Major driving delays: when to bail out of the car?

Iwannahurl

In the midst of huge media coverage of driving conditions during the current severe weather, I heard it mentioned more than once that formerly manageable commutes were now taking several hours.

For example, Pat Kenny referred to motorists taking 5 hours to drive 4 miles (6.5 km). That's an average speed of 1.3 kph, which is about half the maximum urban speed imposed by the infamous Locomotive ("Red Flag") Act of 1865!

Elsewhere I noticed someone referring to sitting in his car for 6 hours on his usual 30 minute journey home! :eek:

This got me thinking.

At what point during such absurd gridlock might it make sense just to park your car (legally and safely) and walk? *

If we assume that the average walking speed is 5 km/hr, and that this is halved in conditions of ice and snow, then on a journey of a similar length to that mentioned by Pat Kenny a pedestrian would be home two and a half hours before a motorist.

Why would any car driver put up with that? If I had to sit in my car for five or six hours in such conditions I would (a) have an arse like a bag o' hammers and (b) an exploding head.

I'd much prefer to walk. I know I'd feel better at least (fresh air, physical exercise, a sense of achievement), and if it's going to take twice as long by driving then there is clearly no advantage to taking the car.






* Or indeed just leave the car at home altogether, since the weather and traffic disruption are showing no signs of abating.

GERMAN ROCKS

id just book myself into some cheap b&b for the night.

johnos1984

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

id just book myself into some cheap b&b for the night.

And get there how??

Also you are assuming people ahead of you haven't had the same idea??

Absurdum

Maybe the people stuck in their cars that long didn't have appropriate clothing and footwear to walk home in.

ankles

Not easy to spot B&B's on Goatstown Road... never mind the M50...

johnos1984

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Why would any car driver put up with that? If I had to sit in my car for five or six hours in such conditions I would (a) have an arse like a bag o' hammers and (b) an exploding head.

Shouldn't those be the other way around after that long

An exploding arse and a head like a bag of spanners

Iwannahurl

What about walking though?

That's my real point.

B&B may not be practical, but an able-bodied person (which is what I am referring to) can walk a reasonable distance, and at twice the speed of a car in current conditions.

Iwannahurl

Absurdum wrote: »

Maybe the people stuck in their cars that long didn't have appropriate clothing and footwear to walk home in.

How long has this arctic weather been around? C'mon...

Alanstrainor

I've been driving into work with all my hiking gear in the car. Boots, extra clothes, walking sticks and food.

The main thing i'm worried about is finding somewhere to park the car, as i'd be very wary about "abandoning" the car on the side of the road.

That being said, despite my journey from St.Vincents hospital to Rathfarnham taking 4 hours yesterday, i did it in under an hour today, with no issues at all. FWD automatic Polo ftw! I couldn't believe how well it handled the conditions, even hills were a doddle.

MagicMarker

Iwannahurl wrote: »

What about walking though?

That's my real point.

B&B may not be practical, but an able-bodied (which is what I am referring to) can walk a reasonable distance, and at twice the speed of a car in current conditions.

Are you supposed to leave your car on the side of the road until the snow goes away?

Vertakill

I was stuck for about 1 hour and I was only about 3 minute drive from my house this evening..

(If anyone knows it, stuck in non-moving traffic on the stretch of road in Leixlip there between the roundabout @ Liffey Valley Golf course / Springfield Hotel / Salmon Leap whilst trying to go into Leixlip).

Would've definitely hopped out but I didn't fancy collecting the car later this evening, or even worse, tomorrow morning as I sort of have to make it into work this week.

Soul destroying. Took me 1:10 minutes to go Newbridge > Leixlip and then another hour to go about 1km.... good job JCB/Snowplow piece of sh1t.

johnos1984

Its a good idea but there are very few b&bs left along those routes.

Hotels are an option but as it can take a long time to even make it the half mile up the road to some it becomes unattractive, walking or driving.

star-pants

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I've been driving into work with all my hiking gear in the car. Boots, extra clothes, walking sticks and food.

The main thing i'm worried about is finding somewhere to park the car, as i'd be very wary about "abandoning" the car on the side of the road.

+1
That's what my dad has been doing, he's got a bag in the boot of his car with all his gear should it be too bad when he gets out of work he'll just leave his car in work and walk.
He actually walked from Churchtown to near Vincents today himself, and home again this evening.

re:OP
Depends on where you are though tbh, some of the traffic problems are caused by 'abandoned' cars parked in stupid places. Fairly hard to find somewhere 'safe & legal' to park if you're on say the M50, or an N road, or even some of the other roads whereby there is really only space for the cars that are driving.
I saw more cars get stuck today because of people leaving their car at the side of the road/getting stuck themselves.

Yes if you don't have adequate driving experience / a car that can handle in the weather you probably should walk I agree, but I don't think it's as simple as 'find a place to park and abandon your car'.

Iwannahurl

MagicMarker wrote: »

Are you supposed to leave your car on the side of the road until the snow goes away?

I did say park up legally and safely, to which I will now add sensibly and securely.

