Eilen uutisissa ja lehdissa suositeltiin jaamaan kotiin tanaan. Liikenneolosuhteet olisivat erittain huonot. Mutta jos on ihan pakko lahtea, kannattaa varata ylimaaraista aikaa. Ihan pakko? Ihan PAKKO? No tottakai nyt toihin ja kouluun taytyy menna, ei sielta voi syytta suotta olla pois, vain koska uutiset niin sanoo, ajattelisi suomalainen joka on lumeen tottunut.
Mieheni tyopaikalla jo useat ilmoittivat etteivat tulisi toihin jos lunta alkaisi satamaan. Ja arvatkaapa, tama on sallittua. Ei ole pakko menna toihin jos tulee lunta!! Koska se on liian vaarallista ajaa. Tottakai se on vaarallista, jos ei ole ajoneuvoa joka olisi varusteltu lumella ajamiseen. Kesarenkaillahan ne nytkin tuolla ajelevat.
Koulumatkalla kiinnitin huomiota ettei automaara ollut juurikaan vahentynyt muihin aamuihin verrattuna. Samat risteykset oli yhta ruuhkaiset kuin muinakin aamuina. Koululle paastya ja portin avautumista odotellessa, luin toimiston jattaman kyltin joka oli koulun pihalla, jossa sanottiin: "Varmistathan etta koululla on puhelinnumerosi jotta saamme sinuun yhteyden jos joudumme sulkemaan koulun." Luettuani, kysyin vieressani seisovalta aidilta, mita tulisi tapahtua etta koulu jouduttaisiin sulkemaan. Han ei tiennyt. Kysyin oliko viime talvena jouduttu sulkemaan koulu. Han ei tiennyt sitakaan, ei ilmeisesti hankaan asunut taalla viela viime vuonna. Kysyttyaan viereiselta sedalta, han sanoi etta oli koulu ollut kiinni viime talvena lumen takia. Vielakaan en saanut vastausta kysymykseen miksi.
Kun kavelin kotiin, maa oli jo valkoisen lumen peittama myos monilla autoteilla. Ja tasaiseen tahtiin sita satoi myos lisaa ja sataa edelleen. Liikenneolosuhteet on jo nyt varmasti kaoottiset paikoin, joten en ihmettele yhtaan jos uutiset kertovat tanaan monen monista liikenneonnettomuuksista. Satoja kouluja on suljettu ympari Englantia ja lentoja peruttu useilta lentokentilta. Olen ymmartanyt etta kaksi edellista talvea olivat myos lumiset Englannissa, monta talvea tarvitaan etta kaoottisuudelta pystytaan valttymaan? Lidlissa myydaan lumiketjuja renkaisiin, kai se on yksi askel oikeampaan suuntaan.
Nyt siivoamaan, puhelin saattaa soida hetkella milla hyvansa etta pojat pitaa hakea koulusta.
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| Photo from our driveway this morning after one hour of snowing. |
This morning, as I looked out from the windows, it was snowing. Weather forecast promised yesterday that it would snow today and traffic will be chaotic. By the time we got out to go to school, ground was covered with white snow.
In the news they said yesterday that you should stay home today. But if you really have to go to work or school by car, take extra time to travel. If you have to? HAVE to? Well, of course you need to go to work and school, you can't be off without a reason, would a finn think who is used to snow.
At my husbands work, many of his colleagues announced that they won't be coming to work if it starts to snow. And guess what? They are allowed to stay home if it is too dangerous to drive. Well, of course it might be too dangerous, they are driving with summer wheels on snow.
On the way to school, I noticed that there was about the same amount of cars then in any other morning. Same roundabouts and crossings were as jammed as in any other morning. As we reached the school gate, which was still closed at that time, I saw a noticeboard that said: "Please make sure that school office has your current phone number to get in touch if we need to close the school early." I asked from the mom next to me, what would need to happen in order for them to close the school early. She didn't know. Then I asked did they close the school last year or not because of snow. She didn't know so she asked from the dad next to her also waiting for the gates to open. He said that that school was closed last year for a day or two. Still I didn't get an answer, why.
As I walked home, many roads were also covered by snow. And it kept on snowing more and still does. Traffic must chaotic here and there. Hundreds of schools has been closed mostly in Wales and flights have been cancelled to many airports. What I have learned is that England has had snow in the previous two years as well. How many winters like this they have go thru in order to learn to deal with it without chaos? They sell winter chains in Lidl for cars, maybe that's one step for the right direction!
I need to start hoovering the house, phone might ring anytime to tell me to get my boys from school.
