"The Big Freeze" - Arghhhhh!!!!
19 December 2010, 11:43 PM
#31
Nah - You won't believe this but I overheard a chap in a pub going on about some stuff they dig out of the ground in Peru and is smuggled into UK. A sort of white powdery stuff. This bloke's mate uses it for cooking so he said but one winter he spilt a bag on his driveway - and you really aren't going to believe this. Wait for it. By morning all the snow and ice had disappeared.
A bit far fetched I know and will never catch on but if you pm me I can let you have some at mate's rates
dl
A bit far fetched I know and will never catch on but if you pm me I can let you have some at mate's rates
dl
Of course, salt is an effective alternative. But I'm always looking for better uses for that poxy patio heater that's been used about twice (wasn't my idea to buy one).
I also have some left over irrigation pipe and some sprinklers, plus a water butt and pump. Now, if I fill the butt with antifreeze, I could de-ice my drive at the flick of a switch
Last edited by ALi-B; 19 December 2010 at 11:44 PM.
19 December 2010, 11:55 PM
#33
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20 December 2010, 12:14 AM
#34
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It is news when the country is covered in a foot of snow and all the airports are shut.. Its quite a dominant topic of conversation and I had great fun driving round laughing at the BMW's stuck trying to go up hills. I helped out a few times by towing the odd car up a hill but mostly laughed smugly at the german tat with summer tyres sliding sideways into kerbs.
We are crap at dealing with snow because it is such a rare event. If it continues to snow every year then economics will dictate that roads, airports and train tracks are prepared to deal with it.
We are crap at dealing with snow because it is such a rare event. If it continues to snow every year then economics will dictate that roads, airports and train tracks are prepared to deal with it.
20 December 2010, 12:49 AM
#35
The problem with most drivers of this German "tat" is they simply haven't a clue how to properly work their car in the snow.
A bloke up the road from me has just bought a 530 Champagne Edition II that is exactly like ours in every way (stupidily wide M5 wheels with skinny profile tyres). The thing is he's *****, he used to have a 740 and would blast up and down the road come sun, rain, ice. Well he tried driving up the road in the exact same fashion and was getting nowhere: He had his traction control turned on and was using far too much throttle with the autobox obviously set in "D" (i.e he's doing it all wrong).
Well naturally, he got stuck and had to turn around and go back and park his car somewhere down the road. When half an hour later I took ours up with no problem, its an identical car on Michelin summer tyres. DSC off, autobox manually held in 2nd gear, and using the handbrake to stop excessive creep/wheelslip and literally breathing on the throttle, thats all it takes.
A bloke up the road from me has just bought a 530 Champagne Edition II that is exactly like ours in every way (stupidily wide M5 wheels with skinny profile tyres). The thing is he's *****, he used to have a 740 and would blast up and down the road come sun, rain, ice. Well he tried driving up the road in the exact same fashion and was getting nowhere: He had his traction control turned on and was using far too much throttle with the autobox obviously set in "D" (i.e he's doing it all wrong).
Well naturally, he got stuck and had to turn around and go back and park his car somewhere down the road. When half an hour later I took ours up with no problem, its an identical car on Michelin summer tyres. DSC off, autobox manually held in 2nd gear, and using the handbrake to stop excessive creep/wheelslip and literally breathing on the throttle, thats all it takes.
Last edited by ALi-B; 20 December 2010 at 12:51 AM.
20 December 2010, 09:25 AM
#36
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I just thought would have a flick to the news channel as i'm off work till the new year 
...
It's being called Frozen Britain
well that was enough for me to turn it off..
Cold Snap
...It's being called Frozen Britain
well that was enough for me to turn it off.. Cold Snap
20 December 2010, 09:44 AM
#37
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Just another easy story for the media to milk dry TBH.
If theres no disasters to milk dry they tend to focus on the weather.
If the weathers ok they go looking for celebrities.
If theres no disasters to milk dry they tend to focus on the weather.
If the weathers ok they go looking for celebrities.
20 December 2010, 09:45 AM
#38
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It is a cold snap, but it is still unusually long for the UK. Temps of -18 in November is not usual, not matter what you think, and a prolonged period of freezing temperatures is also unusual.
UK winters are generally mild, and, as someone already pointed out, we haven't even officially started winter yet, we could have 3 more months of this.
It was -13 here this morning, that's pretty cold by UK standards for Wales.
It's not unprecedented, but it's certainly more than the UK is used to. All things considered, I don't think the disruption is that bad.
Geezer
UK winters are generally mild, and, as someone already pointed out, we haven't even officially started winter yet, we could have 3 more months of this.
It was -13 here this morning, that's pretty cold by UK standards for Wales.
It's not unprecedented, but it's certainly more than the UK is used to. All things considered, I don't think the disruption is that bad.
Geezer
20 December 2010, 10:04 AM
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Ooooh, you are SO going to get your **** kicked!
And we had ice on the inside of our bedroom windows today!
