I was at school in the Michael Fish hurricane

We had a big old Eucalyptus tree at the front of our house which blew down and smashed through our neighbours roof and ended up in their living room..

It’s a good job that their kids were at school or they may have been hurt.. 😉

Erskine and Forth bridges closed to all traffic.

That’s going to cause major traffic problems.

All the staff have to go to school though…

Yeh my wife had to go in, on way home now though.

When I first heard they were considering closing schools this afternoon I though ‘bloody elf & safety gone mad’ etc… the school isn’t going to blow down….

However now that I’ve had a chance to think about it the forecast for 3-4pm this afternoon (when kids are leaving school) is for:

“Widespread damage to vegetation. Many roofing surfaces are damaged; asphalt tiles that have curled up and/or fractured due to age may break away completely.”

with gusts which will:

“Very widespread damage to vegetation. Some windows may break; mobile homes and poorly constructed sheds and barns are damaged. Debris may be hurled about.”

I wouldn’t be surprised to see some of the younger primary children blown off their feet, and many parents would have to drag a younger sibbling with them to escort them home.

I’m not worried about schools blowing down, but it would only take one child to get hit by a chimney pot, slate or large branch – all of which are potentially fatal to have public outcry that children were allowed to go home at the peak of the exceptional weather.

As far as I recall the “Michael Fish Hurricane” was in the mideterm October holiday, Scotland was not as badly affected as the south, and the worst of the weather came during the night not at precisely te moment pupils were walking home so I am not sure the comparison is real.

I have seen a whole chimney blown off a roof and I’ll certainly be giving the scaffolding on the building opposite a wide berth on n my way home tonight. Considering the weather that closed schools last winter (when it was just some snow to walk through) I don’t have a problem with closing early today.

As far as I recall the “Michael Fish Hurricane” was in the mideterm October holiday, Scotland was not as badly affected as the south, and the worst of the weather came during the night not at precisely te moment pupils were walking home so I am not sure the comparison is real.

I think the comparisons were being drawn in favour of school closures.. stating an example where the weather wasn’t taken seriously..

Down here in Devon we saw death and widespread destruction and weeks of disruption as a result of the high winds..

In the half mile it took to get to the shop this morning, one road was almost closed by flooding and another had half a tree across it. So I think it’s sensible not to run school buses durning the worst of it.

Currently trending #1 worldwide on Twitter – #hurricanebawbag

druidh – Member
Currently trending #1 worldwide on Twitter – #hurricanebawbag

Ha ha!

When it’s windy round here, my kids,especially the three and eight year old struggle to stay upright.
Last year, a chap that lives in the same building as me ended up being blown into the side of a skip,ended up unconscious as well as in intensive care and being given the last rites. He was in a coma for a month, before eventually coming to.

I’m quite happy with the kids not going out…..

Tay, Forth and Erskine bridges closed, vehicles blown over on M9…. I think the authorities have planned ahead well.

http://getaroundglasgow.spreadshirt.co.uk/hurricane-bawbag-C222012

Dont worry about missing a day of school – the examiners will tell you whats in the questions anyway. The kids can merely swot up on the “exact” questions (or quotations) in advance.

I live in Fife and some trains have been cancelled. One was hit by a flying shed!

This tree was 2 minutes from my wee ones school. Blown over lasy year when it was far less windy than what is predicted today.

I think it was a good call shutting schools and colleges early. No one with any common sense, would go out in 100mph winds unless absolutely necessary.

This tree was 2 minutes from my wee ones school. Blown over lasy year when it was far less windy than what is predicted today.

So not much chance of hitting anybody at the school today then.

**rubbing hands**

theres gonna be lost of free firewood about tonight!!!, better get that chainsaw sharpened!!

#HurricaneBawbag No 1 trend on twitter. As sir Alec Ferguson would say “Pwoud , very Pwoud”

I am working from home on the Wirral and its pretty biblical at the moment! I went for a run earlier but since I got back all hell has broken loose!
One child poorly ick and asleep on the coach the other in scholl but I will probably pick her up when school finishes.

Exactly Organic lots of trees down means more fuel for the fire.

Also on the Wirral, a place of serious wind at times, and this is the worst ive seen so prolonged and the rain, also theyve closed thte James ST entrance to James St underground station, in Liverpool, due to storm damage to the building next door.So a long walk up the subway to water street.

Drac. Comedian eh? You should get yourself on stage.

I work in Clackmannanshire. Our authority decided at 7.06 am today that we would open as normal and then close at 12pm, after saying yesterday that we would be open as normal.

