The snow is an excuse to

[BensGrandad]

A Czech friend has just returned from a 2 week holiday at home and said they had 15 in of snow but just went about their business as usual but I suppose that they are used to it and are prepared unlike this country who irrespective of forecasts are still left wanting when it happens.

 

[Hungry Joe]

A Czech friend has just returned from a 2 week holiday at home and said they had 15 in of snow but just went about their business as usual but I suppose that they are used to it and are prepared unlike this country who irrespective of forecasts are still left wanting when it happens.

I give up, you really are a hopeless case. Either that or a comic genius. Either way I accept I'm out of my league.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Well I happen to agree with the OP. it gets on my tits that i am fully expected to get from HH to gatwick. Whilst people in Crawley seem to not be able to manage to get there. Same every time it snows. We now even have a snow policy in the company I work for. Basically I am expected to get there , even for a night shift. If I don't then I have to book leave.

Last time they basically forced me to get there, and hen I did 95 percent of the company had not made it to work whilst they all live far nearer. Something is wrong somewhere. Rant over.

If I can't get to my work base (not happened yet, I should add), I am obliged to go to wherever the nearest police station happens to be to my location. We'd have to take leave too if we couldn't get in. I presume it's the same with the likes of NHS staff, as giving them the day off isn't an option.

 

[Hungry Joe]

Well I happen to agree with the OP. it gets on my tits that i am fully expected to get from HH to gatwick. Whilst people in Crawley seem to not be able to manage to get there. Same every time it snows. We now even have a snow policy in the company I work for. Basically I am expected to get there , even for a night shift. If I don't then I have to book leave.

Last time they basically forced me to get there, and hen I did 95 percent of the company had not made it to work whilst they all live far nearer. Something is wrong somewhere. Rant over.

I think your point is vastly different to the OPs (whatever the f*** that was), and is more down to your company's application of its policy rather than the state of the country in general. Often this isn't the fault of the policy, or policy makers, but that of those that apply them.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

A Czech friend has just returned from a 2 week holiday at home and said they had 15 in of snow but just went about their business as usual but I suppose that they are used to it and are prepared unlike this country who irrespective of forecasts are still left wanting when it happens.

It's in central Europe. They get far more bastardy winters than we do, ergo they've invested in the infrastructure to cope with it and prevent their country grinding to a halt for weeks on end. We get, what, a couple of days snow a year, and frankly it's only in the last three or four years that we've even had that.

If you want the government to spend billions on snowploughs and other such kit to sit in the garage for 364 days a year, then feel free to increase your tax payments to assist them in funding it.

Me, I'd rather just keep it simple: watch out for the weather forecast, and plan my routine accordingly for the rare occasions when it actually snows.

 

[BensGrandad]

While it doesn't take much these days for a high street bank to reduce their hours, nonetheless, BG, you've had an entire week of working days to get there, and you chose- you chose!- to go on the one day on which the snow, which has been widely forecast and warnings broadcast on just about every media channel possible, arrived.

I await you telling us that you skidded your car on an untreated road and that somehow this constitutes further evidence of Broken Britain.

Not correct as I received a call from a relative at lunchtime, who hadn't been paid due entirely to his boss being a prat, and I offered to help by lending him some money and said I would put it in his account for him to draw at his local branch. So my good deed back fired but now will try again tomorrow but due to this thread now appreciate that I can do this on line in future and achieve the same result so some good has come out of this thread and I have learnt something.

 

[Hungry Joe]

so some good has come out of this thread and I have learnt something.

 

[Garage_Doors]

A modicum of understanding for someone else's situation?

"Employees are paid to do a job"... AND employers have a duty of care. Why on earth shouldn't employees leave work early to ensure that they can get home in a reasonable time? ESPECIALLY when these sort of weather conditions are incredibly rare.

My situation? WTF are you on about?

Oh your a feisty one !

Because they are paid for the hours they work, not for commuting to and from. Getting home at a reasonable time is not the employers responsibility, the're safety is, but not when they get home. Not only do they expect to go early but also expect the're employer to pay them to go home early.
If the employee wants to leave and the're is cover for their position and they don't want payment for not being there fine, but we all know that's not the case.
They quite often use the weather as an excuse for unpaid leave.

As stated by other above, far to many use the excuse that it will take them longer to get home and turn it into a H&S issue which it isn't, just means it will take them longer to get home.
The question about your situation was not a difficult one, although for what ever reason you struggled with it.
How as the current weather situation affected you? have you needed to sneak off home early under the pretence of H&S?

 

[Bry Nylon]

BensGrandad, as his user name suggests, is from a different generation from many of us on here. He is from a generation that typically just "got on with it" regardless.
He often gets castigated for that, but I feel it is an attitude that should be respected, whether you agree with it or not.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

As schools were shutting throughout the day, I should imagine that some of the staff may have young children and needed to leave to pick them up.

 

[BensGrandad]

BensGrandad, as his user name suggests, is from a different generation from many of us on here. He is from a generation that typically just "got on with it" regardless.
He often gets castigated for that, but I feel it is an attitude that should be respected, whether you agree with it or not.

Thank you for that Bri Nylon you have hit the nail on the head, times change but the way you are brought up doesn't and stays with you always.

