The Beast from the East

[Welly]

Perhaps early still but here in the Midlands there's just been the odd flurry of snow, pretty cold with the wind-chill but otherwise pretty uneventful.

[steve_earwig]

I was looking at the weather forecast earlier for London, 4" of snow, -2 degrees, magenta weather warning - it's the end of days I tell ye!

Here's it's another 6" of fwuffy snow thrown at the windows, -14 and the Audi's still won't slow down.

[PeterN]

None down here yet but its blooming cold.

Peter

[Doggy]

About 2" of dry, powdery snow & -3 degrees when I left home. No snow round Huntingdon.

[Welly]

Same for me this morning, a very dry powdery snow which blew off the Volvo's roof quite literally onto a 17-plate 3 Series who was following "studiously" behind

[steve_earwig]

Not that I object to crap falling on tailgating bimmers but you're meant to clean the crap off your car so it doesn't fly off and injure innocent bystanders. It's the law here, so I brush off as much as I can so I don't give the cops any more reasons to rob me...

We've had that powdery crap here too, plus it's been quite windy, so a few times yesterday I couldn't actually tell if it was still falling or if it was just blowing it about. It's even on the terrace upstairs which is tight under the roof. I remember Miloš saying I could use indoor tiles up there as it would never get wet The weather sites say we've only had about 18" altogether (t'wfe's cousin lives in Delnice where they've had almost 2 meters) but it's all been blown into drifts so it looks a lot more. The snow ploughs have been scooting about all morning so the roads are fairly clear but they didn't grit since Saturday, so the roads are compressed snow with the occasional patch of tarmac. I've just been out to clear out the front (again ) and was surprised to see our postman out on his scooter

[steve_earwig]

How are you doing chaps? I'm imagining you all sliding about all over the (ungritted and unploughed) roads. I've jusz picked up t'wife, it took 20 minutes and all there was were the usual idiots going the other way who want to drive on the bit of road showing the most tarmac, whichever side that is and the idiot in the Glof up me chuff 'cos he thinks 60kmh is fine driving on snow.

If it's any consolation my chiropractor is from Canada and is amazed how much trouble people have here with just a bit of snow, they have no problem at all with a couple of meters. Yeah, but you all have (electric start) snowblowers, so clearing snow is about as hard as mowing the lawn...

[Welly]

Much worse this morning, got the Volvo up the hill backwards without too much fuss...proceeded to work with ABS kicking in with the lightest of braking, main roads quite bad with compacted snow over frozen tarmac, the dual carriageway was now a single carriageway but everyone behaving themselves (apart from me who might* have used the handbrake on some of the quiet corners).

Got half way to work and thought it would be nice if I extracted the Citroen and got it up the hill.....went home again and de-iced Citroen...reversed it up the hill without too much slippage.....de-iced the Volvo's now frozen washer jets...went to work.

Was following a Bini with a lot of snow blowing of its roof and onto my windscreen, I don't think it's an offence to drive like that here? is it? I know if you don't clear your windows properly you might get clobbered for dangerous driving or summut.

[Doggy]

Simular here. About 2" snow thus morning and -6 degrees when I set off.
Crawled to Thrapston following a Bini + 3 vans doing about 25 mph.
A14 had the normal 75 mph minumum speed limit in force.....

everyone behaving themselves (apart from me who might* have used the handbrake on some of the quiet corners).

What's a handbrake?

[Welly]

A14 had the normal 75 mph minumum speed limit in force.....

Ha ha, you won't miss that come retirement. A train of A-Class Mercs, BM's and Aldi's all competing for nanoseconds of progress*

Oh and I'm a Volvo owner with a shitty Ford cable-operated caliper handbrake so although a slight improvement over the 406 you need arms like a Gorilla for it to be effective*.

Neighbour in his Wife's Nissan Joke did a spectacular hill climb past our house using the full left-right method with max revs yeah that's right just wander up onto the grass and churn that up to, that'll help. I got both car's up backwards without any wheelspin

[highlander]

Nowhere near as much snow in Aberdeen as was predicted, but just a couple miles further inland and things start to look a bit scary. We had a power cut yesterday morning, starting some time between 5 and 6 am, and ending just after 7am. When driving to work yesterday morning, it was initially like driving inside a ping pong ball, but it cleared up rapidly and we've had no problems since.

I'm currently the only IT person in our office because the other people are all snowed in. Our desktop support guy lives up at Glen Tanar; they had 7 inches of snowfall between Tuesday and Wednesday, and another foot fell on top of that overnight last night. He drives a VW Polo GTi, which is a poor choice of car for dealing with heavy snowfall and a 70 mile daily round trip.

The BMW has been exemplary in the snow. No problems getting up hills, or turning corners, or anything like that at all. It is on winter tyres (Dunlop Winter Sport M3 Runflats), front and rear, which were on the car when I bought it last summer.

Train services are disrupted, and there have been flight cancellations for Aberdeen Airport also. Wrap up warm, folks.

[steve_earwig]

I'm amazed the original owner would feel the need for winter tyres, aren't Bimmers invincible? Damn lucky for you anyway. Runflats too, I'd bet they'd cost a pretty penny.

I'm currently the only IT person in our office

Nah nah, you're it! Sorry I've been wondering how you've been coping, Scotland doesn't look a pleasant place to live just now. Please do take care!

Meanwhile... -11 when I bothered to look this morning but apparently we're coming to the end of the cold weather, according to the forecasts anyway. Just more snow and maybe a smidge of freezing rain to keep it interesting. Good-o.

Some pics

[Welly]

Bit of luck there Landy having the Winter Tyres, although you are the only one in the office

I'm really fed up with people driving like puffs, driving at 20mph because snow, GET ON WITH IT even on summer tyres I'm making normal progress and test the braking on various stretches so I know what's to play with. Last night there was a big line of cars on a dual carriageway all doing 25mph...the mighty Volvo of doom overtook them all in the "snowy" lane doing 50 take that LOSERS

Years back when it used to snow properly me and my mates used to go out driving to practice our snow skilz (all ex BMX riders) actually I think if you can cycle and do tricks in the snow you can DRIVE in the snow

[PeterN]

We have it down here now, snowed all yesterday afternoon and evening, lost some of our water supply but we have at least one hot and cold tap and the loo. I don't think our water supply has frozen up for at least 30 years. We used nearly a bag full of anthracite on the stove yesterday and also have the oil boiler going - its cold.

Peter

[Doggy]

We had a light dusting in Huntingdon yesterday....
incredulous here overheard someone refusing to risk a short trip in our pick-up, (a 2WD Toyota), "because it's RWD"!