Road gritting?

Gingganggooley

What's the story with this? So many accidents on main roads this morning, let alone the treacherous side roads. Did anyone see any roads being gritted?

youngrun

saw Road gritters out last night around 10.30, Tuam road and Qc bridge areas . doubt side roads were done. People just need to slow down and check tyres etc. .

biko

Yeah a mate skidded this morning, and he knew there was ice so took it handy but still skidded.

A few things to think about:

• If there is ice on your car windows there's bound to be ice on the road.
• You don't know how to drive on ice, slow down.
• Places that are in shade are much more likely to have black ice than places warmed by the sun. Be extra vigilant when you drive though shade.
• Don't be an idiot. It's not just your own life you're risking.

buzz11

S'not grit, tis salt they're spreadin

galwaycyclist

Also as a rule, the city council does not grit or salt footpaths or cycle lanes.

So if, in icy conditions, you see people walking or cycling on the main road instead of a footpath or cycle lane then that is one reason why.

AlphaMull

Gritter was out on the Moycullen Road at 9:15 am this morning. I believe there had already been an accident at the Barna Rd junction. Can't say whether they were out during the night.

Even if they were out earlier there were showers all night long so if they had been out during the night the salt will have been washed away by this morning when it was still freezing.

yaledo

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Also as a rule, the city council does not grit or salt footpaths or cycle lanes.

So if, in icy conditions, you see people walking or cycling on the main road instead of a footpath or cycle lane then that is one reason why.

I saw pedestrians on the road this morning & thought it bizarre - this explains it.

dilallio

Those newish gritting machines are well lit up from behind but not great from the front.
I was smoking a cigarette with the window open when I met the gritter coming from the opposite direction. He was on top of me before I realised what it was.
I got a face full of grit through the open window. Smoking is definitely bad for you!

beardybrewer

I was walking the Western Distributor this morning and saw lots of odd circle patterns on the footpath. Took me a while to realize it was salt from the road making random dry bits. Not that it made much of a difference, I nearly fell over half a dozen times and saw a kid take a fall off his bike.

snubbleste

dilallio wrote: »

Those newish gritting machines are well lit up from behind but not great from the front.
I was smoking a cigarette with the window open when I met the gritter coming from the opposite direction. He was on top of me before I realised what it was.
I got a face full of grit through the open window. Smoking is definitely bad for you!

What does grit taste like, caller?

galwaycyclist

yaledo wrote: »

I saw pedestrians on the road this morning & thought it bizarre - this explains it.

Galway, the city where the officials just "love" pedestrians.

nailer54321

saw the gritters out at 6am the other morning, found it very strange as it was 5degrees on my car outside temp gauge and no sign of any ice found this mind boggling as when the temps are at 0degrees you would not see anyone out gritting the roads, then again the first credit card bills are due in after Christmas soon the OT will come in handy for that

nuac

nailer54321 wrote: »

saw the gritters out at 6am the other morning, found it very strange as it was 5degrees on my car outside temp gauge and no sign of any ice found this mind boggling as when the temps are at 0degrees you would not see anyone out gritting the roads, then again the first credit card bills are due in after Christmas soon the OT will come in handy for that

Don't be so cynical.

Both in Mayo and Galway I have seen Council men out late at night and early morning with grit or salt.

It is hard, valuable work

Mrs OBumble

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Galway, the city where the officials just "love" pedestrians.

The multinational where I was working today had salt in their carpark but none on the footpath outside :-(

Whereisgalway

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

The multinational where I was working today had salt in their carpark but none on the footpath outside :-(

If it's good enough for multinationals than it must be good enough for Galway city council

LoonyLovegood

Roads were gritted when I was coming home around 11.30. Now, whether that sleet shower means it won't frost too badly or not tonight, I don't know.

Ruben Remus

Footpaths in Salthill were pure ice rinks this morning. No signs of any gritting around there.

biko

Yeah almost slipped a couple times already. I walk like a penguin now.

Mrs OBumble

So was the top Eyre Square.

Mr OBumble saw the gritter doing the road last night, but the footpath was baddddd.

LoonyLovegood

Had to walk to Eyre Square for a bus (early) this morning, ended up just walking on the roads. Much safer (although there was no traffic at that time of morning)

L'Enfer du Nord

From memory few if any footpaths were gritted or cleared in Galway during the long cold snap (4 years ago?), had to walk to work very slowly. Part of the general disregard for pedestrians by the local authority. Crampons were sold out, I slipped and fell a few times. The thought going through my head as I fell, I hope I don't end up spending 12 hours queuing at A and E.

galwaycyclist

L'Enfer du Nord wrote: »

From memory few if any footpaths were gritted or cleared in Galway during the long cold snap (4 years ago?), had to walk to work very slowly. Part of the general disregard for pedestrians by the local authority. Crampons were sold out, I slipped and fell a few times. The thought going through my head as I fell, I hope I don't end up spending 12 hours queuing at A and E.

I was present at a council policy committee meeting where there was a circular argument with people pointing out to a certain "Director of Services" that if the paths were left icy people would walk on the road and him insisting that it remained the duty of the pedestrians to walk on the paths or some such silliness - despite the fact that was his instructions that were creating the situation.

Mrs OBumble

The top of Eyre Square was definitely gritted / salted during winter 2010/2011. It was definitely not last night.

Whereisgalway

Will it freeze tonight around Galway?

gordongekko

Why does every thread that involves car issues descend into a car v everyone else battle.

Zzippy

gordongekko wrote: »

Why does every thread that involves car issues descend into a car v everyone else battle.

It's a road issue, check the thread title. Car drivers are not the only road users...