We seldom get snow in Southport but I took this in January 2010:
It was only about 6 inches deep but the problem was that it lasted weeks & the local authority only made one outing with sand & salt before they ran out. After a few days all the side roads were lethal with inches of compacted snow that lasted weeks. I managed to get stuck a number of times while visiting clients & took to carrying old clothes, shovels, bits of carpet & anything else I could lay my hands on.
As a total contrast, last year I prepared with a snow plough & a dozen 50 lb bags of salt, but never saw a snowflake, the roads were never the less still lethal with black ice all over the place, making a rear wheel drive car interesting to drive, to say the least.
This year I've bought winter wheels & tyres which I consider a sensible & responsible approach to winter driving where I take my safety and that of my family seriously, but each to their own!.