What are the roads

[Packer]

like where you are?

Still have compacted snow and slush around the south of Glasgow and in Paisley, even on some A roads.

The bike is staying tucked safely away in my warehouse. I've repossessed my car as daughter is finished at Uni for the year.

 

[Schtum]

More snow here at the Forth Bridges than I've seen since......must be 1985....

 

[Strappy]

6-8" in the centre of Edinburgh, most of the roads a couple of miles out of the centre need a plough, slushy and 'orrible the closer you get to Princes Street. Traffic's light and moving slowly but at least it's moving.

 

[freeloader]

We're about 2 miles from the coast in NE Fife, had a couple of inches of snow, but when I phoned JCT to say I'd be late getting in for my new tyre this morning I was told they'd had about 6" in Dundee and no grit yet - but that was about 8:30am.

 

[Deleted account rno]

We're about 2 miles from the coast in NE Fife, had a couple of inches of snow, but when I phoned JCT to say I'd be late getting in for my new tyre this morning I was told they'd had about 6" in Dundee and no grit yet - but that was about 8:30am.

Get the team harnessed up

 

[freeloader]

Get the team harnessed up

They're too busy enjoying themselves in the snow to do anything useful...

 

[skinnersscotch]

My GS looks more like a white Goldwing with the amount of snow sitting on it.

 

[Klanky]

Quite mild up here. Most of the roads are clear, but the ones that arent are a sheet of solid ice.

Tonight could be interesting......

 

[HarvSki]

grrr going from London to near Ullapool via Edinburgh on the 27-28th wondering if I should take the car or 4x4? anyone know what the weather will be like next week?

 

[Schtum]

grrr going from London to near Ullapool via Edinburgh on the 27-28th wondering if I should take the car or 4x4? anyone know what the weather will be like next week?

http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/7days.asp?zipcode=EH30

 

[HarvSki]

thanks Schtum, been checking Metcheck a lot recently but have found them wrong most of the time recently - for London anyway. Theyr.com have been better and are saying there will be snow in that area next week, which is fine if the roads get salted/ploughed.

If I owned the 4x4 it would be a no brainer but I'd have to borrow it from my parents so really I'd rather take my own car but I know the GF would say different if we got stuck in 4" of snow somewhere

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Edinburgh was a joke this morning. They decided to send the gritters out at 8am right into the rush hour. The results was crashes all over the place and stuck buses and trucks on the hills. I guess the council spent all the money on the trams instead of grit!!!! Most roads are ok now in the north of Edinburgh at least

 

[Schtum]

Edinburgh was a joke this morning. They decided to send the gritters out at 8am right into the rush hour. The results was crashes all over the place and stuck buses and trucks on the hills. I guess the council spent all the money on the trams instead of grit!!!! Most roads are ok now in the north of Edinburgh at least

They probably didn't want to pay the drivers overtime for gritting late last night or in the wee sma' hours of this morning.

You see it every winter. It can be mild on a Friday afternoon and they'll be out gritting because there's a cold snap forecast over the weekend.

 

[Packer]

thanks Schtum, been checking Metcheck a lot recently but have found them wrong most of the time recently - for London anyway. Theyr.com have been better and are saying there will be snow in that area next week, which is fine if the roads get salted/ploughed.

If I owned the 4x4 it would be a no brainer but I'd have to borrow it from my parents so really I'd rather take my own car but I know the GF would say different if we got stuck in 4" of snow somewhere

Look at winter tyres which other posters on here have indicated will allow a normal front wheel drive hatchback to cope with 3-4 inches of snow even on hills. I've ordered a set of these:-

http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=6364848.110.1771&typ=R-157125&ranzahl=4&Breite=205&Herst=Vredestein&Quer=55&Felge=16&Speed=H&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=20&Transport=P&dsco=110&sowigan=Wi

Reports and comparative tests suggest that they are a reasonable quality/price compromise. The difference in fuel costs over the 4x4 would pay a sizeable chunk of the cost.

 

[capt geeze a five]

Edinburgh was a joke this morning. They decided to send the gritters out at 8am right into the rush hour. The results was crashes all over the place and stuck buses and trucks on the hills. I guess the council spent all the money on the trams instead of grit!!!! Most roads are ok now in the north of Edinburgh at least

I was stuck behind a gritter on a720 bypass this morning,0630 hrs, two lorries got stuck on hill fae hermiston gate/wester hailes.and a JCB passed me in ootside lane ! nae often you can say that ! he did stop to give the artic in outside lane a tug up hill, well done.
on to the trams, fast forward about 6 years when/if they get completed? What will they be like in the snow! money well spent? Hmmm?

 

[wully]

If I owned the 4x4 it would be a no brainer but I'd have to borrow it from my parents so really I'd rather take my own car but I know the GF would say different if we got stuck in 4" of snow somewhere

4x4's are shit in snow- your far better off with a decent set of snow chains on a front wheel drive car, the best being a 2CV....

Getting up a hill is only half the battle- going down in some Chelsea tractor is just as bad with all four wheels driving and usually worse as the person driving thinks he's invincible....

(BTW- today contest- Getting up the hill to Castle Wully was won by the VW Transporter T5, without the chains fitted. The Ford Focus took three attempts and failed to get all the way to the house and will have to be moved to get the T5 out to got skiing...)

 

[HarvSki]

4x4's are shit in snow- your far better off with a decent set of snow chains on a front wheel drive car, the best being a 2CV....

Getting up a hill is only half the battle- going down in some Chelsea tractor is just as bad with all four wheels driving and usually worse as the person driving thinks he's invincible....

Thanks for the encouragement to take my car (FWD Zafira Diesel, loads of weight at the front) which I've driven places your usual chelsea tractor driver fears to go

But 2CV please!!!! those things don't even have good heaters

 

[floyd]

The roads are fine and dry here

 

[Coolcarbon]

Given the choice, I'd take the 4x4 every time if faced with snow or poor road conditions ... but it does depend to a degree on which model/make and of course, tyres do play their part too..

Having used R/Rovers for the best part of a decade professionally, I never had one get stuck in any weather or road state and believe me, we worked in some seriously shyte conditions....

If the Gritters are still as good they were a few years ago around Ullapool, you'll be fine.

They rescued me once when I got stuck in a 44tonne Artic on the A835 between Elphin and Ullapool, escorted me until I reached Garve and clear roads....

 

[Borderline]

Old Beetles slaughter 2CVs. Only problem is seeing out in cold weather - not much heat ever made it to the windscreen. Skinny tyres and engine hanging out back made for plenty traction, but a bit wayward in the handling dept.

Minor roads here (Eastern Borders - so that means all of them) are still pretty crap with snow again last night - now turning to sleety rain - my old Mazda MX5 copes well.