Snow!

[xbl]

http://newsnetscotland.com/politics/1232-six-point-plan-to-keep-scotland-moving-as-wrong-forecast-claim-backed-by-police-chief

Meanwhile

Yesterday John Swinney appeared before the Transport Committee to answer questions on the government's response to the severe weather that brought chaos to Scotland's central belt road network last Monday. Mr Swinney, who was flanked by Jim Barton Chief Road Engineer and Chief Constable Kevin Smith head of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, reiterated the Scottish government's acknowledgment that communication had been less than satisfactory and that lessons had indeed been learned.

However Mr Swinney again pointed out that the weather forecasts had not been accurate as far as the accumulation of snow that fell was concerned, and he was backed by both Mr Barton and the Chief Constable who made similar observations.

In response to Labour MSP Charlie Gordon's claim that the snow was indeed forecast and that perhaps the motorway should have been cleared Mr Barton said: "For the amount of snow that was forecast we wouldn't expect to have to clear the motorway to plough."

"As late as eight o'clock on Monday morning the Met office was still forcasting a fairly short bout of snow, I can quote exactly what they said to us at 08:01 on Mondau morning.

"Generally amounts of fresh snow will be in the region of 2-5cm, although in higher areas they may be 10cm. Behind the band of snow it will be generally dry and clear."

After a rebuke over his conduct from Committee chair Patrick Harvey an animated Charlie Gordon then turned his attention to the Chief Constable who replied:

"The snowfall was not as was eventually transpired and to close that motorway network would have been impossible."

Mr Barton and Chief Constable Smith now join Cosla Head Pat Watters and the Met office in a growing list of authoritative figures who acknowledge that the severity of the snowfall was not forecast. These public pronouncements will call into question the claims by BBC Scotland that their forecasts were indeed accurate.

So the Chief Road Engineer and the head of Chief Police Officers say that given the forecasts, they wouldnt have done any of the drastic measures suggested, and that the forecasts were not right, would any p&b'ers like to take back their hysterical pronouncements and calls for resignations? Because it seems, as I said, that the government and the authorities did everything that could have been expected of them.

[saint dave]

http://newsnetscotland.com/politics/1232-six-point-plan-to-keep-scotland-moving-as-wrong-forecast-claim-backed-by-police-chief

So the Chief Road Engineer and the head of Chief Police Officers say that given the forecasts, they wouldnt have done any of the drastic measures suggested, and that the forecasts were not right, would any p&b'ers like to take back their hysterical pronouncements and calls for resignations? Because it seems, as I said, that the government and the authorities did everything that could have been expected of them.

Yes,yes.just tell us if they were wearing hi-viz jackets

[barrysnotter]

http://newsnetscotla. ..by-police-chief

So the Chief Road Engineer and the head of Chief Police Officers say that given the forecasts, they wouldnt have done any of the drastic measures suggested, and that the forecasts were not right, would any p&b'ers like to take back their hysterical pronouncements and calls for resignations? Because it seems, as I said, that the government and the authorities did everything that could have been expected of them.

No they didn't. This isn't just about how much snow was forecast or whether the roads were gritted and ploughed for rush hour. As I've said all along it is about how they reacted once the serious situation arose. How they dealt with the emergancy, their lack of communication, still allowing vehicles to enter the network at midday, telling the public this was first class, no collaberation between agencies....... Can you honestly say that you believe that the emergancy response was effective and efficient?

If they did everything so well why are the SNP shitting it incase we get more snow tomorrow? Why don't they just come out and say we'll do the same again?

[xbl]

No they didn't. This isn't just about how much snow was forecast or whether the roads were gritted and ploughed for rush hour. As I've said all along it is about how they reacted once the serious situation arose. How they dealt with the emergancy, their lack of communication, still allowing vehicles to enter the network at midday, telling the public this was first class, no collaberation between agencies....... Can you honestly say that you believe that the emergancy response was effective and efficient?

If they did everything so well why are the SNP shitting it incase we get more snow tomorrow? Why don't they just come out and say we'll do the same again?

My my, how the ground has shifted, thats not what you were saying a few days ago!

[barrysnotter]

My my, how the ground has shifted, thats not what you were saying a few days ago!

it is

[theentomologist]

http://newsnetscotla. ..by-police-chief

So the Chief Road Engineer and the head of Chief Police Officers say that given the forecasts, they wouldnt have done any of the drastic measures suggested, and that the forecasts were not right, would any p&b'ers like to take back their.... pronouncements and calls for resignations? Because it seems, as I said, that the government and the authorities did everything that could have been expected of them.

no. has someone resigned amide public uproar and smug comments like 'first class'? has the new guy been seen out and about in a high viz jacket? thus i was right. has it damped the uproar? will they dare let it happen again now?

you like quoting from this 'newsnetscotland' a lot. can you provide a third party source or better the committee transcripts? and of course they backed swinney, that's why they were there if they didn't they'd be out of a job -like stevenson.

as odious as charlie gordon is, his comment about the forecasts predicting the level of snow was accurate -the forecasts officially available to relevant chiefs might have required more analysis than they gave them but I'm sure their offices have windows.

anyway its clear I was right. to keep bringing this up is dicksonesque behaviour from you.

