Are You Ready for the Big Freeze?
With latest weather forecasts warning us in the UK that we can expect some snow how prepared are you for some real winter weather?
The prolonged period of winter weather in 2009 highlighted how unprepared we are in the U.K. usually are for bad winter weather. I shouldn’t generalise as people in Scotland tend to be far better prepared than people in the South East. Scotland tends to be better prepared than the southern British Isles as they experience some intense winter conditions most years.
One of the issues that arose early in 2009 was that road gritting trucks ran out of grit. It has been said that this was due to local authorities not having enough funds. But this really comes down to poor resource planning. Although the south can experience some bad winter weather it tends to last for only a short time. The prolonged period of five weeks of icy, snowy conditions meant that there wasn’t enough grit to last.
But how do they cope in countries like Sweden and Norway where they have snow on the ground for much of the winter?
Driving on compacted, icy, snowy roads is very dangerous. Not only as a result of slippery road surfaces but also due to poor visibility caused by snow, sleet and slush. Winter tyres are recommended as an absolute minimum.
In Norway and Sweden some road gritting is carried out but this is usually concentrated on busier road junctions. Once away from the busy city and town roads you’ll find roads consist of compacted snow and ice. When driving on these roads it is important to travel slowly and not to make any sudden moves.Overaking is not wise when driving in these conditions.
A set of winter tyres can be useful. The tyres contain some added silicone which helps them to remain flexible at low temperatures. They also tend to have a heavier tread pattern with fine lateral cuts which help the tyre to put as much surface as possible in contact with the ground.
Another option is snow chains, but it should be remembered that these are really only useful in snow and not much use on icy surfaces.Another type of tyre to consider are metal studded tyres which can be helpful in icy road conditions.
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