8:52pm Wednesday 20th January 2010
By Colin Baker
THERE are lessons to be learned from the effects of the extreme weather of the last couple of weeks. Perhaps, first of all I should define what I mean by ‘extreme’. This level of snow would not be regarded as remotely extreme in many other countries in Northern Europe, because it happens to them more regularly and more predictably.
In fact, Great Britain has hitherto been considerably luckier in that respect than most other countries on the same line of latitude.
Perversely one of the effects of what is generally termed ‘Global Warming’ may be that our luck in terms of a milder climate has run out to a certain extent.
The countries that expect and endure lengthy winters of constant snow and ice naturally and understandably prepare for it better.
Our provision of snow ploughs, salt and grit has hitherto been about right for the climate that we have been led to expect for the last few decades. The last fortnight may well result in that provision being re-thought, in the same way that recent incidents of flooding in various parts of the country have led to a substantial rethinking of river and flood plain management.
Aside from whatever the future national and local strategy may be for extreme weather management, the icy roads have underlined yet again the ridiculous and pervasive blame and litigation culture that has led to householders being afraid to clear the public highway outside their homes in case they get sued by someone who falls or has an accident on the surface after they have cleared it. Legislation designed to protect the public-spirited amongst us is essential if we don’t want to look ridiculous in the eyes of the rest of a world that even goes so far as to penalise those who don’t clear their footpaths and roads in the interest of public safety.
And can we please have an end of the 4 x 4 bashing that has been going on for some years now? Many of us need these vehicles for a variety of very good reasons and can’t suddenly morph them into smaller less powerful vehicles when we travel into London, say.
I suspect many of the ‘Chelsea tractor’ knockers have been very grateful when we have towed them out of the snow with our heavily-taxed vehicles or picked them up when they get stranded in their more environmentally friendly ones.
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