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Everything you need to know about gritting (or not...)

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  1. kaputnik
    Moderator

    It's for the chips really

    Posted 13 years ago #
  2. chdot
    Admin

    "The environmental solution for melting ice and snow on roads, highways, parking areas and walkways."

     http://www.innovativeglobal.net/innovativeglobalproductsECOTHAW.htm

    Expensive??

    Posted 13 years ago #
  3. Arellcat
    Moderator

    Expensive? Possibly. Good for two wheelers? Absolutely not. CEC had no plans last year for using it.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  4. chdot
    Admin

    "Good for two wheelers? Absolutely not."

    Why?

    Posted 13 years ago #
  5. Arellcat
    Moderator

    The molasses solution by all accounts makes for a slimy gunge that motorbikers and cyclists alike have reported to be little better than ice.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  6. TwoWheels
    Member

    Apparently, my little piece of the world (New England, USA) has decided (by executive fiat, apparently, since I certainly was not consulted) to donate the majority of this season's snow to your neck of the woods. Quite frankly, I'm more than a little bit miffed to find y'all doing nothing but grousing about it, as I have a pair of cross-country skis in my basement just begging for an outing, and my sub-arctic dog is off his feed due to a lack of snow to roll around in and snowballs to chase.

    Canine behavioral imperatives aside, allow me to offer some suggestions on dealing with mountainous heaps of snow and ice, as I've lived through many years of this stuff.

    1. Don't worry about falling. If you hit black ice, you'll be sunny side up before you even know you fell, and it won't matter anyway because you're so bundled up, nothing short of direct missile strikes would have much of an effect.

    2. Expecting any government to clean up more than 43% of the stuff is a pipe dream. Multiple studies have shown that governments that exceed 38% of normal capacity for more than 16 hours tend to implode, and road clearing is no exception. Just face the fact that the road will be narrow and treacherous until March.

    3. When March does come and the junk starts to melt, you will be impressed by the sheer ugliness of the grit left behind by the snowmelt. The road in front of your house will resemble something that just emerged from a storm-accentuated high tide, and whomever you live with will yell incessantly about the amount of crap you're dragging into the house and depositing on the clean [name room here] floor.

    Hope this helped.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  7. wingpig
    Member

    Hmmm. No missiles round here, but plenty of buses and taxis.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  8. Smudge
    Member

    @twowheels. lol, thanks for the tips. Some of us have played this game before but it's so unexpected here that most people are unprepared and not bright enough to understand that the rules change slightly... so even when some of the forumers are prepared with spiked tyres/shoes/dogs they are blocked by the rest of the country whinging to a stop ;-)
    If you want to see some proper complaining though, listen to the BBC when a few flakes fall in the home counties, it's the end of the world as they know it ;-)) (especially after the cricket scores! :-o )

    Posted 13 years ago #
  9. chdot
    Admin

    "Hope this helped."

    Yes.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  10. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Apparently ScotRail have 2,000 litres of this to go with their giant hairdrying skirts.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  11. kaputnik
    Moderator


    With "A thing". "To Spit".

    Not one of the 20 19 16 of the council's much vaunted fleet - private Edinburgh Park one doing the rounds of key footpaths and pavements.

    Posted 13 years ago #
  12. kaputnik
    Moderator

    you wait 2 weeks for a mini-plough, then 3 come along at once!

    Great capture (not mine). Here's a thought - maybe if they drove them to their ploughing destinations down the pavements they would be thrice as efficient - clearing on the way there, clearing when they get there and then clearing on the way back. Too sensible?

    Posted 13 years ago #
  13. chdot
    Admin

    Presume the 4 missing ones were supposed to do MMW -


    Posted 13 years ago #
  14. chdot
    Admin

    "

    "So far this year we have used 7,500 tonnes of salt compared to 10,500 tonnes over the whole of the previous winter. Current salt supplies in Edinburgh are sitting at around 1700 tonnes with another 1000 tonnes due to be delivered this week.

    The Council has around 3,200 tonnes on order via our suppliers and the Scottish Government central stock. Supplies are mixed with grit and the amount used will depend on local conditions. Salt use will be monitored closely and supplies obtained as we need them."

    "

    Posted 13 years ago #
  15. nearefare
    Member

    I got run over by a snow plough today, "you Bat5^4sd" I cursed the driver through gritted teeth. boom boom

    Posted 13 years ago #
  16. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Spotted this morning - mini tractor gritting the pavement at Wester Corner, heading west along side the Corstorphine Road.

