Carnage on the roads (in Hampshire at least)

Carnage on the roads (in Hampshire at least)

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the mini mole

Original Poster:

728 posts

209 months

Monday 21st December 2009
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I cannot believe the utter carnage that the roads have become this afternoon! I left Newbury at 2 (work turfed out) I was getting a lift, we made it to Alresford at 3.00 and my boss who lives in Four Marks (About 6 miles from Alresford) And hasn't arrived home yet. Another guy from work hasn't reached Basingstoke yet. And Alresford is total and utter grid lock- people sliding, crashing and abandoning there car all over the shop- I got home just in time! I wandered into town and it is just utter gridlock- no-one is moving and lorry's jack-knifed in the middle of the road. There are around 4 crashed cars in our road and cars still trying (and failing) to get up the hill at the end of our road (Jacklyns Lane for those that know the area) The A31 from Winchester had not been gritted and was covered (I hear its shut now) Utter mayhem!
Stay off the roads people, its a slushy hell out there!
The Mini Mole.

.Mark

11,104 posts

291 months

Monday 21st December 2009
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soapbox
Drives me bloody mad, how can a bit of a cold snap bring a 21st Century country to a halt. I don't give a damn if it's 0.000001 degree colder than was expected or the average for the year there is no way on this planet that we shouldn't be prepared. It's not as if winter coming was a surprise we have known since the summer it was on the way.

Complete and utter lack of forward thinking on the authorities part, what exactly do we pay our taxes for? It's crazy.

And as for this fiasco on the tunnel blaming the weather! censored! the tunnel goes how far under the seabed???

Bah Humbug Happy Bleedin' Christmas :Xmas:

[/grumpyoldman]

OllieWinchester

5,688 posts

207 months

Monday 21st December 2009
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I work for the emergency services and I think its fair to say htere is pretty much unprecedented carnage on the roads today...

Neil.D

2,878 posts

221 months

Monday 21st December 2009
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I think we (the UK) are at a certain latitude where we have the propensity for season extremes.
Ie, very hot summers and very cold winters.
This is not guaranteed so any 'snow plough' company cannot guarantee yearly work...which would be tedious. In the same respect we are utterly unprepared for ice + snow compared to countries that can literally mark in the diary what date the snow comes....

SoliD

1,270 posts

232 months

Monday 21st December 2009
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I work for Southern Gas and the ability of our guys to get around this afternoon after 4pm was absolutely appaling, most of the vans couldnt get up the hills, I work in Portsmouth where its fine yet less than 50 miles away there was 3-4 inches of snow in a couple of hours causing traffic nightmare! Can't believe that we weren't prepared for this after the snow/cold temps from the other day!

Paul_B

837 posts

191 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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I'm just pissed off that I live in Southampton. Nothing but rain frown Had I known the A31 was covered in snow, I would have been up there like a flash just for the crack...I love it!

krusty

2,473 posts

264 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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the mini mole said:
) The A31 from Winchester had not been gritted and was covered (I hear its shut now).
I live behind 'The Chequers' and the road was still as good as shut at 9pm last night. Just about to venture out, have to take cat to the vets. Must admit though, my 25 year old Landy hasn't batted an eyelid about the snow though..... :-)

Slinky

15,704 posts

264 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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Neil.D said:
I think we (the UK) are at a certain latitude where we have the propensity for season extremes.
Ie, very hot summers and very cold winters.
This is not guaranteed so any 'snow plough' company cannot guarantee yearly work...which would be tedious. In the same respect we are utterly unprepared for ice + snow compared to countries that can literally mark in the diary what date the snow comes....
As a country we appear to be unprepared for anything other than grey days.. In the summer it's too hot and we run out of water, in the winter it's too cold and everyone forgets how to drive, our public transport network collapses and all hell breaks out..

anonymous-user

69 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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I've got an appointment in Guildford tomorrow morning at 09:30. Planning on leaving Poole at 7am just in case. Anyone on the route - A31, M27, A3, A283 - who can give me an update on road conditions would be a star!!!

