How come when it snows in England they make such a huge fuss?

Question

When it snows in Scotland it causes some disruption, but we manage to get to work and school. This bit of snow has been headline news for nearly three days!!
Goodness only knows how people cope in really snowy places.

For those not living in the UK - it's not uncommon to have snow in England -but usually only in winter!!!

Answer 1

It's the Nanny State we're now lumbered with in Britain:

"Don't go out in the snow. You might get snow flakes in your hair."

"Don't let kids play conkers. They might fracture their skulls."

"Don't eat turkey. You might catch the plague."

"Don't let your kids eat junk food or they'll get fat, but don't let them play in the snow/on playground equipment/in the rain/in the sun/in the sea, etc., etc., or they might vapourise."

"Don't drive cars. Don't ride bikes, unless cocooned in bubble wrap."

"Don't defend yourself/your property/your grandmother against thugs or you'll be thrown in prison. Thugs have more rights than you."

The list is endless.

This used to be known as a free country. That doesn't seem to apply anymore.

What a sad pathetic place this has become...

Answer 2

I live in England and have to agree with you to some extent the snow always seems to cause problems for some people in certain area's of the country. I put it down to them being in more rural areas . Also it does depend on how much money the council have for their areas. The council only have limited resources for the winter period to pay for gritters on the roads etc.

England is not geared up for bad weather because we don't really get much snow from one year to the next. The part of England I live in has had no snow at all for the last 4 years.

Answer 3

Right - anyone who worked abroad for a while in Canada or colder climates must be laughing at them! Don't forget that the radio media love a daily theme to witter on to gardeners about. Real people mostly go to work regardless of radio or TV statements.

Here in Ireland, I heard a lot of similar statements based on the fact that the North of the country had had 3.5 inches of snowfall over 14 hours. That's rare, but it's nothing major! In the southern state, we are usually shielded by the Gulf Stream and rarely see snow - but what's a light drift to us? According to the local stations, the whole country was going to be stopped in its tracks.
Unless you were actually outside your house, you might believe that - but everyone's curious enough to check it out for themselves; and once you're outside, it's no big deal, might as well go in.

Apart from the fact that all airports were operating normally with some delays, everyone carried on as usual. I suppose that anyone who commutes through to England over more than a hundred miles is going to make a big saga of their trip anyway? I reckon it's either their Viking blood or hibernation instinct taking over ; )

Answer 4

Probably because they have not had too much experience with it, anything that is new to people is scary, and dose disrupt their lives, it just takes getting used too, here where I live we have several inches of snow on the ground now, its nothing new here, and even though it can cause havoc on the highways, we learn to cope, and if it gets too bad we stay home.

Answer 5

i don't understand what's envisioned for Detroit and thereabouts, yet I keep in suggestions the tremendous hurricane of 1999. That mess had the streets of the city clogged for weeks. On avereage, besides the undeniable fact that, each and each and every time the elements drones on television call for huge quantities of snow fall, Detroit oftentimes basically receives a gentle dusting. for sure, the western suburbs (west of I-275) can nonetheless p.c.. up lots.

Answer 6

It's a condition called Eskimo Syndrome. Everyone's normal life comes to a standstill, and we've got to appreciate the snow.

Answer 7

I am English, proud of it, and think snow is fantastic. Kills off all the bugs that would plague us in summer, all the old coffin dodgers who drain our society, (30,000 a year... YES!) and a lot of the dunk drivers who smash up their vehicles or fall asleep at the wheel and hypothermia gets them. (Not enough though, sadly)
God bless Darwin for natural selection.
If you can't survive, then you probably don't deserve to, so come on planet, do your worst

Answer 8

I think that the councils dont want to spend the money to make the roads ready for when it do snow

Answer 9

I know! You would think they had never had snow before. Gawd its only been about 12 mths from the last time. Are they just goldfish swimming in a fish bowl when it comes to weather.

Answer 10

Don't ask me it's only weather but everything comes to a standstill. I thinks it's a sad side to the nanny state we all expect someone to do something about everything but when it comes to mother nature all we can do is wait till it passes, its great to know that there is still something that can't be controlled.