Does gritting/salting the roads actually work?

[SurreyGuy]

I've never heard anyone say, "it was a good job that road was gritted/salted, otherwise I'd have skidded"! I've not experienced any dofference on roads that are gritted/salted as opposed to those that aren't.

Also, all of the gritting/salting lorries that I have seen "fire" the grit out, which means that the vast majority of it ends up in the bushes! Surely it'd be much better if the salt/grit were sprinkled out?

What I DO find makes a difference is if a road is cleared of snow. Having said that, that brings its own problem by way of the remaining snow being compacted and then freezing.

[dzug]

Well put it this way. The main road near me is gritted/salted. The local road up to it isn't.

It's always a nightmare driving TO the main road and a doddle when you get there.

[chas2008]

it does make a difference, there is a road near me which goes through a county border, one council grits to the border the other doesnt !!..makes for an interesting drive if you dont know about it.
The grit is more effective once it has been driven on .

[Canary42]

Of course it doesn't work - it's all a conspiracy by the salt/grit merchants to sell more and the windscreen replacement guys whose business soars.

[36TEAK36]

I think it works to a certain extent, but it depends on the amount of snow. The gritters were out in force round my way last night, then we had about 8 inches of snow dumped on top of it. I don't think it had any affect at all as the roads are still covered in snow and a nightmare to drive on.

[razza]

Grit does not work on deep snow,some years ago I was riding my motorcycle on a gritted road,all was fine till I came to a roundabout,the gritter must have turned left because I got round the the first one then because I was going straight on where there was no grit the bike slid from underneath me,luckily I had both feet on the ground and finished stood up and the bike finished a couple of yards in front of me.Todays grit or salt as it is called is far superior to that used years ago.

[TWR]

The grit is for ICE not snow the reason for the vast spread SurreyGuy is the Spreader at the rear of the Gritting Lorry that's how it's designed, regards screen damage, this will not happen, the skid is caused by cars' HGVs aquaplaning ( Tyres not in contact with the road surface) it does not make any difference if you are carrying 44 tons & there is Ice about the Truck will aquaplane, What used to pis me off on the Motorways which I used to use a lot why when it's snowing hard why the police do not allow the HGVs to use the outside lane to keep the motorway clear, as soon as the private Motorist see the snow in the outside lane they get the Mangetouts then all stop in the Middle In-turn the outside lane becoming closed. Bit of advise if I may, Do not think you can be smarter than Ice, I have seen people try, a clue to Ice, VERY VERY LIGHT STEERING, At night when there is Black Ice about look for a sparkling of the road surface, am I being a clever sod!! NO, HGV experience has taught me that. I am trying to pass it on. Safe Journey all.

[sigma]

"it was a good job that road was gritted/salted, otherwise I'd have skidded"!
How do you know you would have skidded ?.

[SurreyGuy]

TWR - I do realise that the grit is "fired out" due to the design of the spreader! The point I was making was WHY is it so designed?! Surely, it'd be better to be "sprinkled" onto the road - that way more would actually go on the road as opposed to ending up in the bushes!