20 December 2010, 10:30 AM
#40
Minus twelve degrees last night. Pretty good going for the midlands (although we do live in a highish part, so our local weather system is prone to more extremes that other parts, although that usually means lots of regular sudden showers in summer 
).
But, depite this extreme cold, our house has still yet to drop below 15degrees in teh hall way at night after the heating has turned off at midnight and shoot up pretty quickly to its preset 18 degrees (20-22 in other rooms) within an hour of the heating switching on for the first time. So either our house is really reall really well insulated (doubt it; it was built in the 1960's) or my max/min thermometer is out of kilter or these wetaher forecasters are fudging the readings with windchill.
TBH its really a big fuss over something we should know better about. I can still drive up and down the road, others still get stuck. Our Mercedes buses seem to to struggle as I've gone past a few that have become stuck trying to make turns, which is strange as the old Leyland Nationals that preceeded them coped ok.
I may get some all winter/all weather tyres for next year, not that I've got stuck, I'm thinking I need a better performing tyre for cold/damp wet roads moreso than snow and ice. Although it will probably mean I'll drive the car even harder through the country lanes (such is the temptation of a good handling fast car).
Next load of media moaning will be the masses of potholes left behind when it all melts. To be fair ro the new bunch, when the Cons took over in our area, every pothole was properly cut out, repaired and the joints were sealed! - First time I've seen proper road repairs for years, previously most road crews just dumped in a load of tar into a pothole without clearing/cutting out the hole, roll it and move to the next one; In effect it a poor temporary repair, leaving the joints butting up to loose tarmac and unsealed so water can get in and freeze the tarmac apart again.
Such is the state of our roads from over ten years of neglect by our old council, most do need resurfacing in their entirety. But our new council have had to endure cuts due to the last lot squandering it all.
).But, depite this extreme cold, our house has still yet to drop below 15degrees in teh hall way at night after the heating has turned off at midnight and shoot up pretty quickly to its preset 18 degrees (20-22 in other rooms) within an hour of the heating switching on for the first time. So either our house is really reall really well insulated (doubt it; it was built in the 1960's) or my max/min thermometer is out of kilter or these wetaher forecasters are fudging the readings with windchill.
TBH its really a big fuss over something we should know better about. I can still drive up and down the road, others still get stuck. Our Mercedes buses seem to to struggle as I've gone past a few that have become stuck trying to make turns, which is strange as the old Leyland Nationals that preceeded them coped ok.
I may get some all winter/all weather tyres for next year, not that I've got stuck, I'm thinking I need a better performing tyre for cold/damp wet roads moreso than snow and ice. Although it will probably mean I'll drive the car even harder through the country lanes (such is the temptation of a good handling fast car).
Next load of media moaning will be the masses of potholes left behind when it all melts. To be fair ro the new bunch, when the Cons took over in our area, every pothole was properly cut out, repaired and the joints were sealed! - First time I've seen proper road repairs for years, previously most road crews just dumped in a load of tar into a pothole without clearing/cutting out the hole, roll it and move to the next one; In effect it a poor temporary repair, leaving the joints butting up to loose tarmac and unsealed so water can get in and freeze the tarmac apart again.
Such is the state of our roads from over ten years of neglect by our old council, most do need resurfacing in their entirety. But our new council have had to endure cuts due to the last lot squandering it all.
Last edited by ALi-B; 20 December 2010 at 10:33 AM.
20 December 2010, 10:40 AM
#42
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Why oh why are the media insiting on calling this weather "The Big Freeze".
It is just some slightly colder than usual weather with a few inches of snow.
The disruption is caused, in the main, because we are ill equipped to deal with it.
Our Northern European cousins must laugh their heads off at us while they enjoy their annual "Mahoosive Freeze"
It is just some slightly colder than usual weather with a few inches of snow.
The disruption is caused, in the main, because we are ill equipped to deal with it.
Our Northern European cousins must laugh their heads off at us while they enjoy their annual "Mahoosive Freeze"
Sure it's winter, but it's rarely hit this hard.
But yes, you are right..........We are SO ill equipped!
20 December 2010, 11:11 AM
#46
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Maybe thats teh problem nowadays; heaters in cars are so good (mine has bum warmers), and houses have central heating and masses of insulation that when we walk outside it feels fecking freezing becuase the temeprature difference is so massive.
If our house was a chilly 12-15 degrees, it wouldn't feel quite so bad walking outside in freezing temps.
As for the cars, wide low profile tyres made in Korea intended for a Mediterranian climate, overassited steering, overassisted brakes, fly-by wire throttles in cars that weigh 1.5 metric tons and more. Added to that anyone and his dog can pass a driving test. No wonder most cars and drivers are rubbish.
I saw a Moggy 1000 drive past on my travels today, it brought a smile as I bet it was far better in the snow than most cars today.
If our house was a chilly 12-15 degrees, it wouldn't feel quite so bad walking outside in freezing temps.
