Cold for the time of year isn't it?

[andy hughes]

No, actually, this is winter!

Why does the population shift into panic mode three days in advance of the first snow of winter. What exactly is supposed to happen? Every year the country grinds to a halt and the weather becomes the top news item. I manage to ignore the weather, winter or summer - I simply work around it. We're planning a trip to York at the weekend. Are we thinking about canccelling it? No.

Any thoughts?

[Hermia]

I think the snow does worry people because of the roads. I remember 10 years ago the council would grit all the roads around where I live. Now, they just grit the A roads. The road where I live (which is very busy throughout the day) was like an ice rink last year. There is an awful lot of commuters where I live so we are very reliant on our cars.

[funnywebsite]

They have to talk about something. It beats talking about Iraq and bird flu. It is rather cold this week. I hate the cold and dealing with iced up car windows. My husband went shopping and he noticed more people buying bulk items i.e 6 bags of rice, he commented on he thought they were shopping like they were going to get snowed in. New York gets snow every winter so you would hardly cancel your trip there. There is no global warming signs this month. Bring on global warming I say.

[Drusilla]

I agree Andy. One of the things I love about this country is the seasons and the changes in weather and I base activities with my girls around these. We don't go outdoor swimming in winter, we prepare for walks around parkland in winter woolies.
There seems to be limited preparation for winter in this country, with everyone hoping it will be mild, rather than preparing, and then coping if it isn't.
When I lived abroad we even had chains for the wheels on our cars. I've seldom seen that here, even in areas that are guarenteed snow in winter.
ps. I love York and hope you have a lovely time. Is the Jorvik centre still very popular??

[spinchimp]

Grumpy old man rant!

[shaneystar]

I think it's a British thing.... talking about the weather.A lot of people ,if stuck for something to chat about..they talk about the weather!
I suppose it's because it is so changeable we are never prepared for adverse conditions.
Other countries seem to cope .....I don't understand why we seem to panic at the first sign of snow. Perhaps as an island we have a sort of siege mentality !!
I don't like the cold weather but there isn't much we can do about it.Although if I won the lottery, I would clear off to warmer climes for the winter !

[paddy_36]

Totally agree with you andy. We go through this almost every season of every year. I can't believe the weather actually makes it on to the news in the UK (except serious flooding, that's slightly different). What's the big deal? The biggest problem I have with it all is that we seem to be in the dark ages when it comes to coping with snow. The Scandinavian countries seem to manage perfectly well. I heard a story - maybe someone can confirm - that there is a more expensive road treatment that they use that keeps roads clear for longer and at lower temperatures than grit. But we don't use it here in the UK because - guess what - it's too expensive.

I just don't understand the attitude to weather here. It's like an obsession that rules some people's lives. Speaking of lives, maybe I need to get one!!

Andy - you've hit a raw nerve with me! Have a great weekend.

[maggie01]

I think as Hermia says. The council only grit the A roads and this is a problem. We all have to get to work and a lot of us live on these side roads which we have to use to get onto the A roads. We live at the top of an incline although not overly steep, but It's quite scarey driving down this road when it it icy. The cold weather itself is not a problem. You just have to wrap up warm. It's getting from A to B.

[happy_face]

Are we due to get snow then???

Being a Dane I'm pretty used to adverse weather conditions although I have lived in the UK for over 11 years. But having grown up with bitterly cold snowy weather in the winter I find it hilarious and also shocking the way the UK deals with wintery weather. A couple of years ago I remember the shopping centre Blue Water was closed because of snow in the car park!!!! If you mentioned that in Scandinavia they would be rolling around laughing. In Denmark when you take your driving license it's compulsory to also take the Ice/slippey road test where you go to a track and learn how to manouver your car in icy conditions. As a kid you learn to dress to the conditions which often is more sensible than fashionable and most importantly the councils have staff working 24/7 to grit all roads, pavements and YES even carparks. As far as I know (but could be wrong) in Denmark they use a combination of salt and grit on the roads. Salt to make the ice melt and grit to make it less slippery. All I've ever seen here is grit which just lies on top of the snow and then with next snowfall they'll add more grit and so on and so on. I love the UK and wouldn't have lived here if I didn't, but the government seriously needs to meet up with governments of cold countries and get some advice.