I also suggested that it might be possible for some able-bodied adults to leave their car at home in the first place.

I just can't imagine having the patience and stamina to sit in my car for six hours knowing that the drive normally takes 30 minutes (a short commute anyway, I would suggest).

To me that is just daft. I'd rather use my patience and stamina to take what would be a bracing and possibly challenging walk, and I reckon I would feel the better for it.

johnos1984

I think the term 'Abandon your car' tells it own story.

You don't pull up in a proper space and walk. For instance I didn't abandon my car in a car parking space between the lines and pop a parking ticket in the window.

Abandon says to me that literally you had no choice, you just had to leave the car where it was. Hence hotel/B&B makes little difference

coylemj

Walking, even on paved paths in this weather is not necessarily a good idea. For starters you can't see tree stumps or other obstacles like an uneven surface that are covered in snow. There is also the issue that if you fell and bumped your head you probably wouldn't last long in the cold and these days I wouldn't be relying on a good samaritan to stop his/her car to come to my rescue even if anyone could see me before I got covered in snow and became invisible.

There is also the issue that most people would prefer to get the car home as well as themselves so that it's outside the house in the morning.

johnos1984

Iwannahurl wrote: »

To me that is just daft. I'd rather use my patience and stamina to take what would be a bracing and possibly challenging walk, and I reckon I would feel the better for it.

People did get caught out. My sister for one.

Conditions were fine when she left work in Wicklow but a few miles up the road it just went to pot

Iwannahurl

star-pants wrote: »

That's what my dad has been doing, he's got a bag in the boot of his car with all his gear should it be too bad when he gets out of work he'll just leave his car in work and walk.
He actually walked from Churchtown to near Vincents today himself, and home again this evening.

Fair play to him. Maybe this walking lark is a generational thing!

Churchtown to near Vincents: how far is that (in km)?

Drake66

ankles wrote: »

Not easy to spot B&B's on Goatstown Road... never mind the M50...

I was stuck on that bloody thing last night as well. Chaos

peasant

Should you abandon your car on a road where it impedes my progress ...don't be surprised to find it in the nearest ditch the next morning ....possibly on its roof and with a big dent from where I pushed it off.

Oh look ..I brought my walking boots ..I'm gonna make everyone else walk too :mad:

Bad enough having to deal with drivers who can't drive ..but blocking everybody elses progress that would be the height of it.

Leave it at home or in a parking lot

Iwannahurl

coylemj wrote: »

There is also the issue that most people would prefer to get the car home as well as themselves so that it's outside the house in the morning.

So they can spend another six hours on a 30-minute journey the next day? :eek:

This is the thing I don't understand. Tree stumps or no, I'd rather spend 3 hours walking than 6 hours in a car travelling at 1.3 kph.

Maybe it's just me and my impatience, and the fact that I am used to walking and have no fear of it. I don't seem to have the head for gridlock but I do have feet for walking.

Oh, and an exploding arse.

star-pants

Aye the OP didn't say 'abandon' the car, but essentially that's what you'd be doing, you can't get it home/stick out the traffic so you're leaving it behind. With the thickness of the snow, as said, it's near impossible to make out where the kerb is / islands/other bits to safely park your car.
Again, some people head out and it's not bad, then all of a sudden a blizzard hits and they're already enroute / on motorway and there's not much you can do about it.

My dad's journey was over 6km I'd say. Don't think it's just a generational thing, I've no issue putting on my gear & walking either. But then there are people who aren't able for the cold/length of journey.

johnos1984

star-pants wrote: »

I've no issue putting on my gear & walking either. But then there are people who aren't able for the cold/length of journey.

Aye.

My mate was questioning me as to why I had the towing hook already attached to the car, towing rope, bottles of water, blanket, mars bars, heavy cloths etc etc etc.

What was i expecting he said sure I was on the motorway the whole way from Belfast to Nenagh.

I travelled at the right time missed the worst of it today but wasn't taking any chance.

Mind you the g/f was laughing before I left and said it was like my own little TopGear adventure

MagicMarker

The reason I wouldn't abandon my car and just walk is because I'm just going to have to go back and get it, and possibly face the very same circumstances that forced me to leave it in the first place.

What I would do though is park up somewhere and wait. No sense in sitting in traffic if you could be in a warm pub drinking a coca cola and watching the telly.

Iwannahurl

MagicMarker wrote: »

The reason I wouldn't abandon my car and just walk is because I'm just going to have to go back and get it, and possibly face the very same circumstances that forced me to leave it in the first place.

What I would do though is park up somewhere and wait. No sense in sitting in traffic if you could be in a warm pub drinking a coca cola and watching the telly.

Yes, a hot coca-cola with lemon and cloves while watching the traffic and weather clog up the TV news -- splendid idea.

So if sheer weight of traffic plus severe weather is what's causing the gridlock, then those who sensibly leave their cars and either walk or wait are actually doing society a favour.

Taking the car also risks encountering the same circumstances again, except that if everyone does that the likely outcome is more gridlock. Walking and waiting (if feasible) do not have the same effect.

