Preparedness for when

pineapple

Not sure how practical/feasible it is to have every minor road closure logged. It's such a fluid (sorry) situation anyway. Our tried and tested method hereabouts is to stop passing traffic and ask how it is further along - or having tried and and turned back to inform anyone you meet not to bother..
It was quite funny though when I drove to Hawes a few days ago. A little bit of standing water but generally fine. But on my return I passed a sign saying the road I had only just come on was closed due to flooding! I ignored the sign and a few ditherers followed me. I felt like the Pied Piper! :rotfl:
It's not all about water though. There is debris and damage. Was out with the dog today when a boy racer sped past me. He was going too fast for that road anyway. So it was with some satisfaction that I noted the loud 'clunck' as one of his wheels hit a particularly nasty water filled pothole

greenbee

When we had flooding a couple of years ago, cars driving too fast along flooded (and closed, except to residents) roads was a real problem - bow waves were causing damage to houses and forcing water into buildings. Drivers were generally abusive when asked to slow down. We did position signs and cones well into the road to narrow it, but people seem to think that driving fast through water is fun.

We decided that 'flood' signs didn't have much impact. What we really need is 'pothole' signs.

[Deleted User]

greenbee wrote: »

We did position signs and cones well into the road to narrow it, but people seem to think that driving fast through water is fun.

It's not so much a case of it being fun, but keeping the engine at fairly high revs, and the water from overrunning to bonnet, to avoid it stalling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoVNyE5ZsVY

greenbee

You can keep the revs high without driving too fast. And if you don't know what's under the water, driving fast is stupid. They also forget about the impact on vehicles behind them as the wake they create can swamp them. One guy's excuse was that 'the kids like the waves'...

moneyistooshorttomention

pineapple wrote: »

Not sure how practical/feasible it is to have every minor road closure logged. It's such a fluid (sorry) situation anyway. Our tried and tested method hereabouts is to stop passing traffic and ask how it is further along - or having tried and and turned back to inform anyone you meet not to bother..
It was quite funny though when I drove to Hawes a few days ago. A little bit of standing water but generally fine. But on my return I passed a sign saying the road I had only just come on was closed due to flooding! I ignored the sign and a few ditherers followed me. I felt like the Pied Piper! :rotfl:
It's not all about water though. There is debris and damage. Was out with the dog today when a boy racer sped past me. He was going too fast for that road anyway. So it was with some satisfaction that I noted the loud 'clunck' as one of his wheels hit a particularly nasty water filled pothole

There's no reason I can see why there shouldn't be a website in place that Joe/Jane Public can put up notice of any road closure etc they notice and other J. Public can subsequently update. That way - it would be the online equivalent of stopping passing cars and asking them/telling them. Anyone wanting to travel along a particular road could check out to see what roads had been notified in their vicinity as currently flooded or even put up a request asking people nearby what the situation was.

Beats my idea of ring the nearest local pub/garage/etc.
and asking them I think:rotfl:

It would be easily possible for the website to have a search facility for particular postcode for instance. Alternatively, people could input the postcode they wish to find out about (if they know it) and up comes a little map with blue circles on to indicate "Cant pass here - its flooded at the moment".

Now how difficult would that be for a computer whizz to set up?

I know I don't have the computer knowledge to do so - but I bet it aint that hard to do.

EDIT: In fact I'm starting to quite fancy the idea of helping to set up my 3rd "Idea I've Had in this Lifetime" - so if anyone fancies the thought of being the computer whizz half of the equation - I could "cross t's and dot i's" to fill in any gaps I spot.

nuatha

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Now how difficult would that be for a computer whizz to set up?

I know I don't have the computer knowledge to do so - but I bet it aint that hard to do.

It wouldn't be hard, but it wouldn't be cheap either and since people don't want to pay for information online (and don't want to see adverts either) then there's very little incentive to produce and maintain such a site.
In general local radio does a fairly good job of announcing traffic and travel issues, though some areas are better than others (and was my first port of call having read Calicocat's post last night as we live in the same area and I had plans to be out and about this morning).

pollyanna_26

My local newspaper ( small town ) has been showing pictures of local flooding also information from locals . On the spot news for my town has shown similar . I just googled both and up it came HTH. P

[Deleted User]

I put a duvet cover, and two pillow cases, on the washing line earlier.

Next thing I know, it's persisting down, and they're now on my radiators, wetter than when I hung them out. :mad:

Karmacat

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

On a bit of a tangent has anyone noticed the mild weather messing up the flora and fauna. Dad has seen birds nest building near him and I have salads I thought had died off resprouting in the garden as well as some of the herbs and bushes.

Yes, I have - my "next season" rhubarb is now more than six inches tall - I think I'm going to get some frost protection fleeces, I don't see how it can survive otherwise.

Its winter/climate change/strong El Nino all rolled into one

cbrown372

pollyanna_26 wrote: »

My local newspaper ( small town ) has been showing pictures of local flooding also information from locals . On the spot news for my town has shown similar . I just googled both and up it came HTH. P

Twitter is great for road news, follow local newspapers, airports, ferries and the rail providers as they want their passengers to know where the traffic and weather problems are and in Scotland Traffic Scotland gives news covering all the main roads and how to find the news on the smaller roads. Traffic Scotland posted great pictures through the night on Christmas Eve showing pictures from their cameras as Santa worked his way across country with funny commentary on what had been left out for the reindeer in different areas.