My rule is, if the roads are ice, I stay home. I've seen a Grayhound bus slide off the freeway sideways because he was forced to come to a complete stop on a banked curve. Somehow on that day I managed to keep enough space between me and the vehicle in front of me that I never had to stop. BTW, I idled all the way over that mountain pass, and haven't driven on ice since, except on a bicycle.
I learned to drive on red clay roads with no gravel. When it rained, those roads were slick as snail snot. Good for learning to drive on the occasional wet snow we get that turns to packed crushed ice after it's driven over a few times.
“I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer” ― Douglas Adams
Even in the Great White North, there is an annual learning curve when snow falls for the first time in a given year...Folks end up in the ditch all over the place until they remember how to drive on the white stuff....
Just had our first serious snow last night so yesterday I put about 300 pounds of sand tubes in the back of the truck in case I have to go anywhere....but... it's just easier to stay home until the county gets things cleared and salted...
Sharps Model 1874 - "The rifle that made the west safe for Winchester"
...until the county gets things cleared and salted...
Ugh - another reason to avoid the white stuff. I wouldn't be able to drive a 34 year old car in that kind of country - there wouldn't be anything of it left!
-Zorba, "The Veiled Male"
"If you get it and didn't work for it, someone else worked for it and didn't get it..."
The worst I've been in was a sudden white-out condition in Wolf Creek Pass. (Yep, it really exists). It took us over 3 hours to cover 10 miles, and it was white knuckle all the way. MY BIL was driving and for most of that time I had my head stuck out the passenger window trying to let him know where the edge of the road was. This was important since in switchbacks shoulders are almost non-existant and Colorado seems to not consider guardrails too important unless the drop is over 500 feet. But this was truly extreme. I've not experienced anything close since.
Closer to home, while not as terrifying as above, I was driving home from work one evening. Light snowfall with maybe at most 2" accumulation. Traffic was backed up on the Interstate for a mile at every exit. My exit was a gradual downhill slope. I was having no problem while moving. The problem was after sitting stopped for a couple minutes my truck would start sliding forward and sideways even with me standing on the brakes. All I can figure is that the warmth of my tires would melt the top layer of snow, but after a couple minutes it would refreeze. The end result was that not only was the road surface frozen, but my tires had turned into iceskates.
That was one hairy commute.
Mike
"Walking away seems to be a lost art form." N454casull
...until the county gets things cleared and salted...
Ugh - another reason to avoid the white stuff. I wouldn't be able to drive a 34 year old car in that kind of country - there wouldn't be anything of it left!
That's why you run your vehicle through the car wash every couple of week...not a speck of rust on any of my vehicles...including my wife's 1998 Jeep.
Sharps Model 1874 - "The rifle that made the west safe for Winchester"
I get irritated when they plow the snow. If it’s over 8”, okay I can see plowing it but I’d rather it just fall and lay the way it is. The city must not realize that it acts like railroad tracks and offers more traction than the mess the plow trucks leave behind.
Here in FL, folks seem to have a total brain freeze and anxiety attack when it rains. Doesn't matter what their license plate says.
That's really inconvenient in this state.
I have not seen this - people here seem to know how to drive in the rain to my observation - certainly better than in Mexifornia where they all go 45 in a 65 as soon as the first micro drop hits the windshield.
Must be relative...
-Zorba, "The Veiled Male"
"If you get it and didn't work for it, someone else worked for it and didn't get it..."
Mike, I concur with the 1-2" of snow being the worst. Unfortunately, that's about a normal snow total here and it normally follows a couple of warm days, then rain changing to snow. So there's almost ALWAYS a layer of ice under the snow
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates, Rule #37: There is no “overkill”. There is only “open fire” and “I need to reload”.
I get irritated when they plow the snow. If it’s over 8”, okay I can see plowing it but I’d rather it just fall and lay the way it is. The city must not realize that it acts like railroad tracks and offers more traction than the mess the plow trucks leave behind.
TRUE THIS!!!
If 2" fall they plow endlessly until the only surface left is ice. My advice, if it's 6" or less.....leave it alone. More than that......plow it down to about 2" above the road surface. Scraping down to the ice is hardly helpful.
