Message Forums

Quote: Originally posted by navver on 11/1/2010

---

I'm sorry, but the country has come to a standstill. Schools closed, exams cancelled, hospital appointments missed or cancelled, panic buying in the shops, offices and factories empty, all buses cancelled, bins not being emptied. This is OK for one day but it's now been a week with more snow on the way.

---

ahem, exams haven`t been cancelled, we are still running exams as nromal, and many schools in the area that are closed are still open with local staff for exams.

one big factor in all of this I see is we all work alot further away from where we live than previous, grandparents, and until recently my parents all worked within walking distance of work, now may people including school staff live up to 30miles from work, if not more.

I dont have a 4x4 or snow tyres and have not had any problem getting to work, we were only closed 2 days, one down to boiler failure. take it easy, dont accellerate or brake sharply, and read the road ahead and Ive been fine.

Quote: Originally posted by timtheenchanter on 12/1/2010

---

[one big factor in all of this I see is we all work alot further away from where we live than previous, grandparents, and until recently my parents all worked within walking distance of work, now may people including school staff live up to 30miles from work, if not more
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Too simplistic I think.

 50 years ago we " lived to work", now people " work to live". Nothing wrong with that. Question is. 'has the pendulum swung a bit too far ?'

form your own opinions
AJ

Quote: Originally posted by ayjay on 12/1/2010

---

Quote: Originally posted by timtheenchanter on 12/1/2010

---

[one big factor in all of this I see is we all work alot further away from where we live than previous, grandparents, and until recently my parents all worked within walking distance of work, now may people including school staff live up to 30miles from work, if not more


Too simplistic I think. 50 years ago we " lived to work", now people " work to live". Nothing wrong with that. Question is. 'has the pendulum swung a bit too far ?'

form your own opinions
AN

---

I don't think it's simplistic. I live four miles from my office, but I think out of all my colleagues I'm the closest. People seem to think nothing of commuting for 90 minutes or more to get to work - that certainly didn't happen 50 years ago. If you've got hundreds of thousands of people making long journeys every day then of course any travel problem is going to be worse.

And I'll say it again - it's not just Britain that has struggled with the snow. All of northern Europe has "ground to a halt" as some enthusiastically put it over the last week or two.

Quote: Originally posted by Viggo on 12/1/2010

---

Quote: Originally posted by ayjay on 12/1/2010

---

Quote: Originally posted by timtheenchanter on 12/1/2010

---

[one big factor in all of this I see is we all work alot further away from where we live than previous, grandparents, and until recently my parents all worked within walking distance of work, now may people including school staff live up to 30miles from work, if not more


Too simplistic I think. 50 years ago we " lived to work", now people " work to live". Nothing wrong with that. Question is. 'has the pendulum swung a bit too far ?'

form your own opinions
AN

---

I don't think it's simplistic. I live four miles from my office, but I think out of all my colleagues I'm the closest. People seem to think nothing of commuting for 90 minutes or more to get to work - that certainly didn't happen 50 years ago. If you've got hundreds of thousands of people making long journeys every day then of course any travel problem is going to be worse.

And I'll say it again - it's not just Britain that has struggled with the snow. All of northern Europe has "ground to a halt" as some enthusiastically put it over the last week or two.

---

50 yrs ago I lived in Oldham, and worked in Trafford Park, no car, used train and bus. Train was full off construction workers building Fiddlers Ferry power station. Time and distance, you can do the maths.

Last weeks snow was a mere blip. We used to do 12 hrs down t' pit, get washed in 't snow, dig t'ponies out o't'drifts, then walk home on us hands to save us shoes fer Sunday.

OK Monty Python was a bit over the top, but ------- not a lot.

No wonder I'm a grumpy old git.

AJ

Quote: Originally posted by ayjay on 12/1/2010

---

Quote: Originally posted by timtheenchanter on 12/1/2010

---

[one big factor in all of this I see is we all work alot further away from where we live than previous, grandparents, and until recently my parents all worked within walking distance of work, now may people including school staff live up to 30miles from work, if not more
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Too simplistic I think.

 50 years ago we " lived to work", now people " work to live". Nothing wrong with that. Question is. 'has the pendulum swung a bit too far ?'

form your own opinions
AJ

Post last edited on 12/01/2010 17:01:01

---

Ninety years ago my Grandfather was flogged for letting poachers go when he was a gamekeeper for the local Lord. Things have moved on since then, and personaly, I would burn in hell before I would walk 10 miles to work and back.

