New driver - can employer force me to use my car if it’s snowing

JethroUK

caz_cardiff87 wrote: »

.....along with some really useless advice e.g. keep a spade in the car and use some old carpet to stick under your wheels if you get stuck.... i have no spade (why would i when i don’t have a garden!?.... and my flat has wooden flooring throughout... so no carpet!)....

Quite sound advice actually - I have a large garden dustpan in my boot (Tesco £2) - never heard the carpet thing but sounds usefull so some going in my boot - not having 'carpet' is a cop-put if i ever heard one - read 'carpet-like' material (not snow)

2 weeks ago I also put a large coat on my back seat and pair of boots in case i have to get out and walk home or sleep in a freezing car

JethroUK

BTW - Car tyres have much more traction at low pressure

Only drop the drive tyres for traction - dont drop the other tyres because that will make them harder to push/pull

lower pressure = more traction = more damage to your tyres

drop your drive tyres to 5 psi and it will drive up the matterhorn but will scrap your tyres in less than 5 mile

but it could get you that last 1/2 mile to your house/the garage

neilmcl

SLITHER99 wrote: »

However, as I was intrigued, quite right, having an IAM certificate doesn't give you extra codes on your license. That said, I haven't seen my license in a while. But regardless, I stand corrected.

See, that's why I'm not British; I'll happily admit I was wrong when I am!

Not until throwing around the odd put down or two!

notanewuser

JethroUK wrote: »

Quite sound advice actually - I have a large garden dustpan in my boot (Tesco £2) - never heard the carpet thing but sounds usefull so some going in my boot - not having 'carpet' is a cop-put if i ever heard one - read 'carpet-like' material (not snow)

2 weeks ago I also put a large coat on my back seat and pair of boots in case i have to get out and walk home or sleep in a freezing car

I don't plan to go out in my car at all this week, unless an emergency crops up. Nonetheless there are old car mats, snow shovel, hats and gloves, a torch (with fresh batteries), blankets, empty hot water bottle, bottled water and cereal bars, £20 and some loose change, waterproof jacket and walking boots (plus thick socks) in there. If I do go out I'll take a flask of hot water with me too.

I'm in South Wales on an ungritted estate with 8 inches of snow at the moment.

JethroUK

photome wrote: »

That of course depends on your job and wether you want to keep it. I am a field service engineer and drive 30000 a year, not sure the company would be to impressed if i refused to drive everytime it snowed...e

Maybe - but

1/ It doesn't matter how 'impressed' (or not) they are

2/ As field service engineer you would be expected (and equipped) to deal with inclement weather - for the rest of us (including the OP) - our job roles do not expect/equip us to deal with snow warnings

3/ Technically (and I am talking technically), under the Health & Safety at Work Act (The Law) they cant force you (even 'field engineers') to do anything you would consider dangerous or a danger to your own health & safety - so under THE LAW, you would be well within your rights to refuse to drive in snow, especially given evidence of national RED warning

That said - i also think people who dont turn up shouldn't get paid - then maybe they'll find another/safer way to get to work

SLITHER99

neilmcl wrote: »

Not until throwing around the odd put down or two!

Sorry you don't share my sense of humour.

keith1950

That said - i also think people who dont turn up shouldn't get paid - then maybe they'll find another/safer way to get to work

I completely agree, why should an employer pay someone who hasn't even tried to get in to work.

londonTiger

missile wrote: »

Get new tyres

1.6mm is the legal limit, not 2mm+

OP realised his tyres are wearing thin, so he's aware that it needs changing soon. It should be a given that there are reasons why he hasn;t change them, not enough time to preapre for the snow which is just days away, cant afford tyres right this moment etc.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth wrote: »

You can return your licence to the DVLA.

not helpful, stupid remark.

john_white wrote: »

How do you expect to get experience driving in ice and snow if you refuse to try?

where does it say you have to learn to drive in the snow? mos years it never snows, when it does it snows for 1 or 2 days. Our COUNTRY isn't even prepared for the snow, counciles dont have enough grit, we dont have enough snow removal vehiles. The official weather warning is avoid driving if you can. So why is it mandatory to learn to drive in the snow?

there needs to be a vote down feature on this forum for waste of space smaet !!!! remarks like these. these are not helpful and are written by bitter people who just want to be a nuisance.

notanewuser

londonTiger wrote: »

where does it say you have to learn to drive in the snow? mos years it never snows, when it does it snows for 1 or 2 days. Our COUNTRY isn't even prepared for the snow, counciles dont have enough grit, we dont have enough snow removal vehiles. The official weather warning is avoid driving if you can. So why is it mandatory to learn to drive in the snow?

.

It snowed last year. It snowed the year before that. In fact, it's snowed pretty much every year in South Wales since 1977 (I have the photos to prove it).

What if, for example, you left London which has bo snow and went to Kent for a couple of days where it did snow. What would you do? Would you be prepared for that or just leave your car in Kent and get a helicopter back to London?

redux

None of this macho posturing bollux would be necessary if the councils would get themselves and their contractors off their !!!!!! and treat the roads