Snow Chains
Now is the time of year when Italians dig out their snow chains and put them in the boot of their car. Snow chains are a fiendish device; they were invented in 1904 by Harry D. Weed in New York. See I have done my research this time and even added a link to the Wiki page.
We have two sets of chains, Mrs Sensible has some in the boot of her car and I have a set in the boot of my Mini. Despite the fact that last year we had snow up to our armpits, I have never successfully managed to fit a set of chains to either car. Under careful supervision I once managed to fit one chain onto the spare wheel while Giorgio my instructor helped to pull and stretch the chains into position. But it is important to note that the spare wheel was not connected to the car, nor was it cold and wet, nor was I up to my armpits in snow and there were two of us unhindered by wheel arches slush and passing motorists.
Last February under protest I did get out of bed at 6.00 am to fit a set of chains to Mrs Sensible’s Peugeot. When she had finished her breakfast and entered our garage at 7.30 am to drive the car away I was still sat amid twisted chains cursing both the car, Mr Harry De Weed and the beautiful snow that carpeted our garden.
I suggested she took my mini as it was great fun pretty good in the snow. Fifteen minutes later I received a tearful phone call from Mrs Sensible who had embedded my Mini in a snow drift and successfully blocked the main junction at Rosignano. Half of the villages of Rosignano were in their cars stuck behind her and the other half were stuck in front of her.
It took me 35 minutes to walk to her through the snow. By the time I had arrived some thoughtful but angry residents had dug my Mini out and pushed it away from the junction. It was not Mrs Sensible’s fault as she is a good driver, and it wasn’t my fault for not fitting the chains on the car it was Mr Harry D Weeds fault for inventing something so stupid.
Although this morning to comply with Italian law, I have put a set of chains in the boot of both cars I have made a solemn promise to Mrs Sensible that I will buy her a set of winter tyres at the weekend.
The snow chains pictured are not mine, I never intend to see mine again. I have pinched the picture from another WordPress blogger called Salish Sea who it seems has managed the art of fitting snow chains.
Englishman in Italy 
You bring back memoriis: oh the memories of years in Washington D.C. where fiendish snow arrives in January! I lived atop a hill and even with snow tyres I could not make it up or down on the terrible snows of the late 70s. A friendly garage man allowed me to park my car at his station on flatland. But then to go to work I had to walk downhill every morning and uphill every evening, It was snow “up to armpits”, as you put it, freshly fallen onto hard ice 12″ thick. In the meantime the local kids lived it up on sleds especially when schools had to close… I was ever so glad when my employer moved me to California!!!
I found a Mediterranean semi-tropical climate there, but I soon had to learn to live with earthquakes, waiting for “THE BIG ONE”. As you see: tutto il mondo e’ paese… Now, in my not-so-golden years I am back in snow country but I can sit safely inside, watching it fall, with central heating, triple sweatpants, and double pane windows, all to keep me warm up to my armpits.
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I do like the snow, I just hate snow chains. And Golden years never end…. I hope.
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Grazie Pecora Nera. Sei un campione!
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🙂
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go for winter tyres, definitely much better.
When I was still living with my parents (yes I was young once) very close to the Swiss border and I was commuting every day (twice a day) into Switzerland where I worked as a “frontaliera”, my father to be helpful had prepared 2 spare tyres with snow-chains already on them, in the back of my Citroen 2CV.
So in case of snow, he said I should change the 2 front wheels, with the spares in the boot……
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Two spare wheels seem to be the way to go. As soon as it looks like snow I will just put winter tyres on Mrs Sensibles car. There is no way I could keep 2 spare wheels in my mini. I can just about get my laptop case in there.
You used to live in Italy…. and you are now in the UK are you crazy!!!! Do you like rain? 🙂
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Do I like rain? no comment…. 😦
why do you think Our Adventure in Croatia came about? 🙂
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Fortunately in sunny (?) South Africa we don’t have such weapons of torture.
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We glorious sunshine today, but I can see the tops of the Alps is getting whiter and whiter.
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hey Pecora Nera, I just came across this blog as I was reading something about driving in the mountains between Croatia and Italy.
I think this is perfect night-time reading for you when you cannot sleep wondering about Mr Sensible’s car:
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