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Other Hondas & General Topics => Off Topic (Non-Honda) => Topic started by: Jocko on February 27, 2018, 09:42:43 AM

Title: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on February 27, 2018, 09:42:43 AM
So how has The Beast from the East affected the rest of the EU forumites? So far, here in Fife, we have only had short sharp flurries of snow and tiny hailstones. The wind is gale force and bitingly cold, and living in Kirkcaldy we face right into the east wind. In fact the next thing east to us is the coast of Denmark.
Hope everyone else is safe and, if not warm, at least sheltered.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Geoffers on February 27, 2018, 09:51:59 AM
We've had a about one inch overnight. Temp is now about +1C!
Thirty years ago we would have not made any comment about this piddling amount of snow.
Beast from the East? Bollards!
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on February 27, 2018, 10:15:49 AM
As they commented on BBC Breakfast this morning, it's a London thing. When we get snow here you just get on with it. And as you say, compared with the snow we got back in the 50's and 60's, it is hardly worth mentioning. Like most things these days, it is media hype. When you do 24 hour news (instead of 10 minutes, twice a night) you need to find something to fill the time. OAP rant over.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: sparky Paul on February 27, 2018, 10:18:23 AM
It's a bit nippy, but it is the middle of winter!
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: madasafish on February 27, 2018, 10:51:10 AM
-4C overnight and then 2cms of snow.

Compared to -16C in winters of 2010-11 and 2011-12 it's risible.

It's all for the beenfit of people who don't live in anything but a cocoon : buses/tubes , ears stuffed with headphones..  snowflakes!   :-X :D
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: peteo48 on February 27, 2018, 11:21:27 AM
2 cm today. Warrington doesn't get much snow, even though it is "oop north" it's not that far up north and it's close to the sea. This is the heaviest fall since 2012.

Problem over next few days is that this lot is going to freeze. If you do have to go out this is where winter tyres come into their own. I'm lucky in that I have the option of staying in!
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: John Ratsey on February 27, 2018, 11:41:03 AM
I don't like the windchill. Brought up in Somerset with first hand experience of the '62 - '63 winter and its long lasting drifting snow has me wondering what today's fuss is about. If the snow stays frozen then it's not as hazardous as re-frozen slush. I remember cycling on compacted snow without much difficulty but once it had partly melted and then frozen again the bike was put away and I had to walk (for more than a month).

It seems to me that the threat of snow was enough for train operators to make mass cancellations, a situation made worse by the weather forecasters tending to round up the numbers so they can't then be blamed for not giving the warnings should the worst happen.

However, we might get some challenging conditions in southern England later in the week if the blizzards materialise.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on February 27, 2018, 11:57:02 AM
Funny how snowflake generation does not like snow ! I can remember winter of 1962 / 3 as well,  and our school never closed,  In fact I only remember our school closing a couple of times when heating boiler broke down (not that it ever worked very well anyway, it was powered by coke - like a lot of city bankers).

It was not so bad if schools closed in my day because mums generally used to stay at home,  now if a school closes it can be a major logistical nightmare when both parents work and last minute child car plans have to be made.

Boys used to have PE lessons outside no matter what the weather (the girls used to be kept inside),  I can remember playing football in shorts and plimsolls on frozen playground with a frozen leather caseball, and boy it didn't half hurt when it hit you legs - you had no chance of undoing your laces for at least 20 to 30 minutes after going inside because you generally had fingers that felt as though they were made of plastic until they thawed out.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: sparky Paul on February 27, 2018, 12:13:49 PM
snowflake generation

-snowflakes!   :-X :D

Aaargh! I hate hearing the term 'snowflake' being used as an insult.

It's thrown about with such alacrity these days, doesn't anyone realise where it originated from?
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on February 27, 2018, 12:18:38 PM
snowflake generation

-snowflakes!   :-X :D

Aaargh! I hate hearing the term 'snowflake' being used as an insult.

It's thrown about with such alacrity these days, doesn't anyone realise where it originated from?

In my dictionary it perfectly covers pushy, self-opinionated, over-educated people of a certain age range with a highly developed sense of entitlement who melt at the first sign of stress or pressure and are permanently being fatally offended by anything they do not agree with (in fact that is what most people seem to understand by it).

Words often get hijacked,  one in particular is 'gay' which used to mean happy or cheerful !
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: sparky Paul on February 27, 2018, 01:50:40 PM
In my dictionary it perfectly covers pushy, self-opinionated, over-educated people of a certain age range with a highly developed sense of entitlement who melt at the first sign of stress or pressure and are permanently being fatally offended by anything they do not agree with (in fact that is what most people seem to understand by it).

That may be the newly accepted meaning today, in fact that has only just been added to the Oxford Dictionary this year. It is certainly not it's original meaning. Words are certainly hijacked for new uses and meanings, but there are also words and phrases that were once in common usage that we are no longer comfortable with. I'm just not keen on that one, or indeed many of the other 'Americanisms' that are creeping into common usage.

