That's been fun. Just got in.
We've had 2.5 to 3 inches, drifting to 4 or 5 where really trapped (e.g. against the kerb). It's stopped falling for the last hour and the residual groundheat is melting it from below.
Although I loved the quiet roads and heading through the woods, I couldn't resist heading for the main roads to see how the drivers were coping.
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When I reached Victoria Avenue, which at 10.30 p.m. is normally pretty well empty, I was greeted by gridlock because the 1 in 20ish slope up from the park is too much for the expensive Mercs. Massive queues in all directions. I was delighted to leave the all behind, after first having photographed them.
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Seen similar here. Locals will know the hill from Rayleigh Weir up into Rayleigh. That was too much for many cars, mostly the big posh ones - the drivers are relying on their technology and have forgotten how to drive? Mostly just sitting there wheelspinning until slowly sliding sideways across the road. Fortunately they didn't hit anything. I wish I could say the same about the wreckage on the Rayleigh Weir underpass that has closed the A127.
What also amused me was the driver behaviour. :-
- When on a main road that has been gritted and had enough traffic to pound it in and turn it to slippery slush, drive at 10mph in a queue with big stopping distances. Excellent - but why turn on the rear fog lights? It's not even snowing!
- When on a gritted road that has had little traffic, stick to 20mph even though the road is treacherously slippery thanks to the tyre tracks being compressed slush that is freezing because the grit hasn't been churned in yet.
- When on a main dual carriageway with 50mph average speed cameras, slow to 30-35mph.
The road conditions and traction are identical on ALL those roads
- When the wheels spin, just accelerate harder, then stop, put it in first gear, floor it again. The only exception to this was the Somerfield lorry driver stuck on the hill out of Rayleigh, he was pulling away and getting 6 inches before spinning out, then rolling back 3 inches and trying again and getting another 6 inches forward. Slow progress but he DID make it.
- I also came across the first abandoned car; on a flat horizontal residential road that wasn't gritted but packed icy snow.
If it doesn't melt away overnight, then it's going to be mayhem in the rush hour
And when the frustrated drivers complain that "the roads haven't been gritted" (as we know they will) I know for certain that they have been - I've not only seen loads of gritters I even overtook one