To Grit Or Not To Grit?

[steve2006]

I know the local authorities are struggling at the moment and running out of grit but this method lulls you into a false sense of security.

On my way home tonight I stopped on a main road near home at Swanwick Derbys to call into a shop, as I got out of the van I saw a gritter lorry approaching all ablaze with its flashing lights so stopped behind the van awaiting the inevitable sound of flying grit.

There was no sound and indeed no grit being spread.

I would assume there is some kind of monitoring system on the vehicle to indicate the hopper has run out so to carry on to me is a complete waste of time and diesel.

Or is this a ploy to make people think the roads have been gritted when in fact they haven't.

Obviously it is at the end of the day the car drivers decision whether to drive on the roads or not and take the necessary precautions.

So even if you see a gritter lorry "spreading" don't assume it is and the road is not covered in black ice.

[Tango]

I know the local authorities are struggling at the moment and running out of grit but this method lulls you into a false sense of security.

On my way home tonight I stopped on a main road near home at Swanwick Derbys to call into a shop, as I got out of the van I saw a gritter lorry approaching all ablaze with its flashing lights so stopped behind the van awaiting the inevitable sound of flying grit.

There was no sound and indeed no grit being spread.

I would assume there is some kind of monitoring system on the vehicle to indicate the hopper has run out so to carry on to me is a complete waste of time and diesel.

Or is this a ploy to make people think the roads have been gritted when in fact they haven't.

Obviously it is at the end of the day the car drivers decision whether to drive on the roads or not and take the necessary precautions.

So even if you see a gritter lorry "spreading" don't assume it is and the road is not covered in black ice.

Perhaps it was heading back to the depot for a refill? The real problem is that they not using 'grit' anymore. At one time it was a mixture of grit and salt, but now it's just rock salt. On the plus side it's not so harsh on the paintwork, but on the negative side it's not that good at stopping the ice forming at the temperatures we're currently experiencing which is why Cumbria County Council announced yesterday that a fleet would treat some minor roads on to housing estates with stone chippings after much pressure from the locals.

[Rob]

over here they dont use grit or rock salt, they use a fine chemical based "salt" that works, we buy it for the driveway and the second you put it on the snow or ice you can hear it melting. The drive is clear in about 25-30 mins.

i noticed in the UK that the spreader was going along but dumping handfulls of grit/rock salt in the middle of the road so it was a useless act as nothing would happen.... well done!

[Mike_B]

They don't have the spreading mechanism turned on at all times - it probably had either run out of salt or it had just been down that road and was turning back to spread elsewhere.