Winter prep..

[aldhelm]

Learn to drive instead, written lovingly.

Personally I've been involved in 2 accidents due to snow and ice on the UK roads, Everyone seems to panic the roads are lucky to get gritted, occasionally due to abandoned cars that by people who really have no idea how to drive in the snow, often by the many hills surrounding us. Good for us with flooding not so good for those who live at the bottom. That causes major problems and hold ups because they stop everyone moving.and people who don't usually drive often or far decide to take the car out.

Each accident involved me being hit from behind by some Muppet who got their driving licence by collecting tokens from Kelloggs packets sliding down the road.

[Yorkshire Andy]

https://youtu.be/7MPRmOUxRMY


And a rather compelling video into ABS, traction control and ESP

for the none UK members the presenter is a semi pro rally driver...:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wR1SSxpKitE

[PreppingPingu]

Yes as the leaves are just on the turn, I have thought about winter preps. I went through my holdall which I keep permanently in the back of my car which has spare clothes in it and checked them over. Put back in the bag, woolly hat, gloves and a pair of foot grips for snow, ice or mud. Need to add a warmer jumper/fleece as an extra layer. Added a couple of those instant hand warmers that react when you open them. Now the weather is cooling a little (tho it was still about 20 degrees down south this week,) I will add some chocolate bars to my food rations of nuts, snacks and drink that is also in the holdall. In the summer I take out anything chocolate as the car tend to heat up somewhat!

In regards to winter preps in the home, topping up battery supplies and candles. Things like booking a gas fire and boiler service - the last thing is having your boiler go pop in the middle of a cold spell!

[Yorkshire Andy]

Well if you believe

http://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/7 ... ain-freeze

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1852997/u ... six-weeks/




Although its been bloody cold up here today from shorts and t shirt to trousers, sweater and cotton work jacket in less than a week brrrrrrrrr


Got money ring fenced for some Snow chains this pay day

[Wales1]

i;m not looking forwards to a icy winter...the car is a auto with a turbo and its taken me a year of driving it to get used to the way it accalerates in the dry, i thnk i'll be walking to the shops if the weather is really bad.

[Jamesey1981]

Well if you believe

http://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/7 ... ain-freeze

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1852997/u ... six-weeks/




Although its been bloody cold up here today from shorts and t shirt to trousers, sweater and cotton work jacket in less than a week brrrrrrrrr


Got money ring fenced for some Snow chains this pay day

The Express say that every year, although by the law of averages they have to be right sometimes!

Saying that though I have been watching reports from the various weather agencies and the general consensus is that we're in for a cold winter, all of the things that contributed to the last couple of warm winters (in general, I know some ares got some cold weather) have passed by and the indications are that it's going to be a very cold one.

Edit:
Most of the forecasts predicting a very cold winter are doing so because a weak La Niña was expected, some sources are now saying that's going to be unlikely, it's still likely to be cold, but if that is correct then it'll likely be short but intense cold snaps rather than a long cold spell.

Whichever forecast is correct I think it's worth digging out your thermals!

[Yorkshire Andy]

I agree this years "seasons" have been more in kilter with what I remember as a kid... But time will tell

[Jamesey1981]

I agree this years "seasons" have been more in kilter with what I remember as a kid... But time will tell

Yeah, we'll have to see how it goes, I'm going to wax my skis just in case though, don't often get much snow here but when we do we have the hills to take advantage of it.

[poppypiesdad]

i;m not looking forwards to a icy winter...the car is a auto with a turbo and its taken me a year of driving it to get used to the way it accalerates in the dry, i thnk i'll be walking to the shops if the weather is really bad.

On your auto box is there not a 1 2 and a *
The 1 is auto box locked in 1st gear
The 2 is "" " "" in 2nd gear
And the * is ment to be for snow ice driving

Might not be that bad , what car is it ?

J

[Yorkshire Andy]

Well having been sniggered at in the local motor factors tonight and been told that they wont be getting the snow chains out from the back store room till next month, with no offer to go see if they had the size i needed Ive ordered a set on line tonight.....

Still i had the last laugh by as i walked out telling them to enjoy working next week whilst im in the Alps skiing or sat in a bar (BS but their faces dropped) Screw local businesses who dont want to sell stock thats sat in the back gathering dust

so apart from hoping that it stays mild so they dont sell any snow chains/ socks / winter tyres


last week car was under sealed...

got Snow chains ordered.

My vac packed clothing hamper (hoodie, long sleeve shirt, thermal base layer, nylon combat trousers, thermal base layer long jon things, spare Socks and skids) have gone back in the boot (more the chance of getting wet and cold at work than anything) waterproofs live in car all year round so thats warm clothing added...

replaced the 5l bottle of mineral water that mrs andy cracked open in a pregnancy induced thirst last weekend (that water has done MILES with me too and the bottle never leaked )

Started adding winter screen wash (only a weak mix for now but the 5l screen wash bottle on this thing lasts a month between fills (and even then its not empty unlike my old super mini which had a massive swept windscreen, stupid mist jets where most of the water hit the bottom of the screen and a 2.5l bottle that if i was lucky would last about a week and a half)

been eyeing up de icer and my snow brush so i know where they are in the garage when i need them

need to add sleeping bag and travel kettle to complement the 24 hr MRE box that lives in the boot...

Replaced the contents of the First aid kit that lives in the car last week.


Added trauma kit to car door pocket,, easy to get to,, It lived on my belt all weekend whilst i did some industrial scale gardening using petrol chainsaw/ bush cutter / hedge trimmer.... But is back in the car with new CAT tornequet, and Celox gauze


need to think about anything else i need to add but cant think of much at the moment

Home wise.. Garden is tidy ,, started stockpiling wood,, checked my back up inverter batteries, cranked the generator over last weekend and used it to run the compressor whilst i under-sealed to give it a good warm up

had a check of my petrol and gas lanterns too...

been rather busy next up is demolish old shed and replace a couple of outdoor lights which have died in the garden in time for the dark nights that are closing in very quickly and replace the batteries in the 2 outside lights that I can't get mains to