Thanks - To the people of Kent
Discussion
Having spent the last 6 days on duty working around Kent, in particular A249/ A229 and other areas. I'd like to thank the public for in the most part their understanding, their willingness to help others and their good humour.
I've seen some real heroes helping dig people out etc.
I'm sorry we haven't been able to get things moving as quickly as we would have liked and over the coming days I am sure many of you will be held up again. I can assure you that the police and other services are honesty doing all they can to get you moving.
Make sure all of you have drinks/food/blankets and a shovel in the car as well as a charged mobil.
I've seen some real heroes helping dig people out etc.
I'm sorry we haven't been able to get things moving as quickly as we would have liked and over the coming days I am sure many of you will be held up again. I can assure you that the police and other services are honesty doing all they can to get you moving.
Make sure all of you have drinks/food/blankets and a shovel in the car as well as a charged mobil.
excel789 said:
Mr Annie, were you involved in clearing all those abandoned cars from Bluebell hill? There's been a lot of angry motorists phoning Radio Kent and slagging the authorities off.
Not myself but I know why they were cleared. Most were left in the carriageway or in the central reservation. Lights off and covered in snow. Not the easiest to see. They were not collected the next morning and only one or two recovered the night it happened. Indeed by 11 the road was clear. Except the large swathes of it covered by cars around 150 or more.
Leaving them was not an option if you wanted the carriageway cleared to be able to be snow ploughed and gritted. They were all causing an obstruction. Motorists in those circumstances should have remained with their vehicles. We had a number of cars dumped in the middle of the road that delayed enormously getting everyone else out.
Only a small percentage of drivers left their vehicles.
If you leave your car on a main arterial route you will always face the chance of it being recovered.
Leaving all the cars put was not an option.
Mr_annie_vxr said:
excel789 said:
Mr Annie, were you involved in clearing all those abandoned cars from Bluebell hill? There's been a lot of angry motorists phoning Radio Kent and slagging the authorities off.
Not myself but I know why they were cleared. Most were left in the carriageway or in the central reservation. Lights off and covered in snow. Not the easiest to see. They were not collected the next morning and only one or two recovered the night it happened. Indeed by 11 the road was clear. Except the large swathes of it covered by cars around 150 or more.
Leaving them was not an option if you wanted the carriageway cleared to be able to be snow ploughed and gritted. They were all causing an obstruction. Motorists in those circumstances should have remained with their vehicles. We had a number of cars dumped in the middle of the road that delayed enormously getting everyone else out.
Only a small percentage of drivers left their vehicles.
If you leave your car on a main arterial route you will always face the chance of it being recovered.
Leaving all the cars put was not an option.
. Does make you wonder though, how did all these people complete their journeys?, Bluebell Hill is miles from anywhere, I wouldn't fancy trying to walk to Maidstone or the Medway towns from there in that sort of weather.Top work.
I couldn't believe how many cars were still abandoned on Saturday morning bearing in mind the snow was on Wednesday.
The guy in the building next to us walked home six miles in the snow. The only problem I had was getting out of Forstal Road to head down the A229 into Maidstone as the traffic in front couldn't go anywhere due to Blue Bell Hill problems. Once I'd got past there it was realtively alright, apart from people driving so slow they were losing momentum on the hills and then starting to wheelspin.
I couldn't believe how many cars were still abandoned on Saturday morning bearing in mind the snow was on Wednesday.
The guy in the building next to us walked home six miles in the snow. The only problem I had was getting out of Forstal Road to head down the A229 into Maidstone as the traffic in front couldn't go anywhere due to Blue Bell Hill problems. Once I'd got past there it was realtively alright, apart from people driving so slow they were losing momentum on the hills and then starting to wheelspin.
There was an interview on the BBC radio this morning with a senior officer (possibly the ACC) saying that around 150 cars were abandoned on Blubell Hill, and they instructed the recovery company to remove only 18 of them. Kent Police separately apologised for failing to tell the owners what had happened to their vehicles. One lady in particular was advised by Police that it was ok to leave her car. She walked 3 miles home, and later turned up to recover it (another 3 mile walk through the snow), only to find it gone. She eventually discovered that Kent Police had instructed it to be removed, to Sheppey of all places. This necessitated a £35 taxi journey to collect the car, plus the £150 charge.
Several things spring to mind as a result of this fiasco, not the least of which is why motorists should have to pay (on top of the taxes which we already pay for road maintenance) because of the collective failure of the relevant bodies to keep one of the main arterial roads in Kent passable. These bodies were clearly either unprepared (or unwilling) to fulfill their obligations, and it is they who should pay the cost (even though it will be passed to the taxpayers). And quite what led to the nice little arrangement between Kent Police and the recovery firm I doubt we shall ever know.
7.
