Posted: 1/7/2005 4:34:20 AM EDT
|
Most people don't do well driving in the snow. I HAVE to drive into Bellingham from Arlington today to work on furnaces . I've got chains but I think I am going to start out with a rather judicious relief of tire pressure to get more of a footprint on the ground. I wish I could just call it a snow day and stay home but I have already been told it is a must that I am ready to roll. Oh well, it's their van and insurance. Wish me luck guys it's gonna be a long day. Railgun.... 
|
|
Is there snow out there? As you may know, I'm a non-native fucktard. Where I did grow up was the Lake Erie snow belt. I have some snow driving experience. I completely understand why not many drivers out here know how to drive in the snow. I have never used chains on anything besides a lawn tractor. My first year here was... 1996. Seeing and listening to all the chains was a new experience for me, and quite amusing. 
|
|
Snow? What's that? Every year over here, I put my studded snow tires on the first day of the season. When the first snow rolls around, the parking lot at Les Schwab is packed with cars stacked in the streets and all over the place. It's great! Plus, the first snow thins out all the westside students. They play bumpercars for a day or so and then walk everywhere. 
|
|
Puuuhleezzz..... I just got done driving from Lynden to Point Roberts. Holy Crap..Until I got to Blaine my worst problem was the tilted telephone pole with the wire in the street on Badger Road. Oh, and 40mph wind, blowing snow and whiteout conditions. Canada, however just sucked. The roads were plowed, but some FU*Tard in a 4wd Lexus thought 30mph was appropriate in the passing lane. Hopefully the swing shift will be able to make it in and I won't be stuck here until Saturday. |
|
A few tips for the non snow people. The biggest sin on bad roads is speed. 4WD might make you go, but does nothing to help you stop. Shadey areas, bridges and tunnels freeze first. Watch them. Ice on the road is not always readily visible even to those who know what to look for. Slow down. Watch tire spray. Rain sprays, ice doesnt. Slow down. When stuck, rock back & forth. When you start to crest the divot, gas it and keep going. Applying gas with the wheel turned creates resistance to movement. Keep your tires straight as possible, at least until you get moving. FWD- Turn the front wheels ever so slightly back and forth in an attempt to find traction. Slow down. When approaching intersections, slow very early. The intersection may be the worst place to stop. Ice and sluch can make a restart very hard. Ice can also send you in the intersection. Slow down. Better traction may be found out of the tracks of traffic, discretion is paramount, as you can also be put int he ditch fromt his. And above all else, slow down. |
Home Piece - you are so wise. Ohio will never be the same without either of us there 
|
| Just came into towm from Ferndale to Bellingham. The roads are slick with lots of drifts, but the biggest problem was the white out. I could not see anything. Between the snow and the dark it was rough. I was born and raised in the area. This used to be norm. It has been a while since we had a good storm. Maybe some of those Kalifornia Libs will hit the road if we have a rough winter. I can hope cant I. |
|
Yup, it seems like driving in winter conditions here was never an issue here until we had the sudden influx of all the non-native fucktards, the southern variety in particular. And freezing in tunnels? Say what? Is that an Ohio thing or something? I don't recall ever seeing ice inside any of the tunnels around here, both automotive and railroad. |
I don't know that I would bother letting much air out of the tires to try and get a bigger footprint. You'd have to let so much out to gain an appreciably larger footprint that the sidewalls would be bulged out and handling would be noticably affected, too. Not much sense in making your van handle sloppier in already sloppy conditions. At least the heating company van that ran into the back of my Suburban a few months ago had good insurance. And it wasn't even wet or icy out.
|
Oh gee, I'm so stung. Maybe next time you see ice in the Battery Street or I-90 tunnels you could take a picture of it for us. I'm sure it will be a long wait.  |
|
Hell, most of the fucktards around here can't even drive in the RAIN, much less in the snow (even a 1/4" scares the hell out of them.) What was funny was the grocery store yesterday. People were freaking out and buying huge baskets of supplies, thinking they'd be snowed in for weeks. Of course here in the Renton Highlands, we got 1/2" of snow that was stuck around for about 2 hours, and never really stuck to the roads..... |
|
What is in Puyallup, besides the Gun Show --- a HOME Show? 10,000 Maniacs; Lost in Puyallup & sliding around in the snow...not to mention everyone going to and from this area. I'm doin' the OB-GYN and staying home with the Wife & Kids. DVD's and popcorn... At least my 4WD Jimmy will be in one piece in my driveway next week when it snows again. Lesser of two evils this time.  |
why are u getting all pissing about people be preparing for the worse. I have read quite few post here of people preparing for a lot crazier ideas.
|
|
Yup, it seems like driving in winter conditions here was never an issue here until we had the sudden influx of all the non-native fucktards, the southern variety in particular. Too bad the morons here never KNEW HOW TO DRIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE...Jesus Christ, I've never seen such a bunch of NW morons who knew that driving 50MPH in the "fast lane" and not being able to merge on to ANY ROAD should have someone take their licenses away. |
There's no law forcing you to live here, is there? Don't go away mad, just go away. Repeat as necessary until the problem corrects itself. |
Cuz they should be prepared ALREADY, and not after the first snow hits the ground. They obviously don't have their tinfoil hats on tight enough... 
|
|
I lived in Michigan until 1998. I learned how to drive in the snow, I've taken four hours to do a one hour freeway drive because of snow, I've gotten off of the freeway and taken surface streets to make my trip because I knew that a certain stretch of I-94 West of Detroit would be a problem that day and I avoided being in a 50-80 car smash up. I now have a RWD truck that is for shit in the snow, combine that with people who don't have enough experience driving in snow and I don't have enough safety room to get out of their way when they are heading for me out of control, thus I park the truck for the day or two it takes the snow to vanish. Sure I'd like 4WD rig, but the RWD is paid for! BTW- No chains or studded tires in Michigan. |
A mans gotta know his limitations! If the weather sucks and driving isn't a good idea for me, I guess I'm stuck going to any of the 15+ bars within 5 minutes of walking distance or the 3 grocery stores within 15 minutes walking distance. |
The nearest bar to me is a half-hour walk; the nearest store is an hour walk. Guess my spare jeep will have to fill in. |
Can't be much extra room in that standard cab ranger either! |
Meh. It's those hippies from California I'm scared of. Who cares about snow? |
thats why i got my dad to buy a wrecked 4x4 '87 pathfinder for $700, NOW we have $1000 in it total and we have an "OFF ROAD" vehiclehe our two mercedes benzs wont do well either, nor the lexus or the buick --- funny the cheapest car is best for the worst conditions, go figurehell, |
| It was snowing today, but it wasn't sticking to the roads, and I was doing the speed limit in the 50 zone when some asshat pulled out in front of me and decided that he was deathly afraid of the snow that was not even sticking to the road. It was wet FFS. I'm not about to pass him on that part of 302 either, so I followed him for several miles, when he was doing about half the speed limit. It was annoying because I had to get to work. |