Why oh why do they insist on walking down the middle of the road in hard packed icy conditions as opposed to walking on thick white shock absorbing fresh stuff?
Why do they insist on going out in the first place.
Wobbling round in rubbish clothes ( when did you last see a pensioner wearing a decent jacket / boots / overtroos / hat??) just to buy the Daily Fail.
Mmmm! Uplink I have to admit at this point that the little Welsh bungalow village we live in is also called ‘the valley of the dead’ so basically the attrition rate thanks to this practice is becoming a bit obscene. 😀
An old fella at the top of my street was trying to clear his path with a claw cultivator.
I obviously cleared his path for him once I noticed … then had to do 4 other elderly peoples pathways also … hard to not offer when they come out and tell you what a good job you are doing, and reminding you they too dont own a shovel.
I may just get that MBE in the new year, for my work for the elderly 😆
Nobody said they where. Its just that why would you walk on a slippery road when there’s a ‘soft’ option? Seriously would you do it when your old(er)?
Have you tried walking on both surfaces in the footwear they are using. You might find its not as easy as you think – especially if you have limited hip mobility for lifting feet in and out of “heavy snow”.
Presumably this actually offended you because it slowed down your car journey for a few seconds – in which case did you think to offer them a lift to wherever they were going because they probably weren’t out for fun! (PS I did offer a roughly 65 yr old a lift on a snowy country road 2 weeks ago and she almost ran away – must look like a serial killer).
Probably so when they fall over, you as the car driver will have to stop and help them so you can get past, rather than leaving them to freeze to death on the pavement as you drive past in your lovely warm car!
I must admit i dont get the pre-occupation of people (many old ones) to clear the snow off their drives- to me it just increases the chance of it becoming really icey .
One of my neighbours, an ex-farmer in his 70’s seemed to spend most of today chipping ice off his drive. Luckily he managed to get most of it off before it got dark and was able to rinse off the last few remaining bits with his garden hose …………..I kid you not !
Not half as dull as some saddo taking the p1ss out them on a bike forum.
Oi! Who’s taking the proverbial?
I’ve been trudging around here all day in the snow with the kids on pavements and have witnessed more than a few near misses with old folks stomping along hardened roads. If you haven’t anything useful to add then go away.
I must admit to being a little amazed at the hopelessly inappropriate footwear some older folks were wearing out today and struggling to get about as a result. One old dear was wearing something like dance pumps and was barely able to stay upright while her husband stood watching wearing a pair of brown loafers. I also quietly laughed at the parents in the shopping mall who were changing their daughters cold wet socks as a result of their ugg boots getting soaked through. It’s not just the old.
Nearly wiped a guy out the other night. He was walking on the (national speed limit) road, dressed all in black at 5pm. Perfectly good footpath & better than that, a grass verge between footpath & road covered in about 3″ of snow.
Wasn’t even the length of 30years old, not sure he’ll make it much further
This is not something I have thought about. but now I’m thinking about it.. old people go slower, cos they’re slower, but also, cos they’re not in a rush to get anywhere, and this gives more grip. They are also more likely to ask a gimp like me for help, so you give ’em an arm… More grip by proxy! I reckon old people are crafty bstards, they take advantage of younger people, because they can.
I cleared our road yesterday morning at 06.00 it is a 1.in 5 hill for about 100 yards and had 4 inches of snow on
I only cleared one lane and the old bastards watched me out their windows .
then when the missus was about to go to work 2 of them had parked their cars on the nicely cleared and salted track meaning everyone else had to attempt to drive up and down the snow covered side
Doesn’t just apply to old people, why anyone thinks it’s safer to walk up the middle of an ice covered road on a hill is beyond me. Even if you do have your car under control it still takes a lot longer to stop on ice than it normally would. I’ve rather take my chances on the snow covered pavement than play dodgems with sliding cars.
How do you know the pavements were safer – did you try the pavements – or merely curse to old people who had the temerity to get in your way?? Round my way it was much easier to walk on the roads than the pavements last week.
The pavement was snowy and not turning to a hardpack skating rink like the road and I didn’t mention old people!! and funnily enough I walked on the pavement as well .Maybe if they wore proper footwear walking on the pavement would have been the better option. Wellies and boots for snow! Rather than trainers and slide down the road!!
Many older people (ladies in particular) class ‘boots’ as the type they wear to church when it’s cold ie. smart dress boots with nice shiney uppers and equally shiny soles. It may well be worth the government supplying ‘proper’ boots to the over 65’s as it could save the NHS a fortune and prevent a lot of needless suffering.
One NHS PCT near me gave £1M to the local council to sand pavements last year in order to reduce falls – I’ve no idea if it was successful but if it was they would have to repeat it year after year. At least boots would last more than a year and be useful on non-sanded areas.