A Gritty Joe Show on the RTE wireless 07/01/2010

I was half-listening to the RTE Wireless News at One today and heard some NRA bigwig and local authority engineering guru waffle on about waiting for ships from Spain, hiring crews, two week lead-times and other rubbish before they could meet the unprecedented demand for grit with which to treat icy roads and footpaths.

That struck me as a bit strange so I dug out the Golden Pages and made a few calls to local sand-pits and quarries. With a few calls I located readily available supplies of tens of thousands of tons of the stuff.

Then the Joe Show started on the wireless and the first three or four callers were from sand-pit / quarry operators and grit suppliers who also had stock-piles of "laboratory tested and approved 4mm grit", some of it available FREE for collection.

Suddenly I was worried.

Worry No 1 - I'm starting to think like the Joe Show. Is this a temporary condition brought on by the coincidence of bad weather and the recession or am i a Joooe Duffahhh clone, doomed forever to trudge in his footsteps?

Worry No 2 - Who are these idiots in charge of keeping the roads open? Do they not understand we are on one of the largest islands in Europe with an extensive sandy coastline, estuaries, sand-pits and so on? Why do we have to buy sand from Spain? Maybe a trip down the dualler from Dublin to Naas to check out a sand-pit is less attractive than a trip to southern Spain for the same purpose.

Remember the old ad "Shop in the Golden Pages, it's as easy as A-B-C". Apparently ABC is a step too advanced for some of the over-paid alickadoo road-engineers.

Any thoughts?

I understand that it is not grit or sand which is in short supply but salt which is practically impossible to lay hands on and what is being imported from Spain and the Carrickfergus supplier.

A.

Is sand any good on ice?

ali said:

I understand that it is not grit or sand which is in short supply but salt which is practically impossible to lay hands on and what is being imported from Spain and the Carrickfergus supplier.

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Yes, it's the salt that's in short supply, not the sand. This was discussed earlier in the week when a TD called for beach sand to be used to grit roads - and he was told that they need a mix of sandy stuff and salt - and it's the salt they are running out of - and there's normally a 4 week lead time getting it from Spain - so we should have loads just in time for spring....

11 local suppliers identified themselves with appropriate product available on the Joe Show and today the Government has put Gormless in charge of a national Emergency which is now three weeks old. TopGun Willie O is on standby (presumably to shoot anyone guilty of slipping up or back-sliding) and Biffo believes the local authorities are to blame for failing to take appropriate action on a national basis while Dempsey (Transport and Potholes) is away in the sun and uncontactable.

According to the callers to the Joe Show, some local suppliers have already been through the qualification process and have

mathepac said:

... stock-piles of "laboratory tested and approved 4mm grit", some of it available FREE for collection. ...

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Gormless, interviewed at lunchtime on RTE, couldnt wait to list out the reasons why any number of things couldnt be done.

Negative attitude running the country..................Well That Is just What Is Needed

So what about salty sand ? ( now available at the coast ).

Even the UK have been thinking about this. Seems it is contra some EU rule but UK request to be excused for the time being. ( expect JG to have any number of reasons why this is a BAD idea )

Did you hear our 'Minister for Defence' on Drive Time this evening... Wee Willie did more then put his foot in it.

Towger said:

... Wee Willie did more then put his foot in it.

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He suffers from chronic SMD* (as well as a multitude of other disorders, e.g. STOSD**) and was monumentally bad this evening.


*Small Man's Disease
**Shoot Them On Sight Disease