fusion Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 I came in at 8.50 and i thought it was fine. I'm quite chuffed now since you all say it was so terible. I'm looking forward to a good drop of snow to see if i notice any difrence. I do think if folk have tyers/cars not sutable for the bad roads, perhaps they should take the bus that mornings. All buses are in the toon for 9am so it may be a better option for some Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piggywiggie Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 I do wish people would stop moaning about the gritting, the men do exactly what they are told to do. We have one of the best services up here and quite frankly we have had it so good for so long! The slightest change and people moan and start pointing fingers. Its stupid. Now tonydog over the christmas time while everyone is out having parties and getting merry. What do you think the men who do the gritting are doing?I shall tell you. If they are not gritting they are sitting at home so that they CAN grit and drive the following day. While everyone else is out enjoying themselves these poor men who will get phoned between 5-6am are sitting at home. Take a thought for them! Would you give up the festivites so go out and do a brilliant job then have people moan all the time! Im surprised there is any men still willing to do it with the way they consantly get moaned at! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fusion Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 I do wish people would stop moaning about the gritting, the men do exactly what they are told to do. We have one of the best services up here and quite frankly we have had it so good for so long! The slightest change and people moan and start pointing fingers. Its stupid. Now tonydog over the christmas time while everyone is out having parties and getting merry. What do you think the men who do the gritting are doing?I shall tell you. If they are not gritting they are sitting at home so that they CAN grit and drive the following day. While everyone else is out enjoying themselves these poor men who will get phoned between 5-6am are sitting at home. Take a thought for them! Would you give up the festivites so go out and do a brilliant job then have people moan all the time! Im surprised there is any men still willing to do it with the way they consantly get moaned at! Couldn't have said better myself. This men are on call all through the winter with the theat of getting phoned in what would be the middle of my night. So i for one appreceiate any salt on any roads. I have family south and they think the difrence on what we get as a service is 10x what they get! So be glad we live in Shetland and not Scotland mainland. Then you would have something to moan about!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skoughi Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 When I worked for the sic roads we would get called at about half five for getting to the depot and starting for six so it was always a pain at xmas. Now that I'm back in the private sector I really like my xmas holidays with no phone calls! In the real world even though the road will get salted or grit on them It's not like the WHOLE surface is covered. There will be little patches here and there where there will be untreated ice. It's probably these which can catch people out. Also as I said earlier the gritters can break down in the middle of a route and have to go back to the workshop or stop where they're at, this can lead to a streach of road being like an ice rink in the middle of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinner72 Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 As someone who used to be involved in the gritting I can say that all the gritters are out on the road at 6am, give or take ten mins. Also even though they are spewing out salt, salt/grit mix it needs cars driving on it to help make the snow and ice to melt. A road that has been gritted but has very little traffic on it will stay icey for a good while. It was curious that the icy side of the road on Friday morning was the Lerwick bound one, which I would have thought would be by far the busier one at that time of day. It all depends when the frost is formed. If the road is frosty around 5am, it will get a decent amount of traffic before being gritted and become polished, which can lead to it taking much longer to clear. You notice many fascinating anomalies over the years but there is always a logical explanation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Well I heard a tale today that one of the local constabularies estate cars ended up on its roof somewhere in Shetland over the last week. Think it was meant to be the day of the bad hail. Anyone know of any truth in it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urabug Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Driving is no different to anything else, some are good at it others are not. The problem for most people is the lack of patience & consideration for other road users Leave plenty of room between your vehicle & the one ahead so there is time to adjust speed & take any action to avoid a collision . Remember it is better to be late than DEAD on time ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_H Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Da Cooncil has a poster on their web page giving some winter driving advice - http://www.shetland.gov.uk/roads/documents/A3WinterDrive.pdf Also times of treatment, contact info etc at http://www.shetland.gov.uk/roads/WinterDriving.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 @Urabug But just to add please be considerate to those behind you too, not everyone can control their vehicle going up a steep icy hill at 18miles an hour, for example an fully loaded automatic service bus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piggywiggie Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 When I worked for the sic roads we would get called at about half five for getting to the depot and starting for six so it was always a pain at xmas. Now that I'm back in the private sector I really like my xmas holidays with no phone calls! In the real world even though the road will get salted or grit on them It's not like the WHOLE surface is covered. There will be little patches here and there where there will be untreated ice. It's probably these which can catch people out. Also as I said earlier the gritters can break down in the middle of a route and have to go back to the workshop or stop where they're at, this can lead to a streach of road being like an ice rink in the middle of the day. am I right in thinking the grit becomes useless below a certain temp? I do appologise for my rant earlier but in my 23 years of living I have grown up with someone who goes out and grits the roads so I know their side of the story and how exhausting it actually can become.I say we have been very lucky over this xmas period with so very little snow unlike last year when it seemed to be constant! So to all the county men! Keep up the good work in the gritting and the maintanance of the roads! GOOD JOB! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinner72 Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 am I right in thinking the grit becomes useless below a certain temp? I always find the the salt content stops being effective when the temperature gets below -4, but there are all sorts of variables so it can happen before that, as obviously when the salt thaws frost/ice/snow it becomes diluted and less effective. Thats one of the reasons a salt/grit mix can be preferable as the grit continues to help provide traction irrespective of whether the salt is working, and helps "chew up" more persistent areas when the salt is working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piggywiggie Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 thought so! I wasnt sure if I had made it up in my head! (happens allot) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ of Hildisvik Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 On radio 4 back in november, a local authority in England said they've been experimenting with salt mixed into a sticky brine solution then sprayed onto the road surface.It doesn't wash off into the verges when it rains and thus stays stuck to the road surface. In Moscow they also spray all footpaths with a similar solution, so nobody go's "moomin's up", unlike me in the toll clock car park Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ of Hildisvik Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 What is it with the swear filter on here, Ooo look i just saw a Blue Moomin flying in the garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 The salt here is mixed with sugar to help it stick. It also tends to stick to the vehicles. The boon with the salt being deposited on the first bit of side roads. There is a sweet "cooking" smell coming from the salt barn when the extractor is on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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