There's Snow Rant, Like a Weather Rant

It’s cold and there’s snow on the ground. If you’re out amongst people going about your daily life, you’ll hear the refrain “a little bit of snow and everything stops”.

Firstly, it’s not a ‘little bit’ of snow. Not for this country, I’m 53 and I can’t remember weather conditions like this. I don’t think we’ve had so much snow and such severe and prolonged frost in my lifetime.

Secondly, everything hasn’t stopped. In the towns and cities, and large parts of rural area. The police, fire, and ambulance services are operating. If you need medical treatment you’ll get it. A lot of the roads are open. People are getting to and from their place of work. Farm stock is being tended. The shops are open and there’s food in them. Busses are running. Trains are running. Some plains are taking off and landing. Houses have electricity and gas, the internets still up and running. Phones work.

Life is more difficult in the more remote rural areas, and it’ downright harsh if you live your life in what might be described as an isolated area.

For the greater part of the UK. Life goes on, not quite as normal, but it goes on.

Thirdly, spare a thought for the people out there who are trying to keep our live’s normal. Police officers, fire crew, ambulance crew, hospital staff, GP’s and their staff, council workers gritting and ploughing, delivery drivers and shop staff, farmers, bus drivers and mechanics, railway workers, airport workers, power workers and gas supply operators, communications workers. Many working long hours in arduous conditions. There’ll not be many sitting at home thinking “I don’t give a s**t”

Another question to ask is, “What do we expect?”. We’re seeing the most inclement conditions for years but we still want life to go on as normal. People think everything should run exactly as it did before, with all services on schedule and up to the usual standard.

Get a life, people of Britain. There’s a lot of snow and it’s very cold. These aren’t normal conditions; you can’t expect life to go on as normal. Live with it.

First posted on the River Cottage website 08.01.2010