A Very British Obsession

One of the things I really like about being British is our almost stereotypical obsession with the weather. Other countries have state of the art insulation in their house - like this, use snow tyres and chains, have adequate clothing, etc.
Here, we treat the winter and even the slightest flurry of snow as a surprise. It becomes newsworthy, being the lead story on BBC news website.
I like the pointless conversations about weather, but not the ongoing problems that we are told about each year. Elderly people being unable to heat their homes, schools being shut due to inadequate heating systems, the ongoing pressure many of us feel about paying those fuel bills.

Ok, so it looks nice, but isn't it about time we were better prepared for adverse weather - it happens every year and yet it's treated with the same amount of surprise usually reserved for the shock that Christmas is expensive.