Grit / magic ice melt

Whitewillow_2

badmumof1 wrote: »

NO its not there for you to clear your driveways so you can get your cars out. Its there for shop keepers to put outside their shops so people can walk to get supplies they need

so why do they put them in residential streets with no shops for miles around? MIL has one right outside her front door and thats what the whole street use it for? to get out of the street safely in bad weather as the gritters dont grit the side roads.

look_after_the_pennies

We have a couple of salt piles near our road as the gritters grit the main roads and bus routes but not the side streets. Salt is there for people to help themselves to grit their drives and their roads but surprisingly not many people do. Then they moan that they can't get out of their roads No helping some people!

cheapscate

we have large yellow containers full of salt and grit that are dotted about the housing estate where I live - there are no shops for a couple of miles. This is for the residents to use on drives and side streets and pavements where necessary.
Why would anyone think it was just for shop keepers

glasgowdan

Cheers to the last few posts, following a slightly rude couple of replies from badmum. Seems logical to me that they are there for residents. Shopkeepers pay seperately for services that householders get by default (waste, water) so it doesn't seem to make sense that they leave the salt outside unsecure once they have paid for it.

Just checked with my local council via their website, the bins ARE for residents to use on their drives and footpaths.

Find your local one!

From http://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/Web%20Site/Live/EDWebLive.nsf/LU-AllContent/KLIY-77LD3C?OpenDocument
Grit Bins
270 grit bins are placed at strategic locations prior to the commencement of the gritting period. These are for public use and are regularly checked and refilled.

timnlaura

Im on the outskirts of Edinburgh and thats certainly what they are there for. Have used them a few times ourself. Mainly as right outside our drive goes like an ice rink!

Pete*G_4

who would think that public salt bins are not for public use?!


anyway, to the OP. We buy bags of dishwasher salt from the cash & carry, or the value stuff from Tesco. dirt cheap and works really well.

artha

digp wrote: »

I came accross Magic Ice Melt ( http://www.constructionstore.co.uk/MIM6-Magic-Ice-Melt-10kg-Bag/ ) while searching for grit.

The above link is the cheapest price I could find.

Has anyone else used this company / product?

Am I better of just getting grit? If so, from where?

Thanks for any tips.

Can,t be sure but this is possibly potassium chloride (as opposed to sodium chloride - common salt). This is much more effective than common salt as it works to de-ice at much lower temperatures but has two drawbacks:
1 more expensive
2 causes greater vehicle corrosion than common salt

jamesb1239

badmumof1 wrote: »

NO its not there for you to clear your driveways so you can get your cars out. Its there for shop keepers to put outside their shops so people can walk to get supplies they need

It's not actually, if you remember when we were going through the shortages they were complaning about people taking it from the bins/piles. The bins are usually found on un-gritted minor roads and it is provided for the residents to grit the road themselves.

On a lighter note, I spent ages looking for one of said bins to pinch some grit for the path in front of my house..... none anywhere near me, and come to think of it I havent seen one for quite a while

digp

So where can I get grit from in readiness for this winter, which will be as bad as last winter?

soul619

just to let you know, if you grit your paths/drives and someone say the postman falls over he can sue you for damages however if you leave the ice be and he falls over he cant do nothing as its an act of nature

very stupid isnt it! thats what dudley council claim anyways!