Snow and Driving

[MrsICTFC]

Thanks guys for understanding.

I am glad that some people understand the dangers.

[tm4tj]

I'm sure we all understand the dangers, which can be very real. But what is dangerous to some people is not met with the same response by others.

It's how we cope with these problems that can make the difference. I know some drivers who come 'so close to an accident' every day they drive, when in all honesty it is just their perception of an incident which is no more than part of normal driving. Somebody pulled out in front of me.....did you see him overtaking.....he never used indicators....he braked. Hey, it's all in a days work.

Please use the passing places for overtaking.

My bad.

[Northern_jaggie]

I was driving round the Invergordon road to Inverness when there was a car and caravan with around half a foot of snow on both attachments. The combo was travelling at that speed where its just fast enough for most drivers but there is always one who thinks its too slow...a boy racer flew by ignoring the piles of snow falling off the roof of the caravan and during his manoeuvre skidded onto the other side of the road. No harm done in this case due no a lack of on coming traffic but falling snow is definitely a danger when combined with stupid driving, wipers or not.

[tm4tj]

Which one were you Mrs

Good work by the carers.

[MrsICTFC]

I work for Highland Home Carers but the same applies. We had one lady who couldn't get back home, another lady in her partners 4x4 out helping us get about (a big thanks to her for coming and helping me when I was stuck). I also walked most of NYE till yesterday afternoon and left my car in areas and walked about. Many others also had to walk.

Edited January 5, 2010 by MrsICTFC

[Guest]

Which one were you Mrs

Good work by the carers.

A sterling job indeed, bravely carried out in weather almost unknown to us for over a decade.

Why do people like these, who care for the countries old heroes and veterans amongst others, not get offered free tickets for football matches or recieve any other method of recognising the risks they take to care for our elderly and infirm.

[MrsICTFC]

Apparently the roads up to new craigs are closed for the moment.

[Scotty]

Another time I had 6'' of snow on my roof, 15 mins into my journey I braked and it slid off the car.

Sorry but I must defend MrsICT on this one. Those making the sarky comments are those who are too lazy to take two minutes to sweep the snow of the roof

You always have snow on the roof though Alex

Seriously though, I agree with MrsICT on this one too ..... you should attempt to get as much snow off your car as possible before driving off .... we had a snowfall last night of about 3 or 4 inches and I took a measly 4 or 5 minutes this morning to brush as much of it off as I could (especially on my headlights which is a legal requirement over here) .... I cant reach the centre of the roof (its too high or maybe my arms are too short) so there was a small strip left over but there is no excuse for driving off with doors, windscreens, lights etc covered ....

sure your wipers might deal with it if you brake suddenly or as you pick up speed and it flys off but then again it might not and if it is coming off because you are braking its usually because there is some other hazard in front of you ! Also, when its left on and flys off at high speed as you go along the road it may also be dangerous for other drivers .... I have experienced this on the highways here ... you get an SUV with a foot of snow on the roof and eventually this sheet of it comes flying off their roof and onto your windscreen ... not only does it scare the beejezus out of you but if your wipers are not up to the task its dangerous !

A little common sense and consideration for other road users !

[MrsICTFC]

Can I just ask anyone very nicely if you have any elderly neighbours who get care/need help to go over and check on them. If this weather continues there is no doubt that care will need to be prioritised to those who need it most i.e. bed bound, those with very little mobility.

Even if you are able to clear a space for carers to park or get close.

Any help would be great x

[Yngwie]

I work for Highland Home Carers but the same applies. We had one lady who couldn't get back home, another lady in her partners 4x4 out helping us get about (a big thanks to her for coming and helping me when I was stuck). I also walked most of new years eve, new years day and left my car in areas and walked about. Many others also had to walk.

Compare this dedication with the Scottish Gas man I got.

After waiting several days for them to come and fix a problem, he turns up and says that for health and safety reasons he won't be able to take his tools out of the van and carry them 8 yards up the driveway. I very politely offered to go and get them for him, but no no no, I wasn't insured!

[Yngwie]

And then, after 2 weeks without a bin collection due to the weather, I was delighted to see a bin lorry up the street.

However, it then became apparent that it wasn't their job to pull wheeliebins through the snow and ice. They happily sat in the cab and watched while the residents, including pensioners, struggled away.

[MrsICTFC]

I work for Highland Home Carers but the same applies. We had one lady who couldn't get back home, another lady in her partners 4x4 out helping us get about (a big thanks to her for coming and helping me when I was stuck). I also walked most of new years eve, new years day and left my car in areas and walked about. Many others also had to walk.

Compare this dedication with the Scottish Gas man I got.

After waiting several days for them to come and fix a problem, he turns up and says that for health and safety reasons he won't be able to take his tools out of the van and carry them 8 yards up the driveway. I very politely offered to go and get them for him, but no no no, I wasn't insured!

Seriously!! Why on earth did he even bother with the drive!!

I can't believe they would watch and let people struggle. Meh!!

[PullMyFinger]

I work for Highland Home Carers but the same applies. We had one lady who couldn't get back home, another lady in her partners 4x4 out helping us get about (a big thanks to her for coming and helping me when I was stuck). I also walked most of new years eve, new years day and left my car in areas and walked about. Many others also had to walk.

Compare this dedication with the Scottish Gas man I got.

After waiting several days for them to come and fix a problem, he turns up and says that for health and safety reasons he won't be able to take his tools out of the van and carry them 8 yards up the driveway. I very politely offered to go and get them for him, but no no no, I wasn't insured!

Why had you not cleared your drive and salted/gritted it if you were expecting him? Nowadays people have little consideration for others, no wonder our society is in the mess it is.

[Johnboy]

Compare this dedication with the Scottish Gas man I got.

