Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Having read some of the posts so far about winter in Canada, the full delights of which I have yet to discover. This did bring a smile.
BBC issued a 'severe weather' warning for the South East for Friday. Wait for it...
'Heavy snowfall will affect parts of east and southeast England through Friday. 5-10cms will fall at low levels with 15-20cms over high ground.'

How will us Souhern softy Brits ever cope?:)

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

4" of snow in 12 hours would usually close the street where I live in Canada.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

But I bet you deal with it better. We always seem so ill prepared, despite the warnings.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Your quote could be referring to Calgary:rofl:

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

It's just what you're used to, Canada would go to pieces if there was a bomb in a public place whereas the UK marches on. Canada doesn't have the tools to deal with that sort of thing because it's rare, just as the south-east of England isn't set up for heavy snow, nor earthquakes.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Echoing what dbd said, 10cm of snow in one go is not insignificant. Canadian cities where heavy snow is normal are indeed well-equipped to deal with it but it takes time.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

You are right there. I remember watching the coverage on the London bombings. Souvette was in awe at the ability of the Brits to handle the situation. The UK has mechanisms in place, well-drilled mechanisms, that simply do not exist in Canada.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

The plows wouldn't even bother going out for 10cm's where I live.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Bet they couldn't handle a snow bomb tho:rofl::rofl:

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Echoing what the others (AC, Souv and dbd) said (note 3 different 'cities' in three different Provinces).

10cm can indeed cause problems. In fact recently a damn sight less than 10cm caused chaos in Calgary :thumbdown:

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

The key is to catch them first, but I would imagine the UK has system put in place as a result of the IRA.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Wonder how many expats used to stay at home during " our heavy snow falls " lots, why, because we aren't geared up for it, can't blame us last year was the first heavy snow we have had for years, why do we always get this every year, someone new on here calling us whimps, makes me so cross.

I think on the whole we cope with lots of things very well as a nation,

I understand you want to leave here but one day you may just want to return to this country :sneaky:

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

I am from Kent and managing to cope, but I often think if had this much snow in england everything would stop!

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Of course it's because of the IRA. The UK has decades of experience in this. It's not a question of if but when? Canada, on the other hand, wouldn't have a clue what to do if something similar happened.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Depends on whay you mean by have wouldn't have a clue. Cities can shut down fast, blocks can be evacuated, we have hospitals etc,.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Yes, Toronto deploys all those mechanisms, when it snows.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

The actions you describe require pre-planning and practice. The UK has those in place. I'm pretty sure that Canada does not.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

The streets where I live were closed for three days last week and I believe they're closed today. I don't think the rate of snowfall was greater than 4" per day, certainly there's not much more than a foot of snow on the ground now. The issue is blowing snow and lack of visibility.

Of course, if you live in area where the roads are closed you're obliged to ignore the closures; life goes on, driving just becomes something else for which the unhyphenated can issue tickets and penalties.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Not being experienced in handling nutters blowing the public up is not something to be particularly ashamed of.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

I don't disagree that London would have better planning in place, but it is not as if Toronto has never seen a fire or blocked off streets before.
No doubt to keep the hyphentaed from causing unnessary accidents and undue harm to the unhyphenated.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Not just the Brits ;) we had 13cm yesterday, there were countless accidents, an overturned bus, cops on the TV warning people not to go out if they don't have to etc. My OH was on the Nanaimo Parkway headed north when a truck that was headed south bounced across the median, crossed the 3 lanes of oncoming traffic & disappeared into the hedge ... OH said it was one of those 'life flashing before your eyes' moments :ohmy: plus the schools were closed ~ thank gawd for the rain :rolleyes: the snow has pretty much been washed away today & we're back up to an almost tropical 7c! :thumbsup:

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Most cities have contingency plans for such situations. While I accept the UK experience may make it slightly more efficient in dealing with the aftermath, it is a little ridiculous to suggest that a country such as Canada would not be able to cope. No-one had experienced a contingency such as 9-11 before it happened, I doubt that anybody can really criticise the way the people on the ground dealt with the aftermath.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Ha! Have you seen the way Canadians dealt with H1N1?

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

You jest, I suppose, though it's in poor taste. The people on the ground deal with aftermath by passing draconian legislation, invading a country of the uninvolved and launching a grand waves of xenophobia and duct tape buying. Not a edifying spectacle.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

My point is that, although we get plenty of warning of impending bad weather we still don't seem prepared enough for it.
You may recall last winter's cold spell,,which was predicted 2 weeks in advance, yet most local authorities ran out of roadf salt.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Actually yes, I have first hand experience of how 'Canadians' dealt with H1N1. The general public and the politicians F'ed up BIG time, certainly here in Calgary the people on the ground did a good job.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Actually, I'd agree with that. I'm sure the people dishing out the vaccines at a local level knew exactly what they were doing, but it doesn't matter how good they are if the politicians botch the job and cause panic everywhere (which they did).

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Agreed, but surely its no different to the panic and xenophobia that the Western Govts. (and media) 'promoted' following 9/11 et al?

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

No, but the scale of 9/11 was unprecedented. I don't blame any government for not having a contingency for that kind of thing.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Mainly to do with costs i would have thought. Should they invest lots of £s on something that may or may not happen once every few years?

In certain areas of Canada this is a regular occurrence during certain times of the year, every year. So they invest in mitigating the problems that can arise.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Softy Brits? What about these limpers . . .

http://www.craigmarlatt.com/canada/s...army-news.html

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Did you find that? What do you think they did wrong? I blame the media for "panic".

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

H1N1 vaccines for all. No H1N1 vaccines for at risk groups. We've ran out of H1N1 vaccines, pitch forks at the ready!! Eventually when the streets aren't full of corpses sanity did return. Yes, the media are twats, but if you give an inconsistent message then what else do you expect.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

I believe the auditor general recently stated that Canada hasn't yet been able to put a decent emergency plan in place

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/En...3_e_33276.html

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

So the Bush Administration was on the ground was it? For once in your life, act your age, I meant the fire crews, the police, the EMS etc., etc.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Impossible to say now whether or not they did a reasonable job; they've since hyped themselves to the skies on the strength of that unmeasured performance.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

When I lived in Kent I recall it being reported that only the M2 is treated as a 'main' road to be cleared. On snowy days only northerners / scots turned up at my work:)

In Hx,Yorks, the problem is often the traffic not the snow - everyone heading out at once - it is clear once the traffic is out of the way.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

I lived in Maidstone and worked in Chatham before coming to Canada in May this year. Do you remember the very small snow fall we had in February? I think it was about 1" - 1.5" any way, the whole country came to a halt, both Gatwick & Heathrow were closed!! trains and buses stopped, that's how badly the UK is prepared for any snow. The good thing about snow in Kent is, that they always close blue bell hill which meant that I got to leave work early, while locals had to stick it out till 5.30pm

In their defence, why spend loads of money for equipment that may only be used once or twice a year, and sit idle the rest of the year.


Enjoy the snow :thumbup:

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

I went to school in Maidstone and every time it even looked like snowing we got sent home. Although that didn't really affect me much as I was usually skiving down the Chequers Centre.

Re: Snow! Call that snow?!
 

Ahh the Chequers Centre. Dont know how long you have been here, but it started to look really scruffy when we left. Dont suppose I should be telling you that it might shatter your school boy memorys of the place.