Anyway, snowing on and off here in North Notts, nothing lying on the ground.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on February 27, 2018, 04:04:48 PM
The Scottish Transport minister has said that the Amber warning may be upgraded to Red, for parts of Scotland, saying, "That is a warning for snow that we have never seen since the modern system has come into place in Scotland.".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43200598 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43200598)
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on February 27, 2018, 06:29:15 PM
Snow has started with a vengeance here now. As long as I can get the missus to and from work tomorrow. All in town, bus routes, and access to hospital always kept well clear. Should be alright.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on February 27, 2018, 08:37:08 PM
At about 7-30 this morning we had no more covering than a heavy frost would give you,  was gone by  about 8-30 when temp rose to about 2 deg C.  Few light flurries during the day and started freezing again about 4-00.  See what the next few days bring.

It is a sign that South  east is getting some snow and weather that it is being reported on the news,  otherwise it would have hardly got  a passing mention.  Looks like they cancelled all the trains based on what was expected rather than what actually happened.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: peteo48 on February 27, 2018, 09:27:25 PM
Item on our local news - salt not really doing its job in some places as not enough cars out to spread it. This was followed by a "don't drive unless absolutely essential warning!"
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: sparky Paul on February 27, 2018, 09:37:50 PM
We don't see any grit round here, that bit of melt and refreezing has turned bits of the road to glass. There'll be a few in ditches tonight, there usually is when it's like this.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on February 28, 2018, 07:08:44 AM
Horrendous here this morning. Heavy overnight showers have been scoured by the gale force wind into thin patches (which have frozen) and drifts. It is so bitterly cold the snow is that thin powdery way, and not compacting.
Got the missus to work and told her I'll come back for her in June! Car back in garage, as worst of snow is forecast for later on the day.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on February 28, 2018, 07:19:39 AM
The Beast from the East has broken the Queensferry Crossing weather web site! Showing 51 mph gusts but no temperature read out. Forth Road Bridge has had to be closed because so few vehicles were crossing it.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: madasafish on February 28, 2018, 07:34:43 AM
-7.5C overnight low. Currently -5.5C.

My bees are all safely tucked in bed in insulated hives with a large amount of fondant to keep them happy..
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: guest7267 on February 28, 2018, 08:31:31 AM
-19C overnight. Currently -18C and a beautiful sunny day here in Helsinki / Finland. Not more snow for more than a week now.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: richardfrost on February 28, 2018, 09:57:31 AM
Our response in the UK to weather like this is pathetic. Cancelling trains because there MIGHT be snow! It is this sort of barmy decision that leaves commuters stranded, unable to plan or forced into their cars.

My main car is a Rav4 Hybrid with 4wd (due to electically driven rear wheels) and came as standard with all weather tyres. I am confident I can cope with up to a foot of fresh snow and any amount of compressed snow. Obviously huge drifts, icy conditions and the lunatic antics of certain other drivers are perils I could not want to deal with.

But we have known this bit of weather was coming for ages. So any council saying it was caught out is not telling the whole story.

As is usual, this is only a main news story because it is affecting the South East.

My wife was born in the great snow of 1963 in Catterick army camp. Her birthday is in late April. Halifax was gridlocked twice in the 1990s by late April snow. This is the middle of Winter. The weather people say tomorrow is the first day of Spring. What nonsense. This is the middle of Winter and heavy snows (at least up here) could be expected for 6 more weeks yet.

It's just weather. It is entirely predictable. It's not like there's no other news going on around the world.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on February 28, 2018, 10:07:07 AM
I remember, back in the 80's, we had heavy snow here in Fife, on June 4th. It only lay for a couple of hours but it was about 2" deep while it lasted.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on February 28, 2018, 10:25:24 AM
Item on our local news - salt not really doing its job in some places as not enough cars out to spread it. This was followed by a "don't drive unless absolutely essential warning!"

Salt only really only works down to about minus 5 deg C (that's why polar seas freeze over) - I guess that is why Nordic countries don't use it and have winter tyres.

I can remember in bad winter 1982 / 3 it got down to -26 at Shobdon in Hereford and about -20 where we were,  had to use a hairdryer on the carburetor of Vauxhall to get it to start - lasted for weeks, we got so used to ice crystals floating around and settling on everything as hoar frost that we kind of missed it when it started to warm up.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on February 28, 2018, 11:23:23 AM
That's the Met Office just issued a Red warning for Central Scotland. A Red warning has never been issued since they introduced weather warnings. Picked my wife up from work and roads were far worse than this morning, despite the increased traffic. All the snow had been blown away from outside my garage, but there was a 6" drift inside the door!
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: sparky Paul on February 28, 2018, 11:32:29 AM
Bit rough here too now, being low down, we don't usually see that much. That easterly is gradually filling the carport with the white stuff!
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: MartinJG on February 28, 2018, 11:33:48 AM
The Scottish Transport minister has said that the Amber warning may be upgraded to Red, for parts of Scotland, saying, "That is a warning for snow that we have never seen since the modern system has come into place in Scotland.".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43200598 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43200598)

