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Gritters

Started by: PeterP (12039)

I have read about the gritters gritting the main roads sometimes to no avail due to it raining after they have gritted. Up to a couple of years ago they gritted from Bolton Road onto the estate to Willow Grove School because all of the pupils are ferried in by parents or minibus/taxis. No gritter has done this route for at least 3 years but there are a lot of bends and the roads are on a slope.I don't know how the vehicles make it down then up off the estate Again it is all right gritting the hundreds of miles of the main routes but that does not help any driver who has to try to get off any estate to the main road

Started: 9th Jan 2025 at 09:11

Posted by: cheshirecat (1467) 

Surely you don't expect them to grit every estate and side street?! Its nigh impossible! For obvious reasons the main roads and motorways have priority.

Replied: 9th Jan 2025 at 09:49

Posted by: PeterP (12039)

Cheshirecat no I don't expect them to grit all the estates but there are main roads on estates which could be done at least once so the arterial streets could be used. Some of the main roads have been gritted at least 3 times

Replied: 9th Jan 2025 at 11:34

Posted by: cheshirecat (1467) 

I would say they are mainly access roads on an estate, not main roads?
Think yourself lucky that you dont live in a rural area where the nearest main road is about a mile away in some cases more!

Replied: 9th Jan 2025 at 12:26

Posted by: surfer_tom (890)

believe the they are told to just grit bus routes and major roads

Replied: 9th Jan 2025 at 12:31

Posted by: tonker (29028) 

Cheshirecat, those who “live in a rural area where the nearest main road is about a mile away” don’t pay over £2000 a year to live in a council-maintained urban area?

Replied: 9th Jan 2025 at 12:31

Posted by: cheshirecat (1467) 

Pardon me, Tonker but I don't really understand the point that you are making?

Replied: 9th Jan 2025 at 12:34

Posted by: PeterP (12039)

I think tonker is saying for the money we ALL pay in council tax/rates we are all entitled to have our roads gritted not just people who live on the main routes

Replied: 9th Jan 2025 at 13:17

Posted by: cheshirecat (1467) 

I would imagine councils grit roads they deem as a priorty. And rightly so.

A bit like A&E prioritising patients, as there is only so much you can do with the available resources at hand!

If you have to leave your car parked outside of your house for a day or two, its not the apocalypse?


Replied: 9th Jan 2025 at 14:20

Posted by: Big Harold (50) 

I've just driven to Manchester and back without any problems.
. The road from my exclusive housing estate hadn't been gritted which I expected so I just drove slowly until l got to the gritted main roads
On route, there was just patchy fog. One car in the bushes on a bend in Red Rock and on the way home via the M62 and M6 a broken down lorry at the Orrell roundabout

Replied: 9th Jan 2025 at 15:14

Posted by: tonker (29028) 

I cleaned mine out just before Christmas. They were full of leaves and moss off the roof!

Replied: 9th Jan 2025 at 15:23

Posted by: cheshirecat (1467) 

Posted by: Big Harold (43) [View Big Harold 's page]
"I've just driven to Manchester and back without any problems.
. The road from my exclusive housing estate hadn't been gritted which I expected so I just drove slowly until l got to the gritted main roads"

Well done A bit of common sense, understanding and a bit of patience is all that is needed, Big Harold. Its not very difficult

Replied: 9th Jan 2025 at 15:53

Posted by: PeterP (12039)

Not been out in the car since Monday but will have to go out tomorrow or Saturday supplies getting low for the basics Milk Bread Eggs Tea bags .Not risking trying to get to the bus stop because no gritting near me and the footpaths are nearly as bad as the roads.

Replied: 9th Jan 2025 at 22:31

Posted by: Owd Codger (3963)

Wiigan Council only grit the roads on estates if it is part of a bus route, but this year, the one on our estate has not been gritted as in the past years for some reason.

