London

[Pentlandpirate]

I've been at work and haven't had time to see the images on TV yet. But I've heard the airports are closed, the tube is shut, the buses aren't running, the city is paralysed. Hell has frozen over! I've seen that film, 'The day after tomorrow'. London must be just like that!

We still don't get winters like we used to.

[longshanks]

Pantland;
Are you genuinly concerned or are you off on one of those chip inspired Jimmy Hill type threads? If its the latter then all I can say is that kind of chortling at our fellow Brits is so passe.

Shankers (a modern Scot by choice)

[Pentlandpirate]

Longshanks, you seem to be back to yourself very quickly. You'll have to explain to me what a 'chip inspired Jimmy Hill type thread' is. Please make it as personal as you like so that I get the full effect of what you are trying to say.

I wasn't chortling, but as someone who is mature enough to remember life a couple of generations ago, some of us can look at things like this and observe, for all that we have gone forward with 'modern' technology', in some respects we cope less well now with some things than we used to.

I'm just amazed that you didn't start off on your own chip inspired thread to tell us all that the snow is proof that global warming is a myth.

[longshanks]

tell us all that the snow is proof that global warming is a myth.

What, and risk yet another yellow card! No thanks.

What I can tell you, though, is the fact that London ground to a halt due to the heavy snow is, of course, the fault of global warming nutters incessently pushing their guff so that the less intellectually acute amongst us believed it and came to the conlusion that our 'exponentially increasing temperatures' had put an end to cold, snowy winters thus they no longer prepared for such an event.
Not like me to go off on one, others here are much better at that, so my apologies for the above it it upsets any of you.

Shankers (survivalist by choice)

[Seventhseil]

[Pentlandpirate]

Am I a troll?

[The Crimson Vicar]

tell us all that the snow is proof that global warming is a myth.

What, and risk yet another yellow card! No thanks.

What I can tell you, though, is the fact that London ground to a halt due to the heavy snow is, of course, the fault of global warming nutters incessently pushing their guff so that the less intellectually acute amongst us believed it and came to the conlusion that our 'exponentially increasing temperatures' had put an end to cold, snowy winters thus they no longer prepared for such an event.
Not like me to go off on one, others here are much better at that, so my apologies for the above it it upsets any of you.

Shankers (survivalist by choice)

In reality, London and the SE are not prepared for such an event simply because such weather conditions are rare. The simple fact is that it is not possible for any local council to provide contingency plans for events which are likely to occur once a year if that - thousands of gritters lying idle 364 days a year does not make economic sense and would have the same people who whinge about ungritted roads whingeing about wastage of their council tax.

As an aside, Longshanks, with my moderator's hat on, I can promise that you will not get a yellow card for expressing opinions provided that those opinions are not expressed in such a way as to fall foul of the rules we have put in place. These rules are directed against abuse or causing deliberate offence. By all means express your opinions. Merely being wrong is not a contravention of the rules, so post to your heart's content:-)

[Pentlandpirate]

What a relief for Longshanks! Being wrong is not an offence on this site or he would be off very quickly!

But I hear the snow, for just two days of disruption, is estimated to have cost the country £ 3 billion in terms of lost business.

You can get an awful lot of snow ploughs and workers for that, even if that budjet has to last 18 years. Use the money to invest in a better 'keep Britain moving' force and it might be worth it. Perhaps in times like this we should invest in a bigger Army, one that is as much civil defence as national defence. A disciplined, non-unionised force that can help out with emergencies, whether it be with ambulances, fire engines, flood defences, earthquakes(!), snow, storm damage, fixing power cuts, and building roads, and providing after dark security patrols to keep vandals and criminals off our streets.

No I don't want a martial state, but this way we keep people (British) in work, improve our country and improve its people. Perhaps now I'm too old for it I can suggest National Service....maybe not such a bad idea!

[The Crimson Vicar]

Yes, the money estimated to have been lost due to the disruption would go a long way towards paying for a squadron of unused gritters. The money they are talking about, however, was not lost by the State - it is money estimated to have been lost by business. So, if they want hundreds of gritter wagons and snowploughs lying in a shed somewhere for essentially their entire lives just in case this happens again, the people who will have to pay for it are the businesses who stand to lose money in their absence.

Now image the council says they need to put business rates up to collect this money - and imagine what would happen to them at the next election. The simple truth is, people want these gritters to be miraculously available at a moment's notice, but only if someone else is willing to pay for them.

Most of the disruption was self-imposed anyway. Closing schools because there is almost enough snow to make a snowball, I ask you. What nonsense. When we were young, conditions were not even considered "difficult" until the snow came over your wellies, I don't think they ever became "treacherous" even in the winter of '63. Return to the days when kids had to go to their local school (which in the SE of England would mean they could all walk to school). The schools dont close, people dont have to take time off work to look after the kids, business doesn't lose money. Problem solved.

[Pentlandpirate]

I agree. But we all depend on each other these days. If one part of business or 'civilisation' doesn't keep their bit going, the whole thing falls apart. What happened with the snow is similar to the effect of the credit crunch, with good businesses failing because their suppliers and customers are let down by their suppliers and customers, et al. It's a crazy merry-go-round which could have us all disappearing up our own a$£e-holes.

[longshanks]

It's a crazy merry-go-round which could have us all disappearing up our own a$£e-holes.

Blimey !!!!

KY Shanks (always prepared by choice)

[khartoumteddy]

Sorry Pentland

Like most good ideas your New Model Army Might work in theory

Unfortunately We have Politicians who will all disgree and promoting their own iterests
F@@@ it all up

Teddy

[canUsmellthat]

Big warm front over the forum these days...