Winter as I remember it

[Sarah Gixxer]

Seriously though, be responsible, if you slip, you slip. Deal with it. If this whole suing culture hadn't started those streets would have been cleared by now. Stop suing over nothing and there'll be less danger to you.

I couldn't have said it better myself. All this suing business is complete nonsense. It's just people trying to make a quick buck. I can remember some years back I worked at a place that had three flights of stairs to their floor (no lift) and one winter the stairs were all wet. I slipped and fell down a whole flight, but I never would have dreamed of suing the company for having wet stairs, it was my own fault for running and not holding onto the bannister.

[Angel]

When I was at work, there was a low ceiling on the stairs and I could gurantee at least once a week I'd wack my head on it. EVERY WEEK without fail. Never thought of suing because there was no sign, just though "Ok, you've wacked your head there every week for a year...why the eck are you STILL doing it?"

If I slip on the ice the train of thought will be similar. "Look, you can see the snow, you can feel the cold, why would there NOT be ice there?"

[Mabel Figworthy]

All this sueing was one of the reasons the schools gave last year (and presumably this year as well) for closing -- if a child fell or slipped on an icy patch or in the snow while in their care, parents could sue them. So they close the school, and what do the children do (sometimes accompanied by their parents)? Go hurtling themselves off snowy hills on sledges and toboggans, and try to stand on iced-over ponds that aren't strong enough yet !

[Sarah Gixxer]

It's ridiculous, isn't it? And now they're all moaning that the schools are shut and they're worried about missing their exams.

[Angel]

Whose betting if they miss their exams they sue the schools?

Poor schools can't do anything right. I feel sorry for them, all this legislation.

[Wandatoo]

Lawsuits really are getting out of hand. My favourite stupid story is about the woman who sued McDonald's when she spilled her coffee on herself. She sued because the coffee was too hot! Give me a break . . .

[Angel]

I heard it was a man...But yeah, pretty stupid. What did she expect? COLD coffee?

[Mabel Figworthy]

After two days of progressive slush, we've now got a white blanket again -- looks much better , although I realise for some people it's a nuisance.

[Wot No Stitch]

Well yesterday I left home at 4pm to collect my grandson from college. It had just started to snow after thawing a little during the day. Picked him up at 4.20 no problem. Drove most of the way home then gridlocked. Took us another two and a half hours to drive the last mile - all on the flat. Finally got in at 7pm. We even stopped outside a fish and chip shop for so long that I sent him in for a bag of chips! LOL
Today we wake up to 8 inches more of the stuff. Hubby and grandson home again from school and college. Can't see the schools re-opening again until next monday.
Been for a lovely walk and took lots of pictures of the pond and the trees.
As for the grit/sue issue I think it is absolutely ridiculous. My daughter has a business and she told me back before Christmas that was the reason she hadn't done anything outside her premises.
The world truly has gone mad.

[Angel]

hehe that's ridiculous, at least you got chips though

Our vets have cleared the pathway to their doors. I suppose if anyone sues...the only vet is also one of the chains owners, so suing wouldn't really be in your best interests (Not that I think Andy would ever do anything to hurt an animal, but why risk it?)

[Wot No Stitch]

Apologies but all this talk of snow reminded me of something I read last winter: The Diary of a Demented Snow Shoveller: It's a bit long but it is really funny.

December 8 6:00 PM
It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!
December 9
We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the whole world? Moving here was the best idea I’ve ever had!
Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life!
December 12
The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment! My neighbor tells me not to worry- we’ll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we’ll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I’ll never want to see snow again. I don’t think that’s possible. Bob is such a nice man, I’m glad he’s our neighbor.
December 14
Snow, lovely snow! 8 inches last night. The temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and buried everything again. I didn’t realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling, but I’ll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn’t huff and puff so.
December 15
20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4×4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife’s car and 2 extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that’s silly. We aren’t in Alaska , after all.
December 16
Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.
December 17
Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I should’ve bought a wood stove, but won’t admit it to her. God I hate it when she’s right. I can’t believe I’m freezing to death in my own living room.
December 20
Electricity is back on, but had another 14 inches of the damn stuff last night. More shoveling! Took all day. The damn snowplow came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they’re too busy playing hockey. I think they’re lying.
Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and they’re out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they’re lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he’s lying.
December 22
Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the white s*** fell today, and it’s so cold, it probably won’t melt till August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I had to piss. By the time I got undressed, pissed and dressed again. I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of the winter, but he says he’s too busy. I think the @sshole is lying.
December 23
Only 2 inches of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What is she, nuts?!! Why didn’t she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did but I think she’s lying.
December 24
6 inches - Snow packed so hard by snowplow, I broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the son of a bitch who drives that snow plow, I’ll drag him through the snow by his balls and beat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I’ve just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was too busy watching for the damn snowplow.
December 25
Merry f—ing Christmas! 20 more inches of the damn slop tonight - Snowed in The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God, I hate the snow!
Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she’s a fricking idiot. If I have to watch ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ one more time, I’m going to stuff her into the microwave.
December 26
Still snowed in. Why the hell did I ever move here? It was all HER idea.
She’s really getting on my nerves.
December 27
Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze; plumber came after 14 hours of waiting for him, he only charged me $1,400 to replace all my pipes.
December 28
Warmed up to above -20. Still snowed in. The BITCH is driving me crazy!!!
December 29
10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That’s the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am?
December 30
Roof caved in. I beat up the snow plow driver, and now he is suing me for a million dollars, not only for the beating I gave him, but also for trying to shove the broken snow shovel up his ass. The wife went home to her mother.
Nine more inches predicted.
December 31
I set fire to what’s left of the house. No more shoveling.
January 8
Feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me. Why am I tied to the bed?

