Why the Net has the advantage in the ‘Undies world’
- Shopping blogger Emma Iannarilli
Snowstorm hits region
Tuesday 5th January 2010, 10:50AM GMT.
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Heavy snow fell on the West Midlands today as motorists and commuters faced nightmare journeys and hundreds of school pupils were told to stay at home.
Forecasters warned of freezing temperatures and dangerous driving conditions, with up to four inches of snow due to fall over the next 24 hours.
Click here and here to see pictures from across the region.
Temperatures in rural areas of the region plummeted as low as -8C (18F) last night, with -5C (23F) in towns and cities and were expected to stay below freezing today.
Continuing Arctic conditions brought travel chaos today, with road, rail and air travel badly disrupted. The M54 was closed this morning between junction two for Wolverhampton and junction three, for Cosford, following an accident in the snow.
The multi-vehicle accident caused for the westbound carriageway to be closed to allow the air ambulance to land, although it reopened later.
Gritting teams were out in an effort to keep main routes open. Birmingham City Council today revealed its gritters have been out for a record 21 days consecutively – compared to just 14 days in past winters. The Met Office today warned the weather was here to stay for the next two weeks.
Forecaster Helen Chivers said: “The snow is going to continue falling steadily throughout the day and in some parts of the West Midlands throughout the night.
“It will start dropping off in the morning but as soon as the snow stops then the frost returns very quickly.” Severn Trent today revealed it was experiencing double the normal demand because of burst pipes and asked customers to be patient as they await help.
In Walsall, a burst water pipe in Pleck Road, next to the town’s Manor Hospital, today led to delays for motorists as the road was sealed off for repairs. The AA told of its busiest ever day yesterday, with workers called out to 25,000 stranded motorists.
At Manchester Airport, holidaymakers faced hours of delays as the airport was closed and not due to reopen until early afternoon.
Ten East Coast Main Line rail services between London and Leeds were among the train journeys which had to be axed, with passengers urged to use the West Coast Main Line through the Midlands instead.
Hundreds of schools have been forced to close across the country today due to the adverse weather, including The Crestwood School in Bromley Lane, Kingswinford.
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ha!!! you are lucky
i now live in Canada
-40 here is nothing
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ha i was there last christmas. in winnipeg.
its crazy how everything comes to a standstill here and over there you just get on with things.
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The question that I would like answered is why have we got councillors when at times like this it’s obvious that they do exactly nothing to represent the people who are paying for their luxury lifestyle???
The only time you hear from Sandwell Labour Councillors is when they want to impose punishments on the electorate, Message to Sandwell’s elected Councillors, you were put into office to ensure the people paying their council tax received the services that the council are entrusted to supply.
I have yet to see any evidence that the side roads in Bearwood are being treated during these adverse weather conditions, that they are being made safe for people like myself to use, unlike part time councillors, most people in the borough who are lucky enough to have jobs, have employers who don’t accept that the dangerous road conditions is a reason not to turn up for work promptly so the people paying exorbitant Council Tax are risking life and limb to get to work.
Before any councillors start with the usual mantra about the cost of gritting the roads remember to ask yourself the question if you cant afford to pay for salt to make the roads safe, how can you afford to pay for FREE PENSIONS for PART TIME COUNCILORS?????
Jim Gull. Bearwood.
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In all fairness it would be slightly pointless investing in a efficient snow-clearing system to clear snow three times a year.
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I think it’s great! I had my driving lesson in the snow today. All valuable experience.
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I hardly think -8 constitutes Arctic conditions
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I stopped eating cereal with this cold weather…sausage sandwich every morning before cycling to work instead. :)
As for the snow…not bothered by it really. People should buy mountain bikes with mud/snow tyres on – no excuse then for not getting to work.
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Rob, there are ‘reasons’ for not getting work: broken limbs (or worse), lack of decent gritting servers, flu, poor transport, population/traffic density. All these things can make it very STUPID to cycle on ice and compacted snow..do you think everyone is as fit as you are? No offense but your post comes across as being very presumptuous and narrow-minded but whatever you do, have a safe journey..
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Well, I’ve just tried to get through the Black Country on the way to a business meeting. What a nightmare, both on foot or diving..no the snow, but the people. Specifically the gates of hell being unleashed in the form of kicking out time at Alexandra High School, Tipton. Some people are simply out of control and looking for an excuse; the number of times I’ve had to negotiate the chicane of foul-mouthed, loud, abusive and aggressive ‘individuals’ throwing snow has been unreal – especially compared to where I commute from (Redditch) as well as offices in Canada. It’s like these people have been let out of a cage to do as they please..with impunity it seems.
