lxtav Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 During the recent light breeze we had through the central belt of Scotland we had no electricity for 27 hours. Not a problem got the candles out, got the camping stove out, lit the living room fire and hey presto posh camping in the house. But some of my people we know(may be something to do with them all having moved to the country from the towns in the last few years) all had to either go and stay in a hotel or with relatives as they couldn't cope with the kids, no internet (i.e facebook) and no power. Woman from scottish power couldn't believe it when my dad phoned to report the telegraph pole that had snapped outside his house and he wasn't demanding that it was fixed there and then. It was a refresing change for her when he told her he knew they were busy but was just letting them know to add to their list. Are we becoming so relient on just flicking a switch or going online and getting stuff that we have lost the ability to cope when things go wrong and need someone else to sort it out. It appears that people are forgetting basic things like candles were designed to give out light not make a room smell nice. Is this just a sad reflection on the wanting everything handed to them on a plate society we seem to be becoming or am I just starting to be a grumpy old man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSPUK Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Yes most people today have no idea how to survive after fridge is empty - At my old house I had a genny down garden wired underground to house and came in very handy on power cuts - not got it now at new house but am starting to get in some basic survival gear - just need a cheap camping stove then set up for whatever the future brings us. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cant hit rabbits 123 Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 I go camping alot in the summer months and make do with only a tap and a toilet on site. Washing water heated in a pot on the fire, food cooked on the fire and a foot pump opperated shower (One of our better inventions). I can't see how people are so reliant on electrisity. Its not hard to live without it for a day or two when you've a roof over your head and a bed to sleep in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vipa Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 During the recent light breeze we had through the central belt of Scotland we had no electricity for 27 hours. Not a problem got the candles out, got the camping stove out, lit the living room fire and hey presto posh camping in the house. But some of my people we know(may be something to do with them all having moved to the country from the towns in the last few years) all had to either go and stay in a hotel or with relatives as they couldn't cope with the kids, no internet (i.e facebook) and no power. Woman from scottish power couldn't believe it when my dad phoned to report the telegraph pole that had snapped outside his house and he wasn't demanding that it was fixed there and then. It was a refresing change for her when he told her he knew they were busy but was just letting them know to add to their list. Are we becoming so relient on just flicking a switch or going online and getting stuff that we have lost the ability to cope when things go wrong and need someone else to sort it out. It appears that people are forgetting basic things like candles were designed to give out light not make a room smell nice. Is this just a sad reflection on the wanting everything handed to them on a plate society we seem to be becoming or am I just starting to be a grumpy old man. Sadly........ yes :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulpicide Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Onshot started college recently he's an apprentice builder with the guy we hunt withs company.So he goes to college and brezes in with his polo shirt on to find his fellow students all harped up round the radiators now the youngster has been hunting shooting fishing and camping with me and his old man since he could walk. I can't think how employable his classmates will be in the building trade if they need to wrap up indoors, camping stove/candles always available in my house and a well stocked larder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedra1106 Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 My kids think I'm paranoid, I have a a couple of large boxes in a cupboard, packets of assorted dried and tinned food, soup etc. first aid kit, camping stove & sleeping bags, candles, matches etc. and a few 5L bottles of water. Hopefully never be needed but you never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oisin og Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 This whole question of dependancy is becoming a real issue. It appears to be the norm now that ordinary citizens expect the State (or its organs) to provide for all of their needs in every emergency. The notion that there might be an expectation that individuals assume responsibility for their own well being is so "yesterday". I'm not referring to a real emergency where life and limb are in jeopardy, when the State clearly has a role. Rather I'm referring to a blip such as a power cut for a day or so. If individuals are in good health I do not see any problem with them being expected to have made some preparations in order to survive a couple of days discomfort. If they have not made such preparations it is unrealistic to presume that the State will provide and, frankly, I do not accept that it is a function of the State to so provide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Personally, I don't know anybody who couldn't cope for a day or two without power. They might moan like **** but that doesn't mean they can't cope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death from below Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 That's the whole idea behind progressive technology like the electric lightbulb so we don't have to depend on things like candles. Of course some people can't cope very well, we live in a well developed (well England anyway) country where the inhabitants have a pretty cushty life when it comes to mod cons and I would find it an absolute pain in the harris to be without electricity and hand on heart if the bomb dropped 2moro and I had to go back to prehistoric hunting with my hands then I probably wouldn't last