Stop blaming trucks
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When I got home on Friday night I turned on the TV to discover that the Channel 4 news had been extended to a full hour to accommodate the breaking news. No, not the Algerian hostage crisis — the snow.
There was a reporter on the M4 explaining to viewers that it had, in fact, snowed, and that — shock horror— motorists had become stranded. Can you guess who or what he blamed for this? Not the Highways Agency, global warming, or even Jimmy Savile. He blamed trucks.
I don't remember the exact quote H was too busy swearing at the TV), but his report went something along the lines of: -Every year it's the same. Trucks jackknifing and causing chaos on the roads. Were their journeys absolutely essential? Could they not have waited 24 hours?"
Well that depends on whether people wanted food, fuel, medicine, toilet paper, newspapers, and any number of other essential items that weekend. Blaming LGV drivers is ridiculous — and car drivers are usually the worst winter drivers anyway. Last week the Institute of Advanced Motorists issued advice for driving on snow and ice, which included the following bleeding-obvious statements: • -Make sure your windows are clear.- • -Start gently from a stationary position, avoiding high revs.- • -Bends are a particular problem in slippery conditions.- But having witnessed five days of terrible driving, I'm beginning to wonder whether they were that obvious after all.
Will Shiers