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Extreme Weather Conditions?
Well, the tube’s gone into meltdown, the internet is entirely filled with people giving you minute by minute updates on the situation, and hundreds of thousands of people have finally been given the excuse they need to stay in bed of a Monday morning.
Ladies and gentlemen: we have had some snow.
It’s the thing I find most bizarre about the British psyche. For all our obsession with the weather, when it actually happens we seem to get taken completely by surprise.
It’s suddenly raining a lot? Gridlock occurs on the roads and incidents of eye injury through stupidly big golf-umbrellas increase. The sun’s been out for more than three days? Everyone suffers from collective heatstroke. It’s a bit icy? Drivers suddenly crawl to a halt and start doing stupid manoeuvres.
And as for snow… well. Here we are. Bugger Gaza and Davos, this is where it’s at!
Really, in the grand scheme of things, there ain’t that much. I’ve been to Berlin and Pottsdam in January and had to contend with more snow than this, Boston and Mississauga too. They routinely put up with snow which is deeper and more persistent than this and yet somehow their infrastructures and their psyches keep going on as normal.
For us though, the minute it’s not just a bit grey and mizzley then complete shutdown occurs. Especially if anything happens outside 9-5 on the normal working day.
So far, two of us have made it into the office. I had to walk from Streatham to Brixton to do it (luckily I had access to what were at the time the only working tubes) and I sure as hell won’t be doing that again, but it’s staggering considering that the roads are largely passable that even buses have given up!
Posted on February 2, 2009 | Filed Under Musings, The World we Live In
Comments
Response left by Pandemonia on February 2nd, 2009
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Oh Rob. Where’s the fun in a measured response. Sadly it won’t make anyone overcautious judging by the cars stuck in side roads having skidded off. it’s pretty and fun to have a wander around in.
I remember Oslo with snow up to the shoulders in places and old ladies going face down in the gutters. They act as if it’s invisible. At least we do notice it’s there.