Driving in the Snow

[cyrus buelton]

Seriously, is it really that hard?

I know there are a fair amount of people on this board that have probably never seen snow outside of a ski resort or of an upbringing in a snowy area, but I am sure there are plenty of members that get snow.

I grew up in Northern Indiana (South Bend) and snow was very regular due to "lake effect snow" as it is called.

I recall when I was in high school (1995-1999) that we RARELY got snow days. Most snow days were due to extreme temperatures, not snow fall. I recall several times going to school with 12in of snow on the ground.

make the beast with two backs, here in Columbus Ohio, 4inches absolutely destroys this town. It is pathetic.

Driving in the snow is not hard. Maybe because when I started to drive, my friends and I would make the beast with two backs around in vacant parking lots doing donuts and learning the art of counter steering with breaking, etc. Also might have helped me my best friend is a professional race car driver who grew up in USAC on dirt tracks. Who knows.

Yeah, I have an AWD Lexus RX300 and a front wheel drive Jetta TDI. I am not sure which is better in the snow, or for me, which is more fun to drive.

I was in the Lexus on Monday (wife had work off, I let her have the AWD SUV when it snows as her experience is not as broad as mine) and it was a make the beast with two backsing blast. I made a left out of my complex onto a 5 lane somewhat major road. No traffic and figured, what the make the beast with two backs, let's spin this sucker around and keep going left. I got about 180 around and my brain kicked in and figured if there was a LEO around, he/she would know what I was doing as it was obvious. Therefore, with a little gas, brake, and steering, I was back in the proper direction.

I just don't get what the deal with snow driving is!!!!

1. 4WD/AWD doesn't make you better in snow; you still can't stop faster
2. Going 5mph causes more problems
3. Morons, Morons, and Morons.


/////rant off.

[IZ]

didn't you post this last year?


Recall a snow driving thread. 

Agree..if you were brought up in the midwest/northern states and cant drive in it..you are an f'ing 'tard!

[cyrus buelton]

didn't you post this last year?


Recall a snow driving thread. 

Agree..if you were brought up in the midwest/northern states and cant drive in it..you are an f'ing 'tard!

I probably did.

Don't lump midwest with driving in the snow.

I currently live in the midwest and people in Columbus have no make the beast with two backsing clue how to drive in it.

You need to live, in my opinion, about 20mi south of the great lakes line and north to properly drive in the snow if you live in the midwest.



These morons in their big SUV's make the beast with two backsing kill me. They are the ones always in the ditch.

[derby]

Driving in the snow is not hard. Maybe because when I started to drive, my friends and I would make the beast with two backs around in vacant parking lots doing donuts and learning the art of counter steering with breaking, etc.

what'd you break?  

[Triple J]

The amount of drama that snow causes in a particular city is inversely proportional to the amount of snowfall that city gets every year.

3" snow here in Seattle and it's anarchy on the roads, and no one has school. Just the hint of snow in the forecast sends the media into full blown panic reporting. The last mayor didn't get re-elected largely due to the city's poor response to our major (for the area) snowstorm in January 2009 (maybe December 2008, can't remember).

1. 4WD/AWD doesn't make you better in snow; you still can't stop faster

4WD/AWD does make you better in the snow, compared to RWD (also FWD, but much less so)...but you're dead on about stopping. Most don't get the stopping concept. I think they get too comfortable with their perceived control, and let their speed get away from them. When I lived in Reno I had a 1/2 ton Chevy 4x4 with 33" tires and a 5" lift. It was awesome, and excellent in the snow...as is my current stock Xterra. Yet...most of the cars in the ditch were SUVs and large 4x4s there.  

(I also had a late 80's Nissan Sentra when I lived there. Also very good in the snow...especially because it had good ground clearance for a compact)

[IZ]

I probably did.
Don't lump midwest with driving in the snow.
I currently live in the midwest and people in Columbus have no make the beast with two backsing clue how to drive in it.
You need to live, in my opinion, about 20mi south of the great lakes line and north to properly drive in the snow if you live in the midwest.
These morons in their big SUV's make the beast with two backsing kill me. They are the ones always in the ditch.

OK..you're right on that.   

Agreed with Triple J..any snow in Seattle and you're parking at the bottom of your hill and walking up!  I can drive like a pro in snowy conditions but those hills in that place are crazy!!  Snow driving skill isn't going to save you from sliding uncontrollably down those steep grades!  Ugh..memories of the motorcycle show downtown.

