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Black Ice Alert

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Old Nov 22nd, 2018, 12:03   #1
john.wigley
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Default Black Ice Alert

In all the years that I have been driving (since 1965), my most buttock clenching moments have been when I have unexpectedly hit 'black' ice. Thankfully, I now rarely have to drive when it is likely to be about.

This morning, my car was being collected for an MOT and I went outside to ready it at 07.15. I'd just finished de-frosting it when it started to rain, which then immediately froze on contact with the screen.

We were expecting another visitor at 10.00 who lives in Derby. He has just phoned to say that the A50 is closed Eastbound just short of the M1 junction due to a serious accident. He is stuck in traffic near Elvaston Castle and reports state that traffic trapped on the A50 will be released 'when it is safe to do so'. The latest info is that the A50 is likely to remain closed until 'mid-afternoon'.

I have no idea what caused this accident, but I would not be surprised if black ice was not a contributory factor on account of the timing.

Just a 'heads-up' and a plea to all to drive according to the conditions, especially at this time of the year.

Stay safe, everyone.

Regards, John.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2018, 12:07   #2
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Must be quite a serious accident, fatal perhaps, that requires investigation.

That area including M1 has been a nightmare lately - yesterday there was also an accident around j24/25
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Old Nov 22nd, 2018, 17:34   #3
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Tell me about it December last year freezing cold night (-10) then early in the morning it rained.

I'd been out on a work's do the night before so did the sensible thing & called a taxi for work, walked down my nicely salted path, stepped onto the road & bang. Mucho pain from my knee & xmas nicely screwed up.

Nearly 11months later the knee still isn't right.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2018, 17:44   #4
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Beware of bridges on seemingly passable mountain roads. The bridge can be a lot colder that the terrain either side of the gorge/river and you can find yourself skating.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2018, 22:45   #5
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My one and only accident (so far, touch wood!) was black ice. Wrote the car off. Thankfully nobody else involved, nobody hurt. It's made me mega-cautious when the temperature drops - and very thankful for the outside temperature gauge that all my cars since have had!
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Old Nov 23rd, 2018, 01:49   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brendan W View Post
Beware of bridges on seemingly passable mountain roads. The bridge can be a lot colder that the terrain either side of the gorge/river and you can find yourself skating.
Absolutely this! In this part of the world where sub freezing temps are common as daytime highs, sometimes for many days in a row, most bridges are signed with a warning “Caution: Bridge may be icy”... always makes me giggle on a humid summer day with the temperature over 35C, but come this time of year it’s totally serious.
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Old Nov 23rd, 2018, 09:36   #7
iain cooper
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tell me about it.............I came of my e-bike at the beginning of the year on black ice.

one second I was upright, the next second I was lying on the road

if it wasn't for my helmet the back of my head would have been bashed in where it hit the tarmac.

Iain
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Old Nov 23rd, 2018, 19:36   #8
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It's not just bridges in the mountains, around here in the leafy rolling countryside of Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire there can be frost pockets, my regular route to work has one. I leave home with the temp showing a couple of degrees above zero and when I arrive at work it's about the same but the country lane halfway there can be a couple of degrees below.
Black ice is an extra problem because it is effectively invisible, the outside temperature showing on the dash is very handy at this time of year.
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Old Nov 23rd, 2018, 20:45   #9
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Quote:
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It's not just bridges in the mountains, around here in the leafy rolling countryside of Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire there can be frost pockets, my regular route to work has one. I leave home with the temp showing a couple of degrees above zero and when I arrive at work it's about the same but the country lane halfway there can be a couple of degrees below.
Black ice is an extra problem because it is effectively invisible, the outside temperature showing on the dash is very handy at this time of year.
Exactly, David. That is the point that I was making. The only indication that you may have encountered it is that everything goes silent and you have effectively no control. It has happened to me twice and it is not pleasant.

The last time was on the M42. When I arrived at work, my boss said "I didn't expect to see you this morning, John.". When I asked why, he replied that the Police had closed the motorway because of the conditions - I must have come through moments before they did.

Good point about the outside temperature gauge. While I had one on my 245GLT, none of our 7 or 9 series cars did, but the V70 and both Saabs do.

Regards, John.

P.S. The A50 eventually reopened around teatime on Thursday. Apparently, a woman pedestrian died and the Police are looking into a parked Astra that they think may be connected. Did she break down and was looking for assistance? J.
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Last edited by john.wigley; Nov 23rd, 2018 at 20:53. Reason: Add P.S.
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Old Nov 23rd, 2018, 22:20   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveNP View Post
It's not just bridges in the mountains, around here in the leafy rolling countryside of Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire there can be frost pockets, my regular route to work has one. I leave home with the temp showing a couple of degrees above zero and when I arrive at work it's about the same but the country lane halfway there can be a couple of degrees below.
Black ice is an extra problem because it is effectively invisible, the outside temperature showing on the dash is very handy at this time of year.
It may be invisible but it can be heard. Black ice like any ice can be driven safely if the driver is aware it's there, turn the radio down, crack a window open and listen to your tyres on the road and note the change when you are on ice, then make any change very gently.

Paul.
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