It's snowing!

[pdm]

Have had a couple of more inches of the stuff this afternoon.
This meant that operation "fetching Mother out Law" was well and truly scuppered and was replaced by operation "swap to Marathon Winter tyres".
The latter operation has been deemed a success after a short test ride and the commute across the snow and ice to work tomorrow should proceed as normal.
FWIW, I have guards with the winter tyres - there is a large enough gap...

[Chris S]

<really_only_vaguely_on_topic_anecdote>

In the snowy winter of 1981, I drove up to Oxford to fetch Mrs S (to be, as she was then) home from Uni for Christmas. The M40 was under 8" of that "dry" kind of slush that's like Demerara sugar. When I got to the roundabout at the end of the M40 at Uxbridge (this was long before there was an M25 round there) I realised I couldn't steer round the roundabout - I just couldn't turn the steering wheel enough.

Close examination of the front wheels gave the answer. The entire void of the wheel arches of my car were full of impacted slush, and the front wheels literally couldn't turn.

</really_only_vaguely_on_topic_anecdote>

[Moloko]

This meant that operation "fetching Mother out Law"

    I must get my eyes tested. I misread that.

[rogerzilla]

BAD Dicky Mo!

[Moloko]

 

As well as seen - there's now the McDonald's milkshake 'extra loud slurp the last dregs' noise too.

[nuttycyclist]

I run 2+" knobblies on the MTB in the snow, with guards, and don't have a problem.  The only issue I've ever had is with the block filling with ice so that the gears jump.  Friday, in 4 to 6 inches of pure snow I had no problems at all - it seems to be the gritted roads that freeze the block up.

[nuttycyclist]

I'm having double thoughts about tomorrow's commute.  I've been out in the car. 

The main roads seem to just have just car width tram lines that are clear and everything else is still frozen.  Pulling away from a traffic light spun the wheel I'd placed on the non-clear line.  The last section of road I played on...  20mph and 4th gear, blip throttle and the traction control light came on as the car slid sideways.  Got to the drive and although at 5mph spun the steering fast... we went straight on.  (I would like to point out that these were my only two losses of traction, and were both intentional).


I'm now wondering whether
a) I shouldn't have been so dismissive of studded bicycle tyres earlier.
b) Is there a bridleway route the whole way to work?

[no1daughter]

FYI, it's like Hoth out here.

Clicky.

[Tewdric]

A few inches here this morning - it's stunning 

Just tried to drive to work - FAIL.  Wheels spinning and car going sideways trying to get up the hill out of the village.  The snowploughy grit truck has just been through apparently so it should be OK in an hour or so.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

There's not much here, just treacherously icy pavements.

When I was growing up in Huddersfield, when it was snowy and the roads had been cleared, it was just normal for pedestrians to walk at the edges of the roads rather than trying to maintain balance on snow and ice. If you try that here motorists beep at you and try to persuade you you should be breaking your neck on the pavement instead.

[toekneep]

Two inches of snow on the Fylde coast. Now that is unusual.

[1gear]

Still snow left here. Walked the rest of the way up my hill. Tried to clip in and the SPD-SL were having non of it. Banged both feet and got the right foot in. Glad i have toe straps aswell, tightened that one down and by the time id got into work id clipped in.
The bits where the cars have been driving is fine here. Middle sections on wider roads have a slush, and so do the cycle paths/lanes.
Got better as i got closer to town

[Wowbagger]

Two inches of snow on the Fylde coast. Now that is unusual.

Some time in the 1970s (probably 1972 I think  or maybe early 1973) a group of us had a snowball fight on Blackpool Beach.

[TimO]

Two inches of snow on the Fylde coast. Now that is unusual.

Some time in the 1970s (probably 1972 I think  or maybe early 1973) a group of us had a snowball fight on Blackpool Beach.

I did the same in the winter of 85/86 on Brighton Beach.

[border-rider]

A few inches here this morning - it's stunning  

Just tried to drive to work - FAIL.  Wheels spinning and car going sideways trying to get up the hill out of the village.  The snowploughy grit truck has just been through apparently so it should be OK in an hour or so.

Hmm

We have about 1 mm.

 

I'm tempted to get the MTB out and head over towards where Tewdric lives.

[Moloko]

Roads here are all ice free having been thoroughly gritted.
I've seen 5 cyclists so far, all of them were riding on the footpaths which are still
mostly covered in sheet ice.

[Charlotte]

It's snowing again in NW London!  I'm quite hopeful that this will last all day and we can go sledging tomorrow 

[Andrij]

It's snowing again in NW London!  I'm quite hopeful that this will last all day and we can go sledging tomorrow 

Still nothing in E London. 

[PaulF]

It's snowing again in NW London!  I'm quite hopeful that this will last all day and we can go sledging tomorrow 

Still nothing in E London. 

Nor SW London

[TimO]

Roads here are all ice free having been thoroughly gritted.
I've seen 5 cyclists so far, all of them were riding on the footpaths which are still
mostly covered in sheet ice.

Where I've seen significant show (ice) still on the ground, it's mostly been on the pavement, there's no way I'd use any adjacent cycle paths on footpaths, the roads are far safer.  I hardly saw any cyclists when I was out earlier, but it was mid-morning, and there was relatively little traffic anyway.

[Charlotte]

It's snowing again in NW London!  I'm quite hopeful that this will last all day and we can go sledging tomorrow 

Still nothing in E London. 

Nor SW London

Bugger.  Is schtopped 

[simonp]

I had one or two tail-gaters as I was riding well clear of the slush down the edge of the road.  I also got to overtake long queues of cars despite it already being after 10am, and got to ride like a loon across the snowy work car park since the Nokians were doing their thing.

[border-rider]

The roads here are entertaining. It must have snowed (just a bit) and then frozen hard, so they look fine but are pretty treacherous.  Hardly any cars on our lane today; I took the trike down to get the paper and that was great fun; the only problem I had was on the climb back up the minor raise out of the village. I stopped to look back at the view and couldn't get going again - the drive wheel was just spinning out.  I let a load of air out of the tyre, leant over to my left and tried to tack sideways - eventually it worked, but for a while I felt a bit like one of those beetles on its back with its legs waving in the air

[Moloko]

Just seen a young bloke go past riding his MTB on the ice covered path.

He was doing one-handed while cradling a 2lt plastic bottle of booze (his baby).
His free hand was holding the handlebar and also the leash with his Staffie dog
running alongside like a good un.

Hoorah for plastic bottles!  

[Wowbagger]

I've just returned from a walk in Hockley Woods. A thaw has set in and there was the constant noise of snow falling from trees onto solid frozen ground. I think the temperature is about 4°C.