On that Ice on the roads--------

It rained last night- while the temp was below freezing. 6 am and I was out to the car early knowing I would have to defrost it. I live in a cul de sac and it is on a slope. Walked across the road and it was as smooth as glass. Defrosted the car and negotiated the road down to the main road. I did not touch the brakes and I did not slow down. Well it is a bit difficult when the car is sideways. Main road and No salt or grit had been spread. 10 mph for about 3 miles and then I hit the traffic jam. One slight slope and cars were all over the place. I gave a gap to all the cars in front of me and let them clear. Drove up it with no trouble. 10 miles further down the road and Hit the big hill down into the County town of Lewes. This had been gritted but no traffic at all coming the other way. Apparantly they had gritted the main road but Lewes has lots of hills. No- one could even get to the main road.

Bit further on and road still icy but it started raining.It just hit the road and froze. Later reports stated that although the air temp was just below freezing- the Road temp was -10 C. OK-- take it very steady but I only saw one other car going in the same direction, westbound, as me for about 2 miles. Traffic in the other direction,eastbound, was being stopped about 5 miles further on and diverted off into the country side. There was a section of road for about 15 miles that the Police had closed due to accidents and abandoned cars.

From where the police had closed the road to Eastbound traffic-I was going west- the road was clear. Air temp was around 40F and the only problem was the rain. Got into work- to listen more fully to the traffic reports. In our little part of the UK- it was alsmost as if someone had put a line down the middle of Sussex. It was a solid line and everything to the east- was gridlocked and roads covered in Ice. To the west of that line it was warm but rain all day.

So just a warning to any of you contemplating coming to the UK. Don't. If it snows- we are gridlocked. If it rains the drains can't take it and if we ever do get any of that sunny weather I keep hearing about- the roads melt.