[Stella]

I have much more appreciation for "other" drivers after hearing about the stress my nieces are going through trying to get their driving hours in to get their licenses.  ****Driving in the lake effect area north of - and often worse than - where you grew up CB along Lake Michigan.  "Perfect" drivers riding their 15 and 16 y/o behinds, the gestures....while they're still learning.

Hearing the stress that these impatient, perfect drivers is causing them has made me back off and not get so wound up with how "poorly" someone else is driving.  

[cyrus buelton]

@TripleJ - Yeah, it does make you better in the snow, as you have more traction, but these morons drive their usual 15+ over the speed limit of 40 and wonder why they go off the road or rear-end another vehicle while stopping. Sure, you can drive faster and beat shit up better in a straight line, but stopping won't help you.

@stella - I grew up by lake michigan with the lake effect snow. I could be at lake michigan in 40mins from my house. I know the snow around that area. It dumps hard and it dumps make the beast with two backsing fast. I just grew up with my parents driving in it, learned from them, and practiced when I got my license, along with advice from them.

The difference is the type of snow you receive. Northern areas of the "great lakes" area gets a nice, cold snow. Not some piece of shit wet snow. It is completely different to drive in.

I get pissed off because even if it snows, you don't need to drive 5mph to get to your destination.


Want to get to the real problem?

The type of plows used.

The plows here that the city uses are like your typical parking lot trucks: a front scraper blade.

That is NOT how you scrape off small amounts of snow.

You need under mounted scrape blades.

Disadvantage: It make the beast with two backss up the roads.

Ask Grifo.

He can tell you all about the pot holes in south bend.

Advantage: It cleans the roads


@derby: I hate you again

[GAAN]

no one is a good driver in the snow

not even pastrana

the snow conditions change hour by hour

the consistency and the traction afforded

it all changes

not to mention that rarely do individuals drive in the snow 24/7

it holds true with motorcyclists that live in seasonal areas

they ride really well at the end of the season and shitty at the beginning

now take that thinking to snow

it's not around very often, its properties change constantly, and when you are getting the hang of it

it melts and is gone

[cyrus buelton]

ok

[whackie]

eventually i'll end up living in north dakota.

i was born and raise is hawaii, where ppl can't drive in RAIN. but i'm afraid of the idea of driving in snow. bf says he has to take me home during xmas, so i can enjoy the snow. 

[Rev. Millertime]

Ok.... I see your gripe.

I've lived in central Minnesota... guaranteed snow.
I've live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area... guaranteed snow.
I now live in Fargo, ND.... LOTS OF make the beast with two backsING SNOW, and constant wind!

I could go on for pages of this thread with my rants on people's inability to drive in snowy/winter conditions...

We get one major storm a month.  Sometimes a lot of snow with 20+ mph winds, others are 1-2 inche with 20+ mph winds.  Either way, we get drifting and VERY icy roads.

I drive a 96 Volvo 850 with snow tires (non studded), and laugh my ass of every time it snows, at how many 4x4 pickups and 4x4 SUVs that I see in the ditch.  In 5 years of living here, I have not even come close to getting stuck or going in the ditch.

People are make the beast with two backsing stupid, and leave too much up to their vehicle when it comes to driving in winter weather. 

Fack, we have longer winters than most of the country.... almost more winter than summer, and people still can't drive.

[superjohn]

You should see it down here in the south. A 2 inch prediction has grocery stores packed with ravenous families stacking their carts with enough milk and bread to last 2 weeks. The people out on the roads have no clue what to do. They start to slide, and slam on the brakes. The overconfident SUV drivers don't slow down at all and careen into the nearest ditches. It's apocalyptic.

[metallimonster]

People in Columbus seriously make the beast with two backsing suck at driving in the snow or just driving period.

Case in point, on the freeway today going 65 (speed limit) nothing at all on the road and some make the beast with two backser going 20 pulls right in front of me in the make the beast with two backsing fast lane and wants to stay there going 20 mother make the beast with two backsing miles an hour.  Makes me want to follow the guy and beat the make the beast with two backsing piss out of him.  I don't care how fast you want to go but don't do it in the mother make the beast with two backsing fast lane.  Nothing in the world besides talking during a movie pisses me off more. 

People here freak the make the beast with two backs out when there is snow on the ground!

[ducpainter]

...and ranting on the internet will undoubtedly solve the problem.