    Also spotted on BBC, looks like we're to be treated to the molasses/brine de-icer solution. Something else to have to wash off the bike I suppose! So long as it works though...

    Posted 13 years ago #
  17. chdot
    Admin

    According to the BNP's Party Political Broadcast not only will they "give 10% of salary to good causes", they will also "buy tonnes of road salt out of our own salaries". (He probably said tons.)

    Posted 13 years ago #
  18. chdot
    Admin

    City chiefs to bring in extra salt supplies ahead of winter 

    http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/City-chiefs-to-bring-in.6767642.jp

    Posted 12 years ago #
  19. chdot
    Admin

    "Shake-up for salt supplies as city seeks storage sites"

    http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Shakeup-for-salt-supplies-as.6770256.jp

    "
    Council chiefs are also drawing up more localised "priority locations" during or after heavy snowfall, such as walking routes to shops, bus stops, health facilities and schools. They have also identified 253 sites for "strategic" grit dumps across the city.
    "

    Including ALL main cycle paths??

    Posted 12 years ago #
  20. chdot
    Admin

    "
    Winter plans on agenda

    City chiefs face criticism for not focusing enough on preparing some areas of the city for winter weather.
    Measures worth £1.5 million, including adapting mowers and roadsweepers into snow ploughs and increasing salt supplies, were today set to be approved by councillors.

    But some councillors say more needs to be done to help the high-lying areas that traditionally suffer worst from heavy snow.

    Colinton/Fairmilehead councillor Jason Rust said: "The absence of reference to some of the most affected parts of the city is a cause for concern."

    "

    http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Winter-plans-on-agenda.6831510.jp

    Posted 12 years ago #
  21. spytefear
    Member

    Including ALL main cycle paths??
    @Chdot - if you're going to dream - shut your eyes

    Posted 12 years ago #
  22. chdot
    Admin

    "Including ALL main cycle paths??"

    I was just asking - there have been proposals for MML, Innocent, NEPN etc. to be dealt with as a priority.

    Just not sure what has been agreed.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  23. spytefear
    Member

    If the cycle paths get grit I will eat one grit bin full of grit. (or simply spread it on the local pavements as I did all last year)
    Have you heard the council want volunteers to be snow wardens? Yes I will take time off work and write tickets and stick them to falling flakes for illegal parking...

    Posted 12 years ago #
  24. chdot
    Admin

  25. chdot
    Admin

    "
    southwest_team:

    Presentation on winter weather begins. starting with the consultation feedback. #pntnp #whatewedo

    Original Tweet: http://twitter.com/southwest_team/status/118750076452601857

    southwest_team:

    "Every school will also receive a 1 tonne bag of salt." #pntnp #whatewedo 

    Original Tweet: http://twitter.com/southwest_team/status/118755010396954624 

    "

    Posted 12 years ago #
  26. chdot
    Admin

    "
    Winter road and pavement maintenance

    Map of winter gritting routes and salt bins in Edinburgh

    "

    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/1291/roads_and_pavements-adverse_weather_plans/361/winter_road_and_pavement_maintenance/1

    Posted 12 years ago #
  27. chdot
    Admin

    "

    A SNOW patrol of council volunteers is set to get behind the wheel of a fleet of mini-tractors to help keep the Capital moving this winter.

    It is the first time such a scheme has been rolled out in the city, with 54 employees across a number of departments now trained up to use the vehicles during their own time to clear priority footways and cycle-path networks right across the city.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/city-looks-to-volunteers-to-help-grit-capital-s-streets-1-4283755

    Posted 7 years ago #
  28. neddie
    Member

    Why does it have to be "volunteers" and "in their own time"?

    That doesn't happen on the roads. Why do the council treat pedestrians and cyclists as second rate?

    Posted 7 years ago #
  29. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Cllr Adam McVey (@adamrmcvey)
    08/11/2016, 15:45
    Couldn't visit depot to make sure Edinburgh is #ReadyForWinter without a selfie with a E'HUGE pile of salt in a #MakeEdinburghGritAgain hat

    http://pic.twitter.com/0Fv7JSxdcj

    "

    Posted 7 years ago #
  30. Morningsider
    Member

    I hope they are "volunteers" in the sense that they have put their hand up to do this and not in the "unpaid" sense. Keeping roads, pavements and cycle paths gritted is a statutory duty - not some add-on.

    Anyway, thank you volunteers.

    Posted 7 years ago #

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