TeeAyBee Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 I do accept your apology unfortunately H uses this forum and stuajan doesn't but the reason is H for some reason could not get a registration so he used me for it and as for the grammar now that i am a 40 yr old female with 4 children i don't have time to sit on a computer let alone feel i am failing on my proper english but i will bear in mind that some people do Hmm, I am less convinced now than I was before. I pre-emptively apologised for intimating that you were in fact one person not two, not for making any comment about your computer usage, grammar and english. For the rest of my thoughts, please re-read FilskaDaCat - I agree wholeheartedly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooks Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 I think the big problem here is that people have become more accustomed to the roads generally being in a better condition than they have in the past. The gritters are out and about more now than they have ever been. The winters are milder than they have ever been. The roads are better than they have ever been. A combination of these things is bound to make people less aware of their surroundings. It shouldn't but it does. At any rate, the council isn't at fault. It was made very clear from the outset that there would be no gritting on Christmas Day and when an accident did happen, the road was gritted. It is published on the SIC website that even when there is black ice and the road has been gritted it could still be slippy. Understandable enough. I wonder if the original poster would have sued the council if they had been caught in the (fairly) recent landslides? The council were not expected to be aware that the landslip was going to happen but when it did they took action to remedy the damage. As far as I can see it is no different from what happened on Christmas Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trouble Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 I have been reading this thread from the sidelines for a few days now and I can take it no longer. I do have to agree that it would be a tragedy if someone were to be killed on the roads, at any time of year, but especially at christmas. You cannot however put this responsibility on the council. Everyone was well aware that the council would not grit the roads on christmas day. Therefore it is down to the individual that decides to drive their car with the possibilty of there being ice, snow, an oilspill, a landslide, an idiot driver (there are plenty about) or whatever. So if you decide to drive on these days please do so with care, and only if you feel yourself that you are able to control a vehicle in icy conditions. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Why should the gritty men have to leave their families on christmas day with the possibilty of them having an accident. Remember they would be the first ones on the roads with no grit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penfold Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 I don't think you can blame the council either, you have to accept that they had stated that there would be no gritting on the day and that If you travelled then it is your own responsibility, that stretch of road can be particulary bad for black ice but so are other parts of the main road in Shetland, if you are going to travel then you should be prepared for the unexpected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merkin Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 Why should the gritty men have to leave their families on christmas day with the possibilty of them having an accident. Remember they would be the first ones on the roads with no grit. Good point! However, does this risk / inconvience not go with the territory? I would be the first to say that these boys do a fine job all winter but I do think it reasonable that the Council extend the service to Christmas day etc. As some one has already ponted out there are Doctors, Care workers, District Nurses etc who all HAVE to travel over the festive period. These folk should also be considered, and given the best chance of getting home in one piece in bad conditions. The rest of us have a choice in the matter.The gritter drivers could surely be allowed to station their vehicles at home if the forecast suggests a cold period coming. I would also add to stuajan that even if the road had been gritted, there is no certainty that this would have prevented his accident. I have also spun off this notorius section of road, several years ago I hasten to add, and the road at the time had been well gritted. However, sympathy and best wishes to him and his family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances144 Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 The gritter drivers could surely be allowed to station their vehicles at home if the forecast suggests a cold period coming. I thought they already do this. Fx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twerto Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 The gritter drivers could surely be allowed to station their vehicles at home if the forecast suggests a cold period coming. I thought they already do this. Fx Some of the gritters are taken home .. but the second man is quite often left to make it to a point where he can be picked up by the gritter, my brother used to have to drive from Tingwall to voe in some of the worst weather before he could jump into the lovely freezing cold gritter with it antique heating system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medziotojas Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 It's cumpulsory to change tyres here (seasonally), but I can't remember the exact dates--I think around February/March and again in October/November--and we're given a couple of weeks grace to make the necessary changes. I think this isn't such a bad idea here as we have pretty extreme winters, but I couldn't really see it working in Shetland, what with the four seasons in one day. Perhaps "studs" would be a waste of time as they would get worn down quickly (particularly in the daytime), but why not winter tyres from say November through March? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandhopper Posted January 3, 2008 Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 It's cumpulsory to change tyres here (seasonally), ...Nearly the same over here ... We do have the "Double-OO-Rule" ... from October to Ostern (Easter) you are risking your inssurance coverage in case you are involved in an accident and being still on 'summer tyres' ...It's not statuory ... by law you are forced to change tyres "in wintry conditions ..." only but in fact the inssurance companies will fight against any case that happened below ' +8°C ' and you are still using your normal 'summer tyres' ... (according to standards of the tyre manufacturing industry) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 The gritter drivers could surely be allowed to station their vehicles at home if the forecast suggests a cold period coming. Still remember the first year they banned them from doing so. It was that big snow back in the 90's (95?). Big fuss that the gritters were not be used after dark or taken home by the drivers. Seem to remember that was the year they weren't clearing the roads either boxing day or Christmas eve. Anyway it snowed big time and the local gritter was stationed in it's wee quarry bitty. Had had enough of family, saw the JCB digging it's way over fae Waa's and figured I'd just walk. When I got to the quarry just afore the West Burrafirth junction what should I meet but the local plough/gritter broken down because the drift in the quarry was too high to get through. He had to wait for the JCB to come and dig him out. Poor guy had walked several miles to get there, and wis just stuck in the middle of no where. Seemed like usual local authority joined up thinking. Take it they stopped all the nonsense about no gritting in the dark etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Para Handy Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 As I understand it the council stopped sending a second man with them. To save on cost. And screw health and safety. So no change there then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepshagger Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 Everyone moaning about the roads not being gritted on christmas day, I'll ask two questions are you willing to put in a full shift at work on christmas day, and are you willing for the sic to pay for christmas cover every year for the one year in five its actually needed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 ...are you willing to put in a full shift at work on christmas day Yup, but only if it's double time, coz I'm a mercenary beggar. are you willing for the sic to pay for christmas cover every year for the one year in five its actually needed? Nope! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeAyBee Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 Everyone moaning about the roads not being gritted on christmas day, I'll ask two questions are you willing to put in a full shift at work on christmas day, and are you willing for the sic to pay for christmas cover every year for the one year in five its actually needed? Everyone? Hardly. You're singing to the choir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeAyBee Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 ...are you willing to put in a full shift at work on christmas dayYup, but only if it's double time, coz I'm a mercenary beggar. Double time is for Sundays! Make it triple. Now who's the merc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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