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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2011 12:28:22 GMT -5
Another Southerner here. We have NO snow removal equipment. Usually, we MIGHT get snow once a year, so it's kind of an 'event' when it happens. And our city shuts down when it snows. It's probably for the best because drivers here are awful even when the sun is shining.
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doxieluvr
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Post by doxieluvr on Feb 21, 2011 12:29:55 GMT -5
neoh, those are the ones that do not know how to drive. I am a firm believer that everyone should have to go through a foul weather driving instruction course. If you do not pass the snow test, you don't get to drive in the snow.
I mostly see people with little cars that have the most issue around here. They slide off the roads, get stuck in the ditch, and can't go up hills. It just makes for a hassle for other drivers that are able to move.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Feb 21, 2011 12:36:00 GMT -5
The ones that can't go up hills make me nuts. No, I don't want to have to come to a complete stop on the hill and start again bc you are going 10mph up the hill and have thus created a half mile long string of traffic.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Feb 21, 2011 12:37:13 GMT -5
so we should not be driving the little 2wd sporty cars either.
If you know how to drive in snow and know your car's limitations, a 2 WD car can do quite well. Until I got my Forester (which I bought for height profile rather than AWD), I easily drove my Mazda MX6 in upstate NY and my Sentra around KY, with no issues in snow.
I much prefer the handling of my Forester iin snow, but 2 WD cars can be perfectly adequate.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Feb 21, 2011 12:39:43 GMT -5
2 wd cars can be fine. The problems I see around here are with things like an eclipse. Or maybe the problem's just they can't drive period even in good weather. Which is probably true.
Interestingly I know my grandma could get in and out of her SIL's Forester quite easily. I thought my Impreza would be too low for her to get in and out of easily but we had to take my car the other day and she was fine.
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Post by neohguy on Feb 21, 2011 12:39:47 GMT -5
neoh, those are the ones that do not know how to drive. I am a firm believer that everyone should have to go through a foul weather driving instruction course. If you do not pass the snow test, you don't get to drive in the snow. I mostly see people with little cars that have the most issue around here. They slide off the roads, get stuck in the ditch, and can't go up hills. It just makes for a hassle for other drivers that are able to move. I don't think it's so much the vehicle as it is the operator. I usually drive a company F250 or E250 2wd service truck. Like most service trucks, you have to know the ability of the truck, your own ability, and everybody elses ability. As far as wrecks and accidents go, I see everything from semi's to small cars. I really believe the problem has more to do with excessive speed and crude behavior. I live in NE Ohio and we get a fair amount of snow and ice. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2011 12:41:46 GMT -5
I drive a small car. I keep it tucked safely in the garage when it snows.
I lost control of a Monte Carlo way back when I was in high school, after school let us out early because of snow. I still clearly remember how scary it was sliding sliding sliding, and being unable to contol or stop the car until I finally slid into the curb. I'm glad it was only a curb, but it broke the axle on the car. I got out and walked around the corner to a friend's house. Mom didn't say a word about the damage to the car, she was just happy I wasn't hurt, since it could've been worse.
Now I do myself and everyone else a favor and sit my butt down somewhere when it snows.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Feb 21, 2011 12:42:09 GMT -5
One of my brother's supervisors came in last year when they got really hammered with snow complaining he got his F350 hung up in the parking lot. Guy didn't know Ford still has manually locking hubs. A couple clicks and the truck was suddenly free. Of course these are the same people that also flipped a bobcat in December. I worry about them working around my brother and his friends. I'd prefer they come home from work.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Feb 21, 2011 12:42:12 GMT -5
The problem drivers are usually the SUV drivers that believed the 30 sec TV commercials but slept through physics 101.
LOL....a couple years ago, there was a 4 WD jeep tailgating me in my Sentra. I finally pulled over and let him go ahead, since he wanted to go fast so bad. I was driving for conditions.
He slid through a traffic light, took out a fence and drove into the ditch about 100 yards ahead of me. Fence was a nice fence, I imagine the homeowner was not a happy camper.
If you do not drive for the conditions, it doesn't matter what kind of car you drive.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2011 12:44:18 GMT -5
. That would be me wvu. Sorry.  |
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Feb 21, 2011 12:45:01 GMT -5
My little Honda Accord did awesome in snow--as long as it was less than 1 foot on the roads (it would try to push the snow over the hood of the car, previous owner warned me about that, I didn't need to find out on my own). Slap a set of studs on it and it was good to go, one of the best cars ever. Also had a Toyota Corona (not the station wagon) and it would go places the 4WD Jeep couldn't go. I had to drive up a steep hill to get to work and left with the Jeep, turned around and exchanged it for the Toyota because the Jeep kept sliding.
