Snow Tips 2 – How To Walk on Ice
Well, the snow persisted. After two weeks of snowfall and sub zero temperatures, the footpaths are hard packed with ice. Drizzle, or the merest hint of a thaw makes walking hazardous and, by and large, we don’t have a clue what to wear on our feet. There are plenty of wellington boots to be seen on the ladies while the gentlemen of the metropolis appear to favour trainers. In the department stores, if you can get there, plenty of fiftysomething women are to be found looking for boots with good grip. Fashion goes out the window when stability is threatened and price is not the object it might otherwise be.
Jane Shilton Russia Boot
Last time I blogged on the subject, I considered that I wouldn’t get enough wear out of them to justify purchasing hiking boots. Two weeks of trying to walk on ice and snow were enough to change my mind. Having perused the available options, I plumped for a pair of Jane Shilton Russia fleece lined boots on the basis they are comfortable, warm, and have soles that remind me of a tractor. Surely such deep cleats must provide improved grip? I hope so. How can you tell? Am I slithering around less than before or have the conditions underfoot simply improved? We may never know. I comfort myself with the thought that this is investment shopping since some chap on the radio mentioned that there are sun spots positioned such that we are likely to have harsh winters like this until 2014. If I get three more years out of the boots without falling down, well they’ll have been cheap at the price which, if you are curious, was Euro 138 in a Dublin department store this week.
But what, if new boots are beyond the budget? Well, I’m told that pointing your feet out like a penguin changes your centre of gravity and may help you stay upright when walking on ice. Holding your arms out to the side may also assist with balance although, admittedly, that’s not the easiest manouevre on a crowded city centre footpath. Taking short steps is better than striding manfully forward and shuffling may also have some advantages. Best of all, of course, is to stay home if you can.
