Winter 2010 - Brrrrrr!

[elsiegee40]

I'm not ready for the weather that's been forecast tonight. A probability of snow just about anywhere from Thursday and getting worse into the weekend.

 

We've had a pretty warm Autumn, our tortoise only went into hibernation 3 weeks ago, and I'm not used the cold yet.

 

I suppose I'd better dig out the "Severe Weather Procedures" to go back up on the website in the morning. It only takes 3 flakes to confuddle the single gritter shared by the councils of South East England!

[andy_nic]

Already bored with having to deice my windows, I do it properly full view much safer on the country roads I drive down, rather than a small 5 cm strip across the front window. It’s also great fun where the county boundary line is on the road, because one minute it’s been gritted and cleared of snow, then just not gritted and not cleared of snow.

[laserblazer]

Already bored with having to deice my windows

 

One of the joys of keeping my car in the garage.

[Gatt]

One of the joys of keeping my car in the garage.

 

I throw a big beach towel over my windscreen (ironically with "Summer Time" emblazened all over it!!)

It covers the whole screen and wipers so no scraping needed - a bit of deicer may need to be applied if it starts to freeze.

 

But still need to spary & scrape the side windows and wing mirrors...

 

Now if I can just get a heater that works.. I'm frozen by the time enough heat gets out - usually 5 mins after i arrive at the school!

[localzuk]

'Anywhere in the country' so long as you're in the East. Not a drop of snow forecast for us. Just clear skies and a bit of drizzle.

[Hightower]

Already bored with having to deice my windows, I do it properly full view much safer on the country roads I drive down, rather than a small 5 cm strip across the front window. It’s also great fun where the county boundary line is on the road, because one minute it’s been gritted and cleared of snow, then just not gritted and not cleared of snow.

 

I live 3 miles from the school, but I would still never dream of driving with a tiny strip. Always a full de-ice, no matter how far I'm travelling.

[sippo]

Way to do it- whack the heater on, then back in the house for a cuppa....

[Gatt]

Way to do it- whack the heater on, then back in the house for a cuppa....

 

Not when you have a heater that blows out freezing cold air its not...

[SteveBentley]

Risky though, particularly if you park on the street. Plenty of instances of drive-off thefts, and as you left the key in the ignition the insurance aren't going to cover it.

[laserblazer]

Way to do it- whack the heater on, then back in the house for a cuppa....

 

I believe that people have been fined for doing this, even on their own drives! Driver fined for leaving engine running as car defrosted outside his home | Mail Online.

[Sirbendy]

Not when you have a heater that blows out freezing cold air its not...

 

Thermostat gone? Or cooling system flush needed! Mine's done the standard vauxhall "fail when wide open" thing and whoever designed the 8 valvers needs a bullet to the head...to remove it, you need to remove the timing belt covers and timing belt.

 

So i've just put a Renault 5 90 degree 'stat in the top hose and jubilee clipped it into place. Works beautifully. Warm air in under 2 minutes. The original stat can wait for the next 4 years until the next scheduled belt change, and I'll tell the garage to not put a new one in.

[witch]

I have no heat for about 10 mins either - nothing broken, just an inefficient and very old car!

There was a bit of ice around this morning but very little.

I WANT SNOW!!!!

[Gatt]

Thermostat gone? Or cooling system flush needed! Mine's done the standard vauxhall "fail when wide open" thing and whoever designed the 8 valvers needs a bullet to the head...to remove it, you need to remove the timing belt covers and timing belt.

 

So i've just put a Renault 5 90 degree 'stat in the top hose and jubilee clipped it into place. Works beautifully. Warm air in under 2 minutes. The original stat can wait for the next 4 years until the next scheduled belt change, and I'll tell the garage to not put a new one in.

 

Thermostat has been changed.. we think its the heater matrix thats gone.. and considering the entire console would need to be removed - it could prove expensive to change....

[glen_j]

yeah not looking forward to it at all, totally agree about the south east sharing gritters last winter seemed to catch them all by surprise, hopefully they'll do better this time. they've said that they're prepared for it this time but i somehow doubt it

[Gatt]

I have no heat for about 10 mins either - nothing broken, just an inefficient and very old car!

There was a bit of ice around this morning but very little.

I WANT SNOW!!!!

 

So do I - our staff are complaining cos the council here has sent a letter to all HT's saying "You Will Open - any staff that dont show up will be docked a days pay!"

Doesn't affect me tho

[Gatt]

yeah not looking forward to it at all, totally agree about the south east sharing gritters last winter seemed to catch them all by surprise, hopefully they'll do better this time. they've said that they're prepared for it this time but i somehow doubt it

 

Think they must've had a all the ones from the NW too!

[HarryMonkey]

Already bored with having to deice my windows.

 

Aaahh, the joys of driving a Mondeo with a heated front screen. By the time I've quickly whizzed over the side windows the front and back are nice and clear.

[torytechie]

I had to deice my car twice this morning.

 

Once at 7am, and then went inside to finish my coffee and by 7.25, it was frozen over again.

[LiamH]

So do I - our staff are complaining cos the council here has sent a letter to all HT's saying "You Will Open - any staff that dont show up will be docked a days pay!"

Doesn't affect me tho

 

 

I think I will be running late on any days with heavy snow. Last year woke up early, struggled my way into school just to be told "yeah only 5 people turned up, schools closed but while your here..."

 

so basically everyone else gets a day off full pay and I'm stuck in work..

[Robz]

Ahh I look forward to the snow and ice, I have one huuuuge hill to go up and down....isn't gonna happen

 

On a side note, it's below 0 here atm and the sixth form girls are still wearing what I call belts! o.0 they have huge coats and barely anything else on! how do they survive?!?!?!

[nikaso]

Aaahh, the joys of driving a Mondeo with a heated front screen. By the time I've quickly whizzed over the side windows the front and back are nice and clear.

 

Its the magic Ford heated windscreen, I can't believe other cars don't have it. Jump in on a morning, hit the magic button and play with my phone for a couple of minutes, quick go of the wipers and you are off!

[elsiegee40]

Its the magic Ford heated windscreen, I can't believe other cars don't have it. Jump in on a morning, hit the magic button and play with my phone for a couple of minutes, quick go of the wipers and you are off!

 

We used to have a Mondeo estate with that and it was brilliant! I really miss it. My Focus doesn't have it and, sadly, neither does the Volvo.

[Gatt]

My wife has a Mondeo, but we no longer have the magic screen - until her bro accidentally put his windsurfing gear through it!

Back to the de-icer and waiting for the demisters to clear the screen...

Though she always rubs it in that her heaters work!!

[CHR1S]

Ken Hardman was given a £30 fixed penalty notice for leaving his engine on to warm up his car during the cold snap in the morning.

 

PMSL! Ken Hardman!

 

Whos his mate.... Max Power??

[nikaso]

We used to have a Mondeo estate with that and it was brilliant! I really miss it. My Focus doesn't have it and, sadly, neither does the Volvo.

 

My 2006 Focus does, it seems strange that Volvo, a manufacturer you would think had to deal with some REAL winter weather doesn't include it? Same with BMW etc.