Severe Winter Weather: ESSENTIAL PREPARATIONS, TRAVEL ADVICE, DRIVING TIPS & CLOSURES

sdanseo

endacl wrote: »

You can pick them up today in Halfords. Online purchase will likely be late. Halfords are on the ball. Wonder what they were charging in December?

If you order now on Micksgarage and pick the €5 priority delivery chances are you'll have them Tuesday. I got wiper blades last week off them and had them next day.
€50 is a mad price difference, Halfords profiteering?

endacl

sdanseo wrote: »

If you order now on Micksgarage and pick the €5 priority delivery chances are you'll have them Tuesday. I got wiper blades last week off them and had them next day.
€50 is a mad price difference, Halfords profiteering?

More likely Micksgarage overstocked and realise nobody will want snow socks after next week.

carltonleon

When I open up the cover to get to my water meter, there is a kind of polystyrene float on top of it as a frost cover but the whole thing is covered in water, should that be the case or should there be no water?

irishfeen

carltonleon wrote: »

When I open up the cover to get to my water meter, there is a kind of polystyrene float on top of it as a frost cover but the whole thing is covered in water, should that be the case or should there be no water?

That’s surface water after seeping thru, get a little ponny and empty out the water and put an old jumper or something like that around the meter and stop cock just to help prevent any freezing.

km79

carltonleon wrote: »

When I open up the cover to get to my water meter, there is a kind of polystyrene float on top of it as a frost cover but the whole thing is covered in water, should that be the case or should there be no water?

Definitely not
Water leaking from it or above ........

s15r330

Just bought one of those little €6 snow shovels in Argos, nothing heavy duty but might get me out of a jam.

The lad who served me was laughing asking where was I going with a snow shovel.

I was torn between saying we'll see who is laughing in a few days or i'm going painting the house with it.

Cantona's Collars

I hope my employer deals with any disruption better than they handled Ophelia,they made a complete hames of that and sent people home in the middle of it then told people to either work in the time or take a days holidays.
If we get a lot of snow they'll have some serious problems.

NIMAN

s15r330 wrote: »

Just bought one of those little €6 snow shovels in Argos, nothing heavy duty but might get me out of a jam.

The lad who served me was laughing asking where was I going with a snow shovel.

I was torn between saying we'll see who is laughing in a few days or i'm going painting the house with it.

There's a fair chance he might be laughing.

We were just chatting about snow shovels in work the other day. I, and many other, bought ones after the 2010 Big Freeze, and no-one among the group has ever used theirs since.

power pants

Place on Mary St and Capel st selling outdoor boots, coats etc up to 70% off

Just bought nice waterproof boots for 40 were 100

s15r330

NIMAN wrote: »

There's a fair chance he might be laughing.

We were just chatting about snow shovels in work the other day. I, and many other, bought ones after the 2010 Big Freeze, and no-one among the group had ever used theirs.

I actually hope he is as i'm due to fly to Amsterdam Friday!

UpTheHillFrom

carltonleon wrote: »

When I open up the cover to get to my water meter, there is a kind of polystyrene float on top of it as a frost cover but the whole thing is covered in water, should that be the case or should there be no water?

Checked mine and it was the same, not sure if that’s right or now, dried it all out and filled the gap at the top with wood insulation (had some spare in the attic). Will take the insulation out when the warmer weather returns.

Got some odd looks from the neighbours ❄️

Yer Da sells Avon

m17 wrote: »

It's going to be the worst snowfall since 1982 here is dublin back then

Bit of useless off-topic trivia: the abandoned bus in that photo (464-ZD) has survived.

Larbre34

Thats a great photo of the old girl on the M50, it was hard to imagine a 6 lane Dublin bypass carry 150,000 cars a day when she was in regular service.

Any location known for the snowbound road shot?

moeblogs

Just ordered this, Snow socks €10 + €7 delivery Irish company in Newbridge.

https://www.mcldirect.com/en/all-car-products/3198-snow-socks-tg80-winter-car-snow-socks-driving-aids--contains-2-socks-8033087530056.html

Bananaleaf

Hi everyone. Did the shopping yesterday but hopped out again today to get more supplies just in case. The whole house thinks I'm mad. Would love a day or two off work as well as to be able to say 'told you so' so fingers crossed for a fair whack of snow

my3cents

Just ordered this, Snow socks €10 + €7 delivery Irish company in Newbridge.

Hope the delivery driver has a pair

NIMAN

Snow socks.....another item bought in huge quantities in 2010 (and those chains for the wheels too) that are now lying about in a drawer somewhere or in the shed.
Again never out of the packets.