Today at 10am the weather was incredibly violent for 20-25 minutes. We took the decision to keep all the kids – 900 – inside at break as it certainly would be dangerous to be outside, let alone getting soaked to the skin. This was entirely necessary but modern schools are not designed to accommodate such large numbers at breaktime and lunchtime. Our kids were dismissed at 12pm and I hope they all got home safely.

I love how STV used Jeremy Clarkson as an example of the definition of a bawbag “It’s a vulgar Scottish term used for the scrotum, also derogatively against anybody who’s a bit of an idiot. (For example, Jeremy Clarkson may often be thought of as a complete bawbag)”

“900 – inside at break as it certainly would be dangerous to be outside”

then … “Our kids were dismissed at 12pm” 😯

Now there is logic !

bobbyg81 – Member
Drac. Comedian eh? You should get yourself on stage.

The first one out of town?

NW Highlands here

So far one tree down in the garden – fortunately lopped a lot off it last year so didn’t reach the house – and one new trampoline crushed under it. 🙁

It didn’t bounce back up then?

To quote one of my mates earlier today:

“Hurricane Bawbag!, you may take our garden furniture but you will never take our patter!!!”

😀

My work shut at lunchtime in Edinburgh due to police recommending no travel this afternoon. Thought it was overkill on both parties part, but now that I’ve been out in it, maybe not.

Ride home was interesting. Fortunately mainly a tailwind, which took me to some alarming speeds without pedalling. It was mostly well away from traffic too.

At one point my route is prone to crosswinds even when it’s just breezy and it’s a farily busy road, so I got off and pushed. The wind lifted my (portly pig iron commuter) off the ground and I had to put in some effort to hang on/stay upright 😯

Now hiding indoors and hoping everybody who has to be outside makes it home unscathed.

Still blue skies and sun here in Glasgow city centre. Was a bit breezy when I popped out about 1pm for lunch but I’ve felt it much worse.

Mountain out of a molehill as usual

Woo hoo

As a result of the Police travel warning, we are now advising all staff who have to use any form of transport to go home immediately.

Unfortunately I have to cycle into the wind, only a couple of km so shouldn’t take to long.

My office has shut as well. Not that I was there. Turns out having a campus covered in massive old trees has a couple of drawbacks.

My kids leave at 8 to go to school and Falkirk council in there wisdom had not announced their plans (suspected half day)so I phoned the Mrs to tell her just to keep them off which was just as well as the aneomometer at the work was reading 60 mp/h (it reads a bit slow) at 10:30 a.m.

I love how STV used Jeremy Clarkson as an example of the definition of a bawbag “It’s a vulgar Scottish term used for the scrotum, also derogatively against anybody who’s a bit of an idiot. (For example, Jeremy Clarkson may often be thought of as a complete bawbag)”

There’s a brilliant Scottish comedian called Joe Heenan who does a routine about American spelling bees and how they should start throwing in Scottish words

American Announcer: The word is “bawbag”…”bawbag”…”bawbag”

Nervous Child: Umm…Derivation?

American Announcer: Scots…”bawbag”…”bawbag”

Nervous Child: Umm…could you use it in a sentence please?

American Announcer: “Wee Rab…is a bit of a bawbag with a drink in him”

roads are looking quiet

meanwhile, on westray, one of the most northerly of the orkney islands

nothing to see here, move along

Drac. Comedian eh? You should get yourself on stage.

I was booked for Edinburgh las week but there was a bit of a frost and the county shut down.

My point is there was prevarication in making a decision, which was made too late for many parents (7am is too late to put childcare arrangements in place), then the weather deteriorated faster than predicted, and we took a decision to ensure the safety of our kids. The transport and parents had already been informed of the 12pm close, so at 10.30am there was no realistic alternative except to stick to it.

Closure decisions do not rest with the head of establishment. In November we were told that there would be “no blanket closures” (following pressure from the Scottish Government), then the Scottish Cabinet issues a diktat at 10pm last night instructing a lunchtime closure for today.

IMO an imperfect,inefficient and inflexible system. I do not think they/we got it 100% right today, but I’ll be happier when I know all pupils and staff are safe. That will be tomorrow morning.

EDIT: The weather was so severe that a local Primary had it’s roof ripped off forcing an evacuation an hour before the 12pm close.

Part of our school roof got ripped off in a storm once whilst pupils were in lessons.

I was booked for Edinburgh las week but there was a bit of a frost and the county shut down.

Probably for the best that it was cancelled.

Got kids Drac?

Sadly not druidh. Got crying children now!