snow - ALL EXAMS RESUMING AS SCHEDULED AS OF 12TH JANUARY

~me~

ha-ya-said-what wrote: »

Can I just say that exam time tables were handed out before Christmas. We knew Christmas week there was going to be snow every where, we knew last week the roads were going to get worse, we knew this weekend there was going to be no change to the weather and that any parts not affected with snow were due to get snow this week. It's on students on backs to plan ahead to insure they are available to sit the exams.

Many students have been flooding back since Saturday here to Maynooth as they had been paying attention to weather conditions and had a fear of train and bus disruptions. In the eyes of the college they will see it the same, there was plenty of warning out there to access means of transport to insure you got to Maynooth in good time to avoid weather delays.

And those worried about the paths here, yes they are icey but you can walk them no problems with decent footwear. Only down side is the kids are lurking everywhere with snowballs and tend to aim for the ears!!

so what do you think people should've done? travelled up when they've nowhere to stay? people can hardly hang around in the snow til their exams start. plenty of people commute every day but not everyone has friends who live in maynooth that they can stay with if they need to commute early. its not a case of people not bothering, they actually couldn't travel up before the exams.

KGA333

Absolutely. Isn't as clearcut as kepping an eye on the weather or staying at a mates.

LeixlipRed

Sorry guys, but Ireland isn't Siberia! You're not 200 miles from the nearest town. There are ways and means in this tiny country of ours. Again, we all have sympathy but if you're planning on staying home Friday no crying to the exams office is gonna make you not have to repeat.

kaiser soza

KGA333 wrote: »

Going tomorrow during the day, is no better an option. I'm not sure that people living close to Maynooth and around the Dublin region where gritting is widespread are fully aware of how bad the situation is down the country. Our roads aren't gritted like the motorways and national routes closer to cities and big towns. The resources simply aren't there to supply a sufficent service to those in the Country.

Most suburbs in Dublin are the same,the area I live in has been iced over for the last 8 days,the main roads and Dublin city centre were gritted,just make sure you plan ahead,we still have 38 hours before it all starts.

KGA333

LeixlipRed wrote: »

Sorry guys, but Ireland isn't Siberia! You're not 200 miles from the nearest town. There are ways and means in this tiny country of ours. Again, we all have sympathy but if you're planning on staying home Friday no crying to the exams office is gonna make you not have to repeat.

The situation isn't about repeating. If the exams go ahead and certain people don't make it then obviously they'll have to repeat. We're not looking for some get out clause on how to avoid sitting the exams. I'm in my final year, sitting them is quite important to me. Whats presenting the problem is travelling up to them and the conditions on the road. Should I not make it up Fri I am marked absent and the repeats are counted as my 2nd sitting. This is the issue

~me~

KGA333 wrote: »

The situation isn't about repeating. If the exams go ahead and certain people don't make it then obviously they'll have to repeat. We're not looking for some get out clause on how to avoid sitting the exams. I'm in my final year, sitting them is quite important to me. Whats presenting the problem is travelling up to them and the conditions on the road. Should I not make it up Fri I am marked absent and the repeats are counted as my 2nd sitting. This is the issue

exactly.
and there aren't always "ways and means".
I havent "cried to the exams office" nor do i plan to commute on the day of my exam, I've made other plans for that day, however I think the whole "its upon your back to get in on time" attitude is a bit naive to say the least. and many people dont have the luxury of staying in maynooth. people are understandably worried about something that is genuinely beyond their control and they dont need to be told to find another way because im sure they've already tried.
Im also worried about the fact that if you do need to miss it and then repeat then thats your only chance.

LeixlipRed

KGA333 wrote: »

Should I not make it up Fri I am marked absent and the repeats are counted as my 2nd sitting. This is the issue

It's not counted as your second sitting. They don't write it on your degree. You can repeat 15 credits in your final year with no punishment. And with the excuse of bad weather I'm sure that could be extended.

KGA333

~me~ wrote: »

exactly.
and there aren't always "ways and means".
I havent "cried to the exams office" nor do i plan to commute on the day of my exam, I've made other plans for that day, however I think the whole "its upon your back to get in on time" attitude is a bit naive to say the least. and many people dont have the luxury of staying in maynooth. people are understandably worried about something that is genuinely beyond their control and they dont need to be told to find another way because im sure they've already tried.
Im also worried about the fact that if you do need to miss it and then repeat then thats your only chance.

Its absolutely naiive and makes no allowance for the fact that people are genuinely worried. I personally wouldn't drive in these conditions, I have offfers of people telling me they'll try there best bring me up but aside from the fact that really may not be possible, I don't want to bring anyone out in these conditions on my behalf. I'd feel awful. Its simply too dangerous. There are real and genuine concerns about this. People seem to think that those complaining about conditions are just looking for a handy way out or something to moan about. We're not.

LeixlipRed

The issue everyone is missing here is that the exams office simply cannot bend the rules for individual cases. Let me explain. Years ago a mate of mine was assaulted seriously just before the June exams and was in hospital and missed them. He had to repeat. So let's say they let him away with it and let him pass on his CA or something. Someone with a slightly less serious medical condition finds out about this at the next exam sitting and decides to ask for permission to not sit the exams either. Hence opening a huge can of worms! Sure, I believe you guys when you say you can't make it in. But what about the people who use it to their advantage. Who live in Maynooth but pretend they couldn't come up for Friday or some such? Who decides who's genuine and who is not? No one can so no such excuses are excepted because it's the fairest and ONLY way to do it!

