Where else in the world but here?

[pearl1]

No indeedy - you're no killjoy. Quic!duck! - there's a snowball heading your way!

[ontheedge]

Louisa i was on a bus to work last night and it was seriously scary sliding all over the place until decieded could go no further i admire the driver for getting as far as he did.Walked home this morning 3 hours but saw some sights o make me laugh eg guy fully kitted out in ski gear with skis only in east dulwich, lighten up and look at the beauty and wonder around you. Maybe bow to nature the true ruler

[Cassius]

This is a 'one off' - the worst snow for 18 years. I remember walking home from the South Bank in 1991, past buses that were moving at about 1 mile an hour along the Walworth Road. I then remember passing about 15 buses between Camberwell and Dulwich as they ground to a halt on the hill. All these stationery buses did is stop any decent drivers from actually moving.

Louisa, I partly share your view, this is a 21st Century capital city, we should be able to keep running no matter the weather, but this is NOT Russia or Canada where such weather conditions are commonplace - this is South East England where such conditions are so rare we'll be talking about it for years.

Incidentally I saw more smiling faces in Dulwich Park this morning than I have seen since the old 'cc' has hit. Perhaps it's a bit of the spirit of the Blitz!

[honk]

I got back from Berlin last night and walked from Kings Cross to Old Kent Road Tesco at 3 am in a blizzard as there were no buses, taxis, or indeed any vehicles out on the road. Finally I spotted the only black cab driver in London who drove me the rest of the way.

God knows what all the people back at Kings Cross waiting for the 63 did, I'm pretty sure not all of them had the luxury of being able to afford cabs - not that there were any.

Louisa, you need to stay off the glue, please don't ever run for political office either.

[microbite]

lousia honey, take a chill pill and go play snow angels in the snow, might cool you down a bit.

I was up at 7 with the kids, running around outside making snowmen and snow angels, had a brilliant snowball fight with all the neighbours opposite! No school, no work, one (possibly 2)days off at most, love it!!!!

[Vee]

Louisa I think you should chill out!

[Mick Mac]

karter Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It is snowing again. I don't remember seeing the

> impact Snow has had on london as it has today.

> London was not prepped for this louisa. As Sean

> says.

I remember the snow in 1991 - I had only just begun working and I managed to get into work to find there were only about 3 people there. In all my time since I don't remember having more than a day or 2 like this when most people took the day off.

I disagree with Louisa, we are far from lazy - London is one of the hardest working cities in the world, long hours and long journey times, lots of stress, so its not lazy to have a day off with adverse weather conditions once every 18 years.

[Scylla100]

Actually, Washington D.C. grinds to a halt when it snows too. When I was living there, one winter it snowed just a few inches (less then we're getting now) and they shut down the entire US government (pretty much) and made the announcement on the news - after - a lot of people had gone to work in the morning. There was a big massive head ache for all those people trying to get home that afternoon. There were lots of people complaining in wonder "OMG, the nation's capitol shut down do to a weenie little bit of snow? It would never happen in Minnesota/Ohio/Michigan/South Dakota/North Dakota/East Nowhere Pennsylvania."

Scylla

[MrBen]

*Bob* Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> MrBen Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Did anyone recall hearing any warnings of heavy

> > snow paralysing London....even yesterday morning

> ?

> > Rubbish! They clearly dont have a clue! But

> that

> > is the beauty of the natural world we live in.

>

> Yes.. snow lying on the ground .. possibly 2/3

> inches by Sunday/Monday.. in London - was forecast

> on Friday.

OK so "a few inches of snow". As opposed to *SNOW!*

Not good enough!

[giggirl]

Penguin68 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> This is, apparently, the worse snow-fall that

> London has seen for 18 years - we 'normally' get

> only one or two even mildly snowy days a year, if

> that. I, for one, would be unhappy paying for the

> infrastucture (snow ploughs, gritting machinery

> for all roads, training, staffing etc. etc.) at

> the level of Toronto and Moscow for approximately

> one day's use out of every 600. With train fares

> at the level they are I would be unhappy to be

> paying for heated rails etc. etc. again for a

> minimal use every year.

>

> The justification that TFL has is that our general

> climate does not justify expenditure on snow

> chains, skid training etc. for our buses and bus

> drivers. It may well be that we are due to see

> increased extremes of climate which will

> cost-justify such expenditure, but snow, in

> London, is still an extraordinary event. Central

> London, with its office etc. population, is

> normally sufficiently warmer than the surrounding

> countryside that snow rarely has a chance of

> settling - the fact is that we had a snowfall on

> Sunday evening - when the capital is probably at

> its coldest, as the heat sink which is its

> concrete and pavements (like a big storage heater)

> has had most time to dissipate.

>

> I am very glad that TFL (and local authorities) do

> still undertake some form of cost:benefit

> analysis. I couldn't afford their charges if they

> decided to invest against any eventuality, however

> unlikely.

>

> As it is, for a day or two every couple of years

> at most, we have a little disruption to our lives,

> a day off school or work, perhaps, a little

> inconvenience.

