Ice, ice – my God, check out the gravity and drama in TV and radio weather reports and anybody would think that we were about to be invaded by aliens or that a black plague was going to descend upon the country!

When in fact the only invasion will be by cheery faced carrot-nosed snowmen (and women) smiling insanely at passers by.

Now admittedly the past two winters have been the worst on record for more than 20 years, so surely the councils will be ready for the onslaught of ice and snow this year.

Or maybe we’ll hear the usual pathetic excuse, “We didn’t expect it.”

Well the back-room blunderers of the council have had all summer to stockpile road salt.

Last winter I was working for a local F1 team that had the foresight to check the weather forecasts, so they bought four Land Rovers which were kitted out and prepared for extreme weather conditions.

This ensured that key personnel could be picked up and transported to work in comfort, safety and on time.

But let’s not blame the officials for all of the chaos that will undoubtedly descend on our roads. Motorists also have the responsibility to drive according to the road conditions, and there is something about adverse weather that brings out the worst in some drivers.

It seems to turn otherwise ordinary people into macho road hogs who are scornful of any slow-moving vehicles that hold them up in their quest to prove that you can drive like an absolute idiot on treacherous roads if you want.

Obviously the Chelsea tractor mob will be smiling smugly at their decision to buy seven-ton V8 turbo charged supertankers. But it isn’t absolutely necessary to have a 4x4 monster truck in order to negotiate the roads at this time of year.

A friend of mine drives a Honda S2000, a low-slung two seat sports car. Last year, during the blizzards, he drove from Exeter to his home in Vienna.

His secret was to have winter tyres fitted and to keep a set of snow chains in the boot.

And remember, getting to work just to prove a point isn’t always essential.

To quote a well used but valid cliché, “Better to be half an hour late in this world, than 10 minutes early in the next!”