Jocko

'Def Con Red Alert', heh. Sounds serious. I am sure your Transport Secretary, Humza Yousaf, is an expert on Scottish weather conditions and has everything under control. Out of interest, which clan is that or is it a typo and should be McYousaf?
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: guest5079 on February 28, 2018, 11:38:56 AM
Email from Canada. My Brother went to school with a chap in Sussex. They are still best of mates even though they are in their 50's and live thousands of mile apart. His mates name is Pete, who sent him the following.
Yesterday in a lane off the A272 an Audi 4 wheel drive with all the bells and whistles managed to find itself in a ditch. The Beast from the East had struck another blow. So Pete got his 1950's Nuffield tractor out and extracted said Audi. The driver ( bearing in mind the area in question is populated by those poor banker types with their parsimonious bonuses) then asked that Pete drive in front of him to make sure he got to the A272. Pete just said no I will follow you in case you scratch my tractor. The joke was not even understood.
We often discuss Insurance costs on the Forum. Would it not be good idea if Insurers before taking on such people as the Audi driver, that they insist that the people who buy these expensive toys have some idea of how to handle them.  You can buy a Ferrari and providing you can pay the premium no further driver training is required.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on February 28, 2018, 11:54:08 AM
Email from Canada. My Brother went to school with a chap in Sussex. They are still best of mates even though they are in their 50's and live thousands of mile apart. His mates name is Pete, who sent him the following.
Yesterday in a lane off the A272 an Audi 4 wheel drive with all the bells and whistles managed to find itself in a ditch. The Beast from the East had struck another blow. So Pete got his 1950's Nuffield tractor out and extracted said Audi. The driver ( bearing in mind the area in question is populated by those poor banker types with their parsimonious bonuses) then asked that Pete drive in front of him to make sure he got to the A272. Pete just said no I will follow you in case you scratch my tractor. The joke was not even understood.
We often discuss Insurance costs on the Forum. Would it not be good idea if Insurers before taking on such people as the Audi driver, that they insist that the people who buy these expensive toys have some idea of how to handle them.  You can buy a Ferrari and providing you can pay the premium no further driver training is required.

People think a 4x4 will automatically be great in snow, but with summer tyres they are just as stuffed as everyone else - in fact worse off as when skidding and braking the extra weight of a 4x4  is a liability.  When we were out in Jazz in Pre-Christmas snow (about 300mm where we were,  but packed down in many places) we saw tractors and 'proper 4WD'  Defenders on the roads making good progress and a few high end 4x4 obviously with summer tyres on either off the road or with spinning wheels going nowhere,  should have seen their faces when a Jazz overtook them and carried on as if the roads were dry.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Hobo on February 28, 2018, 11:55:28 AM
Woke up this morning to lovely clear blue sky, few fine wisps of snow by mid morning, now looking out can hardly see the car looks more like a snow drift parked outside, it is dark grey sky and blizzard conditions can't remember the last time we had snow this heavy in Cornwall. :o
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on March 01, 2018, 07:13:57 AM
I had to take my wife to her work this morning, despite the Red Warning and blizzard conditions. She works in the local hospital and they are desperate for staff. I managed reasonably well. Just kept it in 2nd for most of the journey and, despite my summer tyres, it just plodded along. As I returned home there was a bit more traffic, and a couple of cars were already stuck. By 8 am it will be gridlock. Personally, I think how you drive in snow is much more important than if you have summer or winter tyres on. The road I live on is a gentle incline, nothing really to speak of, but there was an Audi A3 with its engine revving and its wheels spinning as I came past.
I did have one problem though. As I tried to reverse back into the garage, the up and over metal door was caught in the gale force wind, and came down onto the back/roof of the car. I'll have to wait until it is daylight to check the damage, but at least the glass is intact. Think the problem was due to snow and ice on the bottom edge of the door, upsetting the balance.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: MicktheMonster on March 01, 2018, 08:37:02 AM
Here on Norfolk Coast there's only 2 or 3 inches of snow lying, most urban areas are clear enough to drive on. Trouble is the rural areas in between, the wind blows the top layer of snow off the fields onto the roads causing almost permanent mini snow storms with about 3 metres visibility, if the driver at the front stops everyone else gets stuck behind them or piles into the rear car.
I'm an emergency worker, lots of my colleagues could come under what everyone's calling "the snowflake generation", they all turned up for work, many of them early and went out in ropey conditions to help others, they only moan when there's no internet.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 01, 2018, 08:46:04 AM
Personally, I think how you drive in snow is much more important than if you have summer or winter tyres on.

I agree there is a technique for driving in snow, and pouring on the power when wheels start to spin is not in the handbook  :o  I consider myself a good snow driver and have never really got stuck on summer tyres despite living in Shropshire which is famous for its hills - even in rear drive cars (bag of sand and a shovel in the boot) - but winter tyres really give you so much more grip its hard to believe the difference.  As I said before the bonus in not using alloys in the winter means they stay in good shape,  and steel wheels give a lot more protection to brakes than alloys,  and steel rims are easier to maintain than expensive alloys.   Winter wheels and tyres are an investment and maybe not a good idea if you regularly change vehicles because you won't get money back  by selling them,  but if you are going to keep the vehicle for a few years it is probably worth it,  because when you are wearing your winter tyres out you are not wearing out your summers  :-X
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 01, 2018, 08:47:50 AM
I'm an emergency worker, lots of my colleagues could come under what everyone's calling "the snowflake generation", they all turned up for work, many of them early and went out in ropey conditions to help others, they only moan when there's no internet.

a proper snowflake would probably not have joined emergency services - I know some people who 'if it can't be done on a computer or phone, it don't get done'...
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 01, 2018, 10:50:41 AM
Just been out to clean off the car and found a spray bottle of Halfords Extreme -35degC de-icer in the boot frozen solid - the AutoGlym right next to it was fine and the benefit is the A/G does not smear on the screen like most other de-icers, It costs a bit more but vastly superior to others I have used - may have bought the Halfords because it was on special.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: peteo48 on March 01, 2018, 01:55:34 PM
Culzean owning Autoglym products! I know he has some Super Resin Polish.

