Very slippy road/Icy roads

[Geo]

Just back from Wick on the Wick to Watten road and it is like an ice rink in places. I guess other roads will be similar. Be careful.

[Highland Laddie]

Coming home from work early this morning (12:30-01:15) a normal 45 minute run, took us an hour and twenty minutes, the road was like one continuous sheet of ice, conditions were atrocious.
There were a couple of cars of the road, (nobody in them) signs of a few more that must have had near misses.
It seems just plain crazy that the local police can’t call out the council gritter, seemingly it has to be two managers 120 miles away in the Inverness area that can give the ok, at this time of the year and that time of the morning, I suspect there’s not a chance in hell of getting hold of them.
The police can only advise us not to travel, or if the road is really bad, they can close the road.
Is it going to be the same old story here in the far North, someone has to be killed before this stupid rule is changed.

[bluelady]

We ken all too well. Christmas eve, my son went along the Causeymire to Thurso to pick up his sister and a friend. On the way back he hit black ice on a bend and lost control of the car, turning it over three times before landing back on its wheels. He was able to phone us and my husband phoned the emergency services before we set off to the scene. When he phoned the emergency services, they didnt have a clue where the accident was dispite my hubby giving directions and several landmarks. The didnt even know where Spittal was and took ages to work out where Thurso was. We eventually got going and it took us several minutes to get over the Rumster road and along by the Peat farm near the wind farm, where we saw my daughter on the roadside and met the Police vechicle as we turned around at the layby. These two Police officers went into action and were brillant. They looked after the casultys and kept us all calm and were jolly. They had to phone for the fire brigade etc, and wait for the Emergency Dr to arrive as the Ambulance took over an hour to arrive from Bettyhill. My husband had told the EO that there were three people in the car, one with minor injuries and one trapped in the back. The operator then put out that there were 3 cars involved and the hospital had been alerted to the same fact. So two fire appliances turned up. However everyone did a marvellous job in freezing, wet and muddy conditions and thankfully all three were safety home on Christmas day. Our heartfelt thanks go out to those to Police officers and the other members of the emergency services. Well done :)

[starry]

I am so glad they are all ok bluelady xx

[danc1ngwitch]

oh my goodness, hope all ok. I can't imagine fright x

[nanoo]

I sincerely hope that your son and daughter and your daughters friend have made a full recovery bluelady. That was a dreadful thing to have happened to them. :~(

[danc1ngwitch]

just back from wick an fog in places. wick/castletown

[bluelady]

Thanks everyone, the worst was not knowing what we would find, once we were there we could help, I stayed in the Police car calming my daughter down, and my husband was helping on the scene and helped the Doctor get across the ditch etc so we were able to physically do something which helped our initial shock and horror. He volunteered to take and fetch them so the driver could have a drink, he wasnt driving fast and just slid on the black ice and could'nt get control of the car. It could have been much worse as we are all aware. I think more funds should be put into our emergency services so more are available to cover the vast area. Its often the first aid treatment that saves lives and our Police are quick to be critised, but they are often first on scene and do a wonderful job.

[Humerous Vegetable]

I'm glad your family is non the worse for their horrible experience, and I totally agree with you about the wonderful job done on a daily basis by the emergency services, but it might make the motorist's life a bit easier up here if they would ever treat the roads. I don't think I've seen a gritter out since the winter started, except when I was down in the Borders last week.

[TRUCKER]

U cant have been up early enough i have seen plenty going about caithness.

[TRUCKER]

Are u on about transerve or the council.

[bluelady]

my hubby said he saw the gritter come along just as he left the scene to meet us in the hospital (12.45ish). I have seen them at all times of the day as they always seem to splatter my car. A friend works on the gritters and he says they are on standby at night, however I see on an earlier posting they have to wait to get permission from two managers 120 miles away for early morning gritting.