Its all the Government's fault! huh?

wicklowmale

metrovelvet wrote: »

But that is what the council gets paid for. It shouldnt take two weeks. They have the equipment for it.

As stated earlier these are extreme weather conditions and they can't be expected to do everything. Shops who own the path should clear the ice and as far as i am aware they have to, or make a section walkable.

With regard to you and friend clearing the path, fair play to you both. You make the majority of irish complainers look lazy.

metrovelvet

wicklowmale wrote: »

As stated earlier these are extreme weather conditions and they can't be expected to do everything. Shops who own the path should clear the ice and as far as i am aware they have to, or make a section walkable.

With regard to you and friend clearing the path, fair play to you both. You make the majority of irish complainers look lazy.

I guess thats the difference. We complained but still did something about it. We gritted more than the path, the whole road.

DDigital

wicklowmale wrote: »

I agree too a degree.

Why do you think so many solicitors have ads on TV relating to personal injuries, there is huge money to be made.

It also a social issue.

Solicitors wouldn't be spending so much on TV commercials if they weren't sure of making a lot of money. People just want to sue for the slightest thing and it really sad.

I worked with a French guy a few yrs back, he was cycling to work and as he went around a roundabout a car tapped him and he fell. He stood up, he could move his leg, nothing broken, got on his bike and continued on his way.
If this was an irish guy, he be on the ground, wait for ambulance, sue the driver and walk away with a few thousand Euro.

I know we are wildly off topic, but just to clarify. The Solicitors advertising regulation 2002 prohibits this kind of advertising. I assume you may be referring to ads on UK TV. In Ireland its now a No No.

wicklowmale

Ah my mistake !

Thank you for pointing that out, so many stations i forget which country they from. lol

DDigital

wicklowmale wrote: »

Ah my mistake !

Thank you for pointing that out, so many stations i forget which country they from. lol

No worries. But it still won't stop people lining up to make claims.;)

Enjoy the snow. Enjoyed the debate.

Sierra Oscar

To be honest, this really only started getting media attention when the snow hit Dublin. We have been dealing with treacherous roads down the country for two weeks now, with many of them not being gritted day in day out.

snow ghost

wicklowmale wrote: »

Local Government = Council

public funded Christams hols = is everyone not off for christmas, should they not be entitled to hols?

ppl requiring emergency care = if the normal emergency services are unable to get to ppl by road they usually call in the air rescue or army (reason why army is on standby)

I have no problem been critical of local/national government once its realistic.

Its everyone's democratic right, thats why we have elections. My point is that so many irish ppl just sit around moaning and moaning.

We do we as a nation have to moan so much? Is life so boring?

As a nation we probably do moan more than any other nation on the planet except for the Scots... after 800 years of moaning about a colonial power mis/ruling us that is our perogative and probably why we do it.

You moaning, about other people moaning about the government, is evidence of this moaning epidemic that pervades Irish society... so quit whining ya big moaning minnie and go out and give everyone a hug.

Agent J

I do not blame the goverment for the weather.

I do blame the government for their piss poor reaction however.

Where is the leadership been shown?
In 1982 Fitxgerald flew back from holiday and appointed a minster for "snow".
The councils were told to do what they had to and worry about paying for it later.

In the UK they have told people on fuel allowances to run their heaters and they will sort something out later with the cost.What have we heard here?

Is it too much for some Minister to assume command and control of the situation instead of leaving the guess work to the media?

thecretinhop

Five questions for the government supporters:

(1) what proportion of snow has there been in Ireland compared to the rest of the EU over the last three weeks and what has been the response both in action and in quantity of salt/grit/sand used

(2) When in each EU country was an emergency committee/panel set up as regard bad weather conditions?

(3) Where is any other EU minister for Transport at the moment?

(4) There has now been over 5,000 injuries on footpaths directly related to this weather, can anyone work out how much this has cost versus the cost of just gritting (not salting) footpaths over last two weeks?

(5) who is responsible??, RSA/County/city councils/quangos/Dept of Transport/ Department of Environment/ Emergency Committee/ Gormley

i await all answers:cool: I had one on global warming as well, but thats now called "climate change" lol

items

If we all had to fend for ourselves we would'nt have half the problems seen today, we would also be much better of financially. The powers that be take more money while mismanage than others who can manage very well in far worse condition.

Nobody can predict or prepare for conditions we see today, whats most important is how unforeseen conditions are dealt with, similar to accidents.

The powers that be in Ireland are not capable of tackling these conditions, its far beyond their experience and capability.

We've been lucky for many years, the powers that be have been literally chancing their arms, we are all paying for it now.

wicklowmale

snow ghost wrote: »

As a nation we probably do moan more than any other nation on the planet except for the Scots... after 800 years of moaning about a colonial power mis/ruling us that is our perogative and probably why we do it.

This has to be the best reason i have ever heard! Lets blame someone else for the way we are.

This is exactly my point!

Deep Easterly

To hell with all governments.



