caution is advised.

The Highways Agency's gritters will be treating England's motorways and other strategic roads where frost is forecast. Maintenance teams will be gritting in advance of the cold weather, and will continue to treat motorways and other strategic roads throughout the cold snap and for the rest of the winter.

So watch out for that vulnerable front end -- it's stone chip city...

[speedychrissie]

this may seem like a stupid question but i will ask it anyway:

why are we being warned about the aircraft wing being transported if it was due to be moved on sunday?

chris

[DanH]

Does grit have salt in it or not?

[mrloudly]

Mmmmm aircraft wing and motorways full of salt. Not always the best mixture.......

[Billybig]

I'm sure they won't be dragging it!

[rude girl]

DanH said:

Does grit have salt in it or not?

Yes it does

[stenniso]

It seems that we often get warnings not to drive unless absolutely necessary, but what exactly does this mean? I need to get to work each day, it's not life or death stuff, but my boss would be pretty miffed if no-one turned up.

Is this a necessary journey?

I can see that a Sunday afternoon blat in a sports car may be deemed unnecessary, but I would like to think most people wouldn't feel like doing this in a blizzard anyway.

Is this just another example of the nanny state, everyone being completely risk adverse?

What would happen if you crashed your car in the snow after one of these warnings had been broadcast - could your insurer refuse to pay out because you ignored the warning not to drive?

We never used to get these warnings.

[zumbruk]

DanH said:

Does grit have salt in it or not?

It doesn't have salt "in it". It *is* salt. Crushed rock salt, to be exact. Although some local authorities are experimenting with binders to keep it on the roads longer.

[mojocvh]

zumbruk said:

DanH said: Does grit have salt in it or not? It doesn't have salt "in it". It *is* salt. Crushed rock salt, to be exact. Although some local authorities are experimenting with binders to keep it on the roads longer.

molasses to be exact. However Deer like the taste of molasses so................

Mojo.

[amare32]

Good to hear that the weather back in the the UK is already cold enough to require gritting. Not looking to forward to coming back from my 1 month holiday in Hong Kong - it has been superb weather everyday since I've been back.

I'm very tempted to come back here to stay as the UK weather seems to get worse and worse. Saw a Mk1 GT3 yesterday, it was another typical sunny day with not a cloud in sight - would have been superb to have one handy to take out for a blast!!

[peter pan]

The problem with the possibility of ice and snow conditions is that there is a whole bunch of motorists (possibly 4 or 5 yearsworth) who have no idea of how to drive when the weather goes this way. I can hardly remember the number of times I have watched someone who does not know how to cope with snow and ice drive down into a dip in the road with their brakes/brake lights on, only to discover they dont have enough traction to get up the other side of the dip. I usually wait until the oncoming lane is clear and drive down at a speed which will let me drive up the other side without a problem. I often wonder wether the person stuck in the bottom of the dip wonders how I get up the other side where they could not? I have been caught once by heavy snow (the snow built up over the roof line of the van I was driving at the time in about 20 minutes) but I was only stopped in the first place on this particularly exposed bit of road by the driver in front who made the make of stopping when he should have pressed on. I cant remember ever having been stopped by the weather itself, only by the car in front whose driver didnt know how to cope with the conditions.

[westmoorfarm]

It's the usual "being seen to have done something" without actually doing much. If things go badly they can say we warned you about this, and cover their arse, but if nothing happens just shrug and say oh well...

We regularly get flood warnings for our area at about this time of year to the effect of "move all your furniture upstairs, buy some sandbags, stock up on supplies, lock up your daughters, the end is nigh" despite the fact that there has not been a flood in our area for over 150 years...

[beanbag]

I hate grit! It was a nightmare driving up the M40 last year in my new car You just cringed as you went past.....

I did try once however to shoot down a junction and get back up past the gritter.....unfortunately, it didn't work :roll

[ninjaboy]

mojocvh said:

zumbruk said: DanH said: Does grit have salt in it or not? It doesn't have salt "in it". It *is* salt. Crushed rock salt, to be exact. Although some local authorities are experimenting with binders to keep it on the roads longer. molasses to be exact. However Deer like the taste of molasses so................ Mojo.

I'm sure i've seen deer licking the roads after they have gritted scared the kak out of me