Is he a closet detailer? ;) :P
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 01, 2018, 03:11:55 PM
Culzean owning Autoglym products! I know he has some Super Resin Polish.

Is he a closet detailer? ;) :P

our closets are clean,  but not shiny LOL

As I said I bought the AuotoGlym super resin polish for PVC window frames and facia boards,  but it did a great job and I still had a lot left so tried it on the cars. Still got a half bottle left so maybe will need to buy another one in 2019.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on March 01, 2018, 03:23:13 PM
Garage door does appear to have damaged my paintwork. I'll probably find what it did the next time I give the car a was!
Got my wife safely home from her work and car is now in the garage. The Red Warning ended at 10:00 but the snow, if anything, has been heavier since that time. It is just so bitterly cold. I am even wearing my bobble hat in the house!!
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Hobo on March 01, 2018, 04:39:13 PM
Following on from my previous post yesterday, now in the middle of a second helping of snow, it is now about six inches deep outside on my drive and in the road and still snowing heavily, nobody has moved in the close all day. :o
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on March 01, 2018, 05:07:07 PM
I downloaded my dash cam video from this morning's commute and here is a frame grab from it.

(https://i.imgur.com/r5W84ei.jpg)
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: peteo48 on March 01, 2018, 05:30:26 PM
That's a great shot!
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 01, 2018, 05:31:56 PM
We had about -9 deg C in our part of Shropshire last night,  still down at between -4 and -5 today depending if you were in the sun or not,  we have had the snow equivalent of 'fine drizzling rain' blowing around here all day,  but only put about an inch of snow down,  ran into a few icy patches even on gritted roads out of the sun,  bl00dy van driver behind almost on rear bumper for miles of snow covered (it was sticking and not melting, plus icy patches) when I was doing about 40 in 60 limits,  he had a real brown pants moment on one hilly bend and dropped back quite   a way after that,  I had winters on and still slid a bit on some of the icy bits with a very light powder snow covering,  so he must have been sliding a bit but still didn't drop back until his boxer shorts changed colour LOL
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Basil on March 01, 2018, 07:58:31 PM
That's a good quality photo from the dash cam Jocko, are all dash cams that good, what type do you have ?
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on March 01, 2018, 09:31:53 PM
That's a good quality photo from the dash cam Jocko, are all dash cams that good, what type do you have ?
That is poor compared with the video it produces. I have a Nextbase 512G. It has been superceded by higher quality models, but this is the blurb:

The Nextbase 512G has just been awarded a Which? Best Buy 2015. Scoring Best on test in the Dash Cam category. Bright, clear 2.7 inch 16:9 LED screen for easy playback and menu operation. Automatically record whilst driving - your own independent witness in FULL 1080p High Definition.
Worlds first dash cam with anti-glare polarising filter to remove glare from your windscreen. Advanced Sony Exmor sensor for ultimate picture clarity - the 512G uses the very latest sensor on the market to ensure you capture the footage you need, day and night.
140 degree wide angle view with automatic 1080 High Definition recording at 30 frames per second. Six-Element Sharp Lenses made with 6 layers of glass to provide stunning clear images
Built in GPS and G sensor record location and force data. Wide Dynamic Range image processing ensures clear recordings in bright and dark light with up to ISO 3200 at night.
Parking mode detects motion and automatically records whilst your car is parked. Photo mode allows you to take still images for further evidence.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 01, 2018, 09:46:52 PM
I have been using Nextbase 512GW for over 6 months and very happy with quality,  however at full resolution a 32GB SD card lasts about 4 hours before overwriting oldest clips. I found VLC player to be good for jerk free play back (it does not give you speed or location data though) if you use the next base apps it can be jerky but it shows you GPS speed data and shows an inset map with your vehicles position.  I have got used to pressing the 'lock clip' button at bottom LH  of camera when I go through a speed camera to preserve the date, time, GPS speed and a picture of the speed van or camera, it could prove useful if I get sent a ticket.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on March 02, 2018, 07:23:26 AM
Conditions are even worse here this morning. Heavy snow, 50 mph winds, drifting deep snow and sub zero temperatures. I got my wife to work and managed home safely then couldn't get the car up the gently slope into the garage. I couldn't park it outside the garage either, because even with the handbrake on it kept sliding down the hill and into the street. After 15 chillingly cold minutes I finally managed it, using salt and a reverse run up the slope. A bit like getting the minis into the bus in the "Italian Job", only in reverse!
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: richardfrost on March 02, 2018, 09:01:55 AM
A bit like getting the minis into the bus in the "Italian Job", only in reverse!
Make sure the wind doesn't blow your bloody garage doors off!
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: guest5079 on March 02, 2018, 10:27:03 AM
Did anyone see the dash cam footage taken from a stationary bus. The road was pretty dreadful. The bus was stationary and as the scenario unfolded the drivers voice rose and rose. Why, in front of him was a small car. Usual driver in snow, foot down sliding all over the place, absolutely no control. Add to this a bus coming in the opposite direction. Car slides across road into the path of the oncoming bus. Somehow, the oncoming bus driver manages to get his bus across the road avoids the car and puts him on a collision course with the stationary bus. Then the driver somehow gets the bus back onto his side of the road much to the relief of the stationary bus driver.
Talk about watching a catastrophe unfold. All avoided by some b good driving. I am not a great admirer of bus drivers but that one deserved a medal. As to the car driver, well bury the so and so in the snow.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: richardfrost on March 02, 2018, 10:38:39 AM
Somehow, the oncoming bus driver manages to get his bus across the road avoids the car and puts him on a collision course with the stationary bus.
''Her" bus Auntyneddy. Was a female driver who skilfully drifted her bus through that gap. Most impressive driving.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43255368
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 02, 2018, 10:57:44 AM
Somehow, the oncoming bus driver manages to get his bus across the road avoids the car and puts him on a collision course with the stationary bus.
''Her" bus Auntyneddy. Was a female driver who skilfully drifted her bus through that gap. Most impressive driving.

