Us Brits should be use to snow, it darn well happens every year to varying degrees. It snows in America too, granted I haven't experienced a particularly snowy winter (I think this might be the exception) but the shocking differences in how England and US cope with the white stuff is striking, to say the least.
The days of commuting to and from York on the bus would mean the bus being an hour late arriving, then an hour late reaching York from a couple of inches of snow. You'd be lucky to see a gritter go by once a day on an evening in my former neck of the woods. We see the flake of snowfall and we get grumpy, the transport grinds to a halt and the country goes nowhere. Thing is while I mock, us northerners get on with it better than the south, additionally being from the north our snowfall rarely features on the news. Two snowflakes in London and it's the end of the world.
Snow doesn't seem to faze American's (at least not in states accustomed to it). People still go to work, go shopping, buses still run. The first sign of snow on turnpikes and freeways and salter teams (yes teams) work up and down to keep the roads clear. Salters in the US exist rather then gritters - salt works to melt the snow and ice and while it can badly rust your car it works so much better for getting and keeping roads passable.
Americans are legally obliged to clear any snow from covering the paths in front of their home and applying salt or sand and so on to keep it safe. Could you imagine UK residents doing the same shovel in hand during a snow storm? I think not. Or maybe I'm too cynical.
Over the weekend snowstorm Electra hit us here in Michigan, I think we felt about 6 inches or so of snow. Granted there were issues, as it was snowing throughout the day the salters couldn't keep up and freeway driving was a little dicey at least in the morning. Our apartment complex managers didn't feel the need to clear the snow from around the grounds because it was a Saturday and no one had given the say so getting to and from the car, wasn't easy. I mean who know snow would fall on a weekend of all days .... Nevertheless it certainly wasn't stopping people from getting out and yes, that's a photograph somewhat showing the conditions down in Detroit during said snowstorm while finishing up at estate sale. People here battle through snow, sadly the UK could look to learning how to cope a little better.
I mean, it's not like it doesn't happen every year or anything ... that would be crazy!
What's your take? Do you love the snowy season? How do people cope with it where you live?
What's your take? Do you love the snowy season? How do people cope with it where you live?
I was born in Switzerland and people also had to clear up snow in front of their houses. Anyway, living in a snowy place is hard.
ReplyDeleteJasmine xx For a Real Woman
Yeah the clearing of the snow doesn't happen in the UK, people might manage their driveways and that will be it. It's more of a job/maintenance for the council to do.
DeleteI love snow!! there are already containers with salt and sand on the side of the streets in case it snows. every year there are problems like.. the snow machine didn't scraped the snow on Z street and so on, but the world doesn't stop. people don't seem to stop from what they're doing when it's snowing. I know I go out more because of the snow. :D
ReplyDeleteimeowlife. ,Dixx
They had an issue in my hometown of people stealing the salt from the containers (run by the council) so when the snow/ice hit, there was no salt to use. People were driving in from over towns to take it, really bad when you think about it!
DeleteI certainly would rather go out in the snow than the really hot weather we get in the summer that is for sure!
I hate snow because of the cleanup involved, but I grew up in an area prone to heavy snowstorms so had to deal with a lot of that. It's annoying but necessary... I can't imagine not shoveling and/or salting the sidewalks, how else are people supposed to get around?!
ReplyDeleteAt times it became safer to walk on the roads, at least say along residential streets until you reached the shops. Dicey to say the least. Councils will grit the roads and the footpaths by the shops but that's it.
DeleteI agree! It always amazes me that London is paralyzed as soon as a snowflake falls. No flights, no trains, no tube, no buses. It's amazing!
ReplyDeleteAnd it always makes the headline news whereas it's an every day practice in Scotland!
DeleteI always find it interesting this time of year to see and read about snow on other blogs. I live in Australia so it's totally a foreign concept for me.
ReplyDeleteI bet, it's like the concept of Christmas in hot weather to me - so strange!
DeleteI would love it if we got more snow in the south! To be honest though, once even the chance of flurries occurs, it's pure chaos and no one knows how to handle it.
ReplyDeleteHahah, looks like the UK attitude towards snow is very much similar as here in the Czech Republic. Every year when the first major snowfall happens, the media is all over it, everybody is "taken by surprise", not ready to deal with it, clear the roads, etc. And it just leaves you thinking: "Surprise? Really?? It's winter for God's sake! What were you expecting? Butterflies??"
ReplyDeleteMind you, this year we haven't had any proper snow yet. Not that I mind, but I am slightly worried that it will come later and stay longer. and we'll be left to building snowmen in the middle of May :/