Should I salt the pavements?

[Two_Sheds]

So, I'm slipping and sliding my way to the corner shop (a mile away) and wishing people would salt their bit of the pavement.

Then I thought about carrying a bag of salt with me, so at least my return journey would be less dangerous (I had walking boots on but they're useless on black ice).

Then I wondered about the badness of putting lots of salt on the ground. It kills weeds, as we know, so it must kill any plants that it touches through splashing and excessive gritting.
It also damages concrete and metal: "De-icing chemicals can accelerate deterioration in concrete and steel structures... highways and bridges do suffer from chemical damage. Vehicle corrosion is also accelerated... Even relatively small amounts of chloride will significantly accelerate existing corrosion."

I remember we always had to clean under the car after being out on salted roads, but nobody seems to bother these days.


I think I'll continue salting the pavement in front of my house, but only a narrow strip not the whole width.

[HeyWayne]

I remember we always had to clean under the car after being out on salted roads, but nobody seems to bother these days.

Galvanising, and underseals are way better than they used to be "back in the day". Paint/spraying methods are far more advanced than they used to be too, so salt doesn't cause as many problems to car bodies.

Plus we throw cars away much more readily these days.

Keep salting.

If you can get hold of it - we tried to get some grit for our car park/loading area (work) and couldn't get any. Even tried the Highways Agency.

[zazen999]

It's bridges that are the main sufferers....if you knew what I knew about Spaghetti Junction......

[HeyWayne]

It's bridges that are the main sufferers....if you knew what I knew about Spaghetti Junction......

Shhhhhh!!!

[SarzWix]

Honestly? You're as well with a bag of sharp gravel in these temperatures. It cuts into and breaks up the ice, and causes less problems with 'melt and refreeze' which is what causes the sheet ice. (Which is what I broke my ankle on last year). The salt becomes less effective below -5c and almost useless at -10c, whereas the sharp gravel will remain to break up the ice and create grip
(I've been doing my research )

Best of all - buy a pair of ice-cleats/snow grips to put over your shoes.

[Nicos]

Wouldn't it be getter to put down sand than salt? salt will refreeze when it's diluted enough. if you can't get grit- then wouldn't sand do???

[HeyWayne]

Honestly? You're as well with a bag of sharp gravel in these temperatures. It cuts into and breaks up the ice, and causes less problems with 'melt and refreeze' which is what causes the sheet ice. (Which is what I broke my ankle on last year). The salt becomes less effective below -5c and almost useless at -10c, whereas the sharp gravel will remain to break up the ice and create grip
(I've been doing my research )

Also makes for a viscious snowball.

[Pumpkin Becki]

Its a tricky one, because if you salt the pavement and someone slips on it, I think you can be held liable for damages. We've been salting our driveway, but as I was about to do the pavement last night, my OH stopped me for that very reason.

Obviously, I don't know the ins and outs of it and am happy to be proved wrong

...and I had a really nasty fall in our village high street the other day. The road had been gritted but the footpaths were solid ice. My OH and I were discussing gritting via the 'Great Escape' method (out of your trouser bottoms), when over I went, and a very painful bottom I had for the next few days!!

[Hazel at the Hill]

Chance of being sued for this are theoretocally possible, I guess, but in reality extremely tiny.

I'd prefer to do the common sense thing and stop people slipping - and I bet you wish that someone had put salt/grit down too so you hadn't fallen, don't you Becki?

[Hazel at the Hill]

In fact, it would be interesting to see how many accidents happen if someone has gritted, against number of accidents because pavements haven't been gritted.

[Nicos]

It'd be interesting to see how many peeps have a good thick tread on their shoes/boots. I'm sure flimsy soled shoes can't help!

[tiachica]

Back home, everybody uses grit on the pavements and most roads, salt is only used on the motorways because of the environmental impact of the salt leaking into the ground water.
To be honest, I am surprised it's used as widely in the UK. Isn't there a water shortage each year? And to top it off, it gets contaminated with road salt? oops.

[Pumpkin Becki]

- and I bet you wish that someone had put salt/grit down too so you hadn't fallen, don't you Becki?

Absolutely - me and my bottom would have been very grateful

also, I'm one of the youngest residents in the village, most are in their retirement years, and many walk with sticks. I dread to think how many of them fell over like I did. At least I bounce!!

[Alison]

We commented the other day that the signs on the motorway used to say gritting in process, this year they all say salting - don't know if they are doing anything different but it was a conversation we had

In days gone by, individuals used to clear their own fronts, that doesn't happen much these days.

Re bridges - it's the bearings that tend to be the problem there

[HeyWayne]

We commented the other day that the signs on the motorway used to say gritting in process, this year they all say salting - don't know if they are doing anything different but it was a conversation we had

Bet you have some wild parties!