Snow - Ireland closed for business

emaherx · 30-01-2019 08:19PM

salmocab wrote: »

The equipment and manpower needed to completely clean all our roads in weather like last year would be a massive cost. Even if we had all the ploughs and machinery sitting there for years unused we would need qualified people to use it. The guy that works in the county council post room is very unlikely to have the necessary license to drive a lorry. Even around New York last November they struggled and they get it yearly.

Equipment bought by council's after 1982 rusted away in council yards and were eventually scrapped long before they were ever needed.

ednwireland · 30-01-2019 08:24PM

Manchester airport closed until 11am this morning after 2 inches of snow. Now that's a normal amount and they couldn't cope.

NSAman · 30-01-2019 08:28PM

Might the other option be private snow removal services?

Today is the first time I have actually seen my town closed. Not due to snow, that we can deal with but actual dangerously cold tempuratures.

Most lawn care guys here have snow plows for the winter time. A lucrative thing here. I know not every year and not in every place in Ireland is a snow plow needed but once bought it can be used over and over again. They charge depending on the length of the driveway and how much plowing is needed here...

Just a thought..

emaherx · 30-01-2019 08:38PM

NSAman wrote: »

Might the other option be private snow removal services?

Today is the first time I have actually seen my town closed. Not due to snow, that we can deal with but actual dangerously cold tempuratures.

Most lawn care guys here have snow plows for the winter time. A lucrative thing here. I know not every year and not in every place in Ireland is a snow plow needed but once bought it can be used over and over again. They charge depending on the length of the driveway and how much plowing is needed here...

Just a thought..

What part of the world are you in?

Really dosen't snow often enough for private lads to buy snow equipment and very few would hire them as it will be gone by Saturday with probably a few thaws in between anyway.

NSAman · 30-01-2019 08:40PM

emaherx wrote: »

What part of the world are you in?

Really dosen't snow often enough for private lads to buy snow equipment and very few would hire them as it will be gone by Saturday with probably a few thaws in between anyway.

Just outside Chicago

demanufactured · 30-01-2019 08:52PM

All good to me....
OP, wha ya on abowwww?

Atoms for Peace · 30-01-2019 09:05PM

I'm cold and frightened.

AllForIt · 30-01-2019 09:18PM

branie2 wrote: »

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

I want to experience a polar vortex!

https://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/1080085/polar-vortex-what-latest-alerts-snow-buries-USA-weather

Rubberchikken · 30-01-2019 09:20PM

im at work. snow doesnt stop me:)

Dakota Dan · 30-01-2019 09:50PM

Renegade Mechanic wrote: »

Drivers need to learn to drive too. If I get stuck behind one more 2nd gear crawler, I'll blow the ditch away to get around them :mad:

Six posts in and Ireland’s greatest driver arrives, well done.

NSAman · 30-01-2019 10:19PM

AllForIt wrote: »

I want to experience a polar vortex!

https://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/1080085/polar-vortex-what-latest-alerts-snow-buries-USA-weather

No you don't BELIEVE ME!!!!!

In the middle of it at the moment. Most people are off work. Driving into work this morning. The car would not heat up properly. When I stopped to get coffee the temperature dropped. Even the heated seats were not working correctly. The subwoofer was frozen on the radio. I have all the heating turned up full blast in the office and the house. Two minutes outside with the wind and you are frozen... 4 minutes outside and you need medical attention (so I have heard).... at least it is only from a few days and then the snow returns to warm things up.

Seriously, if Ireland had this, the country would be at a standstill for weeks on end. Houses would be flooded due to burst pipes, people would be in hospital, diesel cars would be useless as the diesel freezes and turns to a slush. Not to mention when the rain finally returns it will freeze on impact with the ground (which will happen on Sunday) causing accidents.

Kevin Finnerty · 30-01-2019 10:22PM

Atoms for Peace wrote: »

I'm cold and frightened.

And rightly so. Those weather warnings only work when the masses are afraid.

Dakotabigone · 30-01-2019 10:23PM

Chains are the answer to this idiocy. Works in the bedroom and on the road.

emaherx · 30-01-2019 10:25PM

Dakotabigone wrote: »

Chains are the answer to this idiocy. Works in the bedroom and on the road.

Actually, probably not enough snow in most places for chains to be of any use

Wildly Boaring · 30-01-2019 10:35PM

Spending the money required to keep all the roads open would be the equivalent of spending the 100s of millions required to provide water for a drought like 2018.

Pointless.

It only becomes sensible if it's regular occurrence.
1982 2009 2010 2018 for snow
1995 2018 for drought

The money isn't there. We just broke even as a country last year. Take it from where?

Btw a big investment was made after 2009 and 2010, every motorway in the country is now privately managed and all under obligation to keep motorway open or face fines.

They cannot physically keep the road pure black but they are a serious improvement from the shenanigans that occurred in those 2 years. At one stage they managed to pull half the cats eyes off the m9 it was so badly frozen, they had to run a grader on it as the ploughs couldn't clear it.

mulbot · 30-01-2019 10:46PM

Out of interest,do drivers not use winter tyres?. They make a huge difference .

Renegade Mechanic · 30-01-2019 10:50PM

Dakota Dan wrote: »

Six posts in and Ireland’s greatest driver arrives, well done.

