I hate "Operation Stack"

[chromenewt]

So, someone please tell me why Operation Stuck... err, I mean Stack was formulated in the first place? It's supposed to ensure traffic into and out of Felixstowe can still continue when the Docks close due to high winds and all the lorries have to park up somewhere. For those not in the know, it's supposed to work by all lorries pulling into the

Comments

[kotenok]

They have exactly the same operation in Dover.

Same deal for us with regard to port operations - as soon as the ferries start getting heavy delays or being cancelled they turn the M20 into a giant carpark.

Except that there are times where the tailback reaches from Dover to nearly Ashford, which is 23 miles away.

Sadly, there is no other solution, nowhere else to put the lorries that are waiting to cross the channel. Which is a bit of a bugger really!

[chromenewt]

Dover has its own hospital though, doesn't it? In Felixstowe even the police station closes outside of office hours and the cops have to come in from Ipswich, 15 miles away. What's worrying is that all emergency services are based outside the town, so if anything goes wrong then people are at greater risk.

I can't think of a better solution, but I wish they wouldn't give it some secret US military codename like Operation: Stack. Sounds retarded.

[kotenok]

Not really.

Dover only has a population of 28000., which is 1000 people *less* than Felixstowe according to the figures I can find.

Buckland hospital was downgraded in the 90s (I think, it may have been earlier) and all A&E cases transferred to either the William Harvey (Ashford, back the way of the lorries) or the Kent & Canterbury (in Canterbury, which is 15 miles in the other direction) There is now a proposal in place to close the hospital completely.

The local police station closes in Dover outside office hours too, as far as I can remember.

The only thing of any use we do have within the town is a (small) fire station.

[sinibar]

It's all part of Reverse Darwinism. It used to be that the stupid were forced to get manual jobs that carried a significant risk of death, whilst the intelligent got cushy jobs well away from 40 tonnes of falling container.

Nowadays we insist on not killing off the stupid by making them do dangerous stuff. This results in a much higher proportion of stupid people in the populous who then fuck over the lives of the intelligent by coming up with half baked plans like "Operation stack".

Back to Victorian values, that's what I say!

[chromenewt]

Huzzah, what what! Pass me the brandy, my old chum! :)

What really angers me (which I forgot to mention earlier) is that when O:S is in effect they CONE OFF a lane and then leave it unattended. Nobody is quite sure if the lorrires are supposed to knock over a few in order to park there or whether it's supposed to be used for emergency services but thne that's unlikely since you get the highway maintenance people sitting in them, drinking tea and laughing at us all. I think next time I'll pin the fuckers to the central reservation, see how funny they think THAT is.

[foxxina]

You have a face like a bottom. I have a new journal. :D

Foxy x

[chromenewt]

I wondered why I hadn't heard from you in ages. Consider yourself added. :)

[foxxina]

Roooar. Hope you've been well. To save your fingers, I shall have a look back over your entries. :D

xxx

[staysonpaper]

Sooooo, ChromeNewt as in "one of the few people on Slashgoth who had anything approximating a decent sense of humour shortly before I stopped checking the site"? THAT ChromeNewt? (Common name. I have to check.)

Is it weird if I add you? Is it BAD-weird?

[chromenewt]

Blimey! That's going back a few years! Last time I checked out Slashgoth was about 6-7 years ago when everyone had sense of humour transplants. Feel free to add and I'll do likewise. Remind me though, did you have the same nick on Slashgoth or did you go by another name?

[staysonpaper]

Long ago in those halcyon days I believe I was going by Okan'e. I didn't post much, but I read a good bit.

[chromenewt]

Good bloody lord! There's no escaping you!

Consider yourself added (and un-added for knowing that simpleton, James) ;)

[chromenewt]

I suppose we shouldn't mock the afflicted. He *is* a recovering nerd, after all. ;)