"Walking away seems to be a lost art form." N454casull
The worst I've been in was a sudden white-out condition in Wolf Creek Pass. (Yep, it really exists). It took us over 3 hours to cover 10 miles, and it was white knuckle all the way. MY BIL was driving and for most of that time I had my head stuck out the passenger window trying to let him know where the edge of the road was. This was important since in switchbacks shoulders are almost non-existant and Colorado seems to not consider guardrails too important unless the drop is over 500 feet. But this was truly extreme. I've not experienced anything close since. .
Mike
My worst was the 4th. elk season in Colorado 1969, we were coming back from Gypsum on old hiway 6 before the tunnel and I-70 were completed I had my 67 Bronco pulling a 17' travel trailer. going up the west side of Loveland Pass wasn't to bad, snowing until we got close to the top (12,000') than we were in blizzard conditions coming down the east side was a nightmare, almost complete whiteout , I was in lo 4wd at about 5 mph and thanks to good trailer breaks and my wife holding a flashlite out the window so i could see the side if the road we made it to Georgetown where we spent the night in George Pugh's service station. For those of you who have never been across Loveland Pass the switchbacks are kinda like a snake with a broken back.
JAY
THE DEFINITION OF GUN CONTROL IS HITTING THE TARGET WITH YOUR FIRST SHOT
The purpose of plowing even small amounts is to make it melt faster. What’s gonna melt faster? 5” of slush, or .5” of ice/snow combo?
Who cares! According to Al Gore the global climate change Ho, the polar bears are gonnna be wearing Raybans, wearing SPF 70 suntan lotion, and chasing seals on Hobie Catamarans in a few years anyway!
“I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer” ― Douglas Adams
I get irritated when they plow the snow. If it’s over 8”, okay I can see plowing it but I’d rather it just fall and lay the way it is. The city must not realize that it acts like railroad tracks and offers more traction than the mess the plow trucks leave behind.
If you don' t clear around the intersections it gets all polished up from stopping and starting with spinning tires, that is the biggest problem I have, you find out the hard way the intersection is like this and you do the quick left and right look and just go for it if you can, once everybody gets the hang of winter driving this is usually no big deal, but stuff gets interesting some mornings.
I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn away from their ways and live. Eze 33:11
Perspectives: For me driving in the US, usually in FL, is an absolute driver's pleasure, specially considering the kind of traffic we have to deal with down here; still, didn't drove in CO when we visited it 2 years ago since we didn't had to and winter driving conditions aren't my favorite, and noticed that people in NY tend to drive really fast.
Our dull local climate that never drops below 55°F and has no virtual rains prevents us from learning snow driving skills; for me it was a first time some years ago when the in-laws took us from Chile to Argentina in a ski trip; had to attend a friend's wedding at Santiago so my BIL took his little Toyota Yaris along with my SIL's van so we could return 2 days earlier; basically got a crash-course of how to install tire chains and the advice of keeping a constant speed and never letting the accelerator go, and off we went in a dreadful snow storm through almost deserted country roads and with the mandatory crossing pass of the Andes as "bonus". Surprisingly the little front-wheel drive sedan withstood without chains most of the 120+ miles of steep, curvy snow-covered mountain roads, including many long non-paved sections, until just 2 miles short of the Argentinian side of the border checkpoint, where I slipped into the curb and ended up stuck in the snow with no tire traction whatsoever; took some time, effort and hands freezing but finally was able to put the tire chains and free the car, but kept struggling with the snow for a few more hours until we reached the city of Pucon in the Chilean side, but then had to deal with a very heavy rain that poured on us for the rest of the 500-miles trip....not what I'd consider fun at all!!
I'd rather drive on rough rutted ice than snowplowed smooth ice. At least you have a bit of traction. Leave the plows in the barn until it hits 8". I don't care how long it takes to melt.
Mike
"Walking away seems to be a lost art form." N454casull
Germans are good, but aggressive drivers. They pay a lot to go to mandatory driving school...............Fahrschule.
If they weren't, their population would be more decimated on the Autobahns than it already is.
It's only true if it's on this forum where opinions are facts and facts are opinions
Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!
