I blame myself, really I do. People were asking me yesterday how the A5 was coping with the snow and I said fine, no problem. It was
almost predictable then that I would have a problem today. I say I almost got stuck, it was almost because I did manage to get away without assistance, but it took me approximately half an hour, with a seven year old in the car getting agitated.
We set off for ridin this morning at about 0815 hrs, there had been a light dusting of powdery snow which made the roads slippier than usual. As I approached the stable I slowed and braked but the car kept going. I had to make a choice, to try and get through the gate anyway or to overshoot. I took the overshoot option. The problem being that the stables are on a hill. I couldn't get enough purchaser to reverse up the hill to the stables so I went down a bit further, hoping to find better grip. A futile hope it transpired. So I stopped in the lay-by and went riding.
On finishing riding I now had the dilemma if how to get away. And instead of getting away, every attempt saw me go further and further down the hill. I finally ended up in the bottom of the dip, faced with a steep climb. I decided to try it and almost made it but feet from the top lost grip. So back down again. I managed to turn the car and went back at the original hill. Almost made it but then a car was coming towards me, and he wasn't going to stop so I had to move over and again lost traction. This time trying to get away from the verge things went really wrong and suddenly I was straddlled at 90 degrees to the road. At the point "A" kind of lost it a bit, and I have to say that really did not help! Anyway managed to get pointing down the hill again and off we went. Another run at the hill. Almost to the top. Wheels starting to spin. Me desperately swinging the steering from side to side in an attempt to find any grip that might be there. And suddenly we were passed the worst. Still a slight incline but OK. Until another car started coming down the hill and again wasn't going to even try and stop. Trying not to swear in front of my daughter was not easy. But we made it.
I used every trick I knew plus a few. My daughter thinks I am a great driver because we got away. Personally I am annoyed with myself because I don't think we should have ended up in the problem anyway.
But something I have noticed over the last few months. It used to be etiquette that the car coming down a hill should give way. Even more so when the road is snowy or icy. But somehow no-one does that any more.