A23 Tonight

[amexee]

Gritters, for your information, are designed to try and prevent ice from forming on the road. They do not prevent, and have almost no impact against snow settling. The "grit" is a mixture of salt and brine solution, which requires vehicles to drive over it and crunch it into the road surface to have an effect. This does not stop snow settling, the only way that can be prevented is by a continuous stream of traffic driving.

During slow times- ie early afternoon- when traffic is light, snow settles easily on the roads, though there's not enough for it to be ploughed. That can't really be helped, it's just what nature does. Then later on, traffic builds up, by which time the snow is already laying. Traffic slows, due to conditions, which builds tailbacks. Some cars then fail to anticipate the poor conditions and crash, causing more tailbacks. By this point, all the traffic is at a standstill, and neither snowploughs nor (irrelevant in snow terms) gritters can get through anyway.

You're welcome

Yet, when I went to the grit bin and shovelled grit on the paths near my house, all the snow melted!

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Is there any room in the stable

More time off Mr 'T'

 

[looney]

It's interesting that this 'light' snow seems to have caused more problems over here in West Sussex despite being far lighter than the dump we had on that Friday a month or so ago

Its drifting in the wind.

 

[T soprano]

More time off Mr 'T'

I was supposed to start a new job tomorrow after a week off looking outside in shoreham it's 5 inches deep & still snowing
Another day tomorrow watching Netflix me thinks

 

[LamieRobertson]

Your back

Lol yes..but sticking to weather and transport ...staying off controversial topics like football haha

 

[LamieRobertson]

Its drifting in the wind.

Ye but not that much on the roads when all this 'carnage' started

 

[LamieRobertson]

I was supposed to start a new job tomorrow after a week off looking outside in shoreham it's 5 inches deep & still snowing
Another day tomorrow watching Netflix me thinks

I started grass cutting last Monday....stuffed with that and my maintenance work until this lot clears

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Yet, when I went to the grit bin and shovelled grit on the paths near my house, all the snow melted!

Jeez---you mean you had grit in yours - ours has been empty since Christmas despite phoning our wonderful council several times.
Tonight we have had thirty odd cars + one ambulance trying to get up the hill past my house.
A big to all the students who helped push them up the hill. (They saved me having to go out)

 

[wellquickwoody]

Yet, when I went to the grit bin and shovelled grit on the paths near my house, all the snow melted!

I had the same problem just before 6pm. Tried to reverse back onto my drive but just span up and slid all over the place.

Parked on road, went to garage to retrieve 25 kilo bag of rock salt (4 more still in garage) and spread it about a bit.

Ten mintes later, hey presto, snow gone and nice safe reverse parking manouvre performed. Someone should tell the council about this 'magic' stuff.

 

[Poyetry In Motion]

Heater blower on my skoda has just packed up,Saturday, I am waiting to take it out and fit anew one when it arrives meanwhile car will say parked up

So, your car's a write off then?

 

[vegster]

Gritters, for your information, are designed to try and prevent ice from forming on the road. They do not prevent, and have almost no impact against snow settling. The "grit" is a mixture of salt and brine solution, which requires vehicles to drive over it and crunch it into the road surface to have an effect. This does not stop snow settling, the only way that can be prevented is by a continuous stream of traffic driving.

During slow times- ie early afternoon- when traffic is light, snow settles easily on the roads, though there's not enough for it to be ploughed. That can't really be helped, it's just what nature does. Then later on, traffic builds up, by which time the snow is already laying. Traffic slows, due to conditions, which builds tailbacks. Some cars then fail to anticipate the poor conditions and crash, causing more tailbacks. By this point, all the traffic is at a standstill, and neither snowploughs nor (irrelevant in snow terms) gritters can get through anyway.

You're welcome

With respect Edna, most "A" roads have little or no " Light Traffic " in this day and age, from 2.30 onwards the roads are clogged with mothers dashing too and from schools which then merges in to the 2 1/2 hour "rush hour". I can fully comprehend any A road being blocked by settling over night snow falls but never have I seen allegedly gritted roads clog so quickly given the actual rate of snow fall today.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Its drifting in the wind.

Sussex Police ‏@sussex_police
The A259 - Rottingdean to Ovingdean impassable due to snow being blown off the fields

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Yet, when I went to the grit bin and shovelled grit on the paths near my house, all the snow melted!

True, but you probably shovel loads out there, and pavements are narrow. The main trunk roads aren't. I'm just giving you the science bit. It's snowed all afternoon, and unless traffic remained heavy all afternoon, scooping snow up from the roads, it was always going to settle. Sometimes nature wins.

 

[Colossal Squid]

Should ask if you can sleep on pub floor....sounds awful ..hope it's better in the morning for you

No b&b's?

Thanks. I've tried every inn in the area and even the posh Ockenden Manor has filled all its £150 a night rooms sadly

 

[Lady Whistledown]

With respect Edna, most "A" roads have little or no " Light Traffic " in this day and age, from 2.30 onwards the roads are clogged with mothers dashing too and from schools which then merges in to the 2 1/2 hour "rush hour". I can fully comprehend any A road being blocked by settling over night snow falls but never have I seen allegedly gritted roads clog so quickly given the actual rate of snow fall today.

Will say it again: grit is designed to prevent ice. Not snow. It's not the same thing. I don't know WHY it's that way, only that it is.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Lol yes..but sticking to weather and transport ...staying off controversial topics like football haha

Its like a drug tho---I await your next FOOTIE post

 

[Weststander]

Ye but not that much on the roads when all this 'carnage' started

Several inches on the roads, and anything cleared is soon replaced by drift from these very strong northerly winds.

The clear warnings for road users were there for days, that Monday evening would be bad.

 

[Willy Dangle]

Just got in, 5 hours from Crawley. Not a piece of grit / salt to be seen. Thanks very much.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Will say it again: grit is designed to prevent ice. Not snow. It's not the same thing. I don't know WHY it's that way, only that it is.

So...if they don't grit the snow will then freeze to ice? They grit don't they and its the cars that are supposed to grind it into the surface..as I understand it no cars makes the grit less effective.......hmmm I'm not convinced

 

[pasty]

Step-daughter stuck on A23 somewhere between Bolney and Pease Pottage heading north. Says she's been stationery for nearly 3 hours now. 2 lanes at a complete standstill