[xbl]

no. has someone resigned amide public uproar and smug comments like 'first class'? has the new guy been seen out and about in a high viz jacket? thus i was right. has it damped the uproar? will they dare let it happen again now?

you like quoting from this 'newsnetscotland' a lot. can you provide a third party source or better the committee transcripts? and of course they backed swinney, that's why they were there if they didn't they'd be out of a job -like stevenson.

as odious as charlie gordon is, his comment about the forecasts predicting the level of snow was accurate -the forecasts officially available to relevant chiefs might have required more analysis than they gave them but I'm sure their offices have windows.

anyway its clear I was right. to keep bringing this up is dicksonesque behaviour from you.

You mean direct quotes aren't enough? For someone who normally seems quite bright, its amusing that you're more reassured by a man wearing a high vis jacket than someone doing their job, and your comment about the forecasts is nonsense and whataboutery. I brought up the BBC forecasts in an earlier post, showing what they were predicting. In every particular, you've been exposed as falling for the most hysterical nonsense.

[theentomologist]

You mean direct quotes aren't enough? For someone who normally seems quite bright, its amusing that you're more reassured by a man wearing a high vis jacket than someone doing their job, and your comment about the forecasts is nonsense and whataboutery. I brought up the BBC forecasts in an earlier post, showing what they were predicting. In every particular, you've been exposed as falling for the most hysterical nonsense.

do you have the transcript? the transcript rather than selective direct quotes.

a proactive and visible minister rather than a doddery old fool who spouts 'first class' isn't a good thing?

the forecasts thing has been debated to death. I and everyone else with windows and a tv have been proven right time and again. I tire of you trying to use one forecast which was anomalous to hang your whole argument that a 'first class' job was done, on. EVEN if I generously gave you that point -and I haven't, it has the decided stench of 'it wisnae me' about it- the performance should have been VASTLY superior to what it was. But then you didn't spend the night on the M74. You had the Caribbean micro climate of Stirling. I doubt victims such as Disco Duck feel quite so generous. What part incidentally of women and children and the vulnerable being stuck in an icy hell of a motorway and wanting it not to happen again is 'hysterical nonsense' and do you condone?

[Adolfo Rios]

Just started in Glasgow city centre.

And it's stopped almost instantly. Carry on...

Edited December 16, 2010 by Adolfo Rios

[ffcsam]

Snowing in Slamannan just now apparently. Nothing here yet but mean to be snowing by early afternoon.

[well fan for life]

Just started in Glasgow city centre.

And it's stopped almost instantly. Carry on...

I'm in the Southside, and it must have snowed for about 3 minutes.

Back on now mind.

[saint dave]

None here in the West End,only rain.

[Fuctifano]

Hooring it down with a fierce wind to boot in Geordieland.

[Bowie_1888]

Clear blue skies in Glasgow

[Guest The Phoenix]

Clear blue skies in Glasgow

Not good news for Celtic Fans.

[barrysnotter]

If they did everything so well why are the SNP shitting it incase we get more snow tomorrow? Why don't they just come out and say we'll do the same again?

XBL are you going to answer this or do you only answer selective questions which suit your agenda?

[Bowie_1888]

Not good news for Celtic Fans.

I'd be worried if they were clear Green skies though

How's tricks Old timer?

Edited December 16, 2010 by Bowie_1888

[CityDave]

A powdering of snow in Inverness, temperatures have dropped below zero.

[Unleash The Nade]

Snowing in Slamannan just now apparently. Nothing here yet but mean to be snowing by early afternoon.

It snows in Slamannan 11 months of the year!!

[xbl]

do you have the transcript? the transcript rather than selective direct quotes.

a proactive and visible minister rather than a doddery old fool who spouts 'first class' isn't a good thing?

the forecasts thing has been debated to death. I and everyone else with windows and a tv have been proven right time and again. I tire of you trying to use one forecast which was anomalous to hang your whole argument that a 'first class' job was done, on. EVEN if I generously gave you that point -and I haven't, it has the decided stench of 'it wisnae me' about it- the performance should have been VASTLY superior to what it was. But then you didn't spend the night on the M74. You had the Caribbean micro climate of Stirling. I doubt victims such as Disco Duck feel quite so generous. What part incidentally of women and children and the vulnerable being stuck in an icy hell of a motorway and wanting it not to happen again is 'hysterical nonsense' and do you condone?

XBL are you going to answer this or do you only answer selective questions which suit your agenda?

Despite appearances, I don't live on here 24 hours a day. And since when were quotes from a news story no longer goo enough? Is it now the rule that news stories are no longer to be accepted as sources, and that we must use raw data only? Oh, and I also produced evidence of a whole series of BBC forecasts. You were WRONG about the forecasts, and you've been proven wrong using actual evidence, not mumbo jumbo lies and hysterical mutterings about windows. If the government, the MET, the police, the councils, and the road engineers say the forecast was wrong, and evidence has been produced that the BBC were wrong, how the hell can this be countered by your embarrassing rubbish and demands for a Minister to wander about in a high vis jacket?

Not only that, but you have the gall to demand raw transcripts when your entire hysterical tantrum is based on a selected direct quote that you've taken out of context. Your entire "first class" is ripped straight out of context, and is very much an example of a selected quote. Well by your own logic, your argument is invalid. Therefore, unless you produce a written transcript of the entire interview in question, then your whole argument is bunk. Muttering "first class, first class" is not admissible, by your own logic.