2014/2015 Snow & Winter Weather MegaThread

[JFKvsNixon 11]

Honestly, I'm not sure but as the M1 is all but the backbone of our motorways you would have thought they would at least have a crack at it.

 

They probably were, but it's 193 miles long, so north and south you're getting close to 400 miles of gritting, and that's just the M1.

[byeo 10]

They probably were, but it's 193 miles long, so north and south you're getting close to 400 miles of gritting, and that's just the M1.

 

But the whole of the UK (M1) didn't get snow.

[JFKvsNixon 11]

But the whole of the UK (M1) didn't get snow.

 

No, but there was still a lot of motorways and major A roads that did. I don't believe that not having them clear within 3 hours of snow fall on Boxing day night is a major foul up.

 

We could have this sort on infrastructure in place, but it'll be expensive and rarely used.

[sheff71 10]

For the quantity of snow we had last night,

 

If everyone had winter tyres fitted, would we have needed the gritters?

 

Just been having a look at winter tyres that would be suitable for a Zafira... cheapest of the four available are £92 each (so £368 total), it's a significant amount to pay, when you haven't got that kind of money spare.

 

Do you have your winter tyres on throughout the winter, or do you just put them on as the weather forecast predicts snow/ice, and then replace them once that bad spell is over, and keep changing between tyres based on the forecast?

[tzijlstra 11]

For the quantity of snow we had last night,

 

If everyone had winter tyres fitted, would we have needed the gritters?

 

Yes, because just winter tyres isn't enough, you also need to be able to rely on your fellow drivers not to be completely clueless. Something you nearly can on the continent where snow is expected in the winter for several weeks/months. Not here

[JFKvsNixon 11]

Just been having a look at winter tyres that would be suitable for a Zafira... cheapest of the four available are £92 each (so £368 total), it's a significant amount to pay, when you haven't got that kind of money spare.

 

Do you have your winter tyres on throughout the winter, or do you just put them on as the weather forecast predicts snow/ice, and then replace them once that bad spell is over, and keep changing between tyres based on the forecast?

 

The best idea would be to have a separate set of wheels with your winter tires on, and just change the wheels for winter.

[dutch 68]

Just been having a look at winter tyres that would be suitable for a Zafira... cheapest of the four available are £92 each (so £368 total), it's a significant amount to pay, when you haven't got that kind of money spare.

 

Do you have your winter tyres on throughout the winter, or do you just put them on as the weather forecast predicts snow/ice, and then replace them once that bad spell is over, and keep changing between tyres based on the forecast?

 

Thing is that even when you make the right decision to spend all that money on winter tires you get stuck behind all those who cannot afford them and are blocking the road in front of you.

[Justin Smith 10]

The snowfall was predicted accurately yesterday by the Met Office.

 

Commercial requirements mean that the Met Office require payment for re broadcasting.

 

Many websites, broadcasters etc do not use the Met Office directly and the information may not be accurate, relevant to a local area or up to date.

 

When out on the mountains you would not trust any source other than the Met Office for safety. When at sea you would not use local radio.

 

Teletext is part of the Daily Mail group.

 

Are we talking about the same thing ? It`s only available on BBC1 BBC2, ITV no longer do a text service, certainly not the weather, doesn't that mean Teletext is a BBC service.

But if the snowfall was accurately predicted by the Met Office how come we didn`t see a gritter till 10ish, over two hours after it started ?

[Eater Sundae 12]

Just been having a look at winter tyres that would be suitable for a Zafira... cheapest of the four available are £92 each (so £368 total), it's a significant amount to pay, when you haven't got that kind of money spare.

 

Do you have your winter tyres on throughout the winter, or do you just put them on as the weather forecast predicts snow/ice, and then replace them once that bad spell is over, and keep changing between tyres based on the forecast?

 

I've got 4 season tyres on my car, which stay on all year. They are a compromise between summer tyres and full winter tyres. They are much more like winter tyres. I fitted them as I needed new tyres anyway, but I wasn't intending to keep the car for long, so I thought I'd probably not get the wear out of a set of summers and a separate set of full winters. My next car will certainly get 2 sets of tyres, ie a full set of winters and summers

 

If you have 2 sets of tyres, the idea is to fit the winters when the temperatures drop, typically around October, and keep them until the temperature rises again, around March.

 

You can either get a tyre fitter to swap them over each time, or if you've got room to store them you can have the tyres fitted to a set of cheap steel wheels, and swap them over yourself.

 

Yes, there is a big upfront cost, but as you are only using one set of tyres at a time, they will last twice as long.

 

The winter tyres are safer in cold conditions, even when there is no snow. Then, in conditions like last night, they can make the difference between getting home and being stuck.

[Justin Smith 10]

The best idea would be to have a separate set of wheels with your winter tires on, and just change the wheels for winter.

 

If you`ve got 100s of pounds spare to buy all that and somewhere to keep the spare set of wheels and tyres.... Plus, when you sell your car, and many people (for reasons I can never understand) seem to change their cars very regularly, you`re then left with a load of expensive wheels and tyres which will probably not fit your new car !

 

---------- Post added 27-12-2014 at 11:17 ----------

 

I've got 4 season tyres on my car, which stay on all year. They are a compromise between summer tyres and full winter tyres. They are much more like winter tyres. I fitted them as I needed new tyres anyway, but I wasn't intending to keep the car for long, so I thought I'd probably not get the wear out of a set of summers and a separate set of full winters. My next car will certainly get 2 sets of tyres, ie a full set of winters and summers

 

If you have 2 sets of tyres, the idea is to fit the winters when the temperatures drop, typically around October, and keep them until the temperature rises again, around March.

 

You can either get a tyre fitter to swap them over each time, or if you've got room to store them you can have the tyres fitted to a set of cheap steel wheels, and swap them over yourself.

 

Yes, there is a big upfront cost, but as you are only using one set of tyres at a time, they will last twice as long.

 

The winter tyres are safer in cold conditions, even when there is no snow. Then, in conditions like last night, they can make the difference between getting home and being stuck.

 

Assuming you`re not caught in the gridlock of everyone else being stuck !

[Eater Sundae 12]

Thing is that even when you make the right decision to spend all that money on winter tires you get stuck behind all those who cannot afford them and are blocking the road in front of you.

 

Yesterday, when I was looking like being blocked, I was able to detour along quiet back roads. No traffic (or grit) on these, and I was able to get home.

[JFKvsNixon 11]

If you`ve got 100s of pounds spare to buy all that and somewhere to keep the spare set of wheels and tyres.... Plus, when you sell your car, and many people (for reasons I can never understand) seem to change their cars very regularly, you`re then left with a load of expensive wheels and tyres which will probably not fit your new car !

 

Someone was asking what the best approach to having winter tires. Seeing that you didn't like my answer have the good grace to suggest your own answer.