Amazing how dangerous a little powdered snow can be...

[coltle6920]

I could've cleaned off my sidewalk with the leaf blower...It was so fine and light.

Temps were around 12degrees when I went to the market this afternoon.Just a little dusting of snow on the streets and sidewalks.I couldn't believe how slick the roads were.You might've thought that CDOT replaced the Mag Chloride with Hoppe's 9.

Maybe it's time to thank that slowpoke in front of you.They might have just saved you from doing something stupid.

 

[billwill]

Slip and slide time out there. Be safe

 

[30-30remchester]

There ain't nothing more fun than watching inexperienced people in the snow. I just followed a flatlander in a Jeep that never exceeded 25 mph in a 65 mph zone. I could see both her hands locked onto the steering wheel. Then there are the folks with stylish shoes trying to walk on ice. They get introduced to the ground but dang the look cool. I think the ones that make me chuckle the most are the people completely bundled up, head to toe, inside their running cars with heaters on. And to think I only have 3 more months to be entertained.

 

[carpriver]

My idea of fun is a light snow on the freezing rain that froze over night.

 

[Peak53]

.... And to think I only have 3 more months to be entertained.

Please explain. Is this good news or bad news?

 

[rwsmith]

I think he means.....

Please explain. Is this good news or bad news?

I think he means until spring. It's good news for the slippy slidey car drivers but bad new for people that enjoy watching the action.

 

[gman51]

If we have snow flurries in Houston people take off work because they are so scared to drive on snow. They called it a blizzard and I told them it was just flurries. They have no idea what a white out is.

 

[coltle6920]

If we have snow flurries in Houston people take off work because they are so scared to drive on snow. They called it a blizzard and I told them it was just flurries. They have no idea what a white out is.

Everyone knows that white out is used for typewriter mistakes.

SHEESH!

 

[coltle6920]

I've been driving for 50yrs and still get that occasion where I say to myself..."Just keep going...Pretend you meant to do that 360 in traffic."

 

[Frank46]

Living in NYC years ago, every time it snowed it was like attending "driving in snow 101 classes". Coming home from work one day traffic was slow but steady when this car actually slid across 4 lanes of traffic not hitting anyone and coming to a stop on the grass. The young lady actually had no idea of what just happened. Another time guy went off the road and took out a sign on the highway and almost hit the overpass abuttment. Used to work 24/7/365 so did see a lot of mishaps. Frank

 

[rwsmith]

Ice is worse than snow.....

Snow, you just keep going steadily. Ice you have no control over where the car goes. Around here when inclement weather hits, people drive faster to get to their destination quicker and get out of the weather.

In 1972, we had what to us was a very heavy snow, 6-8". My only problem was that I couldn't tell where the curbs were in the road, but I went out to deliver my papers. As I was going around the neighborhood, I was stopped short. On a street that wasn't even close to being a busy street, (I hesitate to use the word 'main' because even the main streets were totally residential. Anyway, there was a police cruiser skewed sideways in the road. I got out to see what was wrong and there was nobody in the cruiser, I looked all around, there was nobody in sight. I had to back up and go around the block to pick up where I left off. I've never been able to figure that out. He must have panicked and just run off.

 

[steveno]

one of my roommates was from Memphis , had just got a car and wanted to drive into Frankfurt. there was about 2 or 3 inches of snow and the streets on base were kind of slick but no big deal if you have drove on snow before. well being from Memphis basically meant that he had never drove on snow so after sliding through a couple of intersections on base I told him to let me drive or I would take the bus downtown and he could "solo" to Frankfurt. he decided that he would take the bus as well.

 

[steelslaver]

Yesterday I drove the blushing bride to Billings MT for a hearing. Did I mention I got married in early Dec? Anyway been arounnd 0 and below here and lots of dry fluffy snow. There was a btrady good breeze and it was blowing snow in such a way that there was often no visibility for about a ft off the ground. In places it was drifting pretty bad across the road maybe 6" -12" in spots and doing it fast because I caught up to a snow plow. Basically drive by looking at the road markers. Coming back home in the afternoon it had mostly quit blowing and for the most part roads bare and dry. Sometimes we get a ground blizzard. Not really snowing, but there is enough powdered snow that the wind causes lots of it to become airborne and visibility drops to near zero (white out) and big drifts form real fast. Very treacherous.

