Forget F1 motor racing - supermarket shopping is the real white-knuckle ride

We just popped down to Sainsburys earlier to get the shopping. This is normally a fairly boring and uneventful trip down the road, taking in a pleasant country lane en route. Today, however, we managed to time things so that we were leaving the damn place just as the snow got really, really heavy. We had an epic ride home which involved jack-knifed lorries, mad drivers, broken cars, ice-rink roads and numerous detours. The last hurdle involved reversing up a icy hill in an effort to improvise front-wheel drive. :roll: We just made it. But if the weather is this nasty next week, then as far as I'm concerned we can have baked beans on toast for Christmas dinner. :flag:

 

Yes, John, I quite like baked beans too! Like you, I found the bad weather brought the best and the worst out in people. Most were happy to help, but a few behaved in an unbelievably crass way. What is it about BMW and Audi drivers? (Apologies to forum members who drive them, I'm sure you're notable exceptions.) I know schadenfreude is a shameful emotion but I couldn't suppress a slight smirk when the driver of a Porche Carrera who had been particularly silly ended up doing a routine worthy of Torville and Dean before coming to rest in a privet hedge. No harm done to the driver. Not sure about the car or the hedge.

 

Oh well they all want a white Christmas, so now we have one, great aint it.:(
Cant go nowhere unless your on foot, or prepared to risk ice covered roads.

And until they stop artics moving in these conditions it will remain the same, one jackknifed artic can close a motorway, its not about the weather, as such, its more about how prepared we are.

 

We are 30 minutes walk away from our big supermarket. With two rucksacks, we can buy and carry home enough food for Christmas, especially if it's spread over a couple of trips, as we did this weekend!

I am astounded by the appalling driving that is out there - cars going too fast, not de-snowed enough and my personal bug bear, using the mboile while driving. I am also amazed how many people think they have to use the car in this weather. Walking home, we saw most of the cars only had one person in them. How about using those things at the end of their legs?

 

We had the same atrocious weather conditions here - big, heavy snowfall on top of what we already had.
My car's going nowhere. I have a small supermarket a 10 minute walk away. If we need anything we'll do like Aaron - put our boots on and take the rucksacks.

 

I agree on using your legs to get around, or I would have done a few months ago.

Recently I've had a problem with my knee and its surprising how it makes your opinions change.
I walked to my local supermarket in the last load of snow, to avoid using the car, its only about half a mile.
A couple of days before the doctor had given me a steroid injection and it was feeling much better, its now back to where it was.
I wish I had used my car on that occasion.

I wonder how people who have real walking problems get on in these conditions, it must be very difficult.

 

Off course there are people who can't trudge out in the snow Pete. Thank you for reminding us. I hope we will all remember to check if our neighbours need anything - not just the elderly and infirm, but mothers with young children who can't get to the shops without taking them too. Maybe we can walk a few miles, but those children can't.

 

Oh that's so right, Alice. I pulled a loaded shopping trolley up my close in the last snow down and it was a nightmare! I was surprised the wheels didn't come off.

And I was incredibly grateful for my ice grippers! Highly recommended and a great investment since it would seem we are in for a few more of these winters.



LINK (what a surprise - they're out of stock! :wink

 

I just get my Suzuki Bandit out, strap the panniers on and have fun going where I need to go. Its great fun. 26 miles from my house to the clubhouse in the snow is a laugh a minute. Skidding and sliding everywhere.

Had to put my thermals on and my waterproofs. I was toastie and dry. Ached a bit next day from wrestling the bike round bends and took a few millimetres of the heels of my boots sliding and keeping the bike nearly upright.

What really annoys me about the snow is that there are way too many people that have never learnt to drive in bad weather. They drive too fast, too close to the vehicle in front and don't allow extra time to slow down or stop.

Then the 4X4 drivers that have no clue what they are doing. Where I live the nearest shop is more than 4 miles away. I can't walk that on a good day. There are lots of townies that have moved into the country, have 4X4's and never consider the folk that cannot get about very well due to age or disability. All the buses have been cancelled, not that we have any that come out our way, but even in town they are not running.

The country way is that you help each other. Those with 4X4's give lifts to those without. The local farmers get thier tractors out. We cannot rely on our council or the Highways Agency, despite the huge sums we pay in council tax. They are too busy planning thier christams jollies at our expense.

The government is more concerned with giving away billions of our tax money in foreign aid, than keeping OUR roads clear and safe.

I have a lot of fun riding in the snow, but I am in a very small minority. We need to be thinking about and doing everything to help the vulnerable among us.

Chopper.