too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloke Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 (edited) Yep, we live in a tiny hamlet down a no through road with overhead power lines and power cuts are a fact of life in winter, yet all the resident ex-townies go out and buy 4 tons of fridge food at the first sign of snow and then panic when the fridge goes down. I used to camp a lot - kept my old stove and when I had the house rewired, I made sure that the old back boiler was kept in after the C/H was upgraded, as it still has a gas fire in front that needs no power. My cooker is LPG, with a 1200 litre tank down the garden. Plenty of tinned soups, dried pulses, rice and pasta, a small stock of UHT milk, an old-fashioned whistling or camping kettle and dried meat. If it snows, you can move a lot of perishables like milk etc into a waterproof sack and bury it in a snowdrift to keep it fresh, don't these people think? One of the most important things if the power goes off is to keep an old plug-in type phone in a box with a torch, battery radio, candles and matches, so you can call the power supplier, as the fancy cordless phone will be just so much dead junk - simples !! Dunno why people get so fussed... Edited January 14, 2012 by Bloke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Best get used to it if you get independance, cant have you pinching our power :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin128 Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 I wish my house had a fire place...although I still have a parafin lamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 What happened to power cuts? As a kid we used to get more power cuts. We hardly seem to get any today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libs Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 What happened to power cuts? As a kid we used to get more power cuts. We hardly seem to get any today. Even I remember frequent power cuts at my nan's gaff in East Acton and my old house in Hayes and I'm only a nipper. Anyone working for the grid wish to explain the modern era (last 10 years) of uninterrupted 230AC ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Paulie Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 I'm in my thirties, but I notice that a lot of my generation are a bunch of fairies. I guess I was lucky having a Mum from the country.......She wouldn't have tolerated any of that **** from me or my brothers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayano3 Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Ok I will try and explain as I work for Western Power Distribution as a Planner but was a Linesman for 25 years. Ok, all REC's (Regional Electricity Companies) are strictly monitored by Ofgem (Government) in things like Customer Minutes Lost, Time to first restoration and Guaranteed work. If you are good at all of these things you get money back from the regulator to invest in the networks during a certain period of time. If you fail its quite the opposite. This means that companies have invested in Rural Automation, this gear is strategically placed in the networks and monitored from a Central Control room and also operated via mobile phone signals to the equipment. Therefore if your power does go off its graded in such a way all you may see is a flicker in supply, occasionally you will see a 5 second loss of supply until a potential fault has time to clear (ie Bird Strike). There is also equipment on the network which will just isolate a small part of the network, with the fault beyond it, and allow the main lines to re-energise. I hope that has answered the question above suitably. Unfortunately we do still have supply problems, trees are a big issue. The weather pays a big part but there's still farmers ploughing into equipment and traffic accidents to consider. A big thing at the moment is THEFT...you wouldnt believe how some people risk their life to earn a bit at the scrap merchants !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerico Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 If it's cold I'll put another layer of clothing on & when I'm hungry I'll go get a Kebab, I wont need tea as I have beer & vodka! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cottonseed Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 One of the best Christmas Days we ever had as a family was when we were without power. Barbcue breakfast, then round to a neighbours where about 30 of us piled in for a makeshift dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 I like power cuts. Reminds me of the Olden Days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 During the blockade of the refineries etc in 2000 my pal Travis stock piled 5 gallon drums of petrol in his shed so he 'wouldn't get caught out'. On bonfire night the neighbours had a proper burn up about 20 ft from his cache. He was bricking it. During the same crisis I had the pleasure of finding abundant supplies of LRP at just about every forecourt so I was sorted anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 I miss power cuts. They're nostalgic and gets everyone all "end of the worldly" about how they made a house full of food and drink last 2 days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodcock11 Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 Well it looks as if & when Armageddon comes, there will be a higher percentage of PW members who will survive than of the general public - good to be prepared and as well having larders full of emergency stores, the "hunter/gatherer" skills will kick in as well. We had a big power cut here about a couple of weeks ago due to storm damage. We were OK as we have an automatic generator but the whole area was out from around 05.00/05.30. Power was restored by 09.30 - impressive service and well done NIE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 Power cuts - They are two a penny here. I probably get 20 a day. I have the internet router on an UPS so my porn downloads don't get disturbed and I'm sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 We get a few a year now I'm back out in the sticks. I don't think I ever had one living in Bristol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diceman Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 What happened to power cuts? As a kid we used to get more power cuts. We hardly seem to get any today. Maggie Thatcher happened! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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