13 hours later and Ireland's slowest pokes are still seething

Hayor, we getting proper snow or wha? I liked storing bottles in the drifts...

Dakotabigone wrote: »

Chains are the answer to this idiocy. Works in the bedroom and on the road.

Erm... Not quite

Ubbquittious · 30-01-2019 11:05PM

NSAman wrote: »

No you don't BELIEVE ME!!!!!

In the middle of it at the moment. Most people are off work. Driving into work this morning. The car would not heat up properly. When I stopped to get coffee the temperature dropped. Even the heated seats were not working correctly. The subwoofer was frozen on the radio. I have all the heating turned up full blast in the office and the house. Two minutes outside with the wind and you are frozen... 4 minutes outside and you need medical attention (so I have heard).... at least it is only from a few days and then the snow returns to warm things up.

Seriously, if Ireland had this, the country would be at a standstill for weeks on end. Houses would be flooded due to burst pipes, people would be in hospital, diesel cars would be useless as the diesel freezes and turns to a slush. Not to mention when the rain finally returns it will freeze on impact with the ground (which will happen on Sunday) causing accidents.

At least the fuel lines in your helicopter didnt freeze mid-flight

Atlantic Dawn · 30-01-2019 11:41PM

Global cooling needs to be taken seriously.

NSAman · 30-01-2019 11:46PM

Ubbquittious wrote: »

At least the fuel lines in your helicopter didnt freeze mid-flight

That’s in the shop for repairs..thank goodness the Cullinan was able to Start

Graces7 · 31-01-2019 08:03AM

chrissb8 wrote: »

Err yes we should be. People will still try try drive & walk out in that weather. There are elderly people who will become isolated as a result of bad weather upto a week at times. And yes why should the country shut down due to bad weather.

Why not be a prepared nation? We had snow last year....and we're looking like we'll have it this year. Is that not frequent enough for you? What? Sit on our laurels and just accept it?!

There are plenty of reasons to invest in equipment to prepare for the snow. Not have stupid bread & milk rushes because a truck can't make it down the road.

It doesn't take much to prepare for it. The money lost in trade and commerce is a disaster in comparison to shelling out a bit of money to be prepared.

It makes perfect sense from every perspective to be ready and prepared.

Up to each of us to be ready. We had abundant warning so needed to stock up then with basics and keep an eye for vulnerable neighbours. No need for panic rushes

facehugger99 · 31-01-2019 08:37AM

I'm expecting to get stuck behind an incredibly 'safe' driver this morning who will no doubt crawl along at 20kph, because it's a bit chilly.

EdgeCase · 31-01-2019 08:39AM

Torrential rain in Cork City this morning. Not a flake of snow in sight.

Allinall · 31-01-2019 08:46AM

EdgeCase wrote: »

Torrential rain in Cork City this morning. Not a flake of snow in sight.

Rained in here in Dublin as well.

Folks, don’t forget to squeegy the water off the roof of your car before setting out.

It’s incredible the number of idiots you see driving in this weather with water still sitting on their cars.

gmisk · 31-01-2019 09:12AM

I literally just fell right on my back on front step, luckily had big coat on and backpack or it could have been worse, but I did drop and smash my phone screen... The joys!

Wanderer78 · 31-01-2019 09:14AM

facehugger99 wrote:

I'm expecting to get stuck behind an incredibly 'safe' driver this morning who will no doubt crawl along at 20kph, because it's a bit chilly.

Take another road maybe?

petes · 31-01-2019 09:20AM

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Take another road maybe?

Or maybe be a bit safer themselves. ****ing idiocy what you see on the roads.

Atoms for Peace · 31-01-2019 09:23AM

facehugger99 wrote: »

I'm expecting to get stuck behind an incredibly 'safe' driver this morning who will no doubt crawl along at 20kph, because it's a bit chilly.

Hopefully they won't have their bloody fog lights on.

Geuze · 31-01-2019 10:26AM

Balanadan wrote: »

When will the government and councils learn? Get the finger out, invest in proper equipment, and clear the facking roads so that we're not faced with annual chaos. The amount of money being lost is ridiculous.

There is a perfectly rational response to this.

Why invest millions in more equipment when the event may only happen 1 day in every five years.

Somewhere like southern Bavaria / Austria should spend millions on equipment, as the chance of snow, and more snow, is way higher than here.

Imagine a Co. Co. spends 5m on snow ploughs, etc., only for them to sit in sheds unused for 1,000 days, and then used for 3 days.

That is a waste of resources.

emaherx · 01-02-2019 07:13AM

chrissb8 wrote: »

Why not be a prepared nation? We had snow last year....and we're looking like we'll have it this year. Is that not frequent enough for you? What? Sit on our laurels and just accept it?!

There are plenty of reasons to invest in equipment to prepare for the snow. Not have stupid bread & milk rushes because a truck can't make it down the road.

So.... Dosen't really look like we are getting it again this year ( not in the current forecasts anyway).

So frequent enough for me? Well there was last year and there was 1982.... So that is frequent enough for me so far

2009 and 2010 had long snowy spells but not the same sort of depth of lying snow. The country did invest in new ploughs around that time.

We actually have lots of snow equipment considering the amount of snow we normally get, just we are not going to invest in the amount required to deal with an event like last year.

Snow - Ireland closed for business

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