Several things spring to mind as a result of this fiasco, not the least of which is why motorists should have to pay (on top of the taxes which we already pay for road maintenance) because of the collective failure of the relevant bodies to keep one of the main arterial roads in Kent passable. These bodies were clearly either unprepared (or unwilling) to fulfill their obligations, and it is they who should pay the cost (even though it will be passed to the taxpayers). And quite what led to the nice little arrangement between Kent Police and the recovery firm I doubt we shall ever know.
7.
Mr_annie_vxr said:
Not myself but I know why they were cleared.
I didn't realise so many of you were local to me. Hi 
(I live in Rainham, work on St Mary's Island and bro lives in Walderslade).Mr_Annie...I assumed also that's exactly why the cars were moved, because they were actually blocking the road. I drove up BlueBell hill yesterday and there were still 1 or 2 left there (admittedly well out the way) so, as I say, assumed it was only those actually in the carriageway.
It makes you wonder - moving 150 cars is one HELL of an operation!
So if I understand correctly, only 18 were in the middle of the road the other 132 were at the side of the road?
A shame, but you can bet your bottom dollar I'd have been back ASAP trying to get my car if I'd have had to leave it!
"Several things spring to mind as a result of this fiasco, not the least of which is why motorists should have to pay (on top of the taxes which we already pay for road maintenance) because of the collective failure of the relevant bodies to keep one of the main arterial roads in Kent passable. These bodies were clearly either unprepared (or unwilling) to fulfill their obligations, and it is they who should pay the cost (even though it will be passed to the taxpayers). And quite what led to the nice little arrangement between Kent Police and the recovery firm I doubt we shall ever know."
I challenge anyone to find a way of keeping roads like Bluebell hill open when the snow is falling fast and the road full of idiots in vehicles unsuitable for the conditions ! If you fancy chipping in to aid those who abandoned there cars feel free but don't ask me to pay more. Thirty year snow, I think the authorities did a great job keeping the roads clear with the facilities and funds they had available. If you want to invest to avoid these problems we need to go for winter tyres , November to March and/or get people to use snow socks/similar. The only failure was that the Police did not inform those who cars had been removed, £150 is very little to pay compared to the damage that could have been caused to them if vehicles hit them threading their way through.
I challenge anyone to find a way of keeping roads like Bluebell hill open when the snow is falling fast and the road full of idiots in vehicles unsuitable for the conditions ! If you fancy chipping in to aid those who abandoned there cars feel free but don't ask me to pay more. Thirty year snow, I think the authorities did a great job keeping the roads clear with the facilities and funds they had available. If you want to invest to avoid these problems we need to go for winter tyres , November to March and/or get people to use snow socks/similar. The only failure was that the Police did not inform those who cars had been removed, £150 is very little to pay compared to the damage that could have been caused to them if vehicles hit them threading their way through.
P700DEE said:
I challenge anyone to find a way of keeping roads like Bluebell hill open when the snow is falling fast and the road full of idiots in vehicles unsuitable for the conditions ! If you fancy chipping in to aid those who abandoned there cars feel free but don't ask me to pay more. Thirty year snow, I think the authorities did a great job keeping the roads clear with the facilities and funds they had available. If you want to invest to avoid these problems we need to go for winter tyres , November to March and/or get people to use snow socks/similar. The only failure was that the Police did not inform those who cars had been removed, £150 is very little to pay compared to the damage that could have been caused to them if vehicles hit them threading their way through.
The point is, keeping the roads passable is their job - that's one of the things these people get paid for, by the taxpayers. If I fail to do my job, it has consequences for me personally. These agencies have failed, but rather than admit that, they look for excuses: lack of budget, wrong type of snow, etc. etc.
To paraphrase a line from Platoon: Excuses are like assholes - everybody's got one.
7.
I have given over a Dozen strangers lifts in my Subaru 4x4 since the first Friday before Xmas. You just can't drive past in good consience.
Our family has lived in Walderslade since 1905. I also used to drink in the Sherwood and even know what the flat upstairs looks like (although im sure its been redecorated a few times since then!).
Our family has lived in Walderslade since 1905. I also used to drink in the Sherwood and even know what the flat upstairs looks like (although im sure its been redecorated a few times since then!).
Edited by Hol on Monday 11th January 21:55
Hol said:
I have given over a Dozen strangers lifts in my Subaru 4x4 since the first Friday before Xmas. You just can't drive past in good consience.
Our family has lived in Walderslade since 1905. I also used to drink in the Sherwood and even know what the flat upstairs looks like (although im sure its been redecorated a few times since then!).
it looks a bit diffrent upstair and down stair now Our family has lived in Walderslade since 1905. I also used to drink in the Sherwood and even know what the flat upstairs looks like (although im sure its been redecorated a few times since then!).
Edited by Hol on Monday 11th January 21:55
have been here 3 years next month ...was in a right mess 3years ago when i got it good now 
or come for a 
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