Snow!

[Claws]

Dear All

if your out and about this week, take care!

Steve

[Claws]

we have the same problem (small hill) i'm about to get out now, it is already snowing and settling here SE London, to get some essentials milk / beers / spuds etc 

[Wat]

I have had regular episodes of snow since November ,I thought it was against the law for southerners to be bothered by snow

[Guest]

As an earlier post of mine will attest snow is not uncommon in these here parts and Black Bess has been undercover since the first hints.

I am not going to lose her to a snow drift again!

[Old Peter]

True, Walter.

They will be getting the snow chains on to their Range Rovers round here.  3 minutes of snow does the trick.

Peter

 

[Old Peter]

I am not bothered with the snow.  If I want anything the corner shop is only 400 yards away.  In fact there are three shops within 500 yards s I have a choice .  M & S Food, Sainsbury's and Waitrose.

Peter.

 

[Wat]

Serious here this morning, risky going out to the lofts to feed racing pigeons I have 10 pairs sitting tight on eggs pretty tough being hatched into this, however it I'd soft powdery snow and the Jaguar will negotiate it OK.

[Guest]

6 hours ago, R2e said:

I think if we got snow so often I'd be tempted to have an extra set of wheels with winter tyres, or even studded tyres. I drove a car 30+ years ago in heavy snow where the owner had fitted studded tyres to the back wheels (rear wheel drive) and it behaved perfectly and would go anywhere.

Hi Ron,

The current wheels are looking a little tired (not tyred) at the present so I'd been contemplating getting a replacement, and more attractive, set for re-furb. Part of the consideration was what to do with the old ones and I had decided to sell them on to take the benefit of the marginal contribution. Your idea though makes better sense as I have also been thinking of unloading my A8 day car - no more long haul hammering up and down the motorways for me I'm pleased to say.

[Guest]

Oh the things we do for the ladies in our lives.......I shouldn't but I will make the allusion to that other source of a few moments pleasure for an eternity of pain. Nuff said?

[Guest]

I think you may be beginning to understand my penchant for anthropomorphism.

[Claws]

had to go out again this morning. car struggled to start, external temp -5 Celsius, looked at the hill (I use that term loosely) but sounds like an identical setup to Ron's i.e. cul-de-sac etc. anyway I walked up the hill solid ice in the middle of the road, semi frozen slush were other cars have managed to get out. so scraped all the snow  off the car about 4 inches at a guess, and had a go. anyway long story short, got out, very slowly! did the shopping, came back it had been snowing all the time I was out (about an hour) the road was covered in snow with no sign of any other vehicles having been down there since I left. slowed down to turn right into he road, car lost grip momentarily thankfully. now the scary bit! this road is quite narrow and flanked on either side, and at the bottom by parked cars, lamp posts and wooden bollards, so if it went I couldn't  use the kerbs to dig the wheels into to slow / stop the car, once committed no going back. I guess if you was on a sled you'd probably hit 15 - 20 mph by the time you got to the bottom. anyway as slow as you like off I went, got down safely, in the cul-de-sac swung the car to the right to then reverse into my original spot, pressed the brakes (gently) as I was getting close to a parked car, car slid again but stopped within a few inches of it!

I don't think I will be going anywhere in the next few days as we are due more snow over the next couple of days at least

Stay safe folks!

Steve

[Guest]

Rather oddly, given both our altitude and proximity to the Marches and the Beacons, our share of the white stuff is extraordinarily small. A light dusting only at present and most vehicles are getting around without problem. Theres more to come but at present it looks like we may escape the challenges you guys have/are experiencing. The First Lady has been in Ilminster over the last couple of weeks on business and was due to return home today but with the Red Warnings issued this morning for Somerset I had expected her to either stay put or head to her parents in Bath - she's more pig headed than me though so I should not have been surprised when she arrived home less than an hour ago.

All praise Quattro as we will live on a country road called Killhorse Lane - the name being well earned by many contributions to the glue factories of the past. Over the years I've had a few snow bound adventures with cars and one in particular with my previous S Type on a trip home from Telford to Brum in about eight inches of the slippery stuff. On this occasion and, given my present locality, for now its Quattro or nothing!

B£$%£%r, just remembered, when The First Lady comes home with Red Bob then my second lady typically chucks a hissy fit - I'd best go and lavish some attention.

Take care guys and stay safe - the body shops will be making enough without our contributions.

Cheers,

Steve

[Old Peter]

Here is my S Type just now.

Sunny Brummagem avoids snow so that they can make Jaguars.

Peter,

[Old Peter]

17 hours ago, R2e said:

It's OK Peter, I've arranged for you to have heavy snow from about 11pm tonight, I couldn't see you deprived . Enjoy!

Promises, Promises!  I spent the afternoon and early evening getting the Jet Skis prepared for a great day in Sutton Park.  Sone with tow bar and trailer was going to come at 9.00 am to get the Jet Skis out to the park. I went to the OutDoor Sports Emporium for a new ski suit, and a 11.00p I checked snow fall!  The wind is fierce, though. so I might get out the ice dinghy and so so Ice `Yachting on the lake!