Driving was OK after she had started to skid because she was going too fast for the road conditions,  showing a bit of skill to get out of a situation she did not need to be in really. 

Like the van right on my tail yesterday on hilly bendy country Shropshire road in conditions of -5 deg C -- I had winter tyres and was sticking below 40,  he stayed on my tail until he almost lost it through the hedge,  after that he stayed about 100 metres behind (and more on uphills as he was obviously fighting for grip.  There was ice under a thin covering of blown snow but the numpty took a long time to realise it.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: John Ratsey on March 02, 2018, 11:07:15 AM
Somehow, the oncoming bus driver manages to get his bus across the road avoids the car and puts him on a collision course with the stationary bus.
''Her" bus Auntyneddy. Was a female driver who skilfully drifted her bus through that gap. Most impressive driving.
It's at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43255368 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43255368)

Impressive driving but a very near miss which highlights that everyone needs to go slower in these conditions on the assumption that the unexpected will happen.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: John A on March 02, 2018, 12:15:07 PM
Impressive driving but a very near miss which highlights that everyone needs to go slower in these conditions on the assumption that the unexpected will happen.

But if you're expecting the unexpected, then it's not unexpected  ;D ;D

Just like known unknowns
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on March 02, 2018, 01:12:48 PM
Driving was OK after she had started to skid because she was going too fast for the road conditions,  showing a bit of skill to get out of a situation she did not need to be in really.
Didn't look like that to me. Bus was going at a steady speed on a clear road, until the car decided to turn in the road. As an ex bus driver I think women make the best bus drivers. And there are more and more of them.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 02, 2018, 01:31:42 PM
Anybody catch the 'winterwatch' program on BBC last night,  it had archive footage about the winter of 1962 / 3  (black and white).

I suggest you watch it on catch-up if you can - its firmly puts the present 'short cold snap' and all the hype into perspective.

1947 winter was also truly terrible,  added to it was the fact we were still recovering from WW2 and rationing still in effect.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: John Ratsey on March 02, 2018, 02:44:08 PM
until the car decided to turn in the road.
The car decided, but probably not what the driver had in mind. Autonomous vehicles have arrived!
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: pb82gh3 on March 02, 2018, 02:52:08 PM
Anybody catch the 'winterwatch' program on BBC last night,  it had archive footage about the winter of 1962 / 3  (black and white).

I suggest you watch it on catch-up if you can - its firmly puts the present 'short cold snap' and all the hype into perspective.

1947 winter was also truly terrible,  added to it was the fact we were still recovering from WW2 and rationing still in effect.
Couldn't agree more. In 63 I was doing a morning paper round in 2 feet of snow, followed by school, back in the days when they never closed.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 02, 2018, 02:58:12 PM
Anybody catch the 'winterwatch' program on BBC last night,  it had archive footage about the winter of 1962 / 3  (black and white).

I suggest you watch it on catch-up if you can - its firmly puts the present 'short cold snap' and all the hype into perspective.

1947 winter was also truly terrible,  added to it was the fact we were still recovering from WW2 and rationing still in effect.
Couldn't agree more. In 63 I was doing a morning paper round in 2 feet of snow, followed by school, back in the days when they never closed.

One of the things that impressed me was the steam trains with snowploughs fitted busting through 14 foot drifts,  you could not do that today as the snow would be shorting out the overhead wires, ice on the wires woulds stop pantographs working, added to that elf and safety would not let you do it, even if you wore a yellow vest, safety shoes and a hard hat...

We are really more pathetic these days than I like to think about.  In 1962 we would have bombed Brussels and Strasboug until they agreed to our Brexit terms  :o  not gone cap in hand like beggars.   
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: VicW on March 02, 2018, 03:24:00 PM
If you think the weather is bad right now then you should have experienced the 1963 winter, this current spell is mild compared with that.
We moved home on New Years Day that winter, from Slough where we had a rented house to our own home. It was a caravan at Avebury in Wiltshire. Believe me the journey is an epic we find it hard to believe we actually did it these days.
We ended the journey being towed from the A4 to Avebury by the Avebury butcher doing his rounds in an Austin Gypsy. We had all our belongings in a Standard Atllas van I had hired.
The situation was complicated further by the fact that our youngest son at one year old had a broken leg.
We stayed in the Red Lion in Avebury for two nights before the road opened and we were able to move into our  caravan. I then had to get the Standard van back to Slough, that's another story.