.Mark

11,104 posts

291 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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Forecast for tomorrow here is much milder (bottom of A3) I think you'd probably be OK as you are along the coast most of the way and the traffic on those roads would keep it clear. Just best to avoid the back roads I'd suggest.

anonymous-user

69 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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.Mark said:
Forecast for tomorrow here is much milder (bottom of A3) I think you'd probably be OK as you are along the coast most of the way and the traffic on those roads would keep it clear. Just best to avoid the back roads I'd suggest.
Here's hoping!

sadlerj

855 posts

299 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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I lived in Switzerland for 3 years and this amount of snow used to fall all the time. Every morning there was some chap clearing the snow down the path to my house, never mind the roads. Also snow tyres make all the difference. I had to walk to rescue the Mrs yesterday who had got the beemer well and truly stuck. I swaned in thinking I have driven a 1.6 Golf through 2m or fresh powder and not got it stuck this should be easy, but I just could not believe how poor the beemer was (255 Section rears, 340 bhp, autobox etc etc) just slide slide slide...managed eventually but not without some spade work!

DC

665 posts

209 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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sadlerj said:
I lived in Switzerland for 3 years and this amount of snow used to fall all the time. Every morning there was some chap clearing the snow down the path to my house, never mind the roads. Also snow tyres make all the difference. I had to walk to rescue the Mrs yesterday who had got the beemer well and truly stuck. I swaned in thinking I have driven a 1.6 Golf through 2m or fresh powder and not got it stuck this should be easy, but I just could not believe how poor the beemer was (255 Section rears, 340 bhp, autobox etc etc) just slide slide slide...managed eventually but not without some spade work!
Know what you mean James. I've bought an E36 328 Sport as a daily and its bloody terrible in the snow. The ice mode is pretty hopeless and the auto box and grabby brakes give no light touch control. I ended up abandoning it in Badger Farm on a kerb outside someone's house becuase I could not get anywhere near my house with it or even control it into a space. Opted for the welly boots and trudged down to the Black Boy for a pint of Pots instead!

W4X LG

1,029 posts

205 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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DC said:
sadlerj said:
I lived in Switzerland for 3 years and this amount of snow used to fall all the time. Every morning there was some chap clearing the snow down the path to my house, never mind the roads. Also snow tyres make all the difference. I had to walk to rescue the Mrs yesterday who had got the beemer well and truly stuck. I swaned in thinking I have driven a 1.6 Golf through 2m or fresh powder and not got it stuck this should be easy, but I just could not believe how poor the beemer was (255 Section rears, 340 bhp, autobox etc etc) just slide slide slide...managed eventually but not without some spade work!
Know what you mean James. I've bought an E36 328 Sport as a daily and its bloody terrible in the snow. The ice mode is pretty hopeless and the auto box and grabby brakes give no light touch control. I ended up abandoning it in Badger Farm on a kerb outside someone's house becuase I could not get anywhere near my house with it or even control it into a space. Opted for the welly boots and trudged down to the Black Boy for a pint of Pots instead!
Took me 2.5hours to get from the brooks to badger farm! I got the van down to my parents and back out just last night. Was some interesting driving going on by some people though!!!

danyeates

7,248 posts

237 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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It's actually quite a nice day in the New Forest today! 4 degrees, clear blue skies and sunshine. Makes me want to don a couple of fleeces and take the boat out for a blast across the Solent. There's no wind at all, everything is just still!

Still had no snow whatsoever. Shame as I was looking forward to taking the S4 out smile

Syndrome

892 posts

189 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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I've been driving around past the abandoned / crashed cars with no major issues, ahhh the joys of 300 BHP and AWD. I've been using all the little back / country lanes to get around all the snarl ups hehe

danyeates

7,248 posts

237 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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Syndrome said:
I've been driving around past the abandoned / crashed cars with no major issues, ahhh the joys of 300 BHP and AWD. I've been using all the little back / country lanes to get around all the snarl ups hehe
thumbup What's the car?

clio 182 cup

54 posts

193 months

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
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left basingstoke at 15.45 got on to the M3 at 20.00, home a t 21.00. pushed a couple of bimmers up hills most abandoned cars were jags,mercs and bmw. rwd FTL

Syndrome

892 posts

189 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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danyeates said:
thumbup What's the car?
Scoob STI with a PPP. I had to drive up to Basingstoke / Alton as well. Some seriously picture postcard scenes on the backroads, I wish i'd brought my camera. Only the occasional kiddy on a sledge / biscuit tin to impede my progress for the most part as well. I did pass a couple of vans and a car which had given up, but nothing on the scale of the main roads.

anonymous-user

69 months

Wednesday 23rd December 2009
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Well had to abandon the trip - A338 closed, M27 closed or as good as and already seen 5 accidents. frown Just not worth the risk!