Best car I had for freeway driving in the rain was a little subaru hatchback--that thing never hydroplaned once when other cars would be put in another lane by the end of the bad puddles.
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doxieluvr
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Post by doxieluvr on Feb 21, 2011 12:50:22 GMT -5
One of my brother's supervisors came in last year when they got really hammered with snow complaining he got his F350 hung up in the parking lot. Guy didn't know Ford still has manually locking hubs. A couple clicks and the truck was suddenly free. Of course these are the same people that also flipped a bobcat in December. I worry about them working around my brother and his friends. I'd prefer they come home from work. How dumb can you be? I use to think this stuff was common knowledge. The more that I talk to people the more I realize how it is so not. |
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Post by neohguy on Feb 21, 2011 12:52:26 GMT -5
The other thing I try to remember (I wasn't born this way but learned it) is that other drivers might be from out of town, may be from the region but not familiar with the roads, may be young drivers, may be old drivers, may be terrified but have to go somewhere. When the roads are bad I leave early for work. If they're bad after work then I accept that it's going to be a long ride.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Feb 21, 2011 12:54:46 GMT -5
It is soo not common knowledge. I don't know why but it seems to be worse up here. I swear people knew things like this in WV. Not in DC/Baltimore. Forget about it.
The day we got snow last month I was one of three people who showed up for work.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Feb 21, 2011 12:55:04 GMT -5
Ummm, I didn't know that Ford trucks have manually locking hubs......
I've driven pick ups, but never any Fords.
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doxieluvr
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Post by doxieluvr on Feb 21, 2011 12:55:41 GMT -5
The problem drivers are usually the SUV drivers that believed the 30 sec TV commercials but slept through physics 101. LOL....a couple years ago, there was a 4 WD jeep tailgating me in my Sentra. I finally pulled over and let him go ahead, since he wanted to go fast so bad. I was driving for conditions. He slid through a traffic light, took out a fence and drove into the ditch about 100 yards ahead of me. Fence was a nice fence, I imagine the homeowner was not a happy camper. If you do not drive for the conditions, it doesn't matter what kind of car you drive. This is true, but certain vehicles do give you an advantage. I know I can out drive most people in the snow. That may be cocky, but I have been driving 4wd vehicles in all kinds of terrain all my life. I have a car that I can climb the big piles of snow that you see in parking lots. ;D I love the looks when I park on a snow bank. |
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Feb 21, 2011 12:57:16 GMT -5
I didn't know either but then I don't drive one. If you bought a vehicle with AWD/4WD I think you'd figure out what you had to do if anything to engage it. And apparently its been that way forever, all my older male relatives were laughing when my brother told the story.
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doxieluvr
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Post by doxieluvr on Feb 21, 2011 13:04:27 GMT -5
Ummm, I didn't know that Ford trucks have manually locking hubs...... I've driven pick ups, but never any Fords. I am sure if you owned/drove a 4wd ford truck daily, you would know if has manually locking hubs. Clearly the guy has never washed his own wheels. |
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Feb 21, 2011 13:08:16 GMT -5
No one washes their own cars here. I've never had so much trouble finding a damn car wash in my life.
I'd understand if it was one of the Metro trucks (their fleet is pretty much F350s) but it was his personal truck!
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Post by cw3jgn on Feb 21, 2011 13:10:10 GMT -5
His & Hers Jeeps. 1. Drive the proper vehicle 2. Drive for conditions 3. Let ignorant drivers pass 4. Enjoy the the snow & live as needed. We have a huge hill on a 4 lane road. After a good snow, there is at least one 4WD vehicle stuck in the median. All 4 above are important. Figured I'd recap the important comments. We're from upstate NY. We only got about 4 inches this AM... I was disappointed. Attachments:
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doxieluvr
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Post by doxieluvr on Feb 21, 2011 13:14:24 GMT -5
His & Hers Jeeps. 1. Drive the proper vehicle 2. Drive for conditions 3. Let ignorant drivers pass 4. Enjoy the the snow & live as needed. We have a huge hill on a 4 lane road. After a good snow, there is at least one 4WD vehicle stuck in the median. All 4 above are important. Figured I'd recap the important comments. We're from upstate NY. We only got about 4 inches this AM... I was disappointed. Cute! The picture is dark, but is that a liberty and a grand cherokee? Did your Jeeps want a girlfriend, cause I got a commander in the same color. ;D |
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Feb 21, 2011 13:16:59 GMT -5
We are talking about going skiing for spring break and my husband suggested we rent a 4WD SUV. I said "Wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy chains for the Accord?" What does a set of chains cost - it's got to be less than a hundred dollars.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Feb 21, 2011 13:23:37 GMT -5
Don't get me wrong, even the best, most experienced drivers would struggle in some cars (geo, smart cars, high performance sports cars). However I learned how to drive in a rear-wheel drive car, which some would argue are crap in snow. I never had a problem driving it.
