Warning early eve Black Ice on Roads, Pavements

[Dizzy]

Still not a flake of it round here... maybe the snow clouds are stuck

[Bill]

Most have been an isolated shower then because there's non here and I've just been to Crew and there wasn't any during the whole journey. There's quite a lot of fog about and my guage still showns -2C so not the best driving conditions.

 

 

 

Bill

[asperity]

Several isolated showers Bill

[observer]

Roads fairly clear, just hope the grit will last!

[Bill]

Had a bit of a heart stopping moment Saturday morning on some black ice but just about managed to correct it.

 

From what I've seen on my travels, most drivers seem to showing some respect for the wearther by slowing down.

 

I'm off out again in a few mins to Salford, Accrington and Blackburn and just hope I don't get caught out up there.

 

Bill

[Dizzy]

Agreed main roads are pretty good..... but

 

CAN THEY PLEASE START TO DO SOMTHING ABOUT THE SIDE ROADS AND PAVEMENTS !! I know I sound like a stuck record

 

I've just tried to take the dog for a walk and for the second time today have given up again.

 

I LITERALLY CAN NOT WALK ON ANY OF THE PAVEMENTS AROUND HERE AND EVEN THE DOG FELL OVER AGAIN !!

 

Outside ours is fine as we salted it days ago.... but past that no chance.

 

I tried the pavement very slowly..got round the corner and slid back down the slope.... I tried walking on the untreated roads and even the grass verges..... IT'S ALL PURE SMOOTH ICE with the odd safe tiny bit here and there to regain your composure !!

 

God help anyone who is elderly or a bit unsteady on their feet although I guess they probably wont be daft enough to go out

 

I wonder how many new cases they have seen at A&E this past week due to falls... surely it is cheaper to grit than treat injuries and broken bones

 

Anyway back to my dilema....I have at least figured out that I could get to Stockton Heath Village for supplies if I walk down the middle of the Ellemere Road which is not too bad at the moment (I think they must have gritted it Miracle )... or I could drive of course and take the dog for a scenic ride.

 

Would be nice to be able to walk more than a few yards though

 

So......anyone got any suggestions on what to do to make shoes not slip?

 

I've been told that wearing a pair of socks OVER your shoes/boots helps... might try that in a bit if I can find a stretchy enough pair

 

I even thought about putting loads of elastic bands round my boots but I'd have to walk to the shops to buy some and they probably wouldn't last long being walked on

 

Anything else that may work ?

 

Gosh I'm rambling... I need my walk... I'm a prisoner

[Peter T]

Surely your parish councillors are actively working to sort it out?

Have you contacted any of your local politicians yet?

What about the likely lads? They aren't watching football and I doubt whether they are out riding their bikes.

[Dizzy]

Peter... should we really have to contact our parish or local coucillors?

 

They must all be fully aware what it's like everywhere... not that they would or could do anything anyway regardelss of being 'asked' or not

 

Who are the footy supporter bike riding likely lads ?

[Peter T]

Mutual acquaintances. S and P.

Just because people should know, doesn't mean they will do anything without someone giving them earache.

[observer]

Try crepe soles Diz! OR get your neighbours to clear or grit the pavement outside their house - many hands make light work.

[Bazj]

Dizzy,

 

you need some of these....

 

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/level5/module.jsp?moduleId=cpc/600070.xml

 

Not sure if they do doggie ones though!!

[Eagle]

Was in Leigh late afternoon all the pavements were clear and there were various Council employees out scattering sand/grit on them in preperation for the next freeze. On the way home a different crew were doing the same to the footpaths along Warrington Road (A574)upto the Greyhound roundabout.

 

Over the border into home territory all the paths were covered with frozen ice/snow that had been there since the first flake.

[Bill]

I think people would be prepared to clean snow off the pavements but this isn?t laziness, its more that there?s been so many rumours about being sued if someone slipped where the snow had been removed that people are afraid of doing it. It?s the same near the shops where in the past they would clear the snow and grit the area making for easier access but these days more often than not they do absolutely nothing. Now to my way of thinking if the general public?s scared of being sued for clearing footpaths then it could be the same with the council.

 

Back when I was a kid, people would scatter the ashes from the coal fires on the pavements and that seemed to work well pity we can?t do that now.

 

Bill

[wolfie]

Back when I was a kid, people would scatter the ashes from the coal fires on the pavements and that seemed to work well pity we can?t do that now.

 

Bill

 

I think you'll find Fiddlers Ferry has taken over that role.

[Dizzy]

Try crepe soles Diz! OR get your neighbours to clear or grit the pavement outside their house - many hands make light work.

 

Would pankakes do instead

 

Many hands.... yeah right. Last year me and another neighbour did a huge stretch because no-one else bothered. Was fun though.

 

I did about 20 ft the other day but got bored. I suppose I could just walk the dog back and too along that bit

 

Would be an impossible task for me to do all the pavements round here unless someone can lend me a mobility scooter and I'll attach a modified lawn seed sprinkler trough to the back full of salt.