[Guest]

4 hours ago, R2e said:

Blooming Met Office. Sorry Peter they let me down constantly, I will have to have strong words with them again...

I haven't checked how Brum fared overnight but judging by what I found his morning Ron you and the Met Office missed Brum by about 45 miles - to the tune of 8 or so inches with drifts up to 18 inches. Given that its better to move the stuff before it freezes into a solid pack I spent an entertaining morning and early afternoon shifting, to my mind, several tons of the white stuff from paths, driveway and entrance onto the lane - even cleared a bit for an elderly neighbour. Annoyingly though, as I was putting away the doughty snow-shovel the heavens opened again and so far theres another couple of inches and no sign of the fall abating.

Have I offended you in some way?

Insofar that this site is supposed to be about our motoring adventures and issues I think I should add that while merrily shovelling I happened to notice that The First Lady's ride has popped one of its Headlamp Washer Covers in the same fashion as some Jaguar drivers unhappily experience. Vorsprung Durch Teknik NOT - for a change.

Ho hum, in anticipation of various aches and pains; the fires roaring, comfy chair - from which no doubt I will struggle to get up - has been plumped and a suitable single malt selected. I'm off - ouch, ouch.

[Guest]

B%^&%£r - all these years and I still get it wrong.

That said though the darkened room idea has a little appeal but frankly I think I'll stick with feet up and single malt and try to remember the right batting order in future.

Now, what was I going to do .... oh, that's right...ouch!

[Old Peter]

We have a bit of a blizzard in Brummagem and it is snowing at the moment.

The options were carefully listed, and then an real outsider came up, a Glenlivet single malt labelled "Founder's reserve" drew my attention and out of pure curiosity I had a double treble this afternoon.

Peter.

 

[Guest]

Now there speaks a man after my own heart.Ouch.

[Suppedraken]

You don't know what snow is. We have close to 1.5 meters. And beside the road and the driveway, where the plow leaves it, it's more. But driving is not a big problem, as long as it's not deeper than, say, 10 centimeters or slick ice. We have studded tires up here, but a better limited slip differential or differiental locker would be welcomed.

There is an issue with buildings, though. If the roof is too flat, it may collapse under the weight of the snow, which is just what happened to the King Bob's residence before I had the time to clear it. The result was a dented hood, dented roof and dented trunk. We're fully covered, so not a problem. Sad, but not a problem.

But. The shop found that the sills need to be replaced because they were more rusted than the pictures showed before we bought it. And this is after the dealer said they fixed it after it was discovered at the end-of-warranty-test at the local test station. The law says that dealers are responsible for 5 years after sale, even if the car is old and even if the warranty is shorter or non existent.

We shall see.

[Guest]

Yep, I agree, we have become a nation of what some in the North Eastern climes would call 'Fair Weather Moaners' and having been met in Helsinki, Stockholm, Moscow and St Petersburg with snow to a depth of a metre or more its hard to argue with that view.

Sorry to hear of King Bobs misadventure and also the state of the sills. Hopefully, all will be sorted out soon without opening your own wallet - but I guess you're in for a bit of arm wrestling. Take a leaf out of Thors book and better still take his hammer.

Will wait to hear of car dealer in hasty retreat.

[Suppedraken]

43 minutes ago, cubist said:

Yep, I agree, we have become a nation of what some in the North Eastern climes would call 'Fair Weather Moaners' and having been met in Helsinki, Stockholm, Moscow and St Petersburg with snow to a depth of a metre or more its hard to argue with that view.

But so have we. After several mild winters, it's like we've never seen this much snow before. Except when we were children that is, when the summers were long and sunny, and the winters were long and cold. Speaking of which, right now it's -24C outside. The cats refuse to go out and I follow their lead.

Cheers, whatever you (and I mean all of you all) you choose to do or not to do this weekend.

[Claws]

I meant to pop these photos on yesterday but forgot (sorry) we were expecting some heavy snow yesterday but it never materialised, note the icicles on the front bumper, the drop (gradient) is roughly 6 foot from the top of the Road down to my head if that makes sense

[Old Peter]

Brummagem is quite flat, and any small hills can be avoided.  The downside is that there is a lot of traffic at times.

The big problem is that there can be more icy roads and less than skilful drivers.

Peter.

[Claws]

I lived in brum a life time ago! Castle Vale right by Castle Brom

[Suppedraken]

3 hours ago, R2e said:

But wow! Dealers responsible for 5 years...... How do they stay in business?

Every consumer product is, as far as I know, covered by 1 or 2 years manufacturer warranty and, if the product is meant to last 5 years or longer, 5 years "reklamasjonsrett". Reklamasjonsrett litterally translates as a right to complain and is a form of extended warranty. Everything is expensive in Norway.

Except for snow at the moment. Which means off piste snowboarding.

The picture was taken at the end of January, and we've had a lot more since then.