I love the effect winter has on the roads. My favourite is folk that leave all the snow on the roofs of their cars like a big blanket, yeah, it looks really cool. 20-odd years ago I saw one of these mini-glaciers blow off a car roof onto the poor unsuspecting bastards windscreen behind causing him to lose control on the motorway and crash.
The police should stop drivers who just carve off enough snow to get into their car without getting a bit of snow on them and make them clean it all off with their bare feet. It just goes to show that you don’t have to be clever to pass a driving test, I reckon an IQ test should be a prerequisite to buying a car. That’ll quieten the roads a little.
In the same area of annoyance is the local primary school where the road outside has the zigzags, such things now doing their job in stopping stupids parking where the kids are crossing and running about. However, put a wee bit of snow on it and the zigzags suddenly don’t count, and cars are two-deep at the roadside with swerving motorists and beeping horns all the way through this new gauntlet of stupidity outside the school gates. The lollipop lady looked like she was about to crack. I reckon she could do some damage with that big sign of hers. You go girl.
I spend the night shivering/sweating/coughing/sneezing in a duvet on the couch. In many ways the meet getting screwed up might have turned out okay for us all, sure the roads are open but we’d had to have dug ourselves parking spaces. The snow is unconsolidated and would be hard work, and those clear blue skies would be hard on the eyes.
Ah bastard.
More test kit has come in, including a tarp. Oh yes, early next year it’ll be all tarps on here, 2011 single-person tents as well. An Edelrid Opilio came in yesterday, a nice light remote canister stove with preheat and a Charlet Snowwalker ice axe, terrible name but a nice light axe. There were some AKU mids as well which Joycee has hidden, I’ll have to quiz her later.
Beechams, Lemsip, soup and crossed fingers.
Get well soon!
On a purely selfish note it does mean I might be able to make the next adventure ;-)
With you all the way on an IQ test having witnessed some ridiculous driving whilst walking my oldest to school. Just as long as they don’t take ones online monicker into consideration…
Get well, Peter. I will use the extra time for preparing that lecture I’m holding on Friday a bit more =)
Tarps, now we are talking! Great news, if I make it over the next time, I shall bring one as well, a nice Gossamer Gear SpinnShelter!
More-On, I think name is just to lure folk into a false sense of security!
There will be more meets for sure.
Tarps indeed Hendrik, I’m doing a grouptest for the mag, hopefully a nice mix of styles and brands.
Looking for a waterproof bag to test at the same time now…
The halfwits that worry me the most are the ones looming in the rear-view mirror who clearly still think that they can stop on a sixpence! Duh, engage brain (if in possession of one…)
I agree with on the lunatics. Maybe it was growing up in Ayrshire and driving country roads or having a sensible dad who was a fireman for 25 odd years and has seen enough of the accidents that can happen but I was made go clear the car COMPLETELY of snow.
It should be part of the test.
Hope your feeling better soon. Beecham cold & flu work best for me if the lemsips are failing.
And like More-on I might be able to make the next one, just to be selfish :)
I’ll look forward to (hopefully) not proving you wrong!
Gossamer Gear – now we’re talking Hendrik. I have a Mariposa and love it and would like to see more of their kit in the flesh. It does seem a good time of year to test these things by the way…
With you all the way Matt – when will people realise that a car/van/4×4 is only as good as its tyres etc.
Tarps!!!! Absolutely fantastic…
…for the four weeks of the year that you can actually use them in Scotland ;-)
Aye, tarps. It was difficuly trying to specify enough models for a test, I needed stuff you can buy in the UK.
The first one in is a heavy duty affair from Exped, ach I like slipping out of my comfort zone now and again. I’ll be slipping out on snow too, but Crux are sending me a Torpedo 700 bag to use with the tarps, so I won’t need a bivi as it’s one of those eVent shelled bags.
High temperatures and mental distraction this evening, I think I’m racing through this bug. Hurrah?!
Hard luck, ptc*, get well soon. I’m still waiting to come down with Freshers’ Flu and it’s nearly the end of the first term!
Tarping in the snow? Rather you than me!
Pete – that meet was not meant to be:) I would be interested in the next one ! Looking forward to your review on the Charlet Snowwalker ice axe, looks good for £60.
Mark
Hygeinic students this term Kate? What will they think of next.
Aye Mark, it would have been horrific in a tent feeling like this. I’m hoping it goes quick so I can still get out this week.
It’s a nice axe, good balance and comfy in the hand. I’ll get a write-up done soon.
Pete – I could do with that ice axe now. We got 16 inches of snow – just been out and still falling thick and fast.
Mark
Make sure you test them tarps in the rain and high. That way the ones that are suitable for the UK will stand out. I have mellowed a bit on tarps in the wet Uk but some would last a few seconds in the high wild camps you do. Anyway have a good rest and get well. Shame about the meet up falling through. Next time as they say. At least the hills will be there waiting for you. Somethings are constant in life at least.
Mark, it’s attached to my pack in case I get out :o)
Martin, my testing remit always has been that anything is possible, it’s just whether you like it or not that bmakes it good, so I’ll see. After sleeping under a rock in the rain a few months back I don’t forsee any great hardship :o)
But, on a summit under a tarp on a day like today? That might be nice.
Really glad I’m at home today, I’m counting all this as a lucky escape, I’m like a burst couch.
Regarding the snow on car rooves, the Police around Glasgow have been handing out £60 fixed penalty fines for this particular offence!!
Here here!
Urban myth as far as I’m aware, although I admit this link is for Grampian, not Glasgow…
http://local.stv.tv/aberdeen/news/1613-can-you-be-fined-for-driving-with-snow-on-your-car-roof/
No, it’s true. I got a phone call about it today :o)
http://local.stv.tv/cumbernauld/news/1629-police-advise-drivers-to-remove-snow-from-roof-and-bonnet/
I stayed at home in the end. Just couldn’t muster any enthusiasm for braving the roads. Not sure I even want to drive to Edinburgh tomorrow.
I did have to drive to the shops. It took me 20 minutes to clear my car of the 2 feet of snow.
I’m still gubbed. It’s breaking my heart not being able to get out there.
But as my dear mother said “Aye, on you go, you’ll come back with nice photies and pneumonia”.
Soon I shall go.
I saw someone the other morning who had only cleared his windscreen of what amounted to 2 eye holes, couldn’t even be bothered to do a letterbox sized hole.
It’s my first time driving in ice and snow so I’m quite happy to take it easy!
On the positive side, this early snow will probably mean the hills will be covered until well into the spring. When the sun comes out a bit more often.
Hi Roughyed! Driving in the snow is something that not many folk have a lot of hours doing, the winters have been so poor in recent times, so we’re learniing or re-learning how to do it. The past couple of years have been like my youth though, I like having proper seasons again :o)
Aye Johnny, a bit of consolidation too will make life easier too. Pitching on two feet of powder is a hassle!
Its funny how we all slag off chelsea tractors in summer but we all wish we had one now when the roads are shite. Seeing some people and the way they drive though is frightening they really should have stayed in.
A chelsea tractor is only as good as it’s tyres! Passat 4motion with snow tyres hasn’t missed a beat again this winter. Got down to the Lakes on Monday night from Perth via B roads as the A9 and M90 were both shut. 2 days in the Haglofs showroom then back up the road nae bother! There’s some scary driving out there, either too close behind you or people crawling along and jumping on the brakes all the time.
Aye, I’m glad I’m viewing it all from behind double glazing right now.