 

Now that WOULD be fun

[Dizzy]

Dizzy,

 

you need some of these....

 

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/level5/module.jsp?moduleId=cpc/600070.xml

 

Not sure if they do doggie ones though!!

 

Cool.... I'm sure they were selling similar in the Betterware catalogue or a leaflet that came through the letterbox a few months ago... oooh drat. If only I had thought at the time

 

Thanks for the link I'll get some as no doubt we will be seeing a lot more ice, snow and ungritted places over the next few months

[Dizzy]

Was in Leigh late afternoon all the pavements were clear and there were various Council employees out scattering sand/grit on them in preperation for the next freeze. On the way home a different crew were doing the same to the footpaths along Warrington Road (A574)upto the Greyhound roundabout.

 

Over the border into home territory all the paths were covered with frozen ice/snow that had been there since the first flake.

 

On the news council/highways employees in other areas were manually clearing pavements etc too. So everywhere else people are managing to do their bit by working together to 'clear' and 'prevent'... and yet here nothing.

 

Never mind should all start to go on Thursday as the temperature rises.

 

PS Bill ... Maybe we should start another rumour ... ie that people WILL be suied if they DON'T clear their own area

[Evil Sid]

as a stopgap measure why not try a pair of football boots for walking the dog or invest in the good old hobnailed boots like the mountain climbers used to use (not sure if they still do or not).

 

if the dog just needs exercise then get one of those travelator things and dangle a bone just in front of it. will keep him amused for hours.

[Dizzy]

Good idea... I'll see if my sons footy boots fit me and try them out although I'll look a bit daft but who cares if they work

 

PS he's a she and it would have to be a tennis ball, sausage or Mr Meerkat

[Peter T]

Dizzy,

 

you need some of these....

 

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/level5/module.jsp?moduleId=cpc/600070.xml

 

Not sure if they do doggie ones though!!

 

Cool.... I'm sure they were selling similar in the Betterware catalogue or a leaflet that came through the letterbox a few months ago... oooh drat. If only I had thought at the time

 

Thanks for the link I'll get some as no doubt we will be seeing a lot more ice, snow and ungritted places over the next few months

 

Go to their web site. If you don't need them in the New Year, you will need them next winter.

[observer]

Diz, carry on shoveling - it's what's known as "the big society"!

[Dizzy]

SUCCESS After a lot of testing of variious footwear and improvisations in the backs (service road) near us I finally succeeded to walk where others fear to tread !!!! .. got some very strange looks from the builders nearby )

 

Socks over boots.... 1/10

Massaging rubber inner soles taped to the outside/undearneath of my boots.... 5/10 but then they fell off as the selotape split so overall 0.10

Footy Boots (metal studs) too small

Footy boots (plastic 'blades') very slippy 0/10

Sons cricket shoes... bloody marvelous massive 10/10

 

I've been out walking the dog for an hour up slopes over thick solid uneven ice, you name it I've walked on it... not a proble

Dog was struggling though

 

Tell you what some of the roads and pavements are WORSE than I thought once you get glose to them.

[Bill]

Well a quick shower of rain this morning seems to have turned the roads into a skating rink. All the motorways are reporting multiple accidents and the A57 Manchester Road is gridlocked as a result.

 

Watch how you go if your venturing out this morning it?s as slipply as hell out there.

 

 

 

Bill

[Dizzy]

Police Warning on front page news

http://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/articles/9563/1/Black-ice-warning-for-motorists/Page1.html

 

I agree Bill....... I walked outside thinking the temperature had risen and everything was melting as it just looked damp. What a shock I had Areas which were clear are now deadly.

 

Other half said there were numerous accidents between Stockton Heath and Birchwood this morning, cars written off, cars in the middle of roundabouts, people unable to stop or drive in a straight line etc etc. AWFUL AND DANGEROUS.

 

Pavements are just as bad

 

Many busses have been also cancelled

[Evil Sid]

well at six this morning was out with the dog and not too bad underfoot but there was a light sort of rain. it was so light that i wondered if i was imagining it.

 

went out to wait for my driver to arrive and the pavement had gone from a slightly frosty looking one to one that looked as if it was clear. so two triple salko's and very impressive spin later i was facing the right way down the street. a few choice words issued from beneath the many layers and i proceeded with the penguin walk down to the end of the street. that was clear last night so should be ok was the thought running through my mind.

 

HA so much for that one. being completely black was enough too fool me for about two feet where i finally stopped the slow gentle slide that was taking me ever nearer to the road. executing a very ginger turn i scrabbled back to the wall and waited. out of the corner of my eye i saw a chap coming along the pavement on a push-bike. "watch out for the" was all i could managed before he performed a perfect two wheel skid leaving the bike in a heap on the floor and him clinging to the nearby lamppost with his feet looking like one of those cartoon animals as they scrabbled for purchase. "thats the second time this morning that has happened" he said as he twisted the handle bars round through 360 degrees to untangle the brake cables. with that he hopped back on and cycled away apparently none the worse for his ordeal.