It seems we don't do walking in this country (compared to some other places), nor do we do winter. Great letter about our hopeless response to a bit of snow and cold from a Siberian native in today's Irish Times.

Toots

coylemj wrote: »

Walking, even on paved paths in this weather is not necessarily a good idea. For starters you can't see tree stumps or other obstacles like an uneven surface that are covered in snow.

Would just like to +1 to this, if I'd had the option, I'd have happily sat in my car. As it is, our cars are snowed in and it's 7km from my house to work, not going in wasn't an option, so when the snow arrived at the start of dec, I had to walk it. Even with ice grips on my boots (proper hiking boots), and snow poles, and allowing plenty of time to make the journey, I stepped off a kerb that was covered in snow, into a big pile of slush, and have done horrible damage to my knee. I haven't been in work since 2nd of December and crutches + snow = bad news!

I reckon if you can manage to either wait for a bit until the worst of the traffic clears and then try it again. Another reason I'd be reluctant to abandon the car on the side of the road is it'd be just typical to come back to get it the next day and find some tool had skidded into the side of it. If you have to abandon the car, do it somewhere where it won't be a hazard to other road users, don't just turn off the engine and get out!!! (unless the you totally run out of petrol and the engine cuts out completely, then you're fairly stuck)

bmw535d

ehh because people from places further than 10 miles away from where they need to go need to drive, but they are being held up by lazy cnuts strolling down to the shops in their meezly little cereal box cars getting stuck on everything over a 5degree incline.

johnos1984

bmw535d wrote: »

ehh because people from places further than 10 miles away from where they need to go need to drive, but they are being held up by lazy cnuts strolling down to the shops in their meezly little cereal box cars getting stuck on everything over a 5degree incline.

I think you'll find those 'cereal box cars' which are light and have skinny tyres are great in the snow if they have a competent driver.

Where as the big lad in his high powered car/4x4(yes even them) are whats the biggest issue.

I myself drove behind a BMW 520D which was being driven by a guy who seemed to feel the need to put the boot down to over take only to **** himself when the rear tried to overtake the front of his car.

He done this 3 times while I was behind him.

Gary ITR

star-pants wrote: »

My dad's journey was over 6km I'd say. Don't think it's just a generational thing, I've no issue putting on my gear & walking either. But then there are people who aren't able for the cold/length of journey.

Well you did have to walk a little bit today after your idiot boyfriend got stuck on a hill


To answer the OP, personally if I'm not late for work or something I don't mind sitting in traffic and tbh I hate being more than 20yards or so from my car unless it's somewhere secure

Iwannahurl

Toots* wrote: »

Would just like to +1 to this, if I'd had the option, I'd have happily sat in my car. As it is, our cars are snowed in and it's 7km from my house to work, not going in wasn't an option, so when the snow arrived at the start of dec, I had to walk it. Even with ice grips on my boots (proper hiking boots), and snow poles, and allowing plenty of time to make the journey, I stepped off a kerb that was covered in snow, into a big pile of slush, and have done horrible damage to my knee. I haven't been in work since 2nd of December and crutches + snow = bad news!

I reckon if you can manage to either wait for a bit until the worst of the traffic clears and then try it again. Another reason I'd be reluctant to abandon the car on the side of the road is it'd be just typical to come back to get it the next day and find some tool had skidded into the side of it. If you have to abandon the car, do it somewhere where it won't be a hazard to other road users, don't just turn off the engine and get out!!! (unless the you totally run out of petrol and the engine cuts out completely, then you're fairly stuck)

Ouch! My commiserations.

The poor state of both footpaths and roads is due to our bad management of severe weather. Since we can expect more of it in the future we better learn to adapt, like good Europeans.

I was reminded today of the German laws requiring citizens to keep paths clear of snow and ice: http://www.german-way.com/ice-snow-removal.html

Will we see similar measures introduced here?

Will we get a receipt?

StereoLove

I would pull over and walk when I got too annoyed at waiting, which knowing my patience, wouldn't be very long:rolleyes:

star-pants

Onkle wrote: »

Well you did have to walk a little bit today after your idiot boyfriend got stuck on a hill

Oi! he's not an idiot, if the silly twit in the micra hadn't got stuck first, we wouldn't have gotten stuck.

I'm not a big fan of bumper to bumper traffic but if you're out in it, it might actually be safer to try and get home in your car than leave it somewhere where it could be obstructing someone else / venture on foot which as Toots* said could leave you worse for wear.
As other's have also said, leaving your car somewhere still leaves the problem of your car being somewhere awkward and you'll have to trek back & collect it anyway.

Gary ITR

Ah jaysis lads.... Are you both 5 or something?

Come on, back on topic

Tallon

Of course it's illegal, you didn't get permission to move the car.

I have Wellies and full supplies in the boot all year round in case of a Zombie outbreak, so this snow doesn't bother me. If It was taking too long to get where I was going, I would find somewhere safe and sheltered to park the car and walk.

Gary ITR

Thread temp locked to remove the rubbish posts


EDIT: Reopened now stick with the topic at hand