The Snow

EinsteinsGhost · Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 91 Location: Ryde

Well whatever, welcome back.

And belated Happy New Year!

Wight Portal · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 89 Location: Carisbrooke

laineyiow

You have backed up my argument superbly, to such an extent that even EinsteinsGhost is now in agreement.

Didn't I read somewhere you've got a caravan at Thorness?
Bet you're glad you're not stuck there now!!

My brother and his partner own one out there and spend the 2 months that you get kicked off the site in another one at Cheverton Copse. Haven't heard from him for about a week so he's probably snowed in there instead!

laineyiow · Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 120

Hi Wight Portal

Just been to our caravan at Thorness Bay - couldn't believe the state of the roads in Porchfield and down to the site. It is quite obvious that the majority of the road hasn't seen any grit whatsoever.

In Sheffield all the main roads were gritted and although the buses were pulled on the Tuesday when the majority of the snow fell, by Wednesday afternoon the buses were running on the main roads again. By Thursday they were all running normally.

On Thursday morning couldn't believe it when the gritting lorry came down into the cul-de-sac where my mum lives (albeit she lives in Council property!) and made it passable! Admittedly all the privately owned houses on side roads didn't get their roads cleared - that's why it took me until Friday before I could move my car LOL!!

I appreciate that the Island apparently hasn't seen this amount of snow in quite a number of years but I would have thought that the Council would have been able to stockpile a lot more grit than they seem to have done.

I am just hoping that a lot of it has cleared before I am due back in work on Wednesday.

lsc73 · Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Posts: 25

I haven't had any post since Monday last week. Does anyone know when we will get some or who I can contact ? Am near the Needles. The road is passable as we have driven down it a couple of times.

Wight Portal · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 89 Location: Carisbrooke

Welcome to our world Lainy Twisted Evil

EinsteinsGhost · Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 91 Location: Ryde

FAO lsc,

Siuation in Ryde has been same but had our first delvery today so hopefully things starting to get back to normal.

laineyiow · Joined: 16 May 2008 Posts: 120

Today from my office window I saw a gang of men clearing the pavements on Lugley Street and putting down grit.

I want to say what a great job these guys did. I'm not sure if they were council guys or if, in fact, they were guys who are on community service but no matter what they have done an excellent job of clearing the snow.

If it is blokes that are on community service then I think that this was a well used use of their services!

EinsteinsGhost · Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 91 Location: Ryde

Hi Lainey,

Whoever they were I think we should all be grateful! Conditions like this show the best and worst of the British Character. There are those who moan and wonder why 'others' allow it to happen and don't sort it all out for them and those who just accept that these things happen and not only make the best of it but try and help others. Only tonight, I saw on the BBC regional news, a woman moaning about some train delays/cancellations who said 'the train company must have known about this for days'. As if the train comapny should have laid millions of hot water bottles along the tracks! Here in Ryde on Union St. people just got together and cleared the pavemenets ourselves in addition to the overstretched council workers who were doing the best they could.

Wight Portal · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 89 Location: Carisbrooke

Surely if you are paying for a service, you deserve to get value for money.

Porchfield, is just one example, but like Lainey said was a no go area. Is the local pub that struggles at the best of times and relies heavily on passing trade going to be compensated for loss of business? The Council will still want the same amount of business rates and road tax, yet the poor landlord hasn't received value for money from a service he pays through the nose for.
This freak weather has cost us dearly, and remember there's a predicted 2.5% increase on council tax on it's way.

EinsteinsGhost · Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 91 Location: Ryde

'Value for money'!!!

Given the exceptional condidtions what has 'value for money' got to do with it?
Are you seriously saying we should get a partial refund of our council tax? Good grief - some people just can't resist moaning!

Wight Portal · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 89 Location: Carisbrooke

You pay rent to a landlord, the landlord by law has to provide a fire extinguisher. You may never need it but it's there just incase the exceptional condition occurs right?

Where was the stock pile of salt for this exceptional condition? Does the Council only buy on the advice of long term weather forecasts?
So over the years where we haven't had real harsh winters the budget for salt has been spent elsewhere.

Would your point of view change if you were put out of business by a bit of snow? Compared to the rest of the country we have a small road network, the snow didn't last more than a week yet the Island ground to a halt. You think that's acceptable?