Winter Tyres

[HPsauce]

I get laughed at by many of my friends for having a spare set of wheels on the S8 with winter tyres.

So, today (and yesterday) we were in London babysitting, having driven there on Sunday in t'Volvo.
I headed home at lunchtime (to avoid evening traffic jams), SWMBO to follow at teatime by tube, me collecting her about 3 miles from home at the "outer limits" of the tube network.

Mid-afternoon it started snowing at home, quite heavily. It was raining in London. But we got a big "dump".
So I moved t'Volvo (4WD but summer tyres) out of the way of the Audi, just in case I needed it. Swept a couple of inches of snow off the S8 roof while I was outside.

A bit later I swept another 3" or so off when I heard from SWMBO that she was on her way. Then headed, early (just in case) for the station.
Local roads had about 6" of snow on by now, no problem. Did I say we're in the Chilterns, so hilly as well.

Got near the station and what traffic there was slowed to a crawl. So I dived down some side roads and got as close as I could, about half a mile. Ahead was gridlock, so I parked in a block of flats where a family friend lives. A 5-minute journey took me half an hour and I stopped short.

SWMBOs tube got just past the next station down the line and ground to a halt. Eventually (another half hour added) it somehow got through and she walked through the snow to find me. Whole area still gridlocked, but I had an escape route.

Down the side roads again, totally empty, 30mph (the limit) no problem, car completely stable and driving normally. Just took precautions at blind corners in case something was coming or stranded.
Joined a bigger road that had the occasional vehicle crawling along. Still less than 10 minutes to get the 3 miles back home again.

Not sure where the snow hit, but looking at a traffic map there seemed to be a band of gridlock across North London from High Wycombe to about Epping.
It's clearing now except out here NW of London in The Chilterns where the roads are still a mess.

[tc4332]

Isn't it lovely to drive round the numpties, especially in our 8s. Did a bit this morning on the iced over dual carriageway.
Enjoy best doing it in a big coach on the hills where there are other vehicles all over the show. Good fun chicaning round them.

[snapdragon]

No snow up here in Nottingham - sadly.
The A8 knows no bounds, even on summer tyres as long as they are pretty new and don't have a really plain tread pattern.

[J i m s t e r]

Due some in Nottingham early hours of tomorrow, 4AM - 8AM. I'll WFH as there is no need to risk it.

I was in a Hilux last year when I had to be on-site in Halifax and the route through Grangemoor to Colne Bridge was awful. The M62 was a gridlocked no-go, got off the M1 @ 38 for Emley Moor. Not many takers my way, just narrow ungritted roads with compacted snow and at a severe camber so on bends you are sliding toward the kerb. It does say it's a high-accident route and I can see why.

I've had Winter tyres before and they do make a bit of difference, although they won't defy physics. I did get sideways a couple of times but thankfully collected it. Hence me not bothering tomorrow.

I have driven in the Arctic Circle on studded tyres and that is like defying the laws of physics!