Snow??

[nikalas]

We're supposed to be camping this weekend in the Peak: Biggin to be precise, at the Backpackers Club Xmas party. What are our prospects of getting through to Biggin at the moment? Any local info would be useful. My normal route would be A54 from Congleton to Buxton, A515 towards Ashbourne, then minor road to Biggin. And how deep is the snow around there, and how shovelable? There'll be me and my 10-year-old daughter clearing a space in a field for our tent in the dark tomorrow evening...

A515 is pretty sketchy at the moment apparently and I reckon minor road will be impassable.

[Jolly Beggar]

hi
leek to buxton, cat and fiddle and congleton road are getting worse as snow drifts and its still snowing here in buxton and roads were closed this morning. |All the minor roads are pretty bad unless you in tractor

[fozzy]

no chance of me helping unless they pick me up. That said terribly ill with man flu so wouldn't be going out any way.
Still snowing here. but why are people still traveling?

Don't you know that it's vitally important that they get to work and even more vitally important that they drive! Just remember that 1second of their time is worth more than a week of yours. Which is why the same idiots that panic buy milk and bread at the first flake of snow falling, still continue to drive at 30mph down a road covered in snow. Then wonder why the can't stop and keep sliding into that lampost. Sorry, bit of a rant there...

Personally I think the disruption caused by the snow shows how overly dependant we are on cars/vans etc to do everyday things. I normally cycle to work (granted is only 3/4miles from home), so since I've not been able to do this (my mountain bike is still broken), I've either walked or run to work this week. Easy and hassle free. No sleeping in cars. No traffic jams.

[emmilou]

errr clear blue skies here! No snow, ummm are you lot making it up?!

[goldsim1963]

I agree with Fozzy. The weather really does demonstrate our increasing dependance on the "infernal" combustion engine. Our local roads were almost traffic free yesterday except for 4X4`s and folk walking. Some idiots were still driving far to fast and other were, it seemed, happy to drench the walkers with slush (me included)
Sadly this weather will also reinforce the message that we all really do need to have huge four wheel drive vehicles
Simon

[IanDarkpeak]

I agree with Fozzy. The weather really does demonstrate our increasing dependance on the "infernal" combustion engine. Our local roads were almost traffic free yesterday except for 4X4`s and folk walking. Some idiots were still driving far to fast and other were, it seemed, happy to drench the walkers with slush (me included)
Sadly this weather will also reinforce the message that we all really do need to have huge four wheel drive vehicles
Simon

Hi Simon

I was talking to friend yesterday who took delivery of a brand new 4x4 last month yet he was just getting in to a fiesta! when asked why he put it in to a wall 2 days ago after slowly slipping down a slope on black ice.

It doesn't matter what you drive, Sledge is still sledge when going down hill

[Splatcher]

hi
leek to buxton, cat and fiddle and congleton road are getting worse as snow drifts and its still snowing here in buxton and roads were closed this morning. |All the minor roads are pretty bad unless you in tractor

Thanks all - that's about what I was expecting to hear. I don't think we'll be heading to Biggin tomorrow after all. Tell you what, I'll go for a run instead.

[goldsim1963]

Hi Ian,

I like the sledge analagy (if thats te correct term). I hav ealways thought that its not as simple as just getting into the 4x4 and driving... there must be a technique to it.
I also saw a taxi being driven madly, normal some may say and he had snow chains on. I would imagine they are now snapped or worn out given the amount of spinning he was doing. Do they wear out??
Simon

Hi Simon

I was talking to friend yesterday who took delivery of a brand new 4x4 last month yet he was just getting in to a fiesta! when asked why he put it in to a wall 2 days ago after slowly slipping down a slope on black ice.

It doesn't matter what you drive, Sledge is still sledge when going down hill

[Flopsy]

Hi Simon

I was talking to friend yesterday who took delivery of a brand new 4x4 last month yet he was just getting in to a fiesta! when asked why he put it in to a wall 2 days ago after slowly slipping down a slope on black ice.

Thats' because a 4x4 will get you moving and keep you moving but it can still slide and lose control if driven incorrectly (too fast, too hard accelerating, too hard braking, too quick on the steering etc). It will also still lose it on ice. What's worse is that the 4x4 is then often much heavier and therefore much less likely to stop once lost control.

4x4's are great if driven correctly but too often they are driven by morons who think that the 4x4 makes them invincible. :angry:

I hate to say but it is generally the moron in the brand new 4x4 who has more money than sense that will fall foul of this way of thinking (sorry to all you brand new 4x4'ers out there but talking in averages here )



....light the blue touch paper and run.......

[IanDarkpeak]

Hi Ian,

I like the sledge analagy (if thats the correct term). I hav ealways thought that its not as simple as just getting into the 4x4 and driving... there must be a technique to it.
I also saw a taxi being driven madly, normal some may say and he had snow chains on. I would imagine they are now snapped or worn out given the amount of spinning he was doing. Do they wear out??
Simon

They can do if not fitted properly. He's more likely to wreck his tyres though and/or body work. Depending what you buy(it's along time since I sold them in the ski shop) you are best keeping to slow speeds, you don't want wheels to spin or to have to break hard. they can also eat alloys so find a set of old steely's and fit them with snow tyres and carry your "chains" just in case. If you have some old carpet stick that in as well, pretty usefull for laying over ice and snow to get you off a bad patch.

Worth buying esp if you drive out to go skiing as they are mandatory pieces of kit in the alps, the kit checkers out there are also less forgiving, more so if you have an accident and you've not fitted them.

If any one has a mini I think I've a set of chaines for small tyres, going cheap?