Either they have forgot, but more than likely becaues they have made cut backs on what roads are to be gritted because of cut backs in central funding by the government!


Replied: 10th Jan 2025 at 07:24

Posted by: PeterP (12039)

OC I am all for the main roads being gritted but it would be nice to get off an estate to get to these main roads.People have asked for grit bins on their streets. I asked who would spread the grit from these bins,I also said people would come along and take the grit for their own drives. I have just read on another forum were this has happened Most years we get snow then icy conditions and every year we are not prepared for it.Some roads get gritted then it rains and washes the grit away then the road is iced over again.I was surprised yesterday the bins got emptied high praise to the bin crews working in arduous conditions but I don't how they managed to drive on to the estates without a struggle.

Replied: 10th Jan 2025 at 07:44

Posted by: Owd Codger (3963)

PeterP

There is a grit bin in our street which is now nearly empty desite no grit having been put on our street.

Hardly surprising when like yesterday, a person arrived in a car and proceeded to fill two tubs which no doubt was for his own drive etc.

Proving that the grit bins are a waste of money on estate streets.

Replied: 10th Jan 2025 at 08:15

Posted by: cheshirecat (1467) 

Why didn't the residents spread the grit on the road then people can't come and fill their own tubs? That is what the grit is put there for.

The grit won't jump out of the bin on its own and spread itself!

Replied: 10th Jan 2025 at 09:22

Posted by: PeterP (12039)

Cheshirecat as a risk assessment been done for joe public to spread grit on the road Do they have to put signs out to say gritting in progress and wear appropriate safety equipment Hi vis vest safety glasses and gloves,Who supply's the shovels and how much grit can you safely put on a shovel .Which is the correct way to carry a shovel and then cast the grit onto the road Do you risk walking down the road or on the slippy footpath to do the job.You may think I am taking the p**s but some snowflake could get hurt doing the gritting and try to sue the council for negligence

Replied: 10th Jan 2025 at 14:31

Posted by: cheshirecat (1467) 

Posted by: PeterP
"You may think I am taking the p**s"

You thought right, Peter

The council have made grit bins available and it is the residents choice whether or not they utilise them, wear a hi viz vest, how much grit they put on the shovel etc!

"Do you risk walking on the slippy footpath to do the job."

You would have to risk that anyway to get on to the street even if the council gritted your street! As far as I'm aware, they don't grit your drive / footpath

Some people moan about there being no grit bins available.
When they are made available, they will not utilise them!

I don't blame the council for not gritting side streets as its fraught with danger especially when vehicles are parked on both sides of the road.
Imagine how much compensation they would have to pay out if a 4 ton gritting wagon scratches the paint off several residents cars

Replied: 10th Jan 2025 at 16:19
Last edited by cheshirecat: 10th Jan 2025 at 16:27:50

Posted by: a proud latics supporter (6849)

Replied: 10th Jan 2025 at 19:00

Posted by: cheshirecat (1467) 

The window cleaner manages to get up the side street and get up the drive / path with his ladder. As does the Royal Mail postman, UPS / DPD parcel delivery driver, the Deliveroo staff etc.

How do they do it?!

Replied: 10th Jan 2025 at 19:31
Last edited by cheshirecat: 10th Jan 2025 at 19:32:20

Posted by: tonker (29028) 

I said, “I cleaned mine out just before Christmas. They were full of leaves and moss off the roof”!

Sorry, but I didn’t have my glasses on!

Replied: 10th Jan 2025 at 19:45

Posted by: cheshirecat (1467) 

Gritting the gutters

Replied: 10th Jan 2025 at 19:49

Posted by: mollie m (8220) 

Well, I didn't get to go to work yesterday, nor today. Nothing to do with the roads, but car totally frozen over again.

Managed to get to the shop tonight though as there'd been a partial thaw. Drove slowly and carefully up the iced over roads (two of them) until I got onto the main drag where the busses run, then it was okay.

Slowly does it when it's like this - no need for speed.