Steve W

Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 11/1/2010

---

I think you've been retired for too long Jeeps, in the real world, people have to go to work & earn a living, many don't get paid if they don't go to work, unlike coppers. Its ok in this sort of weather to batten down the hatches & stay in when you don't have to go out. Then you can just sit & watch the telly. Do that & you might believe the whole country is at a standstill & the food shops are empty, which isn't actually true.

The reality is most people have only been making essential journeys, to get to work to earn money to pay their mortgages.

---

Quote: Originally posted by jeepster on 12/1/2010

---

Getting to work may seem essential to some, but rather selfish to others! If these persons do essential work that is important to the community then , yes, they should attempt to get to work, but to make a journey that can be dangerous, may prevent essential service workers doing there job and may necessitate being rescued, is irresponsible and selfish!

---

Many people either have to go to work, or take a days holiday, or lose a days pay. Many cannot afford to lose pay, and need all their holidays to look after children in the school holidays. Most employers expect you to make a reasonable effort to get to work; if not you are branded a malingerer and are top of the list for redundancy.

We'd all like to stay at home, but it's just not an option for the vast majority.

I agree with you & Jeepster Navver, lots of people do make journeys they don't have to make & they still do so in these dangerous conditions. However that wasn't the subject of this thread. I still don't believe the majority of people would benefit from fitting winter tyres considering the small amount of time these tyres would be needed.

We were seriously snowed in for a few weeks when I lived on a farm back in the winter of 1962/3, we suffered badly with the snow here in about 1982ish. I remember the queen stayed in a hotel not far from you that winter & my mate cleared the A46 with a big loading shovel. I may have forgotten the odd time other than those mentioned & we're having a rough ride for a while now, with luck it'll be over soon.

I'm no different than any other working person, I still have to go to work to pay my way but I've no intention of keeping a set of tyres here just in case it snows. I spoke to a man last saturday who was considering buying a Land Rover defender as a second vehicle because he thought it would help him get around in these conditions.I admit he can well afford it but OTT in my opinion.

BB

Quote: Originally posted by navver on 12/1/2010

---

Quote: Originally posted by jeepster on 12/1/2010

---

Getting to work may seem essential to some, but rather selfish to others! If these persons do essential work that is important to the community then , yes, they should attempt to get to work, but to make a journey that can be dangerous, may prevent essential service workers doing there job and may necessitate being rescued, is irresponsible and selfish!

---

---

Many people either have to go to work, or take a days holiday, or lose a days pay. Many cannot afford to lose pay, and need all their holidays to look after children in the school holidays. Most employers expect you to make a reasonable effort to get to work; if not you are branded a malingerer and are top of the list for redundancy.

We'd all like to stay at home, but it's just not an option for the vast majority.

 

 

 

---

Very off topic, lets get this back now

AutoSock: Textile Wheel Covers AutoSock is the high tech solution to an age old problem - how to give road tyres the grip they need on ice and snow to …get you home!

Cheers  Ratty

Quote: Originally posted by jeepster on 12/1/2010

Quote: Originally posted by navver on 12/1/2010

Quote: Originally posted by jeepster on 12/1/2010Getting to work may seem essential to some, but rather selfish to others! If these persons do essential work that is important to the community then , yes, they should attempt to get to work, but to make a journey that can be dangerous, may prevent essential service workers doing there job and may necessitate being rescued, is irresponsible and selfish!

---

Many people either have to go to work, or take a days holiday, or lose a days pay. Many cannot afford to lose pay, and need all their holidays to look after children in the school holidays. Most employers expect you to make a reasonable effort to get to work; if not you are branded a malingerer and are top of the list for redundancy.

We'd all like to stay at home, but it's just not an option for the vast majority.

 

 

 

---

---

So employers need educating regarding what is reasonable, what's new? They are only interested in profit, not the good of the community!
But anyhow this is slightly off topic, it's still unreasonable to keep a set of wheels and tyres for something that happens very occasionally, it would be less expensive to not travel!

---

Quote: Originally posted by Ratty on 13/1/2010

---

Very off topic, lets get this back now

AutoSock: Textile Wheel Covers AutoSock is the high tech solution to an age old problem - how to give road tyres the grip they need on ice and snow to …get you home!

Cheers  Ratty

---

Is there an echo in here..?