Vic.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 02, 2018, 03:50:27 PM
Just found the winterwatch program uploaded to youtube
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on March 02, 2018, 06:14:43 PM
62/63 doesn't stick in my brain. It couldn't have been too bad here, though one of my ex workmates was always going on about it.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: MartinJG on March 02, 2018, 08:12:38 PM
Driving was OK after she had started to skid because she was going too fast for the road conditions,  showing a bit of skill to get out of a situation she did not need to be in really.
Didn't look like that to me. Bus was going at a steady speed on a clear road, until the car decided to turn in the road. As an ex bus driver I think women make the best bus drivers. And there are more and more of them.

In general, I believe women are more 'teachable' than men. All starts in the classroom. That said, it takes a certain kind of woman to drive a bus or an HGV. Exception to the rule. Plenty of women drivers of varying descriptions in WW2.


Out of interest, what was the gender of the Mini driver who decided to implement a three point turn in the first place!

Oh well...
 
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on March 02, 2018, 08:34:45 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43255368 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43255368)
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: John Ratsey on March 03, 2018, 08:55:48 AM
Out of interest, what was the gender of the Mini driver who decided to implement a three point turn in the first place!

Oh well...
I somewhat doubt that the driver intended the manoeuvre. Most likely a small dollop of compacted snow triggered a change in direction which the driver wasn't able to correct. Small vehicles are the most challenging to control if the surface is lumpy.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on March 03, 2018, 09:01:55 AM
The mini was trying to do a three point turn. That was why it was on the wrong side of the road as the bus came over the hill.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: MartinJG on March 03, 2018, 09:39:46 AM
The mini was trying to do a three point turn. That was why it was on the wrong side of the road as the bus came over the hill.

Well it certainly looks like it. Either way, given the situation, probably not the Mini driver's best moment. Truth is, the standard of driving and general awareness on the roads has deteriorated. Forget the small matter of good manners for which we were renowned at one time.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: John Ratsey on March 03, 2018, 09:57:24 AM
The mini was trying to do a three point turn. That was why it was on the wrong side of the road as the bus came over the hill.
I've watched the video again a couple of times and have to agree with you. I was confused by the car almost facing the bus whereas a proper 3 point turn whould have had the car sideways on to the bus. Perhaps the driver had seen the bus and decided it would be prudent to straighten up, albeit on the wrong side of the road. It 's also evident that the bus wasn't proceding as cautiously as I would have expected in the conditions (back to my previous point about being prepared to encounter the unexpected).
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on March 03, 2018, 10:05:10 AM
As the bus was coming over the brow of the hill when the driver spotted the car, she didn't have a lot of options. Probably only had enough speed on to maintain traction on the climb.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 03, 2018, 10:17:13 AM
Driving was OK after she had started to skid because she was going too fast for the road conditions,  showing a bit of skill to get out of a situation she did not need to be in really.
Didn't look like that to me. Bus was going at a steady speed on a clear road, until the car decided to turn in the road. As an ex bus driver I think women make the best bus drivers. And there are more and more of them.

In general, I believe women are more 'teachable' than men. All starts in the classroom. That said, it takes a certain kind of woman to drive a bus or an HGV. Exception to the rule. Plenty of women drivers of varying descriptions in WW2.


Out of interest, what was the gender of the Mini driver who decided to implement a three point turn in the first place!

Oh well...

Women may be easier to teach because they are such sticklers for rules,  where men are more adventurous and this sometimes means experimenting and making their own mind up on things.  I know heaps of computer shortcuts,  but my wife simply does not want to know,  once she has learned something one way (no matter how tortuous the route) she seems to have no interest in improving things,  she really has no idea how most things in her car work and it often results in an argument if I try to explain stuff (and often I can see my brother in law in the rear seat nodding his head in sympathy).   

We are now scrapping the 'course work'  route to getting qualifications in education and going back to 'everything on final exam' (where you either know it or you don't) - they did a study in Australia when we were there and they traced back and saw a jump in girls pass rate just after their system went from 'everything on exam' to 'lots of course work' which suits girls better. But the problem is employers have complained that the 'cut and paste' mentality of course work does not translate into success when people leave the education system.  Now Oxford universty has started giving girls more time to complete certain exams in the sciences  because 'girls can't stand the stress of exams as well as boys' - welcome to the new world order.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: guest5079 on March 03, 2018, 11:19:11 AM
The original video I saw, was not the 'same' as the Beeb one shown on the news. Yes of course it was the same but Beeb had cut some of it out. I saw the small car snaking along the road and then appeared to veer over the opposite side. On Beeb last evening they didn't have the stationary bus drivers commentary. I personally think the bus driver and it was only last evening when it was disclosed as a Lady driver, coped magnificently.
Certainly in the commentary given by the stationary bus driver, I did not get the impression that he thought the small car was trying to do a 3 point turn. Whatever, my opinion still stands, even more so if a 3 point turn was being attempted given the prevailing conditions.
The terrifying fact is motorist were doing all sorts of crazy things in conditions that many should have been home or off the road.
Idiocy was not confined to the road, commuters stuck in a train decided to get out and walk. The particular piece of track I believe it was on is incredibly busy with many tracks. It is of the third rail type. Personally, having been stuck in a train in 1957, the last thing going through mine and others mind was to get out and walk. The train I was on was roughly on the same piece of track. Why was my train held up because signals had gone to red when the Lewisham train crash happened. The passenger train hit by the steam train was either the one before mine or two before mine from Charing Cross. It was a long long walk from New Cross Gate to Sidcup. London Transport would not accept the rail tickets. It is  amazing how peoples behaviour has changed over the years.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: MartinJG on March 03, 2018, 11:22:29 AM
Driving was OK after she had started to skid because she was going too fast for the road conditions,  showing a bit of skill to get out of a situation she did not need to be in really.
Didn't look like that to me. Bus was going at a steady speed on a clear road, until the car decided to turn in the road. As an ex bus driver I think women make the best bus drivers. And there are more and more of them.

