Discussion
Anybody else get caught up in the chaos that was the Norwich area this p.m. It took me 2.5 hrs. to get to Narborough mainly through lorries getting stuck on slight slopes.I was amazed to discover that these big trucks were only two wheel drive. The only gritter we saw was stuck in traffic heading into Norwich, really useful. Why does the council always get caught out, do they not plan ahead, do they not watch weather forecasts, do they know it's winter?
Took me over 2 hours to get from St Crispins roundabout to Carrow Road this afternoon. I left Norwich city at 2.30pm, normally takes me 15 minutes to get home as I'm only 4 miles away. Bad move, all the earlier snow had turned to thick ice, buses were abandonded, grapes hill shut, many roads just totally gridlocked with people unable to get up the slightest incline. It took me until 4.15pm to get home!
Doesnt look much but still caused a problem for anyone on summer tyres. That was the Watton Road near the hospital queuing towards the city.
Clever BMW driver put them on the right wheels. Same bit of road.
I've driven in bad conditions before. Even in Dec 2010 when the M25 was frozen over in -8, it wasnt as bad as the roads tonight. Very grateful to have fitted winter tyres to my van, worth every penny. Just a shame it will take me 2 hours to get back in the city in the morning!
Doesnt look much but still caused a problem for anyone on summer tyres. That was the Watton Road near the hospital queuing towards the city.
Clever BMW driver put them on the right wheels. Same bit of road.
I've driven in bad conditions before. Even in Dec 2010 when the M25 was frozen over in -8, it wasnt as bad as the roads tonight. Very grateful to have fitted winter tyres to my van, worth every penny. Just a shame it will take me 2 hours to get back in the city in the morning!
North section of the outer ring was stationary anti clockwise most of the afternoon and was still like a car park at 17.30 when i left the Boundary area. A customer had to abandon his car as he ran out of fuel! Luckily i went clockwise which was moving albeit at snails pace.
Going to be interesting getting around in the morning with te low temps forcast tonight.
Good luck everyone.
Eddy
Going to be interesting getting around in the morning with te low temps forcast tonight.
Good luck everyone.
Eddy
South Norfolk council based in long Stratton, A140 into Norwich Dunston hill, buses lorries had trouble getting up it, after any snow and ice in the 70's and is it fixed No!. Having said that I had to shovel the snow and ice tonight to get in/up my drive, but all my driving fleet is Rwd so have a slight excuse 
The stories I heard on the radio & read on Facebook were ridiculous!
I decided to see a friend who lives on Dereham Road, so planned a route which avoided all the main roads. Took me 1.5 hours to do a journey which usually takes 30 minutes. Going by what I heard on the radio, my journey was easy.
I was only bumper to bumper around the hospital.
But I was astonished by the amount of muppets on the road who simply have no clue how to drive on snow and ice.
OK I have my 4WD and winter tyres, but even when I drove my Mercedes in similar conditions I never had a problem.
It seems if your wheels spin, you just accelerate even more, then slam on the brakes down a hill
Minor rant over....
Darren
I decided to see a friend who lives on Dereham Road, so planned a route which avoided all the main roads. Took me 1.5 hours to do a journey which usually takes 30 minutes. Going by what I heard on the radio, my journey was easy.
I was only bumper to bumper around the hospital.
But I was astonished by the amount of muppets on the road who simply have no clue how to drive on snow and ice.
OK I have my 4WD and winter tyres, but even when I drove my Mercedes in similar conditions I never had a problem.
It seems if your wheels spin, you just accelerate even more, then slam on the brakes down a hill
Minor rant over....
Darren
I've just seen this posted on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnAbTekvWeA
Would it be too much to suggest snow ploughs be used as well as gritting, along with perhaps winter tyres for all civil service and fleet vehicles?
Darren
Would it be too much to suggest snow ploughs be used as well as gritting, along with perhaps winter tyres for all civil service and fleet vehicles?
Darren
I did think about leaving my office on Heigham Street at 5.30pm but on looking, the traffic queuing from the Gibralter Gardens lights had reached the old Robinson's MB showroom so decided to have a cuppa and try later.
Eventually left the office at 7.30 and got into Bracon Ash at 9pm....
Ohhh and to the guy who was riding around the ringroad (by Bayer CropScience) last night at 8pm on his motorbike.....you, my hero have gonads the size of spacehoppers.....
Problems with gritters was they went out in the morning and gritted, then the snow fall at lunch time fell leaving the gritter lorries to join the 'normal for Norfolk' lemmings trying to get home on icey roads.
I sat behind a gritter on Waterworks Road for quite a while and he was at least trying to help. The rock salt needs to be crushed into the snow/ice for it to work so when the snow landed at lunchtime it buried the rocksalt making it virtually useless.
Only problem we had this morning was the abandoned cars left in our car parks. Spent a fair bit of time this morning helping to de-ice and free the cars up.....on the plus side, coffee sales are good..
I've been commuting around Norfolk the past few years and I've never known the roads to be as bad as they've been since Monday evening - I normally travel down the B roads and they're normally slow when it's icy but this year they're completely covered in ice. Even the posties were sent home and weren't delivering today.
Roads this morning were still bad but a serious lack of traffic, mainly because nearly all the schools were shut! Council have been hard during the day, took me normal time to get home. More of a challenge was painting in minus 10! Still managed a rear quarter and 3 wheels . Friday into Sat is worth keeping an eye on, hopefully everyone will be better prepared.
Much fun moving cars around in the compound! I forgot how difficult it was to drive on summer tyres on ice and snow, i've dropped the van tyre pressures down to 35psi all round and grip is amazing.
Much fun moving cars around in the compound! I forgot how difficult it was to drive on summer tyres on ice and snow, i've dropped the van tyre pressures down to 35psi all round and grip is amazing.
20 yr old car. RWD without traction control. Did I have an issue....No....Winter tyres folks but that's a different thread.Do people wear sandals or flip flops to work in the winter..no. Its no different for your car,invest in winter tyres and use them Oct-Mar. The cost is minimal compared to an insurance claim and subsequent increased premiums thereafter.I used the single track roads to get home and had no issues. I even gave people a lift home who were stuck.It really isn't rocket science and in my opinion should become law. It would help the economy no end. Our children's education wouldn't suffer either.
Just my 2ps worth. :-)
Just my 2ps worth. :-)
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