Snow.

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
Meanwhile, somewhere on the A513.

24909915_1654594947896546_2176492004080650306_n.jpg

My brothers gritter skidded down a steep from top to bottom a few years ago, taking out a few parked cars on he way. (One with someone still in it)The cops understood he couldn't do a thing about it , when they nearly went on their backs getting out of the patrol car.
 

Mikinton

Well-Known Forumite
We're flying from Manchester tomorrow lunchtime, to Krakow (or at least planning to). Hopefully all the fans going to the Manchester and Liverpool derbies will sort out the snow on the motorways.
Aside from setting off a lot earlier to get to Manchester Airport parking for 11:00am, I'm still undecided on the best route. Do I ....

1) stick to the Motorways as much as possible, ..... or do I

2) go via the A34 and the D-road etc?

Thoughts, anyone?
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
Aside from setting off a lot earlier to get to Manchester Airport parking for 11:00am, I'm still undecided on the best route. Do I ....

1) stick to the Motorways as much as possible, ..... or do I

2) go via the A34 and the D-road etc?

Thoughts, anyone?
I'd stick to the motorways as much as possible myself.

I was watching the M6 traffic flowing past in the snowy early hours of this morning from my hotel window (whilst contemplating whether to drag hubby out of his snoring slumber and sling him into the car to save getting snowed in ) and it was still fast moving. The local roads were a different matter . I'd been expecting the country lanes to be bad as we made a very slow early start home, and been looking forwards to reaching the A34. But that didn't seem to have been gritted much, and one of the dodgiest parts of the journey...

Have a safe journey whichever you choose! Where are you off to?
 

Glam

Mad Cat Woman
I could really do with this snow sodding off. Due travel up to Manchester on Wednesday by train.
 

Mikinton

Well-Known Forumite
I'd stick to the motorways as much as possible myself.

I was watching the M6 traffic flowing past in the snowy early hours of this morning from my hotel window (whilst contemplating whether to drag hubby out of his snoring slumber and sling him into the car to save getting snowed in ) and it was still fast moving. The local roads were a different matter . I'd been expecting the country lanes to be bad as we made a very slow early start home, and been looking forwards to reaching the A34. But that didn't seem to have been gritted much, and one of the dodgiest parts of the journey...

Have a safe journey whichever you choose! Where are you off to?
Krakow for a few days, for any Christmas markets.

Yes, the motorway is becoming favourite. I'm just a bit wary of getting stuck somewhere for a couple of hours without the chance to do a U-turn and try another route. But balance that against better gritting of motorways compared to A roads, It's going to be interesting, but hopefully not too interesting.
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
I could really do with this snow sodding off. Due travel up to Manchester on Wednesday by train.
And me. Got to do lots of back and forths down to Worcester and back on wednesday and then get to Birmingham airport for their early morning flight.(Wish son hadn't left his passport and euros here for safekeeping now, or I'd have told him to get a train the day before to an airport hotel or summat)

Just had a thought....is the toll road usually cleared/gritted ? (There were signs along the M6 the other night saying no access from M6 onto M42 at the time, so not even chancing that way)
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
Krakow for a few days, for any Christmas markets.

I'm just a bit wary of getting stuck somewhere for a couple of hours without the chance to do a U-turn
That's one of my big fears when en-route to the airport. (Not only the weather or accidents that close sections for hours lately, the M5 has been closed twice both ways as I know of these past couple of weeks and motorists stuck for 5 hours each time for 'concerns for pedestrian on bridge'. Just timed it right each time to get past just before the incidents luckily,)
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
Krakow for a few days, for any Christmas markets.
Hope all goes smoothly on the journey . Have a super time.


