Anyone else "confined to barracks" because of the icy state of the pavements?

easy

savemoney wrote: »

My daughter walks with crutches as she has a disability, it doesn't stop her going to college but she does have difficulty getting down a our small steep driveway to the taxi that picks her up. We live in town but on a hill and off beaten track so we dont get any help just a grit bin.

Our local council are now using sand from beach on the pavements as just down the road its treacherous on pavements, it makes hell of a difference using sand

Can you not clear and salt/grit/sand the driveway for her?

My son (who is only 10), digs a path from our back door to the car for me, then he or DH sprinkles it to melt any black ice. You can use salt, altho we have a tub of something called SnowBrake, which is a chemical that generates heat when in contact with water. Pretty expensive mind.

savemoney

I did last night but its snowed several times again since. I have put some grit down but because its in short supply I cant use too much

easy wrote: »

Can you not clear and salt/grit/sand the driveway for her?

My son (who is only 10), digs a path from our back door to the car for me, then he or DH sprinkles it to melt any black ice. You can use salt, altho we have a tub of something called SnowBrake, which is a chemical that generates heat when in contact with water. Pretty expensive mind.

easy

savemoney wrote: »

I did last night but its snowed several times again since. I have put some grit down but because its in short supply I cant use too much

If you can get hold of bags of table salt, use that instead of grit. It will do a good job, and will help to stop ice re-forming on the section you have cleared.

It's pointless complaining that your drive is icy if you don't do as much as YOU can to clear it.

Homemade_2

easy wrote: »

Homemade, I do appreciate that there are people worse off than me, who don't only have problems when the weather is bad. But The state of the pavements affects my ability to earn a living. It isn't enough for me to get my shopping delivered, chat to folks online, and watch telly. It's my BUSINESS which is being affected.

I'm supposed to making arrangements to meet a potential new client. I can't make an appointment, cos I don't know if I will be able to get from my car to their offices to meet them.

I understand of course and am not belittling anyone at all for what is important to them. I only asked that we dont (everyone, including myself) get carried away with our own problems and spare a thought for the people who are in this situation day in, day out.....regardless of weather.

We need to count our blesssings and maybe take a moment out to realise that its the end of the world if we are snowed in for a few days.

Lots of people have to deal with inconveniences and the best thing to do when faced with difficulties is to think of all the options rather than dismiss the situation straight off as being hopeless. Quite often we can find solutions if we are to sit calmly and think about it.


Can the client come to you? Surely they would understand given the situation?
Webcam meeting?
Postponement?
Are you able to ask someone to clear snow, ice for you?
Is it possible to get a taxi and ask them to escort you from the door?

If you are wanting to go to their offices maybe you can phone around and see what the conditions are first before assuming you cant get from your car to the office? It might not be as bad as you first think.

I wasnt critisising anyone with my post so I apologise if you were/are offended.

pipkin71

Trialia wrote: »

"Than us lot"? What's up with you, then? And yeah, half the time in good weather I can't get out, so in bad weather I can't go out at all, which gives me a perfect right to complain when I have to do things that cannot be done online, like posting international packages.

Same here, can't always go out in good weather, so the snow just means having even more days indoors.

Molly41

Yes Im another who cant get out without help and somedays be they sunny or snowy I cant go out at all. The snow gets me down because I cant even get out into my garden to smell the fresh air. Im also cooped up with four kids which is getting on top of me. When you describe "us lot" can I ask are you disabled cos this is a disabled thread so the majority of people have a disability or a relation etc.

easy

Homemade wrote: »

I understand of course and am not belittling anyone at all for what is important to them. I only asked that we dont (everyone, including myself) get carried away with our own problems and spare a thought for the people who are in this situation day in, day out.....regardless of weather.

We need to count our blesssings and maybe take a moment out to realise that its the end of the world if we are snowed in for a few days.

Lots of people have to deal with inconveniences and the best thing to do when faced with difficulties is to think of all the options rather than dismiss the situation straight off as being hopeless. Quite often we can find solutions if we are to sit calmly and think about it.


Can the client come to you? Surely they would understand given the situation?
Webcam meeting?
Postponement?
Are you able to ask someone to clear snow, ice for you?
Is it possible to get a taxi and ask them to escort you from the door?

If you are wanting to go to their offices maybe you can phone around and see what the conditions are first before assuming you cant get from your car to the office? It might not be as bad as you first think.

I wasnt critisising anyone with my post so I apologise if you were/are offended.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have consdidered all the options. I do really have to go and see their businesses, so them coming to me isn't a choice. I am trying to defer making appointments until the weather clears up, but I run the risk that they'll take the business elsewhere in the meantime.
I don't really want to trust an unknown taxi-driver to strong-arm me into a building (some would flatly refuse anyway), and I try NOT to make an issue of my disability with a new client, don't really want to ask THEM for help, before we even have a business relationship going.

Sorry if that sounds negative, it is just realistic.

Anyway, to get back to the opening moan, if the pavements were cleared (not necessarily by the public bodies, by proprty owners themselves), it may reduce the strain on the NHS treating the broken wrists and hips of those people who fall over.

mum2one

I'm stuck in, did venture out today, but 75 yard to where the car was parked, the crutches went one way, I went the other....... and bashed into the hedge...

Then went flying on ice in a supermarket car park.... Only becoz his lordship decided he couldn't remember my pin number on debit card!!!

Back to the car was as bad, jerked my spine out trying to stay upright, so have spent the afternoon + evening on bedrest.. waiting for painkillers to kick in.

I'm lucky as dd and I live with my family,but mums disabled as well, she hasn't been out since the first flurry of snow..

xx

Its such a pain, as I'm like most others

LITTLEMISSFLOWER

Im 36 wees pregnant and have been inside for the last few days as its to icy.
Today i had to go to the doctors just to collect a letter i phoned to ask if they could fax or email it but they said no. i was really careful but once at the doctors which you have to walk down some steps they hadnt gritted them and i slipped down lucky i was holding the rail.

You would think they would grit there path.

rogjen

I live in London, last time I went out was Monday, nothing has been gritted since we have had the snow, really lucky though, partner, neighbours family and friends have been great, I dont know what I would have done without any of them.