 

[OLDSTER]

Slick

Living in ND and driving in tough winters my whole life, I thought I was a pretty good "slick road" driver; that was until last Tuesday I approached a busy intersection a little too fast and as the light turned red, I locked up my brakes. Fortunately other cars at the 4-way hadn't begun to move, because there I was; 69 years old in my Jeep doing a double donut in the intersection Fortunately hit nothing, and retreated from the area with my head hung low in embarrassment

BTW did I mention that my wife was along? No further explanation necessary:

 

[OLDSTER]

I've been driving for 50yrs and still get that occasion where I say to myself..."Just keep going...Pretend you meant to do that 360 in traffic."

I hear ya loud and clear Read my post #14. I gave drivers a show earlier this week

 

[retiredbadge8091]

Fresh snow means "slow down." Remember, that nice 4x4 pick-up or decked out Jeep will probably go like hell but it won't stop any better than a heavy old Buick.

Worst shift to work was "days" in the morning on a school day with fresh snow. Just the slide offs would keep us busy past lunch. Throw in an occasional multi-car pile up and the police calls really started to "backlog." (In the west, we seldom do "snow days" where schools are cancelled and work stops.)

Now that I'm retired I thank my lucky stars that I can look out the window at home and decide for myself that I'm just staying put and pouring myself another cup.

So please think of our police and state troopers and slow down, especially when passing a crash scene with those red and blue flashing lights.

 

[steelslaver]

Yes, do think of the LEOs and tow truck drivers when roads are bad. Saw a couple of cars in the barrow ditches yesterday (empty). Slow way down when you pass them on bad roads.

But, slow down period. Averaging 50 mph instead of 65mph took me an extra 30 minutes going 125 miles to Billings yesterday. Running off the road, would have cost us far more time, maybe money or injury/death. ( a few times I slowed to 30-35)

When I grew up empty parking lots and frozen lakes made for some fun times that where actually great for learning what happens on slick roads and what happens and how to deal with it. We used to have ice drag races. 2 well space car raced a short distance. All about traction control. Even laid out a couple of tracks and raced for time. Another fun sport was trying to run down a jack rabbit on a ranch road with snow piled high on both sides. You couldn't go off the road as it basically formed a chute. The rabbits probably didn't like it, but in those days they sold for a $1 a piece in the white in the round. When I was in HS, I stacked hay in the summer and on winter weekends fed cows.

My Ford Escape is actually pretty amazing with its 4 wheel traction control. Very difficult to make it slide sideways using power or braking even when you try to make itt happen.

 

[hoosierone]

When we retired I would have liked to move south and only see ice in my drink glass. Wife and I decided to stay here because both daughters and families were here. Last year one daughter moved to Texas where I would love to be. Oh well.

 

[30-30remchester]

I got a good 12" of partly cloudy last night. At 4 am I put the snowplow on the truck. It was snowing so hard I had about 20' visibility in front of the plow. I was the first off the mountain and could not see the road. I hope nobody followed my tracks as I went into the ditch, twice. It was so fluffy I could only travel 15 mph as the plow caused the snow to cover the hood and windshield, giving me zero visibility. This is more fun than a good beating with a rubber hose. Just stopped home to stoke the fire. Am heading back out as I plow out several elderly couple around town. Have fun out there.

 

[steelslaver]

I got a good 12" of partly cloudy last night. At 4 am I put the snowplow on the truck. It was snowing so hard I had about 20' visibility in front of the plow. I was the first off the mountain and could not see the road. I hope nobody followed my tracks as I went into the ditch, twice. It was so fluffy I could only travel 15 mph as the plow caused the snow to cover the hood and windshield, giving me zero visibility. This is more fun than a good beating with a rubber hose. Just stopped home to stoke the fire. Am heading back out as I plow out several elderly couple around town. Have fun out there.

Good man. I commend you for your efforts to help those around you. I have a plow that needs a bit of fix up (slightly bent blade). Then dump the trasher camper off the old Ford diesel I bought and mount the plow. Been lazy and one of my neighbors works for a sand and gravel outfit and he brings a loader home from work about once a week and gets my U shaped drive. I find it easier to throw him a steak on the BBQ once in the while than fix up my own set up.