[Stronsaylimpet] OIC Updates - yellow weather warning for ice & snow

[Limpet editor]

 From OIC Updates:
With a yellow weather warning from the Met Office for ice and snow from 
midnight tonight and into tomorrow, we thought it’d be a good time to go 
over some winter driving basics including our gritting operations.
We'll be out and about from late this afternoon carrying out a full 
pre-treatment of Priority 1 routes this evening, followed by a 06:00 
start again tomorrow morning, starting with Priority 1 routes and moving 
onto others as conditions allow.
Make sure you speak to new and inexperienced drivers in your household 
about these important points below, so they can be winter ready:
�� In severe weather, use your judgement on whether or not to travel. It 
goes without saying but always drive to conditions, whether that be 
rain, snow, ice, or fog. Be prepared with a fully charged phone and warm 
weatherproof clothing, drinks and snacks. High viz clothing and signage, 
snow shovel, and torch are other great additions.
❄️ Always clear all snow and ice from your car before setting off. 
Remember, snow that’s settled on your car can become lethal flying 
objects once you start moving – so get rid of it.
❄️ Remember, gritting is not magical. Ice can form even after salting, 
and it can take a while for newly applied salt to do its job. Gritting 
relies in part on traffic to help crush, disperse and activate the salt.
�� Our gritters can’t be everywhere at once. We follow a hierarchy of 
roads – starting with ‘Priority 1’ roads which are major roads and 
emergency services access roads. In severe or prolonged icy weather, we 
may be fully occupied keeping Priority 1 routes clear and will only be 
able to move onto other routes and footpaths as conditions allow.
❄️ If you are travelling at night, be mindful that no gritting routes 
start after 6pm.
�� Don’t be tempted to overtake a gritter - the road ahead may not be 
gritted, nor the other side, and might be slippery.
❄️ Please, for the safety of our drivers and yours, drive courteously – 
don’t follow too close behind a gritter or make sudden manoeuvres. Like 
all heavy vehicles, gritters can’t stop in a hurry, even in ideal 
conditions.
�� When driving in snow and ice, use main roads as much as possible, 
even if that means travelling a little further.  Avoid sudden turns or 
harsh braking or acceleration. Drive slowly, in as high a gear as you 
can to help prevent loss of grip/spinning wheels. Allow extra braking 
and stopping distance on snow covered, slushy or icy roads.
❄️ Remember, in winter, low levels of sunlight means road surface 
temperatures can remain stubbornly low, even if the outside air feels a 
bit warmer. Don’t rely on the temperature gauge in your car to 
accurately indicate true road conditions.
�� What you can do to help our gritting operations go smoothly:
• Park responsibly in bad weather so gritters can carry out their 
important work.
• Report empty grit bins via the 'Report It' link on our website 
www.orkney.gov.uk/reportit.
Read more winter-ready tips here: https://www.orkney.gov.uk/winter