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#4.
I think you will find that gritting lorries are
used all year round, with different adaptations
for different purposes, a bit like a JCB.
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3. Calm down Jim!!
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As another Ex-Pat Brit living in Canada for many years I too have to smile at the media response to what many Canadians see as mild winter weather! … -8 come on thats comfortable! … parts of Canada see -30′s and wind chill down to -50′s .. now thats dangerous, skin will freeze in minutes and lungs could be damaged. Parts of Canada see little or no snow whilst others have shovel the damn stuff of there roofs. One of the reasons that people who live and work in the Great White North take it in there stride is that the infrastructure is geared for it and media outlets do not let you forget about current and pending conditions! … any of you Limeys fancy a spot of Ice Fishing? ….
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i moved from wolves in 2004 to Madison, WI (USA) – our first snow storm dropped 18” a couple of weeks ago and we’ll probably be below freezing all winter – just this last week we’ve been as low as -20 F with wind chill
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avoid the small roads in pennfields. was in there blasting my music acting bad and that, but my car wouldn’t brake and i panicked :(
Taught me a lesson ;)
i now drive 10mph.
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Like others I am an ex-pat (moved away 2 years ago) but how quickly I noticed what a namby pamby society the Brits really are, as we say here in Canada ‘Suck it up’ and deal with it!
As I look out my office window, it’s snowing and has been since last night, but i’m at work, my daughter has gone to school, the traffic is flowing, shops are open and life carries on. It’s currently -15 with wind chill -22.
For those who are ‘stuck’ at home, enjoy the snow but please stop moaning, just another reminder as to why I left the UK and have no desire to return.
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woolibuga, it would indeed be nice to go and visit or live in Canada..unfortunately there seems to be different entry rules for the English. Perhaps one could always enter from say, Mexico..or Asia. Even highly skilled English people have a tough time getting into your country..
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Jim, you had better educate yourself a bit more about gritting. Gritting is used for help with ICY roads, it is useless for snow. Snow ploughs can be used to clear snow on main roads but I wouldn’t fancy their chances on side roads, especially with all the parked cars. And have you actually thought about how many gritting machines and snow ploughs would be required to cover every road in the county? It’s just not feasible. Get a grip of reality. These conditions are not dangerous as long as you take extra care and listen to the advice – when they tell you not to travel unless absolutely necessary then don’t.
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What annoys me…..is that companies…don’t tell you what their bad weather policy is.
To be fair it should be…if the office is open and most people make it…and you decide not to travel then you lose a days pay or take it out of your annual holiday entitlement….if the office is closed no-one loses a days pay/holiday.
Surely if companies have employees working/driving inc care workers out and about, they should have a bad weather policy which adheres to health and safety laws.
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oh yeah #8 its icy most of winter.
just sheer laziness that people don’t bother….
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When driving in the snow, I find it best to keep going in 2nd or 3rd gear and if the car does start slipping and sliding it is best to take your feet of the pedals and lose the steering wheel and let it go where it wants, trying to stop it will only make it worse, then when it corrects itself, apply a bit of gas, and continue. Be careful out there everyone, make sure your phones are charged up, you have something to keep you warm and a drink and something to eat – just in case.
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haha I love to see these complaints about snow and gritting roads, they’re almost the same as we see here where I live in Canada.The winter is bit more extreme here though!
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number 12 i would love a spot of ice fishing and gearing up for next winter in canada. as ill be looking two work aborad as there are no jobs in the uk for me :( sad but as you know that when a flash snow storm comes in people panick in the uk and its just stupid all you have two people is SLOW DOWN IF YOU CARNT SEE A HEAD PUT BEAMS ON AND YOU WILL BE FINE
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Minus 8 is no more “artic conditions” than plus 25 is a “heatwave”. Get a grip you planks and get on with it.
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Yes its snow, yes its a pain cos us british aren’t used to these kind of conditions but is it really all that bad. Surely the sensible option is to not drive if you can help it and if u have to then allow plenty of time for ur journey n be safe n slow! Our roads are pretty bad this mornin so my other half took the 5min walk to the train station instead… Just hopin he doesn’t get stranded the other end! Lol. People are too quick to say its snowin so i can’t get to work, just cos it’s not as straightforward as usual doesn’t necessarily mean u shud stay at home! But thats easy for me to say… The furthest i’l be goin today is the garden with my 3 year old, he’s itchin to get his hands on all this snow! :-)
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The gritters done a fab job in sandwell today to keep the main roads open JIM! I know lots of schools are closed but access to most areas is good. Side roads are passable if you are careful. They seem to be the worst affected, as they always are.
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