"Dawlish" wrote in message
...
On Jan 12, 7:47 pm, "Jon O'Rourke" wrote:
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dawlish"
Newsgroups: uk.sci.weather
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 7:29 PM
Subject: Police Close Haldon Hill!

On Jan 12, 6:36 pm, Bonos Ego wrote:
BBC SW Spotlight have just said that there are thousands of cars stuck
on Haldon Hill, with traffic tailing back to the M5 / A30 Junction.

In the midst of all this, the severe warnings site has this advice:

"The public are advised to take extra care and refer to the Highways
Agency for further advice regarding traffic disruption on motorways
and trunk roads"

Try finding a *single thing* about snow disruption

http://www.highways.gov.uk/news/breakingnews.aspx
do I win a prize ?

Jon.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Jon:


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8455796.stm
-----------------------
Are people really stupid? Thr Highways Agency have apologised but I don't
really understand why. It is a notoriously difficult spot and heavy snow was
clearly forecast for there, at least 24 hours ahead. I tend to avoid steep
hills in snow. It's a case of he who dares wins - or in this case loses.
Dave

"Dave Cornwell" wrote in message
...

"Dawlish" wrote in message
...
On Jan 12, 7:47 pm, "Jon O'Rourke" wrote:
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dawlish"
Newsgroups: uk.sci.weather
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 7:29 PM
Subject: Police Close Haldon Hill!

On Jan 12, 6:36 pm, Bonos Ego wrote:
BBC SW Spotlight have just said that there are thousands of cars stuck
on Haldon Hill, with traffic tailing back to the M5 / A30 Junction.

In the midst of all this, the severe warnings site has this advice:

"The public are advised to take extra care and refer to the Highways
Agency for further advice regarding traffic disruption on motorways
and trunk roads"

Try finding a *single thing* about snow disruption

http://www.highways.gov.uk/news/breakingnews.aspx
do I win a prize ?

Jon.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Jon:


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8455796.stm
-----------------------
Are people really stupid? Thr Highways Agency have apologised but I don't
really understand why. It is a notoriously difficult spot and heavy snow
was clearly forecast for there, at least 24 hours ahead. I tend to avoid
steep hills in snow. It's a case of he who dares wins - or in this case
loses.
Dave

The trouble is Dave is that people don't seem to understand the effect of
altitude. Those of us who live on Dartmoor are very aware of course and make
plans accordingly. But it is perfectly understandable that if you working in
a rainy mild Exeter wishing to travel to an equally mild and rainy Torquay
then you think it will be mild and rainy despite there being an 800 foot
hill in the way!

Will
--

On 13/01/2010 10:46, Will Hand wrote:

"Dave Cornwell" wrote in
message ...

"Dawlish" wrote in message
...
On Jan 12, 7:47 pm, "Jon O'Rourke" wrote:
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dawlish"
Newsgroups: uk.sci.weather
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 7:29 PM
Subject: Police Close Haldon Hill!

On Jan 12, 6:36 pm, Bonos Ego wrote:
BBC SW Spotlight have just said that there are thousands of cars
stuck
on Haldon Hill, with traffic tailing back to the M5 / A30 Junction.

In the midst of all this, the severe warnings site has this advice:

"The public are advised to take extra care and refer to the Highways
Agency for further advice regarding traffic disruption on motorways
and trunk roads"

Try finding a *single thing* about snow disruption

http://www.highways.gov.uk/news/breakingnews.aspx
do I win a prize ?

Jon.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Jon:


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8455796.stm
-----------------------
Are people really stupid? Thr Highways Agency have apologised but I
don't really understand why. It is a notoriously difficult spot and
heavy snow was clearly forecast for there, at least 24 hours ahead. I
tend to avoid steep hills in snow. It's a case of he who dares wins -
or in this case loses.
Dave

The trouble is Dave is that people don't seem to understand the effect
of altitude. Those of us who live on Dartmoor are very aware of course
and make plans accordingly. But it is perfectly understandable that if
you working in a rainy mild Exeter wishing to travel to an equally mild
and rainy Torquay then you think it will be mild and rainy despite there
being an 800 foot hill in the way!

Will

I think there is also a matter of the press getting the message across
before the event. You told us about it days ago yet, according to people
I have spoken to (I don't read papers or watch BBC/ITV news), they had
no warning.

Did they just not believe any warning or was none given? I could
understand people not believing it as certain members of the press like
printing scare stories which never materialise. Either way, I see it as
the fault of the press first, then the unrealistic beliefs of the motorist.

It is certainly not the fault of either the Highways Agency or the
police. Too many people expect to be spoon-fed these days. They also
like to blame others instead of taking responsibility for their own lives.

--
Howard Neil

On Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:25:10 -0000, Dave Cornwell wrote:

Are people really stupid?

Well from reports here if they looked ate the *offical* Highways
Agency web site they were told "15 mins delay, OK by 2100". That is
just plain wrong, it appears that there may have been a "news" story
about it but who is going to go digging through news stories when you
can ask for "live" information about a particulalr bit of (major)
road.

Thr Highways Agency have apologised but I don't really understand why.

'cause they fupped up big time. All the news aganecy say to look at
the Highways Agency website for latest/more information... That site
*HAS* to be kept up to date and for important information to be on or
at least linked with BIG LETTERS from the main home page. It's not as
if they can't see what is happening they have cameras all over the
place...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/webc...an&camid=44095
&region=SX&mapregion=bbc_new_southwest

Note top right corner of all the camera images there "IMAGE SUPPLIED
BY HIGHWAYS AGENCY".