 

[User removed 4]

I shut my work early snd sent 10 staff home, because i put staff safety over profit.

What business is that as a matter of interest ?

 

[Mutts Nuts]

Shut the banks early as I went to Nat West in Haywards Heath and they were shut with a notice that it was due to the bad weather it closed at 2pm why? Was it snowing inside the bank and stopped the computers working? I can never understand how people or businesses can use the weather as an excuse to close early.

Snow is an excuse to,wind back the clock pretend you are 10 years old once more get the sledge out and take the kids up to the 18th on Seaford Head golf course.Got to be a wooden sledge as all others are very slow and crap

 

[Garage_Doors]

BensGrandad, as his user name suggests, is from a different generation from many of us on here. He is from a generation that typically just "got on with it" regardless.
He often gets castigated for that, but I feel it is an attitude that should be respected, whether you agree with it or not.

Agreed, Britain is no longer Great, everybody seems to want everything but for it to be given to them.
Nobody seems to want to work any more, The energy they use finding ways of not working could be better used productively.
H&S whilst is obviously a good thing has been taken too far, same as employment laws, benefit system and human rights.
This is why we are falling being the emerging countries.
People go on about being proud to be British, no the're not, the're proud to be associated with what Britain once was, not what its become.

The snow has been used as an excuse to leave work early.

 

[brakespear]

As schools were shutting throughout the day, I should imagine that some of the staff may have young children and needed to leave to pick them up.

Exactly the point I was going to make - I went in to work today but both my kids schools shut at 11:00 so I had to leave to collect them (and will make up the time later or take it as holiday).

 

[Hungry Joe]

BensGrandad, as his user name suggests, is from a different generation from many of us on here. He is from a generation that typically just "got on with it" regardless.
He often gets castigated for that, but I feel it is an attitude that should be respected, whether you agree with it or not.

Whislt I'm not convinced that generation ever really existed in that sense (not everyone just got on with anything), I take your point. I got carried with my bemusement, sorry Ben's Grandad. I don't understand what you're trying to say, but fair play to you me old mucker.

 

[jackanada]

Agreed, Britain is no longer Great, everybody seems to want everything but for it to be given to them.
Nobody seems to want to work any more, The energy they use finding ways of not working could be better used productively.
H&S whilst is obviously a good thing has been taken too far, same as employment laws, benefit system and human rights.
This is why we are falling being the emerging countries.
People go on about being proud to be British, no the're not, the're proud to be associated with what Britain once was, not what its become.

The snow has been used as an excuse to leave work early.

Yep, the empire, slaves, no votes for women, child brothels in Covent Garden, acceptance of wife beating, a view that maids should be grateful to be raped by young aristocratic bucks, jailing gays, no dogs no blacks no Irish on guest houses, crushing poverty, no NHS.... Bored now but the list of things that made Britain great is long, things change some good some bad some unknown but saying it was better is most likely complete crap.

 

[Hungry Joe]

Agreed, Britain is no longer Great, everybody seems to want everything but for it to be given to them.
Nobody seems to want to work any more, The energy they use finding ways of not working could be better used productively.
H&S whilst is obviously a good thing has been taken too far, same as employment laws, benefit system and human rights.
This is why we are falling being the emerging countries.
People go on about being proud to be British, no the're not, the're proud to be associated with what Britain once was, not what its become.

The snow has been used as an excuse to leave work early.

I completely disagree. If Britain ever was 'great', it was becuase that greatness was built on exploitation and suffering, with the majority of its citizens living in abject poverty. There are plenty who still want, and do, work very hard. We'd be totally f***ed if there weren't. H&S hasn't been taken too far, it's been misunderstood and misrepresented and used by those who either don't understand the law, or who chose to hind behind it to justify their dodgy decisions and agenda. We are falling behind emerging countries as we no longer have a manufacturing industry, and are no longer willing to have slave labour working in appaling conditions. I'm proud to be a Modern Britain, not a deluded revisionist.

A very small number used the snow as an excuse. The majority were following sensible instruction.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

In defence of the older generations, I saw this on facebook today;

Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . . .. . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . . When you're looking at me?
A crabby old man . . . . . Not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . . With faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food . . . . . And makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . . . . . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . . . . The things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not . . . . .. Lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . . The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . . . . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . You're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am. . . . . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . As I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . .. . . . With a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . . Who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen . . . . With wings on his feet..
Dreaming that soon now . . . . . A lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . My heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . . . .. That I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . . . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . . With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons . . . . . Have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . . . . To see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . .. . My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . . . Shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . . . . . Young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . . . And the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man . . . . . And nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . . . .. . Look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . . . . Grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . .. . . Where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . . . . . A young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . My battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . .. . Life over again.

I think of the years, all too few . . . . . Gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . . That nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . . Open and see.
Not a crabby old man . . . Look closer . . . See ME!!

 

[BensGrandad]

Whislt I'm not convinced that generation ever really existed in that sense (not everyone just got on with anything), I take your point. I got carried with my bemusement, sorry Ben's Grandad. I don't understand what you're trying to say, but fair play to you me old mucker.

My point was that at the time I was annoyed that I couldn't deposit the money to help somebody out due to the bank being closed early because of the weather, which I considered to be unreasonable, but I completely forgot about using on line banking facilities. Any way no harm done and no offense taken.