[mimififi]

I for one am hoping for a really really cold snap. I know that there are implications, but d'you know, I came home from the doctors today with my 10 month old baby diagnosed with Rubella. Within the last year, I have had scarlet fever, I don't know a single person who hasn't got a cold/stomach bug/virus or feels under-the-weather, which is fine, but I also haven't met many people who are not finding it really hard to shake these viruses. The weather needs to get real cold in the winter to kill off some of these bugs that just keep going round, mutating. The mild winters of late have just aided and abetted these bugs.

Bring on the winter, bring on the snow, we are British people, we are used to being hardy. Don more jumpers, turn the heating down, enjoy the cold and know it is doing us good. And, frankly, it isn't as though our summers match temperature found in the Bahamas is it!

(Also, if it really snows hard, my hubby might not be able to get up to town and so have to work from home, YAY!)

[Ding-Dong]

This really really annoys me - there was a weather report a couple of days that stated the weather was getting "worse" - well hold on a minute, I know I may be in a minority here, but I love winter weather, and much prefer winter to Summer. Personally, I can't stand the middle of summer where the weather is humid and sticky, you can't get to sleep and working in an office without AC is hell on earth, and yet all the weather reports glow about what lovely weather we are having, and isn't it great that the temperature is in the 30s. No, it is not (IMO).

[happy_face]

Couldn't agree with you more Ding-Dong

[Shipstabber]

Is this winter? I thought November was in Autumn.

[VINNY100_2]

In Devon we dont use GRIT.We use Rock salt,and spray the main roads with brine,which clings to the suface of the road.20% of roads are treated in Devon in this way.We dont treat the other roads because it would be to expensive.We do have more roads than any other county in Britain.I work in a small village,and believe me I cant work around it,if it snows.your ********..which i dont mind...a few days off...bring on the snow...(:)

[coyn]

It is autumn shipstabber winter starts on the 21st december

[jake-the-peg]

One of the things is that our winters do not have long cold periods but can snap quickly.

In that snow fall that hit Essex last year or the year before (can't remember which) the salting lorries couldn't get out and salt because the rain that was falling at the time would have just washed it away.

Then the rain turned rapidly to snow and presto! heavy snow on unsalted roads, massive gridlock stopping the police, rescue services and gritting lorries.

In colder places where the snow falls in November and melts in March, that scenario is less likely and there are sufficient snowploughs because they'll get used.

Fancy setting up a snoughplough business in the UK? You'll be bankrupt pretty fast

[Buddy]

On a slightly more serious note - older people feel they become housebound and also worry about having to have their heating on and the cost.

I live relatively quite far north in Scotland and although the council do a magnificent job given their budget restraints to keep major roads open we do have quite awful conditions to deal with.I was stranded once for 7 hours along with hundreds of cars and I was behind a snowplough.Lots more couldnt get home that particular time for days and were holed up in village halls.

There has been a significant change in the last 10 years however (global warming?) but I still would avoid treachorous conditions.A lot of people are injured or lose their lives.

Doom and gloom one upside at least we can go sledging - yippee!!!

[smudge]

I love all four seasons, especially winter if it snows - can't wait!

Our daughter & son-in-law are taking our eldest Granddaughter to Brighton for the weekend, to see Lee Evans - they're all looking forward to it & wouldn't let snow prevent them from going either!

Have a great time in York Andy!

[copippin]

Enjoy your trip to York andy,it's a wonderful venue for a weekend away.As for the weather,it's great,seasonal and who knows,we may even get a white christmas and it's a while since we had one of those.

[Buddy]

It would be lovely if eveyone could enjoy a slight drifting of snow as it is romantic and seasonal.You people enjoy it and just be thankful you dont live in the far north of Britain.(How do you think I've just bought a house in Spain !!)

Enjoy your weekend Andy and everyone else who has something planned.

[jgs]

I think the seasons in this country are perfectly balanced. By the end of Aug early Sept i've had enough of the summer and look forward to the nights 'closing-in' and autumn. Just as that gets boring, the winter comes...particularly cool if it snows in my opinion. Just as the novelty of frost/ ice and wrapping up warm wears off it's spring!! Fantastic! Just right i say...don't understand people who complain about our weather...we must be used to the changing pattern of our seasons by now!