[Angel]

Sounds like me

[MaggieM1750]

Oh my.. having to deal with that snow and ice.. and then not having salt or sand for even a little bit of traction.. I couldn't imagine. Here it is just assumed that when you fall on the ice.. its your own fault. On the rare chance that a shop owner is liable for damages, its only if they DONT salt/sand at all. But then again, we are quite used to snow and ice, the removal of it is just another business expense. And no matter how good of a job they do, no amount of salt, sand or shoveling can keep up with mother nature.
Don't get me wrong. I know there are many that would be out for a quick buck, and there is some lawyer in some firm that would take the case... (remembering the McDonalds coffee lawsuit)

[agi]

In Hungary it is everybody's duty to keep the pavement in front of their place as clean as possible. So if you don't shovel / salt, they might give you a fine, and if someone falls because you didn't do it they can sue you.

I don't know what happens if you do it, but not properly... like you can salt but bellow a certain temperature even salty water freezes... I think if you can prove you have done what is humanly possible it's not your fault.

[Angel]

OHOHOHOHOH I watched ice road truckers last night where they got int their trucks and drove out to sea in Alaska to deliver to the oil rigs (This did not help my idea that Canada isn't covered in snow all the time). CAN YOU IMAGINE!? That must be majorly cold. I didn't know it could get cold enough to freeze ice water outside of a lab (Antartica and the artic is mainly freshwater, so I heard)

[~threadbear~]

Been quite treacherous here.

In laws have had no water for days now due to frozen pipes, then this morning, before 8am there was an ambulance up the hill from here. The roads were so slippy it couldn't get down and the police came out. Then a second ambulance came to the base of the hill. All the blue lights on them. It was after 10 we saw the mountain rescue come and they transfered the patient to their landrover, got down the hill and transfered to 2nd ambulance, which then went off blue lights blazing.

Since then we've had a tractor and a team of locals shovelling and gritting the road as best they can.

It's slippy all round here though at the moment.

[Dawn]

I officially hate winter and snow and ice! The pavements are like walking on glass! I slipped the other day and have ended up with a fracture in my right wrist Stipid weather stupid council and the not gritting policy

[Nachstenliebe]

Lawsuits really are getting out of hand. My favourite stupid story is about the woman who sued McDonald's when she spilled her coffee on herself. She sued because the coffee was too hot! Give me a break . . .

Haha! Last time I had jury duty, I was speaking with a lawyer (it wasn't his cases, he was on duty too) He claims he worked in like housing issues, but all he talked about made me wonder... one of the things he brought up was why the McDonalds lady won her case. Apparently she won because the coffee was set to a degree higher than what safetly regulations allowed, so people wouldn't top their coffee off before they left (since it's free refills).. They had been notified by their regional manager and the health board about it....I find that absurd that people are checking the hotness of coffee though..

Honestly how dumb though... really?! I hate how common sense gets thrown away.. no one is responsible for themselves anymore.... We have a lot of issues with our hotel breakfast because things have to be kept at a "safe" teperature.
Faith

[Mabel Figworthy]

I'm definitely a winter girl, but I do know it causes a lot of inconvenience and injuries too -- poor Dawn, you did get the worst of it! Hope it will soon heal

[Dawn]

Thanks Mabel I'm feeling very sorry for myself at the moment Its taking me forever to do anything as its my right hand (I'm right handed) and suddenly I've gone from touch typist to one handed having to stare at th e keys to make sure I'm typing the right thing