After waiting several days for them to come and fix a problem, he turns up and says that for health and safety reasons he won't be able to take his tools out of the van and carry them 8 yards up the driveway. I very politely offered to go and get them for him, but no no no, I wasn't insured!

Thanks Yngwie....

For some days now I have been considering switching my utilities supplier to Scottish Gas.

I've now made up my mind to stick with my present supplier!

[CaleyD]

[12th Man]

A bit of nostalgia for the expats, noticed it when I watched the above

[culduthel]

Whatever happened to Snow Chains? I remember back in the sixties we would regularly get winters like this in Inverness and cars would be fitted with chains or studded tyres. My old man had a set of studded tryes in the garage and would change them onto his car when the snow set in. He always carried chains in the boot in winter in the other cars.

What about driving in ice up a hill or down a hill. We were taught to engage the car in third gear and slowly release the clutch - major traction and no wheel spin.

Don't get any snow here in New Zealand unless you go up the mountains during Ski season. When we do I use these methods to good effect.

I still remeber my old man giving us all lessons in how to drive in snow and ice. Looks like some of these people could do with them.

Heading off to the beach now. Been 25 degrees cent. and sunny for over two weeks here in Auckland - bliss.

[Scarlet Pimple]

5" of snow on your roof.?Wow!

Last December, here in the Vancouver area, we had an accumulation of some 1.5 feet on car roofs over 3 days.

Sounds like you don't have too many home garages in Inverness these days then?

Driving with any snow on the car is dangerous.

I use a soft brush on a long handle to drag the snow off the roof from the sides. The soft brush is to try to ensure that you do not scratch your paintwork on the car.

Then we switch on the rear defroster to melt the snow on the rear window prior to moving from the parking stance and, at the same time, turn on the front windshield blower fan, set to defrost/hot.

Frequently, especially if we cannot stand around all day waiting for the glass to clear, we use the edge of a credit card to scrape off the frost (after clearing the snow off first of course)--- which generally works a charm because it does not scratch your glass. And we go right round the car, starting with the front windscreen , and clear the windows as well.

By the time you are finished scraping and clearing the snow the defrosters will, hopefully, have done their work and you can jump in and jump off as soon as you have done your Jimmy Saville thing---"clunk, click every trip." Smile.

Only then can you say that you are safe to drive, both for your own safety and for the safety of other drivers.

Have you any idea of what it is like to be driving behind a car with a load of snow on his/her roof, which suddenly dislodges and dumps right on top of your windscreen and you can't see a thing in front of you. Nor can you just ram on your brakes because conditions are likely to be very bad and you will lose control of your vehicle immediately. The only thing that you can try is to immediatelty turn on your wipers and pray that the snow is light enough to be swept off, at least enough to allow you some visibility. Blowing snow off the top of another vehicle onto your windscreen is also a very irritating event because it may be light in nature but it can soon obscure your windscreen and your forward visibility.Additionally it should be viewed as a prelude to a dump about to come off the said windscreen and so, when I encounter this type of driver, I back off from his car very quickly.

There really is no way round all this extra work. It's safety first.

And, Mrs ICTF, if I had Manfer sitting on the roof of the vehicle in front of me I would surely find him very irritating as well.

Manfer the Snowman is a very cool cat

And as he sits upon the car roofies I wonder where he is at,

He calls you out and breaks you down and tries to get you in a spat

If I were you I would take a pin , stalk him and maybe give him a "flat"

Then you could clap your hands and walk away and that, dear lady, would be THAT!

:P

[tm4tj]

Stick to your day job ya old goat.

[Alex MacLeod]

Whatever happened to Snow Chains? I remember back in the sixties we would regularly get winters like this in Inverness and cars would be fitted with chains or studded tyres. My old man had a set of studded tryes in the garage and would change them onto his car when the snow set in. He always carried chains in the boot in winter in the other cars.

What about driving in ice up a hill or down a hill. We were taught to engage the car in third gear and slowly release the clutch - major traction and no wheel spin.

Don't get any snow here in New Zealand unless you go up the mountains during Ski season. When we do I use these methods to good effect.

I still remeber my old man giving us all lessons in how to drive in snow and ice. Looks like some of these people could do with them.

Heading off to the beach now. Been 25 degrees cent. and sunny for over two weeks here in Auckland - bliss.

Some penpusher decided snow chains damaged roads so they are banned.

[CaleyD]

Not strictly true Alex....you are allowed to use them but you can be fined if you cause damage to the roads. As such it makes them highly impractical as you'd be forever stopping to take them on and off due to the patchy nature of road clearing that goes on in the uk.

[12th Man]

Whatever happened to Snow Chains? I remember back in the sixties we would regularly get winters like this in Inverness and cars would be fitted with chains or studded tyres. My old man had a set of studded tryes in the garage and would change them onto his car when the snow set in. He always carried chains in the boot in winter in the other cars.

What about driving in ice up a hill or down a hill. We were taught to engage the car in third gear and slowly release the clutch - major traction and no wheel spin.

Don't get any snow here in New Zealand unless you go up the mountains during Ski season. When we do I use these methods to good effect.

I still remeber my old man giving us all lessons in how to drive in snow and ice. Looks like some of these people could do with them.

Heading off to the beach now. Been 25 degrees cent. and sunny for over two weeks here in Auckland - bliss.

You can still get them but you cant drive over 30 mph, was swithering about buying them or snow socks, the socks look like a quicker cleaner solution to get you back out on to a main road but I don't think the snow socks will last as long.

[tm4tj]

Look what I saw today, driving through the centre of Inverness

Naughty naughty

[MrsICTFC]

Thinking about me off forum are you? lol

[Georgeios]

that must be a hands free camera there too... naughty naughty..