Dorset ice rink

[madcampbell]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkJO0SCFQLg

Not like this then......

[Scorpion]

There's only one way to drive on ice, in my opinion, and that's very slowly. I've had the truck out a few times over the past few days and the back roads around here are mainly compacted snow, so far I haven't had any problems. I haven't encountered an icy road yet whilst out in the truck, and to be honest I have no great experience of driving on ice. I guess the worst scenario is when you hit a patch of ice that you weren't expecting.

As some of you may remember I hit black ice last December when I was taking Laura to hospital. Although I was only driving along my street at under 10mph the car started to slide as I was turning a corner and didn't stop until it smacked into a neighbours car! I was utterly powerless to gain any sort of control even at that low speed. I imagine that even with the tyres I have on the truck now it would make little difference if I start to slide on ice?

I have seen people out locally in 4 x 4's who seem to think the road conditions do not apply to them as they drive at speed in adverse weather conditions, mind you most of them are in newish Range Rover Vogues or Misubishi Animals etc.

We never see the gritters on our estate, even when the bin men are due. The council estate however does get gritted for the bin men, how does that work? Oh and by the way my parents and daughter live on a coucil estate so please don't get the idea I'm making a class statement, it's merely an observation.

[chaz]

The fact remains that the roads were not GRITTED, there is a much wider issue here witch will affect every single one of us both financely, and for some of us personly too. Gritting is not just about the highway but also the paths within our citys and towns. Having spent some time in hospital with my wife, i was appalled to see two elderly ladies with faces that looked like they had been battered with a cricket bat, Apparently they stepped of the bus slipped up on black ice and smashed there faces into the ground,That image still haunts me. and there is more!and they were pedestrians. Like Davehms i do find those comments offensive for the same reasons, it's your chances i am trying to improve too guys.
Chaz
P.S Just heard that in London they have fancy coloured grit in all there parks!!

[Albannach]

LOl at this thread...

[DaveHMS]

WOW so it's the councils fault is it and there was me thinking it was the people going too fast and not knowing how to drive in icy conditions...

OK dude, how do you drive in the ice?
Me & the other half lived in Germany driving for 10 icy, snowy winters without incident. I'm now re-building our truck after a topple in the recent ice here.
The local resident that came to the rescue of my Mrs when she had the tip over in the truck, had called the local council re the sheet of ice that was the hill concerned. She (the resident) was told to put the report in writing 'for consideration'.
The fire truck that attended my Mrs & our sideways truck, got stuck in the ice & the traffic cop that attended was the sole casualty, slipping over, gashing his hand open on the ice & smashing his radio in the process.
So please keep your smart arse comments about 'knowing how to drive in icy conditions' to yourself. You ain't so clever that it couldn't have been you.
If I sound offended, it's 'cause you've hit a sore point just now. No offence intended.

[slobodan]

Absolutely Fabulous.

Quite.

[gwh200]

WOW so it's the councils fault is it and there was me thinking it was the people going too fast and not knowing how to drive in icy conditions...

Absolutely wrong.

[chaz]

Will do Darkdezigns,

[darkdezigns]

id be intrested to hear wot you get back chaz tbh,brighton turned into an ice rink for 4 days,it was a nightmare tbh

[stormforce]

Well said Chaz

[chaz]

So is it the councils fault. YES IT IS, they are under obligation to maintain our highways to a reasonable standard of safety, sure if conditions are unusual we drive to suit the conditions, This is not unusual and certainly not forecast, it is WINTER!. It seems the council has not got the salt to even lay on our roads,or the money!. So the NHS will pick up the tab and we will pay in the long run.Last Tuesday Poole Hospital replastered 108 limbs and this was also expected for the following two days.
Driving standards do vary and we are not all a Sebastion Loeb, Sliding down Thornicombe hill in a p100 on sheer black ice is not reccomended, even slowly as you still gain speed.Today our managment kept all our lorries in the yard, just as well they did, 40 tonne at 20mph will do a lot of damage.You guys know what i have been through so i do have a axe to grind, I have spent all afternoon sending emails to our M.P.s demanding action, probably get a load of crap back like needed the salt for my duckpond!!!. At the end of the day our main roads should of been gritted, it was forecast, and it was not done till it was too late, and somewhere down the line someone made a bad call Again.
May you all have safe journeys.
Chaz

[dieselboy]

WOW so it's the councils fault is it and there was me thinking it was the people going too fast and not knowing how to drive in icy conditions...

Bit harsh.

[Yardstick]

It was crap the last time it iced over.

Slighty worried now as later on I'm about to embark on the trip home to Bournemouth from Bath and worried abou the state the roads are in yet again!

[stormforce]

WOW so it's the councils fault is it and there was me thinking it was the people going too fast and not knowing how to drive in icy conditions...

It is also the council's/highways responsibility to grit/salt the roads.When the icy/snowy conditions are forcast then they should be out gritting/salting the roads.Not everyone is skilled as you in these conditions obviously and yes some are like pillocks in these conditions but not everyone is.

[24Seven]

WOW so it's the councils fault is it and there was me thinking it was the people going too fast and not knowing how to drive in icy conditions...

THE A338 Bournemouth Spur Road and the Upton bypass were both closed for several hours today due to ice and accidents.

Police said there was chaos on the county's roads as there was "literally ice everywhere".

Three separate incidents occured on the A350 Upton bypass within 200m of each other, just before 10.40am. The road is closed between the Holes Bay roundabout and the Upton flyover and awaiting gritting.

These are both the main dual carriageways going in and out of Bournemouth and Poole, I do expect the Council to grit at the very least the main roads, this icy weather was forecast.

I'm obviously not as skilled at driving as you are.