~me~

thats the exact reason all exams should be postponed, hence no individual allowances! i know its difficult but id really rather that the uni have some clerical problems than me having to travel on those icy roads at eleven o clock the night before my exams with my two year old daughter in the back of the car because god only knows what could happen; selfish- yes, understable- i think so.

KGA333

LeixlipRed wrote: »

The issue everyone is missing here is that the exams office simply cannot bend the rules for individual cases.

Its not an individual case of someone being sick or ill or assaulted.Or about people hoping just to pass on CA without sitting the exam. I want to sit my exams. Its about the conditions on our roads. Which we can all see to be horrendous. There is no dilemma about genuinity here. Eeveryone can see the conditions as thay are and in the interest of safety to students, and staff alike, they should be postponed to allow conditions to improve.

LeixlipRed

But there is a dilemma!! Say the roads are particularly icy in Village A. You're from there and live there. You can't travel safely to maynooth. I'm also from village A but the college don't know that I live in Maynooth, I'm also lazy and underprepared from the exams so I use the same excuse as you. Not particularly fair is it?

KGA333

Just as someone else has already said, this is the reason all exams should be postponed to eradicate any issues with individual alowances

yousername

Why the hell does the library have the right to close early two days before the exams start when theres people driving from all corners of the island? so we get to do the exams but not use the facilities to study for them!

LeixlipRed

Ok, you postpone exams, what happens then do you think? A part from the logistical nightmare you have students who will say, "Oh I booked a holiday but now I can't go cause you switched my exam". They'd create just as many problems by postponing exams as by leaving them the same. If we were one week away from the exams, yes, possibly you could postpone, but it's too close and I really don't think the weather is bad enough to stop the majority of students attending exams normally. They can only take a decision if the majority of students will be affected. And I don't believe that's the case!

LeixlipRed

yousername wrote: »

Why the hell does the library have the right to close early two days before the exams start when theres people driving from all corners of the island? so we get to do the exams but not use the facilities to study for them!

Yeh, it's a load of rubbish in my opinion. Do they think the Snowpocalypse will come before ten and they'll all end up having to eat books and sleep in the jacks to survive or what?

KGA333

How can u say how do the library have the right to close?? What about the staff needing to get home safely? Safety has to come first, simple as. To say they've no right to based on students travelling from everywhere is completely naiive and selfish.

KGA333

Ultimately its better to be safe than sorry. Do we want to hear of someone being involved in an accident seriously injuring themselves or worse, all in the name of travelling to an exam fri when all that was needed was to postpone exams for the weekend. Awkard perhaps but not as bad as the possible alternative.

Wendero

Sweden today:

-35 degrees. Yes, 35 degrees below zero, celsius!

Imagine that, irishmen;) Now this is cold. 30 inches of snow too.

/John

KGA333

at least Sweden has resources to cope and doesn't grind to a halt.

LeixlipRed

KGA333 wrote: »

Ultimately its better to be safe than sorry. Do we want to hear of someone being involved in an accident seriously injuring themselves or worse, all in the name of travelling to an exam fri when all that was needed was to postpone exams for the weekend. Awkard perhaps but not as bad as the possible alternative.

I think you're being ridiculous now, once you drive safely and slowly in these conditions you should be fine. Ok, it will take longer. Should we cancel exams because public transport in Ireland is a shambles and trains might be delayed? I knew that every time I was traveling to an exam, so I got up an hour earlier. Where do you live exactly?

clareber

have an exam 2mro.. disaster gonna be a nightmare gettin out t maynooth n den home again

KGA333

With the most diligent of consideration and utmost of care taken, its clear the roads are still hazardous. Of course people willl drive with care, of course it will take longer, but even so, it does not in any way detract from the serious conditions facing commuters.

~me~

well considering the fact that a girl i know was killed over the xmas after a car slammed into her while she was walking after it slid on ice i dont think anyone is being ridiculous when it comes to worrying about being on the roads. in a car or otherwise. its not just your own driving you've to worry about, its the idiots that dont drive slowly and safely thats the problem.
and getting up an hour earlier doesnt do anything if your train is delayed for two hours.

Rozabeez

Play nice please guys. Mods need to study too and can't be dealing with little arguments.

LeixlipRed

~me~ wrote: »

and getting up an hour earlier doesnt do anything if your train is delayed for two hours.

My head hurts even reading that. Want to infinitely regress?

Michellenman

Anyone else have people freaking out on Moodle about this situation too?


Calm down dears, it's only snow.

/Michael Winner.

~me~

what i mean is no matter what time you get up at if the train your aiming to get is delayed for two hours (as was the case today with busses in town) it makes no difference if you get up an hour early, being early doesnt stop the trains being delayed. i dont understand where your headache has come from

Rozabeez

I think he may have been referring to drivers when he said to get up an hour earlier.

LeixlipRed

It's because I have never in 8 years of coming to maynooth seen a train be delayed for 2 hours. I was never late for an exam. Never missed one. Trains didn't turn up, I slept in, bad weather was had, beers were consumed, cars broke down, yet I was never late. Why? Cause I always planned ahead. If you have to leave at 5 in the morning to safely make your exam on time then you have to leave at 5. That is my final contribution.