>

> And the cities you write of are also disrupted

> when their weather is (for them) extreme - think

> of the ice storms that devastated North America

> some time back, and I can recall reports of

> hypothermia deaths in Moscow. They had prepared

> for their (normal) snow, but not for those

> extremes.

Penguin - I think you've nailed it. Moscow/Toronto and any other country with annual heavy snowfall, pays for the infrastructure to keep going. We don't. It's that simple. I really really resent the implication that Brits and too lazy to go to work today. That's not the case at all. We've been forced to have the day off, like it or not and not to seize the day and make the most of it is just DUMB!

[*Bob*]

So you heard the forecast and thought.. 'a few inches of snow, ah shucks.. that's nothing'?

London grinds to a halt if a wet leaf falls onto a train track running out of Clapham Junction.

A few inches of snow on Sunday = stay in bed on Monday. No questions.

[JUED]

Louisa,

this is why they've taken all the buses off the road and hardly anyones out in their cars....

Weather look similar anywhere else today??

I think they made the right decision!

Multi car crash

[giggirl]

JUED - That's so funny. Thanks for posting.

px

[Vee]

Oh and surprise surprise this happened somewhere else in the world!

I am loving my Snow Day, there's such an apres ski atmosphere in East Dulwich. Bring it on for Snow Tuesday tomorrow. Cancel all the buses and trains I want to party!

[JUED]

Thats the snow spirit!!

Right time to go to the pub, see you all down there......

[????]

Last time it was like this in London was 1991 the time before 1981 and I remeber them both well. This morning I looked out the window and then at the quidlets and thought "Sh1te will my kids really want to build a snowman with their dad when they are 19 and 22 years old.....so F*CK WORK...tomorrow, whatever the conditions I'll do a full day, today I had a ball...it'sn ont like the work ethic of the last 15 years has achieved anything apart from a global meltdown....

[Michael Palaeologus]

Well said ????. Given that many people have been shafted by the employers in the past few months, those that stick 2 fingers up to them and spend their time with their families having fun are doing the right thing.

[Applespider]

The normal couple of inches that London occasionally gets is one thing that they should be prepared for. The current amount is not normal and would be tough to prepare for. Imagine if the councils did have all those gritters and ploughs to deal with 10" of snow. We'd all be complaining about what a waste of money it is to maintain all those vehicles for the 17 years out of 18 where they're barely used. Probably cost more money than the lack of productivity has caused today.

I was inconvenienced by the buses being cancelled last night since I was in town from earlier in the day and had to get home around 3.30am. I was prepared for a long cold walk since I'd bundled up and worn decent boots since I knew at least some snow was forecast but luckily found someone who could give me a lift. But after travelling with someone in a small car who knew what they were doing driving in the snow, I'm really glad the buses weren't running since the roads really weren't in a condition for them. We saw lorries with hazards on, cars spinning their wheels trying to get out from odd angles on hills where they'd skidded.

And abnormal amounts for the area of sun/snow/rain/hail/wind cause problems anywhere in the world. You build your infrastructure to deal with normal + a 20% contingency and if conditions fall beyond that, you make the best of it but expect problems.

[Keef]

Has been a nice day, although unfortunately I have done something to my foot, so wasn't able to go far. Did take my camera out though. Best thing about today is that people have been able to actually experience throwing a real snowball at someone, which will hopefully lead then to realise how bloody pointless and stupid it is to throw a virtual one on facebook!

[Barn Seeker]

Yes, some businesses obviously suffered today, but some small business clearly did very well indeed. I popped in to Franklins today for a winter warmer and it was absolutely packed. Everyone was having a great chat, lovely tunes were on, the snow was softly falling outside, and everyone had a great laugh at the bloke who walked down Lordship Lane with a snowman head balanced on his head. What a lovely cozy afternoon. I for one did not missing the office at all!

[SeanMacGabhann]

Good point Barny

The bars/cafes that were open on the lane were making hay while the snow fell... if Sema Thai can pack em in on a Monday afternoon, you KNOW business is brisk.

Yes somehow I doubt the "business experts" calculating the billions lost today will factor in that

[Mikecg]

Great for the little man, not so great for the corpos.

[Nichiyobi]

nothing to see here people. wrong thread.

[HonaloochieB]

Well I went out earlier to find Somerfield open.

I made the effort to get there to avail myself of their great offer of four large bottles of San Mig for a fiver.

I walked in there drooling and smacking my lips like Fatty out of The Bash Street Kids (any resemblence, purely my own fault).

To find what? None available. Nor the large Stellas, or indeed the Becks for the same generous price.

I was told the delivery couldn't get through because of the snow.

A bit of snow, scarcely thicker than an application of rouge on a virgin's alabaster cheek has brought this once proud nation to its knees. Has it come to this? Has it?

Broken Britain indeed.

[Scylla100]

Great vid JUED.....okay people driving your cars on slippy roads, pump the breaks when you wanna stop! PUMP those baby's rather then slam down or your you'll turn into Gordie Howe of the Red Wings.

Scylla