How to use the online alarm clock
With the gritter checks finished, you are heading away for a short break before the overnight run following snowfall in the Highlands. An alarm set for 12:57 am gives you a clear cue to leave, rather than relying on a glance at the clock. It also falls just before 1:00 am, making the departure easy to place in the night’s schedule.
Before walking away, keep this alarm page open and make sure the sound is turned up high enough to hear from where you will be waiting. If you close the page or allow the phone or computer to sleep, the alarm may not sound, leaving the gritter departure without its cue. Keeping the equipment powered and the browser active until 12:57 am reduces the chance of missing the signal.
A gritter setting out at this hour may find quieter Highland roads, but snowfall, drifting patches and untreated stretches can make the journey take longer than an empty route suggests. Allow time for a slower run to the starting point, especially on minor roads before joining a main route. A quick check of the planned road and current local conditions before leaving helps keep the 12:57 am departure realistic.
Common questions
Does the alarm still work if I close the tab?
No. Everything runs inside this page, so closing the tab — or quitting the browser altogether — ends the countdown there and then. Leaving it open in the background is all it asks, and switching to another tab makes no difference.
What happens if my laptop goes to sleep before 12:57 am?
The tab sleeps along with it and the alarm will not sound on time, if at all. If you are relying on it, change the power settings so the machine stays awake, or keep a phone alarm running as well.
Do I need an account or an app?
Neither. Choose a time and a sound, press Start, and it runs in this browser tab. Nothing is downloaded, nothing is registered, and closing the page leaves nothing behind on the device.
Can I change the sound?
Yes, there is a short list of tones to pick from before you press Start. Softer sounds are easy to sleep through, so a firmer bell tends to be the safer choice for anything early in the morning.
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