Snowmageddon

Let it snow, let it snow, let is snow...No. Sometimes I think the UK media is close to realising its power to manipulate the population, but like a hive of bees or nest of ants it finds itself too unwieldy to exert its true power to transcend its existence and evolve to a higher form. This month I have noticed, despite being really busy, that the UK has had some snow (as I believe it had last year, and certainly did in 2010 and 2009. In fact I believe snow has occurred with some regularity, going right back to the last ice age ). You would expect that after a few years of significant winter snowfall that the novelty would wear off, that airports, councils and traffic agencies, like most private companies , would have been prepared for it. In the main it seems they have; football matches went on unabated, the country did not come to a grinding halt, but wait - on facebook many people in the UK seemed to feel the need to post that it was snowing - like it was something hugely exciting and out of the ordinary. This tendency was apparently stimulated by a similarly overexcited media reporting that people should all 'stay indoors, and only travel if it is absolutely necessary' like there had been a chemical leak or something. Ian Hislop blamed the media for creating 'snowmageddon,' and he was not wrong, like a feeding frenzy the media take up the idea and run with it for as long as possible. Countries that often have snow, like Switzerland, certainly enjoy it, and enjoy a certain amount of childish excitement about it, however their response is measured and reasoned, they have cars with a specific 'snow' setting, they go out prepared for what can happen with snow, they are respectful, and most of all their Cantons take the clearing and gritting of roads seriously, with the knowledge that the people expect everything to carry on pretty much as normal, with the exception of extra precautions and care taken. Another key factor is that Swiss roads, pavements and drains are professionally constructed, to a much higher standard than the pothole ridden, poorly maintained highways of the UK. Swiss roads and pavements are flatter and tougher and are much easier to clear of snow with snowploughs and periodic gritting, even at temperatures at -20. Media reporting of snow is kept to the weather report, and off the main news and discussion programmes, as it is no big deal. The UK should learn a lesson. It seems the problems are caused by a culture of people not wanting to take responsibility, extra care or precautions in a snow environment, so blame can be apportioned. The media gets sidetracked by its childish glee, forgetting its social responsibility and the effect it has in creating panic and irritation. Like an ant colony that has found some honey, it cannot and will not be stopped. But I find that the UK public on the whole should understand that their media cannot be trusted any longer (post-Hutton report, post-phone hacking,  post-Saville) and start taking more responsibility for their own lives. And actually go out and enjoy the snow properly rather than sending their crappy photos of snowmen in to crappy TV shows...
See:
http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/01/21/why-is-europe-still-so-unprepared-for-snowmageddon/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/21/snow-school-closures-travel
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21195257