In general, I believe women are more 'teachable' than men. All starts in the classroom. That said, it takes a certain kind of woman to drive a bus or an HGV. Exception to the rule. Plenty of women drivers of varying descriptions in WW2.


Out of interest, what was the gender of the Mini driver who decided to implement a three point turn in the first place!

Oh well...

Women may be easier to teach because they are such sticklers for rules,  where men are more adventurous and this sometimes means experimenting and making their own mind up on things.  I know heaps of computer shortcuts,  but my wife simply does not want to know,  once she has learned something one way (no matter how tortuous the route) she seems to have no interest in improving things,  she really has no idea how most things in her car work and it often results in an argument if I try to explain stuff (and often I can see my brother in law in the rear seat nodding his head in sympathy).   

We are now scrapping the 'course work'  route to getting qualifications in education and going back to 'everything on final exam' (where you either know it or you don't) - they did a study in Australia when we were there and they traced back and saw a jump in girls pass rate just after their system went from 'everything on exam' to 'lots of course work' which suits girls better. But the problem is employers have complained that the 'cut and paste' mentality of course work does not translate into success when people leave the education system.  Now Oxford universty has started giving girls more time to complete certain exams in the sciences  because 'girls can't stand the stress of exams as well as boys' - welcome to the new world order.

Culzean

I wouldn't disagree with you. Let's say I was treading the diplomatic PC path. I did notice a couple of humourous posts were pulled this week. As you say, women are very good at rules which by and large makes them very teachable. Safety first is probably the watchword in most cases and actually addressed by one of the 'Spitfire sisters' in the You Tube vid. I didn't mention anything about initiative though. Too often seen as a threat or associated with risk. Nothing really changes on that front and it's been around since Shakespeare and beyond and he only really scratched the surface. Some of our greatest inventors and innovative thinkers were wrong until they were right. It's a fickle club. Let's face it, if you were a founder member of the 'World is flat club' and some upstart turned up and challenged your status with some outlandish notion that the world was in fact, round, you might be a bit irritated. Oh, do I hear a Brexit bell. Time for tea... :)
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: peteo48 on March 03, 2018, 03:42:51 PM


Women may be easier to teach because they are such sticklers for rules,  where men are more adventurous and this sometimes means experimenting and making their own mind up on things.  I know heaps of computer shortcuts,  but my wife simply does not want to know,  once she has learned something one way (no matter how tortuous the route) she seems to have no interest in improving things,  she really has no idea how most things in her car work and it often results in an argument if I try to explain stuff (and often I can see my brother in law in the rear seat nodding his head in sympathy).   

We are now scrapping the 'course work'  route to getting qualifications in education and going back to 'everything on final exam' (where you either know it or you don't) - they did a study in Australia when we were there and they traced back and saw a jump in girls pass rate just after their system went from 'everything on exam' to 'lots of course work' which suits girls better. But the problem is employers have complained that the 'cut and paste' mentality of course work does not translate into success when people leave the education system.  Now Oxford universty has started giving girls more time to complete certain exams in the sciences  because 'girls can't stand the stress of exams as well as boys' - welcome to the new world order.

I think when a man tries to explain something to a woman he can come across as patronising lol. There's a modern word called "mansplaining" I didn't know, or couldn't work out, what this meant. I asked my daughter and she said  "it's what you do Dad - all the time."

So, avoid mansplaining, it winds them up ;D
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 03, 2018, 04:37:25 PM


Women may be easier to teach because they are such sticklers for rules,  where men are more adventurous and this sometimes means experimenting and making their own mind up on things.  I know heaps of computer shortcuts,  but my wife simply does not want to know,  once she has learned something one way (no matter how tortuous the route) she seems to have no interest in improving things,  she really has no idea how most things in her car work and it often results in an argument if I try to explain stuff (and often I can see my brother in law in the rear seat nodding his head in sympathy).   

We are now scrapping the 'course work'  route to getting qualifications in education and going back to 'everything on final exam' (where you either know it or you don't) - they did a study in Australia when we were there and they traced back and saw a jump in girls pass rate just after their system went from 'everything on exam' to 'lots of course work' which suits girls better. But the problem is employers have complained that the 'cut and paste' mentality of course work does not translate into success when people leave the education system.  Now Oxford universty has started giving girls more time to complete certain exams in the sciences  because 'girls can't stand the stress of exams as well as boys' - welcome to the new world order.

I think when a man tries to explain something to a woman he can come across as patronising lol. There's a modern word called "mansplaining" I didn't know, or couldn't work out, what this meant. I asked my daughter and she said  "it's what you do Dad - all the time."

