General Discussion
Snow
Whats wrong with people today?
A scattering of snow and panic sets in. One school closed and another not sure which caused confusion.
No post. We had a lot worse than this about 18-20 years ago. The milkman delivered to our door and the postmen were given special rubber and chain fitments to attach to their shoes and delivered as normal.
I can remember my friend and I sliding down Strand Hill to get to work if only to answer the telephone to let our clients know what the situation was.
Health and Safety plus litigation is the reason things have changed.
Also people travel further to work including teachers.
Let children have a couple of days off school they may have to wait another 20 years before than can throw another snowball or make a snowman.
I agree with you Ann, let the kids have a bit of fun because they wont be seeing it very often. I live in central Canada now and it has to be said I'm a little embarrassed when my friends here laugh at me because of the panic over there! Its just a case of what you grow up with and get used to. Here we get snow on the ground from nov to may and usually pretty deep too! We also get extreme cold.....ive seen it down to -48c.....add windchill to that and you dont want to be out in it!! If I remember right they close the schools here when it gets to -46c including windchill. We get it year after year and the country is geared up to deal with it. It would be senseless to have a huge fleet of snow plows sitting there waiting for a big dump of snow every 15 to 18 years!!
Who is expected to look after the kids if they're given the day off, simply because there's been a light dusting of snow?
Despite what the media-driven doom and gloom might have you believe, more people are working in our country than ever before, so are we saying that working parents have to have the day off too? What about the impact of that on our fragile economy?
When a football or rugby match is postponed due to inclement weather, the match is re-arranged for a later date. Why can't the same apply to schools? If a school is closed, then the day's teaching should be re-arranged for later in the school term - i.e. on a Saturday or, more reasonably, as an extension to the school term.
You are right of course Roy...what was I thinking??? Lifes too short for fun!!! make the little buggers go to school!
But expat, who do you suggest looks after all these children on working days?? Or are you saying that 5 and 6 year olds should be allowed to roam free?
Not really an answer "expat". You might not realise it, but in 21st century Great Britain there are so many more working parents today than there were even just 15 years ago.
Are you suggesting that these working parents should all have a day off work just because a headmaster decides on a whim that he doesn't fancy opening up today?
Well it was an answer "Roy" just not one that agreed with you! I dont know the headmaster personally ( like you do, or I'm assuming you do otherwise how else would you know it was a whim) so cant tell for sure if it was just a whim that made him close the school or concern for kids safety. And, you know, if a few mum's or dad's have to take a day off every 18 years or so to look after their kids its not really the end of the world or even the cause of the worldwide recession. This started off about a few kids having the chance to play in the snow, something they rarely get to do! Chill out "Roy" ;)
Well said, Expat.
I do not know the exact circumstances that led to the closure of one particular school. As an expat, you may not be aware that a culture has developed in UK under a banner of "health and safety", fuelled by fear of litigation in the event of any mishap or accident. There has been a huge growth in the number of people who look to blame someone else, rather than take responsibility for their own safety or accept that many accidents are no one's fault. So, for example, schools would be concerned that they might be sued by the parents of a child who slipped on snow while on school premises.
When I was in a fish and chip shop a couple of weeks ago I saw a sign reading, "The fish served in this establishment may contain small bones."
Don
The cost to the GB economy caused by parents having to take the day off work because of the whim of a headmaster, has been estimated at a cool £1.2BILLION per day.
Stick that in your snowman and smoke it.
Was all that money lost because of one school closing in Dawlish or did that include surrounding area's?? Oh Roy you must be so much fun to be around!!!
You're obviously being deliberately obstreperous. ;-)
National economy. £1.2billion. Not too difficult to comprehend is it? :-P
Tell us again "expat" why you emigrated and where to?
Or did you used to be called Patrick, but then changed your name to Kevin...
"Roy"...I cant tell you AGAIN why I emigrated and where too because I never told you before!!! Why are you so rude to people on here "Roy"?? Its just a forum you know! Just harmless discussion....or is it more than that to you? Does this play a big part in your life "Roy"? Are you angry and bitter about something that happened in your past? I'm sorry if that is how it is but there are places to go where you can get help you know. Places where real people will sit and listen to you and help you unload that anger. My best wishes to you "Roy".....try and be happy!!! :):):)
I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour,
but heaven knows I'm miserable now...
I'll remind you; you claimed to have emigrated to Canada.
"expat" is a shortened version of ex-patriot. So that a very interesting moniker that you've elected to take.
Hopefully the people of Canada treat immigrants better than certain sections of British society do.
I'm off now to pull the legs off some daddylonglegs...
