UK v Scandinavia - Snow

[Bob Singleton]

Nob3y wrote:

> Simple economics?
>
> On the news it has been said this country is looing upto a
> billion punds a day because of this snow.
>
> How simple do you want it?
> Get things in place to keep the country moving
> or
> leave it and loose money?
>


Yes, simple economics.

Business is losing money, but does everything it can to avoid paying taxes which could be used to pay for the infrastructure/machinery etc to cope.

If business is so worried about losing so much money, why don't THEY (as opposed to the government) pay for extra snow ploughs etc?

Like I said, simple economics!!!

[Nob3y]

So it looks like simple economics will be ignored as if the government are to be belived they are doing things to try and get things moving again.
Looking at the third rails on some lines for a start.

I cant belive that simple economics says to leave it as it is and let the whole country struggle and lose upto a billion pounds a day.
Especialy if we get more snow between now and febuary.And also if we get more snow more often as is being forcast due to global warming.

[andy at handiwork]

Sparky wrote:
'However we ought to have plans plus sufficient adaptable equipment and resources to clear and keep clear and safe motorways, major road routes and major railway routes.

If they find that hard, maybe they could start with clearing pavements a bit. And before anyone asks, I cleared our and a few neighbours stretches.

[pbphotography]

The comparison is nonsence.

The country has ground to a halt as there has been more snow than there has been in at least the last 5 years combined and it is the worst snow fall in thirty years. A Foot or more of snow in two days is unusual in the UK.

Also as there are all of the comparisons with Scandinavia if 5 years worth of snow fell in two days would there be no disruption?

Of coarse there would be. If there was a foot of snow two - three months before snow usually falls then it would also mess them up.

(In the UK Snow usually falls in significant quantities in February and March not in November - December)

The other side of the coin is that in Scandinavia people are used to driving in the snow and their cars are prepaired for it. Winter tyres snow chains etc.

You could not do that in the uk as even with it being as bad as it was last week most main roads were clear within a day or two. Minor roads were ignored as they are minor. Funny that. Resources will be prioritised and as such some people will lose out.

In twelve years of driving I have driven in snow on average 2 days every three years.

That equates to no experiance.

If you spend a quarter of your life living with three feet of snow you know how to deal with it.

No body in Britain has any real current experiance of winter driving that is why the motorways keep geting blocked.

It is rarely because of the snow but usually due to people crashing at juntions as they have been going too fast and have crashed and blocked the road.

Most snow ploughs also got caught up in the traffic jams.

The sniping at the National and Local Government is unjustified in this case.

It would be patently unreasonable for the goverment or local authorities to spend much more on preparing for this sort of eventuality.

The money would be better spent on other things includign cleaning up the mess made by the last goverment.

[Sam Slater]

So true. You only have to be on the roads in LA after they've had a bit of rain to appreciate how we drive in it. The slightest bit of rain over there and every intersection is a death-trap. Screeching tyres, skidding and bumps galore. It becomes whacky races in no time.

[andy at handiwork]

As I made no comparison, non-nonsensical or otherwise, I presume you were referring to another posting.

[frankthring]

Report from Hungary - its snows here most years from late Nov to end
March. We had our first fall 8 days ago and the city rooftops are white
as I write this....
I say rooftops because the city cleaners and citizens attack snow with a
vigour I have never seen in Britain. Snow ploughs or salt sprayers jog
around the city even as a blizzard rages !!
A few years ago we had tons of snow on 30th Dec. This meant lots of it
the next night, when Hungarians traditionally let off their fireworks and
the streets are littered with New Year debris and scores of bottles. They
will never clear this, i stupidly thought, but sure enough, at 4am, out came
the armies of poorly paid and wonderful street cleaners and everything,
from debris, to snow-slush, was carted away by 7am !!!