So, avoid mansplaining, it winds them up ;D

on the other hand ........

https://www.quora.com/Why-dont-feminists-call-it-womansplaining-when-they-explain-things-to-men-that-they-already-know

I enjoyed this ( a lot )



Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Jocko on March 04, 2018, 02:26:45 PM
As the rain sets in and "The Beast from the East" passes into history it appears the Scottish government is considering action against employers who dock the wages of workers who followed their advice, and didn't travel during the worst of the snow. My daughter was one of those threatened with disciplinary action if she didn't travel the 50 miles to her work, even though trains and buses were off. Good oh for the Scottish government, I say.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43272396 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43272396)
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: madasafish on March 04, 2018, 05:26:02 PM
62/63 doesn't stick in my brain. It couldn't have been too bad here, though one of my ex workmates was always going on about it.

3 meter snowdrifts outside our house in rural Banffshire. Lasted for months as the road was too narrow to be ploughed... Walked the three miles to school instead of cycling for a month..Sea frozen, ice on inside of house windows - great for a kid...School cancelled for two days then back to normal.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: sparky Paul on March 04, 2018, 07:20:51 PM
The Cliff Mitchelmore documentary "The Big Freeze" was on BBC4 the other night, a bit cheesy but some great footage of the winter of 1963.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 23, 2018, 09:33:41 PM
Parked next to a Golf TDi today,  it had dodgy almost bald front summer tyres and pretty good snow tyres on the rear - WTF !  Hope the car did not meet the beast from the East. 
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: peteo48 on March 23, 2018, 10:25:18 PM
Parked next to a Golf TDi today,  it had dodgy almost bald front summer tyres and pretty good snow tyres on the rear - WTF !  Hope the car did not meet the beast from the East.

Glad to meet a fellow tyre snooper! I look at peoples tyres all the time. I must be one of the few people who is secretly glad when I need new tyres on my own car!
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 24, 2018, 08:50:01 AM
Parked next to a Golf TDi today,  it had dodgy almost bald front summer tyres and pretty good snow tyres on the rear - WTF !  Hope the car did not meet the beast from the East.

Glad to meet a fellow tyre snooper! I look at peoples tyres all the time. I must be one of the few people who is secretly glad when I need new tyres on my own car!

My Brother in law is hopeless with tyres (well with any equipment really),  more than once I had to tell him his fronts were down to the steel wires  :o 
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: sparky Paul on March 24, 2018, 10:26:11 AM
Another bald tyre snooper here.

Scabby old bangers used to be the favourite for bald tyres, but you're just as likely to see them on nearly new cars these days.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: guest5079 on March 24, 2018, 11:08:07 AM
Often on expensive luxury vehicles. When I had the 16inch tyres on our Jazz replaced with Michelins, the cost of then £105 a corner was put into perspective by the Tyre man who was replacing all four tyres on a BMW X5. I was told they were the second set in less than 15000 miles and were the best part of twice the price of the Honda tyre.
Unfortunately even after being retired for over 25 yrs, I still look at tyres much to the annoyance of my Wife who says by now I should be able to relax. I can no longer look at tax discs. Unfortunately it was what I was trained to do and it won't go away.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: Hobo on March 24, 2018, 11:39:16 AM
The Cliff Mitchelmore documentary "The Big Freeze" was on BBC4 the other night, a bit cheesy but some great footage of the winter of 1963.

That winter I was in the Caribbean, I was a Radio Officer on the Empress of Canada and we did seven winter cruises from New York, came home in April with a nice tan and wondered what all the fuss was about. ;D
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 24, 2018, 11:57:22 AM
Often on expensive luxury vehicles. When I had the 16inch tyres on our Jazz replaced with Michelins, the cost of then £105 a corner was put into perspective by the Tyre man who was replacing all four tyres on a BMW X5.

Maybe,  but you can get Michelin ES+ for 15" wheels £40 cheaper than for 16"
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: sparky Paul on March 24, 2018, 03:37:14 PM
Unfortunately it was what I was trained to do and it won't go away.

I know a few ex-job... and no, it never goes away.  ;)
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: culzean on March 24, 2018, 05:19:42 PM
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5539231/Britain-braced-white-Easter-snow-way.html

Looks like we are in for another Arctic blast over Easter ...   

Won't take winter tyres off just yet
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: peteo48 on March 25, 2018, 11:01:36 AM
We are quite lucky here. We get very little snow and not much disruption (Warrington). We get the side effects though as people get diverted away from the motorway network and into the town centre. Gridlock often ensues.

More generally, once the media get hold of a new phrase, they won't let it go. If you read the reports we are going to be "buried" in snow again. Well - no - actually we aren't. Some areas will get snow not everybody.

On tyres, my best bald tyre story came from one of many trips to Madeira. We went out on a trip in a people carrier type thing (transit van size). Good trip but hairy roads and we did get a heavy shower of rain at one point. On getting back to the hotel one of our travelling companions pointed to the rear tyres and said drily "Nice to have had a ride on Formula One tyres." They were like slick tyres, only a slight shadow of a tread. We had booked this through Thompsons so we all agreed to put a complaint in. The thing leaked as well!
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: ColinS on March 25, 2018, 11:19:28 AM
I went on a bus trip round Madeira in 1970.  Never been so scared before. Travelling at break neck speed through tunnels that would only fit one vehicle and round bends that had a rock face on the inside and a sheer drop on the outside (no fences or barriers).  Real 007 stuff.
Title: Re: The Beast from the East.
Post by: peteo48 on March 25, 2018, 01:47:13 PM
Yes - some scary stuff in Madeira in either cars or on foot.