Urban myth - Police fine drivers with snow on car roofs?

This one makes some sense to me. A heap of snow on the roof potentially slides forward over the windscreen and obscures vision when braking heavily. Obviously the combination of needing to brake heavily and no visibility is a real hazard.

The other hazard is that snow (especially wet or refrozen snow) can blow off a car roof and damage a following vehicle, especially at highway speeds (well, not typical UK highway speeds such as one might encounter on the M25 obviously).

The amount of snow that would accumulate whilst just driving around wouldn't seem to be the issue here, but rather the big load that a car might get whilst parked overnight for example.

I think I'll be ok with that one.

The police have already issued a statement saying this is not true.

quote:

Originally posted by TomK:
The police have already issued a statement saying this is not true.

Well it should be!

They stressed the importance of ensuring the car is in a safe state to drive.

quote:

Originally posted by JamieL_v2:
I was shown this message on Facebook.

"For everyone who drives if you don't already know... As of tomorrow the Police will be pulling over anyone driving around with snow on the roof of there vehicle and will automatically be issued with a £60 fixed penalty and 3 points on your licence!!! "

We couldn't find anything about it anywhere else, and from a practical point it sounds unfeasible, what of you are stopped in traffic and snow fell on your roof. I also suspect that the police have got more things to worry about at the moment.

Number plates and headlights I could understand, and that would just be advice.

Urban myth, Facebook scare story me thinks.

Jamie

Sending out this type of thing is always going to go wrong.

What happens is that the OP sends the warning out with the best of intentions but fails to recognise that he is the 20 millionth person to have picked it up and that it is usually a load of old codswallop.

Never the less, he sends it out and creates minor upset or even panic amongst those to whom he has sent the message.

Then this generates a few letters of woe and then someone who is more PC savey advises that this is a five year hoax etc etc.

Thus the people who were fooled look stupid. The chap who informed that it was a hoax looks smug and the OP who sent it out in the first place is made to look like a tenth rate mug who is just about capable of switching on a PC and should not be let anywhere near a computer.

Truly a lose-lose situation.

Regards

Mick

Well it might get a few folk to clear their cars.

So it is a small win - lose situation.

In North America this is a big deal.

Last week I went to great lengths to get the 'snow turned to ice' off of the wife's Toyota Sienna. Driving along the highway with chunks of ice hitting your car from the car in front / That's not on.

A few years ago, near Toronto, sheets of ice from the tops of container trucks went through the wind-shields of following cars.

Trucking companies now have special machines which clean the top of their trailers.

It takes 30 seconds to wipe off the roof. No big deal.

Last winter, this driver lost his licence for 6 months and got a nice fine of NOK6000/€750. (Yes, we have high rates)...

I thought I remembered this being something taken seriously, and having strict laws to control, in Norway.

ATB from Goerge

quote:

Originally posted by JamieL_v2:
anyone driving around with snow on the roof of there vehicle

Even the UK Police are capable of spelling 'their'.

You can pay the fine with all that lovely money from Nigeria you keep getting promised, no worries.

You have to ask yourself why folk don't clear their cars. One word: laziness.

From the horses mouth:

"HUMBERSIDE Police has been made aware of bogus text messages being sent to people in the region. Roads Policing Inspector Graham Johnstone has made several radio appearances to give both driving guidance and to squash this rumour.

The text messages claim to have been sent by Humberside Police and relate to the prosecution of drivers with excessive snow on their roofs.

Humberside Police has not sent this text message out and it is not the sort of text message the force would send.

However Humberside Police urges all drivers to drive with care and ensure their vehicle is roadworthy before setting out."

http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk...-detail/article.html

I wouldn't guarantee that Humberside Police can spell 'their', their representatives are not aware of some of the rules of the road, according to their won officers.

Personally my spelling falls off greatly after around 10pm.

See here for Humberside Police comment:

http://www.humberside.police.u...r-bogus-text-message

Thanks

steve