why does Britain come to a standstill because of bad weather?

We were in Sheffield for the winter of 79 which was a nightmare of snow and ice for three months, but things still just about kept going. Then we moved to Bournemouth and wondered why everything stopped for half an inch of snow.
Bizarrely here today it is 15 degrees, sunny and warm enough to work in the garden in a t-shirt.

There are snowploughs in Scotland. I saw one in Dundee this week, spraying out grit and salt behind too. It seems that the general opinion in the South of England has been that the investment in such equipment wouldn't be worthwhile for events which may not even happen once a year.

Yesterday evening I ventured out to visit my new grandson in west Cheshire and found myself driving through a blizzard on the way back home to south Manchester. The three lane M56 was only clear in one lane, with no lighting along a very long stretch. Thankfully, an Eddie Stobart truck came along and I tucked myself behind it for 15 miles, otherwise I am sure I would have ended up stranded. The snow was piling up so quickly. Got as far as Manchester airport and there was no sign of snow. What a relief to get home.

I don't think it is fair to lump all of Britain together here. The North of England, Scotland, the Pennines etc do not grind to a halt until the Cockbridge to Tomintoul road is so impassabe that even Mrs McThing cannot get out to clear it. It's us in the South - and I include myself, since despite my hardy Scottish upbringing, I have spent the last 43 years down here and quake at the prospect of snowy roads as much as the next "soft" Southerner!

I remember one snowy day catching the bus as normal to school which was 11 miles away and going down sideways on one of the steepest hills in the area. It was scary but we got there - but came back a different way if I remember correctly!

Businesses seem to manage to stay open as do hotels, hospitals, surgeries and shops. So why do schools close at the first snowflake? Much to the disappointment of us pupils [we weren't called 'students' in those days until we went to college / university] in those days our school stayed open throughout snowy periods - and it was a rural area! Today I gues the slogan is 'H & S rules!'

We are currently on the M4, on the way home to Devon from Oxford. The weather changes so rapidly that it would be difficult to be ready for everything! It was snowing, quite heavily, when we left Oxford; now (in the roadworks near Bristol!) it is a dry-ish, grey day. And I expect it is raning in Devon

There is no snow here this morning but the wind has been bowling the empty wheelie bins around all night. Have been watching the weather forecast because I am babysitting tonight and need to get to DS's, main roads are usually passable but DS is on the top of a steep hill and needs a 4x4 to make it to the top. DS is only 45 minutes from me but sometimes it can be like another country.

It's been snowing and blowing for about 36 hours, but there's only light coverage because it all blows away. I wonder where it ends up. On Thursday night I came out of a theatre to a tremendous gale and at home the bins were all over the patio. Then the snow started, but it's mostly that miserable drizzly snow that doesn't look as mesmeric as the big fluffy flakes.

Here in our part of the East Midlands we usually get off quite lightly. Your post about Sheffield brought back memories Nellie, as it's my neck of the woods (and where my heart is). It's an absolute killer in the snow, and I remember some very scary moments as the car slid down the slopes. Those 'seven hills' so close to the Pennines can make for some very treacherous driving conditions.

MargaretX Fitting winter tyres in this country can invalidate people's insurance.

Scottish grannies I note that Bags has not posted this morning although she is usually one of the early birds. I wonder if she – and possibly some other Scottish grannies – have no power today because so many power lines are down. Of course, she might just be having a well-deserved lie-in – I hope so.

I agree totally with Maimie. I think there is a bit of a myth about Britain being the only country that stops for snow. There comes a point where an icy 2/3inchs of snow is as disruptive to travel as 10inch or more. You car will just slide about. Then people abandon them ,the roads get blocked and the gritters etc cannot get through to clear them and its chaos. People should take notice of the weather forecasts when there are warnings of severe weather.

DD is under 8" of snow over in Sheffield and on a steep hill.

It's been snowing continuously here since early Friday morning and is still snowing. There is about a foot of snow now. Yesterday people were still wading through, traffic still moving, adults pulling children on sledges. Today it's really quiet. One person just went past, clambering through the drifts. The children and students will be out later with snowboards and sledges.

