Gritters Out and About

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clk320x

clk320x

Hardcore MB Enthusiast
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Thought I’d managed to get through the snow storm without seeing a gritter but no...

Not one but two, on the A45 back home tonight. As I overtook clatter clatter clatter as the rocks of metal murder rained down on my CLK...

It can’t just be me that wonders could the grit not be aimed more downwards? I could swear it was hitting my windscreen as I overtook. Nevertheless couldn’t this cause stone chips and other paintwork damage which I’m sure the government wouldn’t be happy paying for...
I’m now expecting to walk outside tomorrow and my CLK have dissolved into the floor :D

Makes you wonder
 
The more it points to the road the more it will bounce.

Good luck claiming from highways for any damage!

I’m going to start buying stone chip coloured cars in future!
 
One got me Monday I came of the A120 heading for Witham as just as I hit the B road woosh a gritter wizzed round the corner covering the car.

Left feeling very salty i gave the car a decent pressure wash and plenty of shampoo the next day, I couldn't see any damage though unlike the SLK that passed me a few minutes later that hand a good knock on the bumper possibly from slipping in the icy weather fortunatly they were heading the same way as the gritter so won't have had to worry about stone chips.:rolleyes:
 
Why would that happen...if you kept a decent distance between you and the gritter. Rather that than be peppered.
 
Grit distribution IRRC is via shute/auger funneling a salt and grit mixture to fall onto a spinning disc impeller - Its a crude but effective system- control would be by rate of supply by shute/auger and the impeller speed which in turn should?? be related in some way to forward road speed altho it may be driven independently. I imagine problems may often arise with a mismatch of impeller and road speed. :eek:
1280px-Schneepflug_Strasse_hinten.jpg
 
sorry chute /auger spelling :oops:
Archimedes-screw_one-screw-threads_with-ball_3D-view_animated_small.gif


A screw conveyor or auger conveyor is a mechanism that uses a rotating helical screw blade, called a "flighting", usually within a tube, to move liquid or granular materials.
 
In semi retirement l have some chance of avoiding the worst of the salt. I walked 2.8 miles to work 2 days this week as it was too icy for the bike and l don't like using the car for such a short distance. I suppose it did both me and the car some good.
 
renault12ts said:
Makes you wonder...why would anyone overtake a gritter?
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Some people have places to be and can’t be sitting behind a gritting lorry all night... also getting in front of it makes the most sense as once your ahead of it your safe if that makes sense...
 
chrisk2010 said:
One got me Monday I came of the A120 heading for Witham as just as I hit the B road woosh a gritter wizzed round the corner covering the car.

Left feeling very salty i gave the car a decent pressure wash and plenty of shampoo the next day, I couldn't see any damage though unlike the SLK that passed me a few minutes later that hand a good knock on the bumper possibly from slipping in the icy weather fortunatly they were heading the same way as the gritter so won't have had to worry about stone chips.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I need to do that today, mines not galvanised so it can only end badly.
 
clk320x said:
Some people have places to be and can’t be sitting behind a gritting lorry all night... also getting in front of it makes the most sense as once your ahead of it your safe if that makes sense...
Click to expand...

Staying further behind it means no salt on your car. And if the gritters are out...is it safer to be in front, ungritted, or behind?
 
renault12ts said:
Staying further behind it means no salt on your car. And if the gritters are out...is it safer to be in front, ungritted, or behind?
Click to expand...

I believe they were about salting the road for the overnight conditions where it would go below freezing and possibly form ice..
Not that the current road conditions were unsafe

Nevertheless I had somewhere to be and couldn’t afford to sit doing 40mph
 
My attitude is when poodling along, and I see something ahead, usually in the inside lane, with flashing yellow lights on it going fairly slowly. My first reaction is, bummer, it's a gritter and it's going to pebble dash the car. :mad: So I sneak up on it as quietly as I can, not getting too close mind, and when the opportunity presents itself, whizz past on the outside lane (closing my eyes momentarily when the peddle dash starts) and breath a sigh of relief.

One day no doubt I'll then go careering off the road as the road in front hasn't been gritted, but not yet!
 
Tiim533 said:
My attitude is when poodling along, and I see something ahead, usually in the inside lane, with flashing yellow lights on it going fairly slowly. My first reaction is, bummer, it's a gritter and it's going to pebble dash the car. :mad: So I sneak up on it as quietly as I can, not getting too close mind, and when the opportunity presents itself, whizz past on the outside lane (closing my eyes momentarily when the peddle dash starts) and breath a sigh of relief.

One day no doubt I'll then go careering off the road as the road in front hasn't been gritted, but not yet!
Click to expand...

Exactly what I did, but it was a DC way so was still in close proximity to the gritter even during over taking
 
Last time I encountered gritters on snowy French autoroutes, they were one per lane, alongside each other, so no car could overtake them.
 
Clever the way that gritter makes manhole covers too o_O
Codger49 said:
Last time I encountered gritters on snowy French autoroutes, they were one per lane, alongside each other, so no car could overtake them.
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Similar in Poland on main-east west highway in blizzard like conditions. One gritter in middle followed by Police with blue lights on. Nowhere to hurry.
 
Codger49 said:
Last time I encountered gritters on snowy French autoroutes, they were one per lane, alongside each other, so no car could overtake them.
Click to expand...
You obviously got past them eventually - or did you send this from your car?
 
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