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Sunday 11 December 2022

Heavy v Light



Snow: Motorways shut amid treacherous conditions

 

Motorways have been closed after heavy snowfall caused a series of crashes and left drivers in treacherous conditions.

The M54 between junctions 3 and 2 in Shropshire was shut on Sunday, while major congestion was also reported on the M5 slip road to the M6.


The text below the police photo above says "Snowy conditions have shut the M54 carriageway." It would perhaps be more accurate to say "We have shut the M54 carriageway," but who does accuracy in such dramatic conditions? 

Drivers still have to be careful of course, but from the photo I'd say that's what we used to call light snow. Wouldn't stop us doing the school run for example - assuming the school hadn't closed anyway.

8 comments:

microdave said...

One (proper) winter, decades ago, Mother couldn't get her Mk1 Mini all the way up the hill to our house. When I walked back down and reversed it to the bottom of the hill you could clearly see the ridges of the floor pan pressed into the snow! Suffice to say, I turned it round and gunned it in reverse, which did the job. When father bought his first Austin Maxi (I know, laugh all you want) it was a revelation in snow, compared to his previous Ford Corsair. Quite apart from having the weight over the wheels which mattered, it was easy enough to get the Hydrolastic suspension pumped up at the local garage, giving the sort of ground clearance normally reserved for 4WD types.

Sackerson said...

Depends what's under the light snow.

dearieme said...

Apart from nursery school days I was never subjected to the school run. Shanks's pony for me, or later a bike sometimes.

Except once: it was chucking it down so torrentially that Dad took pity and drove us. So that's what? Once in thirteen years. Nothing is without blemish in this fallen world.

Sam Vega said...

"We have closed a carriageway on the M54, and have taken a picture of the worst bit so you can see that we're not just doing it for the heck of it. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who are slightly inconvenienced by having to find another route to the north of Wolverhampton."

A K Haart said...

Dave - my father-in-law had a Maxi and in spite of the image, it was a surprisingly practical and spacious car. After we got rid of our Ford Escort, I noticed a big difference driving in snow with front wheel drive. Much easier.

Sackers - a scattering of rock salt I hope, but snow that light shouldn't be a problem in modern vehicles if people drive sensibly.

dearieme - I only had a lift to school once and ended up being late.

Sam - ha ha - that's so close to the modern way, I bet it could be passed off as genuine.

Peter MacFarlane said...

They probably closed it because they just knew - quite correctly - that someone woudl drive over that surface at 85mph and cause an almightly pile-up.

But your basic point stands; if roads had been closed in the 60's for that amount of snow, I would hardly ever have got to school at all. Except that we walked, of course.

Bucko said...

They seem to close roads more often these days, presumably because of the health and safety culture. A lot more people own cars these days, that would have no issue at all in that level of snow, too
Heaven forbid they let people make thier own determination though

A K Haart said...

Peter - I think that's it. The snow isn't much of a problem but loony drivers are. We see it in very heavy rain when some drivers seem unaware of the need to reduce speed.

Bucko - in time, cars will probably respond to centralised safety control rather than the driver. Assuming we still have cars.