How much is this costing?

[Erfolg]

After returning home from my epic journey to Cumbria, I spoke to by cousin who lives in Germany.

 

Independent of this phone call, I was looking at the state of my GC order and a Amazon purchase. Both have been interfered with by the snow. GC stating that there had been no PO pick up for 2 days. I also saw on TV that there were other serious issues on the continent.

 

All this seemed to contrast starkly with my tel con. Where I was told, plenty of snow, hmmm, not stopping anything as far as I know, Brigitte has just returned from Hanover on the ICE Train, no problems. Germany cannot allow itself to grind to a halt every time it snows, I think it is the same for everyone. Everyone? yes, Denmark, Holland, you know western Europe. Any problems here are temporary, you get over them, our competitors will, wont they! Schools closed for snow! Good God no-one in Europe would get any education if it were considered to dangerous to be at school. Erfolg, you are having a joke with me, aren't you. No! Well your government should be ashamed of itself,

 

I suspect that there is a differant attitude to the weather else where. I am sure it causes some problems, but else where not enough to stop my essential modelling needs to be unduly delayed.

 

Erfolg

[Bruce Richards]

If you can almost grantee long periods of snowy weather most years then it is worth investing in the infrastructure to deal with the issues. I for one do not want to pay for infrastructure that only gets used very occasionally. If the weather were  to change in the country to give us large dumps of snow and cold weather every year then we would need to spend the money to make sure we can all keep moving around and working.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Norway's population is just over 5 million - ours is over 10 times that. Even so, the city of Oslo alone has nearly as many snow ploughs as we do in the entire country! Nearly every Norwegian will have a spare set of "studded" tyres in the garage. This is an example of the infra structure they have which keeps things moving. But they have "big-time" snow virtually every year.

 

I think Bruce is right - it simply doesn't make sense for us to invest on that scale for an event which might happen approximately once every 10-15 years. We'd all soon have something to say if local authorities started closing even more facilities becuase they'd spent all the money on snow ploughs that spend most of their lives rusting away in depots and are eventually scraped with less than 1,000 miles on the clock!

 

BEB

[Frank Skilbeck]

In Norway it is a legal requirement that you fit snow tyres after a certain date. In some other countries snow tyres are pretty common but people still apparently get caught out when it first gets a bit cold.

 

On Sakhalin Island (Russian Far East) and much of Siberia most of the heavy transports are done in winter when the roads are solid, it's when it thaws and they turn to mush that everything stops.

 

PS I was on the TGV last week, and it was late leaving, because............... they had no driver, so it's not just us then.

[birdy]

I for one arn't objecting about school closures... Gave me a 4/5 day weekend... He he he...

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Erfolg]

I think the biggest difference between the UK today and in the past, is that then you tried.

 

Schools did not close. Football matches were not cancelled, because of the pavements. I think we all accept that a myriad of snow plows is perhaps not the best use of LA money, nor is having more staff to access environmental issues or ethnic balance than available to undertake gritting (as stated by weekend newspaper). I guess the other surprising bit of information, according to some newspapers is that LA started with less than recommended grit/salt in storage and after using the resources, were slow to reorder.

 

For me the greatest issue is one of attitude. Everything seems to stop in the name of H&S, particularly when tax payer funded.

 

Erfolg

[Bert]

I was talking to a Norwegian colleague last week and the subject of snow came up. He said that when they get the first snow it's chaos for a while but they get used to it quickly.  So not much different to here really.

 

He told me that they all use winter tyres but they avoid the studded ones because they have to pay additional tax to use them to make up for the damage they do to the road surface.

 

Bert

[Hamish]

I also am also waiting for a delivery held up because of the snow.  Perhaps the supplier could have loaded up the boot of his Rolls Royce and gone to the nearest Post Office?

 

We give up all too easily and when I worked for my local council the staff were desperate to get home at the smallest hint of snow.  It did not matter to them as they considered they should still be paid for minor small falls.

[Bryce Allcorn - BritFlight.co.uk]

I was taking stuff to the post office and finding it still there 2 days later because the pick-up lorry couldn't get through.  TNT on the other hand came out everyday that I needed them.

 

The post office is parallel to my office on the next road. 

[Erfolg]

Having worked in Poland (yep, the other way round) when the first snow fell, which then was November (at the end as I remember), there was possibly a couple of hours in the morning when there was a slight issue.

 

The trams ran, with no apparent issues, cars still negotiated the roads. A long trip into the country side had no issues, on the first or subsequent days. Unbelievably cold, which caused me problems, but no one else.

 

I am not sure pointing to the odd issue in other countries, in any way excuses our general response, which does seem centred on transport.

 

I clearly remember being in Frankfurt am Main anxiously looking out of the window with fears that the flight back to the UK would be cancelled. The plane was boarded, went for de icing twice, as the runway was cleared, then of we went. Yes it delayed, a few hours, but the weather was not a stopper.

 

I found a similar position at Gothenburg, the snow was not a issue to the locals, they got on with it. I was concerned coming back over the North Sea.

 

For me the real point is, this is life, you get on with it, problems are to be overcome or you try.

 

As one who goes to Cumbria and Yorkshire from the NW, these problems started on the 20-12-09 and have continued. As the saying goes P poor planning leads to very poor performance and this is compounded by a poor attitude by some.

[Vecchio Austriaco]

Erfolg,

 

you are spoiled living in a pretty organized country I suppose. I received a letter yesterday from my insurance company - asking for the annual payment - posted 14.12.2009. Last year some of the Christmas cards arrived in february. Snow on the roads: my record was 7h for 30km (home from work - which means I arrived home at 02:00). And this is not because snow is such a rare thing here - 20km from the place I live are the alps.

Let the children stay at home for a few days - they enjoy it.

Take it easy

 

VA

 

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Picking up on Vecchio's point. A little while ago I was in a meeting of a consortium working on a trans-European research project. We had to get a report to the European Commission by a given date. The project leader, a Brit, suggested that if partners had their contributions ready by the following week they could send them by normal post, however if they were later than that they must send them by express courier.

 

The Italian partner, who was based in Milan, mourfully pointed out "In Italy we don't have 'normal post', if we want to send a letter we drive to Switzerland"! - True!

 

BEB

[Erfolg]

Vechhhio

 

I think you must be confusing us with some one else! organized, hmmm organised.

 

When I think of organised, i think of Germany and Austria. My time working in Vienna, increased my appreciation of organisation. My visits to USA Disney world (as a holiday maker) made me think that organisation by USA companies was the best I had ever seen or witnessed.

 

I was very surprised at the thoroughness of Polish Academic organisations and there applied knowledge base.

 

I found that my brief stay in Sweden was also very ordered, but it as quite brief so fleeting glimpse.

 

I have heard that the postal service in Spain and Italy could have its issues. Yet working with a Spanish Partner, there was never any issue with the transfer of documents. But may be the state system was not used. I do vaguely remember that a courier service was the preferred method.

 

I personally have never had the good fortune to work with an Italian partner or in the country. Just been a holiday maker. So have nothing useful to make.

 

Living or working in a country really reveals the differences. These shift with time so nothing is set in concrete. Yet I do remember the high level of organisation in your workshop. Ordered , Hmmmm, Well. I think you have it Vecchio

 

Erfolg