Icy Walkways!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRR...

I seem to only come here when I have something to whinge about. Know living in the South East of England,they don't get that much snow..but we have had some and the walkways are a solid sheet of ice. No one bothers to scrap them off. People are on their own while walking on these walkways. Yesterday I got a taxi to go grocery shopping at Tesco's and the taxi driver said watching people fall on the walkways is funny! Saw a couple of women wearing high-heels trying to walk on the walkways. They were moving very slowly. Didn't fall..but they were brave to walk on ice wearing heels!!  The coucil said they don't have money in the funds to grit the walkways. So walking on solid sheets of ice is at your own risk. Someone else said if they fall they will sue the council. Does this bother anyone else or am I just being to sensitive. Every one just says the council don't care about normal citizens..they only think of themselves. Seems to be the general attitude of people here.

First of all it is just absolutely ludicrous to walk in heels on ice!  Duh--put your heels in your handbag and wear boots or wellies, for cripes sake...

Anyway, the icy sidewalks get me a bit upset as well.  It's just different in the UK.  Back in the US (or at least Philly) everyone is out shoveling their sidewalks as soon as the snow starts to let up--sometimes before even.  Everyone makes sure it is salted as well, and people shovel the walks of elderly neighbors, etc.  If you merely rent and don't own, sometimes you shovel (not that big a deal, really) or the ladlord makes sure it gets done. 

Also, every business makes darn sure the walkways are safe and clear, and parking lots are cleared and salted quickly.  It's just not like this in the UK for whatever reason.  The familiar scrape scrape sound in the morning after a snowfall is not heard.  The car park behind the local carvery had like 3 small handfulls of grit put down randomly and nothing was shovelled, hence it was a total sheet of ice and of course even in my boots I fell flat on my back     I proceeded to walk the rest of the way home down the middle of every street because it was the only place where I could get any traction.  Don't think this will ever change, so I guess I've just got to accept it.

I walk down the middle of the road to. I am not fond of falling on a icy walkway. The women in heels yesterday...looked like they were headed out for a Christmas party somewhere. Both had on their party clothes. Neither had on decent heels..I was wondering if they made it home in one piece after partying. Bet not wearing those high heels.

First of all it is just absolutely ludicrous to walk in heels on ice!  Duh--put your heels in your handbag and wear boots or wellies, for cripes sake...

My first thought as well!

We salted our walkway (WE meaning my DH) We don't actually have a shovel but we have a big push broom that my husband used to remove most of the snow and then DH poured salt. It worked really well if you ask me. I have taken a look up our street and it seems like we are the only ones to have made any sort of effort.

I have taken a look up our street and it seems like we are the only ones to have made any sort of effort.

Yep, it's just the way it is here.  In the US you would not be out of line in any way to complain to a neighbor or especially a business for not clearing the snow and ice.  Here, I think you'd be hard-pressed to get any sort of positive result with a complaint.

Every one just says the council don't care about normal citizens..they only think of themselves. Seems to be the general attitude of people here.

I don't agree with that part, but I do agree that it's a pain in the neck when it gets this cold. But in a way I can see where councils are coming from - in reality this only happens a couple of times a year and so it's questionable as to how much money needs to be invested in it. This is the first time in 6 years that I can remember ice lasting more than a day - and usually people can manage a day or two without having to go out. It's extra inconvenient this year since it's so close to Christmas and people have so many things that they really need to do....

The Highways Agency haven't gritted the road out of our village - just put up a sign warning that it's slippery.... And that I find HIGHLY annoying!

ETA: I do agree with Andee that more businesses should make an effort outside of their premises - my husband works for Waitrose and they're all required to salt the car park and the walkways so it's unfortunate that more don't have that sort of policy!

ETA: I do agree with Andee that more businesses should make an effort outside of their premises - my husband works for Waitrose and they're all required to salt the car park and the walkways so it's unfortunate that more don't have that sort of policy!

My husband works for Co-Op Midlands and he was out gritting their pavements and carpark at 7 this morning (after he managed to de ice the car and drive the hour & a half to work that is  ).

This is strange, because my BF lives in a town just a bit south of Glasgow, and they had salted all the sidewalks and streets on random days a couple weeks ago (maybe because of the freezing fog, I'm not sure since there was no call for snow or ice).  I also got pelted by a passing salt truck on Saturday just before I was going to head to the airport.  I wonder if it's more common in Scotland or if it just depends on the council.

My husband suggests that it's a private vs public land thing.  So say if one of the shops down under my flat were to salt the public walkway and a pedestrian were to slip BECAUSE of the salt (?!!), they would be able to sue the person who put it down.  Silly crap, innit? 

When DH visited me in the states he was surprised we were expected to shovel. He said in UK if you don't do anything to the path you aren't liable, but if you clear some and any ice is left you become liable....no idea if that is true or not!

I also got pelted by a passing salt truck on Saturday just before I was going to head to the airport.  I wonder if it's more common in Scotland or if it just depends on the council.

Well there are definitely loads of grit trucks around but they only do main roads for the most part - not minor roads or sidewalks. Our filthy car is proof that they've put a lot of grit down on the M40!!!

and usually people can manage a day or two without having to go out.

Um, not if you work!  

I think if the councils can't or won't take responsibility, then business must be required to do it.  I do realize big corporate places like Waitrose, etc. do clear, but a lot of the smaller ones don't

When DH visited me in the states he was surprised we were expected to shovel. He said in UK if you don't do anything to the path you aren't liable, but if you clear some and any ice is left you become liable....no idea if that is true or not!

My husband suggests that it's a private vs public land thing.  So say if one of the shops down under my flat were to salt the public walkway and a pedestrian were to slip BECAUSE of the salt (?!!), they would be able to sue the person who put it down.  Silly crap, innit? 

I think these are true--ridiculous, but true!

Unusually this only happens once or twice during the winter months. Last winter we had four or five weeks with ice on the walkways.
I have to say to those who do scrap their walkways and put salt down...I think you all are wonderful. 
I know nothing will change with the icy walkways during the winter in this part of England. But I still get uptight about it.

Really think I am going to stat a trend and get a shovel for the next time, our whole street is iced over.