ZX7R

I would like to add, of you have kid stock up on capol etc you can never have enough of that even with out a weather event

Whispered

ZX7R wrote: »

I would like to add, of you have kid stock up on capol etc you can never have enough of that even with out a weather event

Oh great tip! Wouldn't have thought of that

Vxlks

i find it hard to believe that I went out with my dad today to go get a snow shovel and supplies at home base in Dublin, and I'm looking around and seeing people buying plants amd garden supplies just because it's a nice day! Everybody blissfully unaware Dublin is going to get smacked hard with this!

Neighbours also mowing their grass and people power washing their cars too! Simply unbelievable!

BabysCoffee

Any advice on when is best to put rock salt out on my path? I was thinking Monday evening or will Tuesday morning be better?

Conor Bourke

Lidl have tubs of rock salt for ~€4 I think.

BabysCoffee

Cornelius Crow wrote: »

Lidl have tubs of rock salt for ~€4 I think.

Got mine in Homebase - €5 for a bag

FastFullBack

moeblogs wrote: »

Just ordered this, Snow socks €10 + €7 delivery Irish company in Newbridge.

Good price. Anywhere something similar could be got in bricks and mortar shop in Cork?

moeblogs

Hope the delivery driver has a pair [/QUOTE]

I'm prepared to go full Jack Hall to get these..:cool: Also reserved these for collection, wife thinks i'm gone mad..

moeblogs

FastFullBack wrote: »

Good price. Anywhere something similar could be got in bricks and mortar shop in Cork?

Couldn't find any shops selling these at a good price.. hope you have better luck..

Larbre34

Vxlks wrote: »

i find it hard to believe that I went out with my dad today to go get a snow shovel and supplies at home base in Dublin, and I'm looking around and seeing people buying plants amd garden supplies just because it's a nice day! Everybody blissfully unaware Dublin is going to get smacked hard with this!

Neighbours also mowing their grass and people power washing their cars too! Simply unbelievable!

I wouldnt be too bothered about the grass as the ground is a bit soft, but i gave the cars a wash and wax when i was out prepping them, might as well take the months grime off and protect the paint from the road salt as much as possible

ZX7R

Larbre34 wrote: »

I wouldnt be too bothered about the grass as the ground is a bit soft, but i gave the cars a wash and wax when i was out prepping them, might as well take the months grime off and protect the paint from the road salt as much as possible

Spent most of the day cleaning the back garden myself, all ready for a covering of snow and there will be no hidden dangers for the kids

clairek6

Vxlks wrote: »

i find it hard to believe that I went out with my dad today to go get a snow shovel and supplies at home base in Dublin, and I'm looking around and seeing people buying plants amd garden supplies just because it's a nice day! Everybody blissfully unaware Dublin is going to get smacked hard with this!

Neighbours also mowing their grass and people power washing their cars too! Simply unbelievable!

Why wouldn’t people do things like that when the weather is nice? No point hiding inside yet

Itssoeasy

Sorry if this has been posted about but I've seen Leo varadkar tweet about the weather for the week to come. That's fine I'd expect the government to get the word out for the potential for very cold weather. I'd be more pissed if they didn't do it. My problem is the replies he got to his tweet. It was about the issues in the country(which we do have) but why do these people think now is an appropriate time to have a dig ?

Surely to Christ there have been and will be other times to make your point.

sjb25

sryanbruen wrote: »

Nothing has changed and in fact, with the 12z runs, been upgraded more than anything. Snowstorm of the century later this week if they verified.

Iv been very excited really am but I was expecting a bit of a downgrade by now it’s actually starting to look a bit dangerous and people are not taking it seriously even with the silly comments in this thread people need to sit up and take notice of this
I’ll have to work in this so getting slightly nervous

KellyXX

sjb25 wrote: »

Iv been very excited really am but I was expecting a bit of a downgrade by now it’s actually starting to look a bit dangerous and people are not taking it seriously even with the silly comments in this thread people need to sit up and take notice of this
I’ll have to work in this so getting slightly nervous

Maybe leo will get off the fence like he didnt do in Ophelia and announce that his citizens should stay home and stay safe.
He better not leave it til everyone has already gone to work.

Tropheus

KellyXX wrote: »

So what's the story in Dublin? How many days am I getting off work next week.

Depends. Do you drive a snow plough for a living?

sjb25

KellyXX wrote: »

Maybe leo will get off the fence like he didnt do in Ophelia and announce that his citizens should stay home and stay safe.
He better not leave it til everyone has already gone to work.

Hopefully he will and people will listen but I’m a paramedic so I’ll be working regardless

Cork Boy 53

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Sorry if this has been posted about but I've seen Leo varadkar tweet about the weather for the week to come. That's fine I'd expect the government to get the word out for the potential for very cold weather. I'd be more pissed if they didn't do it. My problem is the replies he got to his tweet. It was about the issues in the country(which we do have) but why do these people think now is an appropriate time to have a dig ?

Surely to Christ there have been and will be other times to make your point.