As for the cars, wide low profile tyres made in Korea intended for a Mediterranian climate, overassited steering, overassisted brakes, fly-by wire throttles in cars that weigh 1.5 metric tons and more. Added to that anyone and his dog can pass a driving test. No wonder most cars and drivers are rubbish.
I saw a Moggy 1000 drive past on my travels today, it brought a smile as I bet it was far better in the snow than most cars today.
Les
20 December 2010, 03:24 PM
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20 December 2010, 03:35 PM
#48
We're also led to believe that this cold snap is an isolated occurance and weather and climate are not the same. However, when we have one scoarching summer (a while ago now!) this is evidence of global warming! But now we've had 3 consecutive years of bitter cold winters and are now told to expect colder winters due to global warming.
20 December 2010, 03:53 PM
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20 December 2010, 08:16 PM
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20 December 2010, 09:01 PM
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20 December 2010, 09:10 PM
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We're also led to believe that this cold snap is an isolated occurance and weather and climate are not the same. However, when we have one scoarching summer (a while ago now!) this is evidence of global warming! But now we've had 3 consecutive years of bitter cold winters and are now told to expect colder winters due to global warming.
Hee hee ... http://www.independent.co.uk/environ...st-724017.html ....
"... However, the warming is so far manifesting itself more in winters which are less cold than in much hotter summers. According to Dr David Viner, a senior research scientist at the climatic research unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia,within a few years winter snowfall will become "a very rare and exciting event". "Children just aren't going to know what snow is," he said. The effects of snow-free winter in Britain are already becoming apparent. This year, for the first time ever, Hamleys, Britain's biggest toyshop, had no sledges on display in its Regent Street store. "It was a bit of a first," a spokesperson said ..."
Oh how we can now laugh at this now! But the complete to55er mentioned above is now "... the head of a British Council programme with an annual £10 million budget that raises awareness of global warming among young people abroad ..." WTF!!!???
So, no need to raise awareness amongst older people abroad .... 
"... Dr Viner last week said he still stood by that prediction: ‘We’ve had three weeks of relatively cold weather, and that doesn’t change anything.
'This winter is just a little cooler than average, and I still think that snow will become an increasingly rare event.’ ..."
[From 10th January 2010]
Take the whole feckin' lot out onto the moors and leave them there.
Dave
20 December 2010, 09:46 PM
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Hee hee ... http://www.independent.co.uk/environ...st-724017.html ....
"... However, the warming is so far manifesting itself more in winters which are less cold than in much hotter summers. According to Dr David Viner, a senior research scientist at the climatic research unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia,within a few years winter snowfall will become "a very rare and exciting event". "Children just aren't going to know what snow is," he said. The effects of snow-free winter in Britain are already becoming apparent. This year, for the first time ever, Hamleys, Britain's biggest toyshop, had no sledges on display in its Regent Street store. "It was a bit of a first," a spokesperson said ..."
Oh how we can now laugh at this now! But the complete to55er mentioned above is now "... the head of a British Council programme with an annual £10 million budget that raises awareness of global warming among young people abroad ..." WTF!!!??? So, no need to raise awareness amongst older people abroad ....
"... Dr Viner last week said he still stood by that prediction: ‘We’ve had three weeks of relatively cold weather, and that doesn’t change anything.
'This winter is just a little cooler than average, and I still think that snow will become an increasingly rare event.’ ..."
[From 10th January 2010]
Take the whole feckin' lot out onto the moors and leave them there.
Dave
"... However, the warming is so far manifesting itself more in winters which are less cold than in much hotter summers. According to Dr David Viner, a senior research scientist at the climatic research unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia,within a few years winter snowfall will become "a very rare and exciting event". "Children just aren't going to know what snow is," he said. The effects of snow-free winter in Britain are already becoming apparent. This year, for the first time ever, Hamleys, Britain's biggest toyshop, had no sledges on display in its Regent Street store. "It was a bit of a first," a spokesperson said ..."
Oh how we can now laugh at this now! But the complete to55er mentioned above is now "... the head of a British Council programme with an annual £10 million budget that raises awareness of global warming among young people abroad ..." WTF!!!???
So, no need to raise awareness amongst older people abroad .... "... Dr Viner last week said he still stood by that prediction: ‘We’ve had three weeks of relatively cold weather, and that doesn’t change anything.
'This winter is just a little cooler than average, and I still think that snow will become an increasingly rare event.’ ..."
[From 10th January 2010]
Take the whole feckin' lot out onto the moors and leave them there.
Dave
20 December 2010, 09:49 PM
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astraboy.
20 December 2010, 09:54 PM
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I agree. If I had the money, I'd form the N4, the "No Nonsense News Network" which would report the facts and leave the sensationalist claptrap to the fox network. Needless to say,the likes of Cheryl Cole would only appear on said network on the occasion of her death.
astraboy.
astraboy.
21 December 2010, 09:14 AM
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We've had very little snow. Apart from a bit chilly and the ice making things a bit slippy, the whole "Big freeze" has been a complete non-event here.