I can remember days when we were sent home from school after lunch because the snow was settling. Of course in those days most mothers were at home. Travelling to work wasn't such a problem because most people worked close to home. My father cycled to work and could probably have walked if necessary.

A friend of ours who lives near Nice rang last week and said they'd had a sudden snow fall and he'd nearly crashed when he hit the layer of ice under the snow. No suggestion of any gritting.

When we were at school, the school was always open in the morning, but if there was a heavy snowfall before midday, the school bell would ring three times to signify a half holiday at which there would be much rejoicing! Country children were able to get on their buses and trains, the rest of us went home and played on our sledges - or had a snow fight. Those were the days of stay-at-home mums. At night we could hear the snowploughs going round.
I see it is now snowing gently again but there isn't enough here for a snowman or a snow fight.

Last week here in Normandy all our schools were closed for four days. The prefecture cancelled the transport and that was that. There was some gritting, but not much apart from the main roads. We were snowed in for four days. Nobody seemed to be criticising the authorities much. People who were stranded were incredibly grateful when they were eventually rescued.
What strikes me watching the UK coverage is that people seem to behave as if they have some sort of entitlement to travel no matter what. Then their cars get stuck and they complain because the gritters can't get through. I listened to quite a few stories of people in the south of England who had no real need to travel, but had set off completely unprepared and were moaning furiously because they couldn't get through.

It would help if winter tyres were mandatory. If all traffic keeps moving even if very slowly there are not as many accidents. And then in the UK the wind is such a plus factor. Here in South Germany the snow fall downwards and lands nicely on the ground. I remember at home in Yorkshire that snow blew in sidewards and built up walls of snow against the back door.
Anyway although few schools needed to close there has been a lot of disruption on the continent. These days when planes land and lift off in a tight minute to minute schedule the slightest snowfall causes chaos.
Perhpas the media are not so hysterical about it.

glamma, according to news broadcasts over the past few weeks, most of Northern Europe has also been at a standstill. Is it comforting to know it isn't just us? What was reassuring this week was to see snowploughs at work in Scotland.

We have just been called from school to go and collect youngest two DGCs as the school is closing due to the heavy snowfall,how do parents who are at work cope with this I wonder they must really have a good backup team on standby,there is no after school club arranged as the playleaders will have to leave early on account of the weather being bad on the Motorways.

Thanks for your comments, I suppose modern living is possibly blighted by health and safety. But in so many areas change has definitely not been for the better. I used to be a nurse years ago and we were never allowed to wear rings other than a wedding ring, definitely no earrings and hair had to be tied back securely, that doesn't seem to apply today, where is H & S in nursing?

Nellie I thought it meant gusty too!

mishap I just realised you mean windy as in bendy and not Gale force winds.
That now makes much more sense!

Because the rest of the media is stupid?

Joan that sounds worse than snow! And while the radio and television are telling us that there is an official red/amber weather warning and to stay at home, why does the rest of the media then have a go at people who do, alongside pictures of stranded cars and blocked roads?

I think it is perfectly normal that bad weather stops traffic and keeps people at home. Obviously as much should be done by the authorities as possible, but in the end, we live in a world with extreme conditions. Before technology, people knew they would sometimes be snowed in and unable to go places, so they made contingency plans. A firm with such draconian rules that workers are expected to turn up when transport is down, is disgusting. People should be allowed to stay home.

Here in Queensland Australia, in the sub tropics, we are all expected to have a disaster kit: emergency food and water, a battery radio, candles, camping stove etc, for power cuts, or floods which can cut off entire suburbs. There are protocols in place for fire danger too.

Last such disaster was 2 years ago when floods cut us off and the electricity was cut off too. It could have lasted more than a week, and we were prepared for this, but luckily it only lasted a day and a half. The bloke next door had a generator, and gave us some space in his freezer for our frozen stuff.

Neighbours automatically help each other.