Saturday 4 December 2010

Snow not so fun.

Snow started around here last weekend with perhaps a couple of inches.

(Sat 27th out of the window)


On Tuesday it snowed non stop and they let us out of work early since lorries were getting stuck on our road, on average it took 6 times longer for people to get home and several staff abandoned their cars and walked the final few miles

By Wednesday morning the top of my wall had 32cm of snow call it 13inches, deeper in places and possibly 8 inches in general on the flat areas. As I was clearing my car I was phoned by my boss and told not come in, since all the key holders to the offices could not make.

Later that morning the only traffic going by my house was 4 x 4's and lorries since they had close the A38 due to an accident, that then turned into a stationary queue for an hour when a lorry got stuck on the hill about a mile from house.

Thursday I made it into work along with about 50% of staff, most of them who lived locally although we could not get into our car park. We greeted by a email from the head office which had no snow telling us we would not be paid for time off due to weather conditions so had to take the day as unpaid leave or a holiday, well my opinion of that is not for a public post.

The Youth Hostel I had booked in the Peak District rang and told me they would closed over the weekend, cancelling our Ascendancy Christmas party, in many ways that was a relief since people had started to drop out, not wanting to travel, me included.

All day Thursday it continued to snow and local radio, friend and family of staff at work were delivering bad news about blocked road and sheet house, then the duel carriageway to the motorway was closed due to a accident. Eventually they decided to close the office a hour earlier and with only a 1/10th of normal traffic on the roads I got home in no time. Although I did have to snow plough my car on to the drive since the snow was now about 11inches on the flat areas, 18inches on my wall, and almost to my knees in the drifts.

(Wednesday 1st Dec, after starting to clean the snow off the car, and digging path to pavement)


(Wednesday 1st bins with snow hats)


(Main road by mid afternoon, once queue had started moving)


Friday was icy as hell and I weaved my way between all the abandoned cars and lorries, some just people who couldn't get off the road on to their drive but most were stuck at the bottom hills unable to get up them. Driving was chaos and a 4x4 does not let get past a lorry that is stuck.

Last night we had another 2 inches, but today Saturday with a slight rise in temperature the main roads are in much better condition when you get on them, even if it is a little foggy. Now I have lots of pretty icicles.

(Sat 4th Dec a bit more snow)


(Sat 4th not been out through back door)

1 comment:

  1. Some impressive photo's there! The snow here has been very light in comparison, just a couple of inches... But very cold and icy. Been very glad I didn't have to brave the main roads this week!

    ReplyDelete