Hoping hubby brings our car back home from work in one piece tomorrow night. Pulled a face when I repeated what they said on telly just, to drive slowly and leave more stopping distance ! Driving carefully today to get us back home safe and sound , with snowy roads and blinded with the snow swirling down, I kept getting "You can drive faster than this, we haven't skidded yet..." :blah: . No, that's why we haven't skidded, because I'm not driving any faster than this! :mad:
 
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Wormella

Well-Known Forumite
Planes and trains worked fine in the end (and we were very greatful there was a taxi waiting for us at the station) - now onwards to tomorrows excitement - Can I get to Cantebury tomorrow and will the nursery at work in Stoke be open?
 

Cue

Well-Known Forumite
Well that was an interesting drive back from Liverpool.

Motorway was nicely clear and appeared well gritted then just south of M6 J17 travelling at 70 the traction control light comes on, the steering goes very light and we adopt an angle that looks like contact with the Armco is a certainty. Then just as suddenly grip is resumed, and trajectory goes back to what it was before.

I'd like to put it down to skill but it was in fact sheer blind luck.

The rest of the journey took place at 50mph max and my heart rate has just about reached normal now.

proactive Jr who was in the passenger seat didn't even lift his head from looking at his tablet...

Ooer. That’s pretty much all I can say.

Glad I have no reason to drive in the snow. What were you driving?
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Well that was an interesting drive back from Liverpool.

Motorway was nicely clear and appeared well gritted then just south of M6 J17 travelling at 70 the traction control light comes on, the steering goes very light and we adopt an angle that looks like contact with the Armco is a certainty. Then just as suddenly grip is resumed, and trajectory goes back to what it was before.

I'd like to put it down to skill but it was in fact sheer blind luck.

The rest of the journey took place at 50mph max and my heart rate has just about reached normal now.

proactive Jr who was in the passenger seat didn't even lift his head from looking at his tablet...
Heading for the ferry on the A51 in 2011, as I passed the Boar's Head, the steering felt 'light'; so I dabbed the brakes on a straight bit and everything let go - the road from there to Nantwich was the slidiest thing I've ever been on - with five cars in the hedges on the way, but no injuries - I impressed myself by getting to the gritted road unscathed.
 

pop80_uk

Well-Known Forumite
People never cease to amaze me in Stafford

I have just read this post on a popular social media site:

"Wow guys, my brakes just failed in the snow, I braked but just kept going. It was scary but the car stopped eventually, I am going to get it booked in to get the brakes looked at and repaired"

Followed by many many comments, expressing their concern, asking about the make of car.

But not one of the comments expressed my sentiments "your driving in freaking snow you moron, you were sliding"

How some people have a driving licence and passed a test is beyond me.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
People never cease to amaze me in Stafford
I have just read this post on a popular social media site:
"Wow guys, my brakes just failed in the snow, I braked but just kept going. It was scary but the car stopped eventually, I am going to get it booked in to get the brakes looked at and repaired"
Followed by many many comments, expressing their concern, asking about the make of car.
But not one of the comments expressed my sentiments "your driving in freaking snow you moron, you were sliding"
How some people have a driving licence and passed a test is beyond me.

I was once able to overhear a conversation between two police "advanced drivers" where one was struggling to explain to the other why his ABS had failed to have any effect when the car was sliding sideways..
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
A random question, but have any of you photography fanatics on here taken any really good pictures of the town centre at Christmas with the snow? Preferably night shots with the Christmas lighting etc?
If anyone has (or decides to rush out and do so over the next day or so), then I'm looking for a decent shot to use for a Stafford Christmas Card design next year. I would be taking care of orders / litho printing and distribution, but looking for someone to supply a suitable image for a commission based reward. Too late really for sales this year so I'm thinking ahead for Christmas 2018.

If anyone wants to submit anything then please click here and enter your contact details when requested. Obviously only the image(s) considered most suitable will be used. It's not going to be a huge earner, but might certainly go towards a few Christmas drinks and hopefully pay for your Christmas dinner next year :)
 

PeterD

ST16 Represent.
M6 is fine, side roads of West Bromwich are really bad, Stafford, even though they are clear, I assume black ice on New Look roundabout and Asda roundabout. Take it easy.
 
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