One major issue that most folks don't consider anymore when buying tires is the compound that they're made of. You can find two similar tread patterns with one tire costing quite a bit more than the other and it's usually because it has a higher natural rubber content. Cheap tires are mostly polyester and wear out fast and don't grip for crap on ice. A high quality tire with a high rubber content will grip substantially better on ice. I grew up in Wisconsin in the days of chains and studded snow tires and in the mid seventies my dad put a set of General radials on my mom's car and they gripped so well that he didn't have to put the snow tires on it anymore. Tread pattern isn't the only big difference between tires.
Germans are good, but aggressive drivers. They pay a lot to go to mandatory driving school...............Fahrschule.
If they weren't, their population would be more decimated on the Autobahns than it already is.
I think drivers pretty much anywhere in Europe are better than Americans from what little I've observed. Remind me to tell you about the time my wife almost ran a cop off the road just outside Rhodes town...
-Zorba, "The Veiled Male"
"If you get it and didn't work for it, someone else worked for it and didn't get it..."
Italian taxi drivers were my overseas favorites. All were a bunch of Mario Andretti wannabes. One foot on accelerator, one hand on the horn, and screaming obscenities out the open driver's window. Best ride EVER!
“I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer” ― Douglas Adams
I'd rather drive on rough rutted ice than snowplowed smooth ice. At least you have a bit of traction. Leave the plows in the barn until it hits 8". I don't care how long it takes to melt.
Mike
That would work if every car had the same width. You may be fine in a truck, but try it in a Chevy Spark.
I had a Cruze and it would bounce from one rut to the other like it had a mind of its own.....
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." Thomas Jefferson
Replies
― Douglas Adams
Just had our first serious snow last night so yesterday I put about 300 pounds of sand tubes in the back of the truck in case I have to go anywhere....but... it's just easier to stay home until the county gets things cleared and salted...
― Douglas Adams
"If you get it and didn't work for it, someone else worked for it and didn't get it..."
Closer to home, while not as terrifying as above, I was driving home from work one evening. Light snowfall with maybe at most 2" accumulation. Traffic was backed up on the Interstate for a mile at every exit. My exit was a gradual downhill slope. I was having no problem while moving. The problem was after sitting stopped for a couple minutes my truck would start sliding forward and sideways even with me standing on the brakes. All I can figure is that the warmth of my tires would melt the top layer of snow, but after a couple minutes it would refreeze. The end result was that not only was the road surface frozen, but my tires had turned into iceskates.
That was one hairy commute.
Mike
N454casull
Here in FL, folks seem to have a total brain freeze and anxiety attack when it rains. Doesn't matter what their license plate says.
That's really inconvenient in this state.
"If you get it and didn't work for it, someone else worked for it and didn't get it..."
If 2" fall they plow endlessly until the only surface left is ice. My advice, if it's 6" or less.....leave it alone. More than that......plow it down to about 2" above the road surface. Scraping down to the ice is hardly helpful.
N454casull
JAY
― Douglas Adams
Our dull local climate that never drops below 55°F and has no virtual rains prevents us from learning snow driving skills; for me it was a first time some years ago when the in-laws took us from Chile to Argentina in a ski trip; had to attend a friend's wedding at Santiago so my BIL took his little Toyota Yaris along with my SIL's van so we could return 2 days earlier; basically got a crash-course of how to install tire chains and the advice of keeping a constant speed and never letting the accelerator go, and off we went in a dreadful snow storm through almost deserted country roads and with the mandatory crossing pass of the Andes as "bonus".
Surprisingly the little front-wheel drive sedan withstood without chains most of the 120+ miles of steep, curvy snow-covered mountain roads, including many long non-paved sections, until just 2 miles short of the Argentinian side of the border checkpoint, where I slipped into the curb and ended up stuck in the snow with no tire traction whatsoever; took some time, effort and hands freezing but finally was able to put the tire chains and free the car, but kept struggling with the snow for a few more hours until we reached the city of Pucon in the Chilean side, but then had to deal with a very heavy rain that poured on us for the rest of the 500-miles trip....not what I'd consider fun at all!!
N454casull
Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!
"If you get it and didn't work for it, someone else worked for it and didn't get it..."
― Douglas Adams
I had a Cruze and it would bounce from one rut to the other like it had a mind of its own.....
― Douglas Adams
"If you get it and didn't work for it, someone else worked for it and didn't get it..."