Reply to: True Grit

[BrowneIssue]

No !

Why do people in Milton Keynes call it MK?

It's the hippy contingent that moved in when it was being built that started calling it that. "Merlin's Kaftan" was the psychedelia band the Mayor had been the bongo-drummer of before he went into politics.

[Doggy Styles]

No !

Why do people in Milton Keynes call it MK?

Hmm, sorry, you've got me there.

But there are many worse places than Milton Keynes, I can assure you. Starting with their M25 neighbours Luton and Northampton.

[zara_backdog]

I'd use it. It doesn't matter where it leads to.

A mate of mine was on the gritter lorries on Friday, around Milton Keynes. He handed over to the night shift at 9pm. So there should be loads of gritted roads there. Does Milton Keynes take anyone's fancy?

No !

Why do people in Milton Keynes call it MK?

[Doggy Styles]

I found a gritted road yesterday - I only had to drive a couple of miles to find it.

I'd use it. It doesn't matter where it leads to.

A mate of mine was around Milton Keynes on the gritter lorries on Friday. He handed over to the night shift to carry on, so there should be loads of gritted roads there.

Does Milton Keynes take anyone's fancy?

[FarmerPalmer]

Here in Wiltshire, we have an A-road outside the front door. It has been kept clear by the weight of traffic, not the council. The first time we saw a gritter was Friday evening, and we have the chips on the windscreen to prove it. Tossers. Is it necessary to grit the field on the opposite side of the road? They must have been using one of those gritters that operates the M25 and grits all the lanes at once from one side.

I found a gritted road yesterday - I only had to drive a couple of miles to find it.

[zara_backdog]

It was on the news here. They do like to have a comedy moment at the end of the news, and it's usually some craziness from England of late. Well, the latest one is that apparently some council in England has bought 500 tonnes of table salt to grit the roads as they couldn't get anything else.

The table salt is mixed with sand but "it does the job", says council spokesperson Lisa Bonnell.

If it does the job

[threaded]

It was on the news here. They do like to have a comedy moment at the end of the news, and it's usually some craziness from England of late. Well, the latest one is that apparently some council in England has bought 500 tonnes of table salt to grit the roads as they couldn't get anything else.

Another comedy moment was a Swedish guy who escaped a drink driving conviction by claiming his invisible friend was doing the driving.

[TykeMerc]

I'd be surprised if it perished, salt and grit is pretty inert.

So long as it's kept dry yes.

[Doggy Styles]

I'm guessing - but could be wrong - that in previous years if there was heavy snowfall in one area they could buy in more grit if they ran out or borrow it from a neighbouring council.

However, this has affected most of the country for a substantial period of time. The salt mines are running 24/7 but can't keep up with demand and authorities are being coy about how much they have in case the government tell them to lend it to someone else. The only 'donation' of grit I've heard of was for Wiltshire.

That a fair point, but in previous years the gritters were always out for frost/ice events, which usually affected most of the country, as well as the odd snow.

And I'm sure I read once that it was a balancing act between not having enough and having too much grit - does it perish/have an effective shelf life?

I'd be surprised if it perished, salt and grit is pretty inert.

[zara_backdog]

YerbutNobut

When I was a nipper we had grit bins on every street corner, so we could grit the roads ourselves. Even they've gone.

Had a rant over this in TPD earlier in the week.

BRING BACK THE GRIT BINS...

Our road is always really icey even with the slight hint of frost at one point and they took the Grit Bin away a couple of years ago - when I enquired they said ' people keep using the grit and we had to keep filling it up'

[TykeMerc]

Grit_supplies_erroded_by_global_warming

[KentPhilip]

YerbutNobut

When I was a nipper we had grit bins on every street corner, so we could grit the roads ourselves.

I remember them. I never knew what they were there for. I never knew they were for DIY purposes.
My lesson for today.

[BrowneIssue]

The only 'donation' of grit I've heard of was for Wiltshire.

Here in Wiltshire, we have an A-road outside the front door. It has been kept clear by the weight of traffic, not the council. The first time we saw a gritter was Friday evening, and we have the chips on the windscreen to prove it. Tossers. Is it necessary to grit the field on the opposite side of the road? They must have been using one of those gritters that operates the M25 and grits all the lanes at once from one side.

[Beefy198]

I'm guessing - but could be wrong - that in previous years if there was heavy snowfall in one area they could buy in more grit if they ran out or borrow it from a neighbouring council.

However, this has affected most of the country for a substantial period of time. The salt mines are running 24/7 but can't keep up with demand and authorities are being coy about how much they have in case the government tell them to lend it to someone else. The only 'donation' of grit I've heard of was for Wiltshire.

And I'm sure I read once that it was a balancing act between not having enough and having too much grit - does it perish/have an effective shelf life?

[Doggy Styles]

Well, it's down to cost, essentially.

For the sort of severe snow we receive once every 2 decades or so, it's simply not cost effective to spend millions and millions having an infrastructure that can deal with it.

I agreee with Geoff Hoon.

"Don't Whinge"

You didn't read the post properly, which included:

In previous winters the gritters were out a lot whenever frost was forecast.

Roads were nearly always OK. So why doesn't that happen any more, starting this winter? What decision was made, and by whom?