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

In MN, you dress for the worst that could happen in winter. Black ice, speeding driver, quick ground blizzard. I've been cold enough often enough. I have extra warm gear in the truck, and have no problem looking like the Jolly Green Doughboy when it gets cold. If I have to walk, I will survive. If I have to sit in the truck in a ditch overnight, I will survive.
My truck is 2wd and I get where I want by being careful. I've driven past a lot of 4wd vehicles in need of tow trucks because they believed the TV ads.

I also feel no need to prove I can drive in a blizzard. If the roads are bad enough to need 4wd, I stay home and let the plows work. Not having 4wd means nobody expects me to be out and about when the weather moves in.
 
Here in Minden, Nevada, it was raining yesterday and snowing last night. Studded snow tires, 4wd, and driving easy will serve me well.

Highway 88 connects Minden, Nevada over the Sierras to California. When I cross over during weather like this, I expect to see at least one car off the road. On the best day, I saw one pick-up truck against a tree, a pick-up truck rolled over, and a truck on the side in a ditch. I am very accommodating by pulling over to the side of the road to let tailgaters to pass. As they disappear down the road at high speed, I know that soon I will be seeing them again. There are some people that have to learn the hard way about driving in snow and ice.
 
The great perks of being retired. I don't have to go out, have plenty of food stocked up, generator with lots of gas. and if need be plenty of deer in the field. SANY2442.jpg

Heck my 500 ft driveway is usually cleared to the asphalt days before the road is cleared of snow, never know when a delivery is commin'.
 
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There is a "possibility" for a little snow or something here late tomorrow night. Winter storm warnings are already being broadcast. When they predict it we usually don't get it. When they don't predict it we do, but not very often. One inch will paralyze the traffic around here. We only see snow every few years and then not much. My grandson is almost four and he's never seen it. If we get it I'm going to go play with him.
 
We get a lot of "flatlanders" from the west side (mostly Seattle and Portland). It seems like one or two are in serious accidents heading home on Monday mornings every winter weekend.

A few years ago, I was in charge of our office over the holidays. Most staff were gone but there were usually 5-6 of us in. Our Regional Office in Portland and the State Office in Lacey closed after 3" of snow. We got 26+" and stayed open until the Forest Service closed (We sub-lease)after State Patrol recommended we go home and STAY THERE!

Was on leave between the holidays and had to run to the office to talk to my boss. On Tuesday, I saw a big accident (Small car with nothing left in front of the windshield). They had someone on a gurney, all covered, temp in the low teens and not hurrying to put him/her in the "bus" (Presumably a DB). From the scene and location, someone was going too fast.
 
I've driven tens of thousands of miles in snow and never wrecked a vehicle until last night, on one inch of snow!
Went up the hill without a spin, twenty-five minutes later I started down the same hill and the tires lost all traction, My 10 MPH decent turned into about a 20 MPH bobsled ride culminating in going through a ditch and center punching a dead tree. Worst part, my wife had wrecked the same vehicle in early October and we've had it back for less than a month. $9,700 last time. I'm betting about $6,000 this time.
 
I've driven tens of thousands of miles in snow and never wrecked a vehicle until last night, on one inch of snow!
Went up the hill without a spin, twenty-five minutes later I started down the same hill and the tires lost all traction, My 10 MPH decent turned into about a 20 MPH bobsled ride culminating in going through a ditch and center punching a dead tree. Worst part, my wife had wrecked the same vehicle in early October and we've had it back for less than a month. $9,700 last time. I'm betting about $6,000 this time.

Sorry to hear about your escapade.It must have been a sick feeling sitting there knowing you were just along for the ride and couldn't do anything about it.

Makes you wonder how these self-driving cars will handle the bad weather conditions...Will they know to turn on the wipers when it's pouring rain? Will they be able to sense road conditions like ice and snow? Might as well put a hood over the passengers head so they don't see what's coming.
 
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