Motorists in difficulty rescued from Sally Gap during snow
MOUNTAIN rescue teams urge people to avoid closed roads during snowfall, after carrying out two rescues in the Sally Gap in the past week.
With little or no snow on lower ground, socalled ‘snow tourists’ were tempted to drive up to higher ground for a chance to see some of the white stuff.
A number of people drove around road closed signs, according to PRO of the Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team John Kavanagh.
‘We had one call-out last Wednesday and another Saturday morning,’ said John. ‘In both cases people’s cars were stuck. On Wednesday, we stopped our own vehicles 300 or 400 metres from where they were and walked up to get them. Two of those were brought down on stretchers as they were not confident to walk in the conditions.’
In a three hour operation starting at around 2.30 a.m. on Saturday morning, the crews rescued more motorists. ‘In that case it was two four-wheel drives. One vehicle got stuck and the occupants asked friends to come and help them but the second vehicle also got stuck. We were asked to go and help out along with Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue. We responded with two vehicles in convoy and it was roughly a three-hour operation.’
John said that generally cars stuck or left up there in such conditions are not suitable for the weather.
There was quite a bit of traffic disruption on the open side of the road at the eastern side of the Sally Gap where, John said, people had driven so far and parked on the side of the road to walk further up.
In terms of driving in snowy conditions, John said that driver experience is a big one, as well as the type of vehicle and, most importantly the type of tyres and whether they are fitted with snow chains.
Even with all that, there are conditions which can stop a vehicle in its tracks. John said that there can be snow drifts in the road. ‘They don’t have to be huge, but some are deep enough to stop most four wheel drives. The driver might have done everything right, and have their snow chains, but they haven’t anticipated that.’
The gardai decide whether to close roads based on such conditions, and last week the R115 and R759 roads crossing the Sally Gap were impassable. The section of the R115 between Glencree and Sally Gap Cross was closed and blocked, and conditions in the area were ‘extremely hazardous’ according to the authorities.
‘We don’t criticise people getting stuck, that’s not our job,’ said John. ‘We will respond where there is a risk to safety.’
However he urged people to think ahead about the kind of journey they are facing. ‘For example, you wouldn’t travel to Cork from Dublin with a litre of petrol, you would think about it.’