Raise the black flag!

raindog.promo

items wrote: »

If we all had to fend for ourselves we would'nt have half the problems seen today, we would also be much better of financially. The powers that be take more money while mismanage than others who can manage very well in far worse condition.

Nobody can predict or prepare for conditions we see today, whats most important is how unforeseen conditions are dealt with, similar to accidents.

The powers that be in Ireland are not capable of tackling these conditions, its far beyond their experience and capability.

We've been lucky for many years, the powers that be have been literally chancing their arms, we are all paying for it now.

Have to agree. Why pay such appallingly high wages to politicians if there is piss poor action from them when snow effects the country so?

wicklowmale

(1) We have not had as much snow/ice has the other countries. With regard to grit etc, as stated numerous times here and on news channels (home and abroad), there is a shortage of grit, continental countries (Poland, Germany etc) would have more grit in storage than us for the obvious reason, they are use to these conditions.

(2)I don't know, i don't live there

(3)As number 2

(4) I don't know the cost as i not in that line of work but i have seen ppl walking fast on ice and women wearing high healed boots on ice, this is plan stupid. If ice around you walk slowly and wear appropriate footwear

(5) It is the responsibility of each county council/NRA to keep roads etc clear. If the conditions are as severe as the past few weeks and there is a shortage of rock salt/grit. They are doing there best considering these extreme weather conditions.

Getting back to the point of this thread, I have heard ppl numerous times blame the government for the conditions of the roads etc, ('oh i fell and broke my ankle while walking on ice while wearing my high heal shoes) or (my car lost control, mounted a footpath, hit two trees and now the car is written off)

People need to learn to take responsibility for there own actions instead of blaming someone else

We are experiencing the worst winter in nearly 50 yrs.

Yes the government mess up on a lot of things, thats why we have elections so we can vote in another party, but the current party (FF) keeps getting voted back in, so they must be either doing something right or they the best of a bad bunch of eggs.

But thats for another thread.:D

Now i going to get a hug!

Deep Easterly

raindog.promo wrote: »

Have to agree. Why pay such appallingly high wages to politicians if there is piss poor action from them when snow effects the country so?

The government, as you say, are there simply to serve and to look after the population. That is the theory, the whole reason for their existence. In reality, they are just fumbling, self serving corporate butt lickers. I can't buy the argument that they were unprepared for this event. It is their duty to be prepared. They have an army waiting to help, yet all our leaders can do is do the talk. "We are on top of things" was the catch phrase yesterday.

I am sure the whole country is feeling so much better now.

AbigailE

cinnamon wrote: »

First of all agree with what you're saying. We have been suckled too long at the government's teet. I am sick of people demanding everything. What did we do before? We helped ourselves, we helped each other. God help if these people were really stranded on some mountain somewhere, with no car, house, shelter.

The only people I have any sympathy for are older people who are isolated in rural communities. They are the vulnerable ones.



I disagree with this though. My brother works nights, delivering newspapers. He HAS to work. If he refuses to go to work, then he's out of a job. Simple as. He has dealt with similar conditions almost every winter.

He is actually out BEFORE the gritters. He has worked on these icy treacherous conditions all over Christmas, his heavy van has slided all over the roads, nearly lost his life twice this Christmas.
And HE HASNT COMPLAINED ONCE. He is actually risking his life every night. All the moaners on the radio are doing my head in. They should get some perspective, :mad:

My boyfriend does the same job and actually crashed Christmas eve into a wall because he hit a patch of ice on our estate - and the residents committee expect €1000 a year per house for someone to cut the grass yet they wont grit a bad corner that 3 people have crashed on in the last 2 years
He got another van a few nights later and is back working 7 nights a week

ergo

nice thread original poster - I was surprised to see it only got thanked by one other member

and now the thread has turned into an anti-government thing

I agree completely with the original idea of the thread, it's a typical thing here to look for someone to blame / point the finger - these are unprecedented conditions - the continent is running out of grit/salt - wtf do you want the government to do? that is the question I ask ye "blame the govt" people...

and it's not about how many cm of snow has fallen - because that's not the problem- and it's so easy just to throw out the whine "a few cm of snow and the country comes to a halt" .

There have been consistently sub-freezing conditions for the past 2 weeks with no chance for a proper thaw - even when it eventually warms up (God knows when) it will take weeks for the ground temperature to come back up to above zero - the result - any rain that falls will turn into ice on landing - it's gonna be messy. The few cm of snow hasn't been the problem but the freezing conditions.

I'm sick of writing now on this thread, all this negative stuff,

I work in a hospital - am green with envy at all my friends and their facebook update "snow days" and their extra week of holidays and omg, how bored they are getting stuck at home again as I risk life and limb in either car or bicycle making what I deem a "necessary journey" because nobody else is going to do my job if I don't and the hospitals don't miraculously empty when it snows
- and what thanks will there be at the end of it? sfa... snow will melt, there will inevitably be flooding and people just look for someone to blame for the next misfortune that happens them

just get on with it! Ok, am going for a walk in the beautiful snow now [/ends rant]

DDigital

ergo wrote: »

I'm sick of writing now on this thread, all this negative stuff,

- and what thanks will there be at the end of it? sfa... snow will melt, there will inevitably be flooding and people just look for someone to blame for the next misfortune that happens them

just get on with it! Ok, am going for a walk in the beautiful snow now [/ends rant]

*cough*



Maybe the thread should be renamed the negative thread because even those complaining about moaning and negativity are moaning and being negative.