Question: Do all-electric cars have trouble starting during minus conditions?

Replied: 10th Jan 2025 at 21:54

Posted by: tonker (29028) 

The bloke who drives the gritting wagon is called Gary.
Gary Gritter!

Replied: 10th Jan 2025 at 23:23

Posted by: Owd Codger (3963)

cheshirecat

Apart from the elderly who you do not expect to be spreading grit from a grit bin, most people now have no inclination to help others and have a attitude of let someone else do it!

It used to be called helping your neighbours, but now it is called "I'am allright jack and sod everybody else"






Replied: 11th Jan 2025 at 07:56

Posted by: cheshirecat (1467) 

Well get up off your backside and help your neighbours and grit the road!

Or, are you one of those people ( to quote you ) who "have no inclination to help others and have a attitude of let someone else do it and "I'am allright jack and sod everybody else"!

Replied: 12th Jan 2025 at 20:45

Posted by: Owd Codger (3963)

cheshirecat.

What, expect elderly pensioner like myself to do the jobs like putting grit on the streets that younger and fitter people like yourself should be doing!

But, unlike the many lazy sods of today, I did put some grit on my drive to help those delivering to our property!

Did you?

Replied: 13th Jan 2025 at 07:11

Posted by: cheshirecat (1467) 

Well, the people that delivered to your property managed to overcome the dusting of snow on your street. Why couldn't you?

Replied: 13th Jan 2025 at 10:40

Posted by: PeterP (12039)

Cheshirecat most posters on this site are in general in their twilight years and I am a spritely 70 year old. They say the older you get you don't bounce when you fall. I am not risking falling in my own gardens never mind trying to get out and about around the estate or getting to a bus stop.I think delivery persons are either well insured or they have no choice because they have to earn a living by doing deliveriesI consider myself a competent driver and when needs must will go out in the car but it is not me who would damage my car it will be some one else who don't know how to drive in icy conditions How many times do you see/hear of drivers who get stuck in flood water because they were never taught to drive through water same with icy conditions

Replied: 13th Jan 2025 at 11:10

Posted by: Domin0 (727)

If you remove the snow on your property,and someone falls,they can sue you,if you leave the snow and they fall,they can't do anything.

Replied: 13th Jan 2025 at 16:50

Posted by: mollie m (8220) 

Cheshire Cat: I’ve just read your comment to Owd Codger about getting up off his backside to help his neighbours. That was a very cruel and insensitive remark to make to an elderly man who is around the 80 year old mark. (Forgive me if I’m wrong Owd Codger). Working on that assumption you’re at least 15 years younger than him at age 65, so you’re probably (hopefully) still a lot fitter than most of us on here. I know I was when I was 65.

I know you enjoy a spot of confrontation having read many of your posts and interaction with others, but there’s never any need for rudeness.

Replied: 13th Jan 2025 at 19:56

Posted by: cheshirecat (1467) 

Mollie.
A bit of advice for you.

Never assume, and also, practice what you preach, and stop being rude.

Replied: 13th Jan 2025 at 20:19

Posted by: tonker (29028) 

A pugnacious poster promotes personality purge and promptly propogates pandemonium!

Replied: 13th Jan 2025 at 20:31

Posted by: Owd Codger (3963)

molie m

Thank you for your comments in support of myself and as far as I am concerned, you are the one not being rude!

Replied: 14th Jan 2025 at 07:28

Posted by: basil brush (19742)

Posted by: mollie m (8205) View mollie m's page


.......I know you enjoy a spot of confrontation having read many of your posts and interaction with others, but there’s never any need for rudeness.

Posted by: tomplum (14003) View tomplum's page
cos he's a imBASILelle

mollie, anything to say about your master being rude?

or are going to ignore this question as well?

Replied: 15th Jan 2025 at 11:10
Last edited by basil brush: 15th Jan 2025 at 11:11:34

 

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