I took my driving test in a snowstorm in November in upstate NY. The car I drove was the family car, a 1970 Ford Galaxy 500, with rear wheel drive. I drove that car to college for 4 years, including my internship in Lake Placid NY, during the winter. During that time, the car NEVER went off the road, I never had an accident where I could not stop. I got stuck on a hill once (during an ice storm, where nothing made it up the hill, including 4 WD).
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doxieluvr
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Post by doxieluvr on Feb 21, 2011 13:24:10 GMT -5
My family had a funny story during the last storm. I made it safely to my parents house, and my brother called to make sure the driveway and roads were fine. I told him I had no issues, so he decided he too was going to try to make the journey. He has a Ford 2wd service van, with tons of weight. He was able to get to the end of my parents driveway, however he was unable to get more than 20 yards up the driveway. So being the slick rick he is, decided to back the van up the driveway. He managed to get it about half way up, put the emergency brake on, shut it off, and walked the rest of the way to the house. He went in fixed a cup of coffee, chatted a bit, and then went back out to head to work. As he approched the driveway, the van started to slide down the driveway. My brother slid down the ice to the van and grabbed the bumper to try to stop it. The van continued down the driveway, across the road, and barely missed another car, all while my brother was still hanging off the back.
He was fine, and my only regret was I was not there to tape it.
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Post by cw3jgn on Feb 21, 2011 13:25:27 GMT -5
His & Hers Jeeps. 1. Drive the proper vehicle 2. Drive for conditions 3. Let ignorant drivers pass 4. Enjoy the the snow & live as needed. We have a huge hill on a 4 lane road. After a good snow, there is at least one 4WD vehicle stuck in the median. All 4 above are important. Figured I'd recap the important comments. We're from upstate NY. We only got about 4 inches this AM... I was disappointed. Cute! The picture is dark, but is that a liberty and a grand cherokee? Did your Jeeps want a girlfriend, cause I got a commander in the same color. ;D Yes, you got them both right. Mine is the Cherokee. We both know how to put each Jeep in 4WD low, just in case. The jeeps needing a friend? The more the merrier....  |
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doxieluvr
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Post by doxieluvr on Feb 21, 2011 13:31:31 GMT -5
We are talking about going skiing for spring break and my husband suggested we rent a 4WD SUV. I said "Wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy chains for the Accord?" What does a set of chains cost - it's got to be less than a hundred dollars. Chains are not all that cheap, add in the hassle of putting them on, and I would rent a car for the weekend. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2011 13:32:34 GMT -5
I just got back from picking up some groceries and noticed my teen neighbor put his Iroc Z28 down nose first in a deep ditch. I am surprised he didn't roll it! I hope he is ok. Silly boy being out on the roads with that little car!
My store is totally picked over. The produce department is really bare. The meat looked really bad so I didn't buy any of that even though I wanted meatloaf for dinner tonight. I guess I will do chicken tacos instead. I have ground chicken in my freezer still. The meat market close to my house was closed due to weather...so I had to drive about 2 miles to Kroger.
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TD2K
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Post by TD2K on Feb 21, 2011 13:33:51 GMT -5
A pair of chains for an Accord would be less than $100, you only need them for the front wheels. Get the cable type, not the older chain style.
They are a pain to put on but if you need them, it's amazing how much better you handle snow with them.
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doxieluvr
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Post by doxieluvr on Feb 21, 2011 13:34:19 GMT -5
Cute! The picture is dark, but is that a liberty and a grand cherokee? Did your Jeeps want a girlfriend, cause I got a commander in the same color. ;D Yes, you got them both right. Mine is the Cherokee. We both know how to put each Jeep in 4WD low, just in case. The jeeps needing a friend? The more the merrier.... Sweet! I love my Jeep, I hope you have as much fun with yours as I have had with mine! |
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TD2K
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Post by TD2K on Feb 21, 2011 13:37:34 GMT -5
If you do not pass the snow test, you don't get to drive in the snow
You'd have to run the test every year. When I lived in Alberta the first significant snowfall each year always caused a big surge in accidents for the first week or so till people remembered to slow down in snow, leave more room, etc.
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