Not on Twitter myself. Can you post or summarise what he tweeted?

sryanbruen

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

Not on Twitter myself. Can you post or summarise what he tweeted?

https://twitter.com/campaignforleo/status/967772737300320256

joes girls

sjb25 wrote: »

Hopefully he will and people will listen but I’m a paramedic so I’ll be working regardless

Does your work place make arrangements to get you to work? I know you have no option but to work, but I don't think you should have to put your life in danger to get there.

roosterman71

Back when Ophelia hit, my workplace sent a mail that morning saying the office was open, and it was business as usual. At 10 bells (ya have to be in by 9.30 [core hours start then]) they sent a mail and said it's too dangerous, and that everyone should go home! The red alert was already out I think. So people traveled twice that day. I wonder will it be the same craic if a red warning is issued this time

adocholiday

Sorry folks I can't read through a hundred and forty pages of posts. I'm to take a flight to London Tuesday AM and fly back Friday afternoon. I've to go back to London next week. 2 questions:

1. Should I change my flight to Monday eve?
2. Should I prepare to just stay in London until next week?

Cheers!

SpitfireIV

They're well stocked up with salt in Kildare railway station! :-P

sjb25

joes girls wrote: »

Does your work place make arrangements to get you to work? I know you have no option but to work, but I don't think you should have to put your life in danger to get there.

They will send a 4x4 to get us if required and sometimes put us in hotels close to base if it’s prolonged
We also put our lives in danger driving in this to calls ambulances are not fantastic in the snow so please everybody if this gets bad just call if you genuinely need us (Ud be surprised) if you need us we will come
But I wana get home to my wife and son like everybody elese thanks

Tzardine

SpitfireIV wrote: »

They're well stocked up with salt in Kildare railway station! :-P

Hope its not a fire exit lol.

gabeeg

sjb25 wrote: »

They will send a 4x4 to get us if required and sometimes put us in hotels close to base if it’s prolonged

Cheers dude

Mountainsandh

Just went and put my snow chains in the boot after a quick detangle. Contrary to Niman, I have used them quite a few times, enough to get my 25 euros worth out of them anyway (bought in Lidl)

They might not be a match for over 20 cm of fresh fluffy snow though because the snow does pack in the wheel opening.

When I fire them in the boot I always have a towel with them (they do tend to wet everything around if you put them in the boot all wet, plus they do rust), a slab of cardboard or an old rag for my knees when I put them on/off, and I put in some wipes too as I don't like having my hands covered in dirt from the wheel. I have them in one of them big Lidl bags, their original pouch is long gone and they get less entangled that way anyway.

For anyone who's daunted but lives on a hill or down a hill, don't be, you'll get the hang of it very quick, they don't take long to put on and literally a minute to take off, and they could be your very precious way in/out of home when everyone else is stuck. Just don't get carried away once they're on, drive really slow so as not to damage your car and the road. I'm female and no good at these things normally, changing a wheel would be a massive deal for me. Snow chains are not a bother.

Found this pic from 2010. I'm not very good at tensing the final black rod in the center of the wheel, but never had trouble with the way I do it.

154151_1469670270486_1495487463_30983687_4177405_n[1] by Anne L., on Flickr

edit: there's loads of videos, but these ones are like the Lidl ones I have, and this is basically what I do https://youtu.be/t0rMG81ZUmc

Dotsie~tmp

A bag or grit salt is gonna be worth more than cocaine by thursday. I'm sitting on 100kg for f*ck sake. #thuglife

pjohnson

Dotsie~tmp wrote: »

A bag or grit salt is gonna be worth more than cocaine by thursday. I'm sitting on 100kg for f*ck sake. #thuglife

*Grit instead of sugar naturally

Cantona's Collars

I drove around without too many problems during the 2010 snow,only once did I end up facing the wrong way on a back road,my own fault for accelerating too quickly and typically it happened as someone was coming the other way.
If you are out driving in snow and ice remember to just take it handy, rather get to your destination a bit late than not at all.

La.de.da

Cantona's Collars wrote: »

I drove around without too many problems during the 2010 snow,only once did I end up facing the wrong way on a back road,my own fault for accelerating too quickly and typically it happened as someone was coming the other way.
If you are out driving in snow and ice remember to just take it handy, rather get to your destination a bit late than not at all.

Getting out of the estate was the problem we had back then. Twas like an ice rink for days.

YFlyer

Great that the forecast has the night time temperature below zero. University of Limerick have the heating on today. Usually its never turned on over the weekend.

Cantona's Collars

La.de.da wrote: »

Getting out of the estate was the problem we had back then. Twas like an ice rink for days.

The best thing to do there is try to get as many residents together as possible to clear the roads in the estate,for those that don't want to help,use their drives as dumping grounds for the snow ye clear.