--
Cheers Dave.
Nr Garrigill, Cumbria. 421m ASL.

On Jan 13, 11:34*am, Howard Neil wrote:
On 13/01/2010 10:46, Will Hand wrote:







"Dave Cornwell" wrote in
...

"Dawlish" wrote in message
....
On Jan 12, 7:47 pm, "Jon O'Rourke" wrote:
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dawlish"
Newsgroups: uk.sci.weather
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 7:29 PM
Subject: Police Close Haldon Hill!

On Jan 12, 6:36 pm, Bonos Ego wrote:
BBC SW Spotlight have just said that there are thousands of cars
stuck
on Haldon Hill, with traffic tailing back to the M5 / A30 Junction..

In the midst of all this, the severe warnings site has this advice:

"The public are advised to take extra care and refer to the Highways
Agency for further advice regarding traffic disruption on motorways
and trunk roads"

Try finding a *single thing* about snow disruption

http://www.highways.gov.uk/news/breakingnews.aspx
do I win a prize ?

Jon.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Jon:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8455796.stm
-----------------------
Are people really stupid? Thr Highways Agency have apologised but I
don't really understand why. It is a notoriously difficult spot and
heavy snow was clearly forecast for there, at least 24 hours ahead. I
tend to avoid steep hills in snow. It's a case of he who dares wins -
or in this case loses.
Dave

The trouble is Dave is that people don't seem to understand the effect
of altitude. Those of us who live on Dartmoor are very aware of course
and make plans accordingly. But it is perfectly understandable that if
you working in a rainy mild Exeter wishing to travel to an equally mild
and rainy Torquay then you think it will be mild and rainy despite there
being an 800 foot hill in the way!

Will

I think there is also a matter of the press getting the message across
before the event. You told us about it days ago yet, according to people
I have spoken to (I don't read papers or watch BBC/ITV news), they had
no warning.

Did they just not believe any warning or was none given? I could
understand people not believing it as certain members of the press like
printing scare stories which never materialise. Either way, I see it as
the fault of the press first, then the unrealistic beliefs of the motorist.

"Dawlish" wrote in message
...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8455796.stm

Crumbs, just as well I 'safely ignored' your invitation to head up there
last night then.

Jon.

On Jan 13, 12:28*pm, "Jon O'Rourke" wrote:
"Dawlish" wrote in message

...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8455796.stm

Crumbs, just as well I 'safely ignored' your invitation to head up there
last night then.

Jon.

In the harsh light of the events of last night you may wish to own
prize contribution Jon.

In message , Dave Cornwell
writes

,,,,


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8455796.stm
-----------------------
Are people really stupid?

If you have to ask the question, the answer is quite likely to be yes.
Attitude of some is that someone else should have done something.

Thr Highways Agency have apologised but I don't
really understand why. It is a notoriously difficult spot and heavy snow was
clearly forecast for there, at least 24 hours ahead. I tend to avoid steep
hills in snow. It's a case of he who dares wins - or in this case loses.

Alternative view might be that these things happen, and you might want
to make your own judgement before setting out rather than official view
totally on trust.

Possibly I'm sounding a little bit tetchy. The usual communal
snow-clearing today so that the guys who haven't got 4x4s can get to
work. Plumber, we hope, coming tomorrow to replace the central-heating
pump. And every faintly social event I might have got to over the last
week has been scrubbed or assumed to be so. How long does it take to get
cabin fever?

Tedium relieved by an unexpected and pressing expedition to N London
last Thursday. Interesting to compare driving on very polished snow and
ice on gritless back-streets of N7 with less compacted gritless snow and
ice in Godalming. Speed-humps clearly evolved and prospered during a
mild couple of decades.

--
Peter Thomas

On Jan 13, 11:16*pm, Peter Thomas
wrote:


How long does it take to get
cabin fever?

--
Peter Thomas

Not long, though in this sort of weather I think of it more as
cabin hypothermia. The house (an ordinary semi) is really too big for
one person and one or two rooms are a bit parky.
Only on two nights (last Tuesday and Wednesday) was I unable to
go out, something I do most evenings for this and that.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.

In message
,
Tudor Hughes writes
On Jan 13, 11:16*pm, Peter Thomas
wrote:


How long does it take to get
cabin fever?

--
Peter Thomas

Not long, though in this sort of weather I think of it more as
cabin hypothermia. The house (an ordinary semi) is really too big for
one person and one or two rooms are a bit parky.
Only on two nights (last Tuesday and Wednesday) was I unable to
go out, something I do most evenings for this and that.



Does help.

My wife managed to get to the cinema yesterday afternoon - It's
Complicated - not something I'd normally envy. We wear extra layers and
await the plumber still.

Meanwhile, evidence for mild is slush and people chatting in the open
outside Sainsburys.

There was a rather fierce-looking -10 @ 850hpa GFS forecast in the SE
for next week - now 1800 updated to 0000 showing -6 or -8 for 0000
Thursday 21. It ain't that accurate a week ahead.

"All collections of refuse and recycling have been suspended until
further notice" - Waverley BC. Inevitably checked our roads timetable
link rather than the front page of the site and put the bin out....

Harummphh/


--
Peter Thomas