Ricky91t

4x4 not SUV's!That's a hideous American word...And if the ice is that bad 4 wheel drive will not help,Other than that totally agree OP

mcaul

I don't blame the government for the snow and the response has been quite reasonable. - Main roads well gritted, plenty of fuel available, most transport working well considering the conditions.


Who i do balme are the bloody hysterical media - instead of screaming that Noel Dempsey is on his holidays (what on earth extra could he do by being over here?) and screaming that we're running out of salt (there's a thaw coming on Tuesday / wednesday) and screaming that we should be using sand from quarry owners who want to make a quick buck (sand is totally useless on roads in these conditions!) the media should be telling people how to dress for conditions, what type of footwear to wear and how to drive.

What is needed to be understood is that most people under the age of 28 have never seen weather like this except if they've been skiing and those aged 29 - 40 odd only have seen it when they were children and thus many have no idea how to cope with it.

So if the media & fine gael (christ they moan about anything & everything give me gilmore & labour any day as an alternative gov.) stopped the moaning and gave advice it would help everyone a hel of a lot better.

nacho libre

mcaul wrote: »

I don't blame the government for the snow and the response has been quite reasonable. - Main roads well gritted, plenty of fuel available, most transport working well considering the conditions.


Who i do balme are the bloody hysterical media - instead of screaming that Noel Dempsey is on his holidays (what on earth extra could he do by being over here?) and screaming that we're running out of salt (there's a thaw coming on Tuesday / wednesday) and screaming that we should be using sand from quarry owners who want to make a quick buck (sand is totally useless on roads in these conditions!) the media should be telling people how to dress for conditions, what type of footwear to wear and how to drive.

What is needed to be understood is that most people under the age of 28 have never seen weather like this except if they've been skiing and those aged 29 - 40 odd only have seen it when they were children and thus many have no idea how to cope with it.

So if the media & fine gael (christ they moan about anything & everything give me gilmore & labour any day as an alternative gov.) stopped the moaning and gave advice it would help everyone a hel of a lot better.

i agree, but i hope the above would be your view of the current situation irrespective of who was in power. as you can be sure if fianna fail were in opposition they'd be doing the exact same thing... it's what opposition parties do. the hope is that at least on issues of national importance the senior members of the opposition would be doing so out of conviction rather playing political football.

jcarr

Can the Weather Mods please step in here and move this drawn out "whinge" thread to either "Ranting & Raving", "Politics" or "After Hours"


Many Thanks,

J

Deep Easterly

jcarr wrote: »

Can the Weather Mods please step in here and move this drawn out "whinge" thread to either "Ranting & Raving", "Politics" or "After Hours"


Many Thanks,

J

Well, if it isn't John Gormley himself. Great to see you on Boards.ie Weather John!

snow ghost

Deep Easterly wrote: »

Well, if it isn't John Gormley himself. Great to see you on Boards.ie Weather John!

Hahaha!!! lol

wicklowmale

mcaul wrote: »

I don't blame the government for the snow and the response has been quite reasonable. - Main roads well gritted, plenty of fuel available, most transport working well considering the conditions.


Who i do balme are the bloody hysterical media - instead of screaming that Noel Dempsey is on his holidays (what on earth extra could he do by being over here?) and screaming that we're running out of salt (there's a thaw coming on Tuesday / wednesday) and screaming that we should be using sand from quarry owners who want to make a quick buck (sand is totally useless on roads in these conditions!) the media should be telling people how to dress for conditions, what type of footwear to wear and how to drive.

What is needed to be understood is that most people under the age of 28 have never seen weather like this except if they've been skiing and those aged 29 - 40 odd only have seen it when they were children and thus many have no idea how to cope with it.

So if the media & fine gael (christ they moan about anything & everything give me gilmore & labour any day as an alternative gov.) stopped the moaning and gave advice it would help everyone a hel of a lot better.

Thank you!

The main reason people complain so much is because they watch the rte news ( Fine Gael supporters) and read the papers ( all they want to do is sell papers)

If you watch the rte news its all anti-FF.

If ppl take responsiblility for there own safety etc this country would be a better place.

It starting to snow heavy now, Damn Government!

I also agree that this thread is getting out of hand, lets go back to the original question.

How is this all the government fault?
Extreme weather conditions
Shortage of grit/rock salt
PPl driving too fast for road conditions
PPl walking without due care and attention on icy paths (wearing inappropriate footwear etc)

InReality

Shortage of grit/rock salt

is the goverment/local authorities fault.