Reason: Snow
Perhaps you may recall last winter when I wimped out driving to work in the snow as I skidded at the end of our road. Well that stuck with me a little but today I thought I really should get over it. I can't live in a country where it does snow and not drive in it, so I jumped in my car and headed off to work. Our road was fine (with a lot of explanation from Peter about what to do) and the drive to work was interesting but OK. The roads had been gritted and as long as you didn't drive like an idiot it was cool.
Got to work, worked, and then the news came in. Roads where closing all around Reading due to heavy snow. I thought, that's it I'm going to leave now so I have a chance of getting home. All was going well until I hit the actual snow falling in Pangbourne. Then there were no cars, strange I thought, but OK. Then I found the end of a very long queue...
When leaving a destination and you think you may need the loo, go! Otherwise you may end up in my predicament, stuck in a queue of traffic with what seems to be a lot of builders and van drivers! After 3hrs I couldn't stand it any longer I had to go. So I planned it carefully, I was now on a duel carriage way (still surrounded by vans) and I realised that if I went in front of my car then only the people in one lane would see me and if I timed it right no-one would as I would be obscured by the surrounding vans/cars. So I waited, first gap wasn't good enough, second one was. I got out the car and realised that we were moving again, got back in the car. Third gap, again not good enough. Fourth gap, not ideal but I had to go. So out I hop, do my business and the other lane of traffic start moving, so really quite a few people had a look. Anyway, I think they could all appreciate it! It was snowing but now I can say I have done something that some people will never get a chance to, pee on the A4 in the snow!
Anyway, I threw caution to the wind and started to text some friends I knew would be in the same strife as me to see how they were getting on. Most people were home and dry, even Peter had given up and got a hotel (great move that one!) One of my friends had abandoned their car and walked an hour home in the snow. Me, I had another 6miles to go...
I was starting to get hungry, and thirsty. Thirst I could live with for a while, hunger was annoying. I hunted round and found an old boiled sweet, man was it good. Then the traffic started to move, and it kept moving pretty much all the way home. Driving along the M4 was interesting, lots of black ice, trucks parked on the hard shoulder all 6miles of the M4 that I had to go on. I should point out I was on the primary routes here, all were gritted and I had it good really. There is a tiny stretch from the A33 to our house that isn't gritted, it was slow, slippery and interesting but I made it an managed to park the car in the drive (easily found between the houses, snow's not that deep yet!) So, YAY I am home, 7hrs after leaving work.
I will try to take some pics from around here and all the snow tomorrow. Working from home and who knows when Peter will come home, maybe he'll have another night in a hotel in Woking tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment