Dangerous Snow Driving

diehardbiker said:
From time to time some NYS highways do close when winter condition is too severe. Portion of NYS thruway (I-90) closed twice in the past two months.
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People in Calif does not know how to drive in snow so they closed freeways and highways around here even it is only 1 inch on the ground. NE states people are better drivers than us here in Ca.
 
Maybe I should move to ND. In MD, people are idiots in all weather and dangerous at all times. If I were running things, very few people would be allowed to drive, for one simple reason: they wouldn't get a license unless they pass all tests at 100%. You don't know how to handle it, you shouldn't do it.

I grew up in MA. I know how to drive in inclement weather. I just avoid it because I don't want to deal with drivers with effective I.Q.'s of 60.

Right in my own neighborhood, people simply stop in the middle of the road, despite the plethora of free parking. Half my neighbors can't park straight, which indicates poor judgmental abilities for driving. I guarantee you I will witness an accident from my window one day, and I'm not helping the moron who caused it through his stupidity.
 
hmmm... I should have posted this story along with video. long story short - this snowstorm was very sudden and hit them unexpectedly.

Ice and Snow Cause Accidents, Snarl Traffic - West Virginia Headline News and Talk Radio
A slew of accidents around West Virginia brought traffic to a standstill Monday as the first significant snowfall of the season created slick roadways and hazardous driving conditions.

As many as 30 vehicles were involved in a pileup along the West Virginia Turnpike near Beckley Monday afternoon. One lane was shut down as traffic crawled northward near the split of Interstate 64 and Interstate 77.

Along Interstate 64 westbound between Cross Lanes and Institute, traffic came to a halt after motorists struggled to maintain control of their vehicles. Many residents who work in downtown Charleston were left on the roadway for hours as crews with the Division of Highways worked to salt and sand the road Monday afternoon and evening.

Temperatures fell into the lower 20s Monday afternoon, creating black ice along many roads. The National Weather Service issued a black ice warning.

Multiple portions of Interstate 77 were closed during the evening and afternoon hours Monday. Motorists reported being on the road for more than an hour between mile markers 107 and 111 in the Sissonville area. Ice shut down the interstate in both directions near the Tuppers Creek exit.

Interstate 79 was not immune from the traffic mess created Monday. I-79 in both directions was shut down at mile marker seven near Elkview.

Meanwhile, residential roads also experienced myriad problems with ice and snow Monday. Across the state, emergency officials closed roadways, diverted traffic and struggled to keep up as temperatures plummeted, creating thicker and stronger sheets of ice.

Dale Petry, the emergency services director for Kanawha County, said he expected widespread ice issues Tuesday morning.

"Motorists should mostly prepare for slick roads in the morning," Petry said. "Any areas that are typically wet will likely be ice covered."

Petry and other county officials were expected to meet just after 4 a.m. Tuesday to address weather problems around the county. Some forecasts called for anywhere between one to four inches of snow.

"It's hard to predict how much we're going to get, but we always prepare for the worst," Petry said.

Petry said driving in the winter weather often creates problems. But he said there are a number of tips that can help prevent most traffic accidents.

"Allow more time to get to work. Put more distance between you and the motorists in front of you, and just use more caution," Petry said.

In addition to causing traffic headaches, cold weather and snow can create increased potential for fires, Petry said. A generally mild winter season turned frigid Monday as temperatures sunk into the lower 20s by late afternoon.

Petry said it's important to be careful when using home heating equipment for the first time.

"This is our first really cold snap and snow accumulation of the year," Petry said. "I urge people to use caution using secondary heating in their homes. Make sure they're providing 36 inches clearing from their heating devices, so we don't have any fires."

Petry also said residents should have a three-foot "kid-free zone" around any heaters or fires, check fire places and install working smoke detectors.
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Wow....crazy driving...that not even such bad weather! Just normal winter.
 
This is actually not so bad. I'm thinking the reason why the EVO guy is driving faster is because he's got someone driving next with him.

I'd be more encouraged to drive a little faster if I was with people next to me. Now when I'm driving ALONE with no one next, behind, or in front of me on a white sheet in the highway, that's the scariest thing of all drives I've ever done. Have done a few of those, might try it again if I feel daring. But other than that, worst time to drive ever knowing no one is out there to rescue you if you screw up.
 
talking about fast snow storms, Nome, Alaska just got 18 feet of snow. The Coast Guard and a Russian tanker are in a mad dash to deliver emergency fuel to them as we speak.
 
Beowulf said:
It makes me nervous to be caught on the roads right after the first rain in a while, because the oil accumulated on them rise and makes it slick. Invariably people drive too fast in those conditions with the inevitable results.
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I almost met my death on roads like that due to another driver speeding on I-35 (fresh tar too) The girl clipped me and sent me spinning accross every lane. I somehow missed everything.
 
I was almost killed on icy roads years ago. Heavy snow and a tractor trailer jack knifed in the opposite lane (on coming traffic) and was sliding right at me - its trailer was covering my lane. I had to drive into a ditch to avoid getting hit head on.
 
Steinhauer said:
talking about fast snow storms, Nome, Alaska just got 18 feet of snow. The Coast Guard and a Russian tanker are in a mad dash to deliver emergency fuel to them as we speak.
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This wouldn't be a problem if we were all smart and they were set up with local, renewable energy resources. :roll:
 
I'm sure those members that have experience of the heavy snow have this problem also. Yesterday (Monday) Houston got the first heavy rain in over a year and it really poured down. Of course the streets were flooded and cars were stuck in the streets and roads due to stupid drivers not just pulling over and/or staying off the road (I stayed home). But the most ridicules thing is the 18-wheelers flying by and putting up a wall of water that covered many cars. Their height gives them an advantage but the drivers are the meanest people in the world to do what they knew would happen when they drove through fast. Same thing probably happens to you guys with the snow and I feel for you too.
 
I've always wanted to put a driving cam in my car. You never know when you might need or want to review what happened. Sometimes things happen so fast you are unable to process the entire situation.

This driver looks like he is a smart driver. Keeping tabs of the situation and having an "escape" route (off to the side around the other cars). Also not letting himself get rear ended. the Semi that plowed through was pretty scary though! We don't know though what happened in the 30 seconds before this video started. Could he see what was ahead of him? was he slowing down?
 
It pays to use your head! Glad your using head and duck fast enough. Scary, yeah!
Steinhauer said:
I was almost killed on icy roads years ago. Heavy snow and a tractor trailer jack knifed in the opposite lane (on coming traffic) and was sliding right at me - its trailer was covering my lane. I had to drive into a ditch to avoid getting hit head on.
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I drove through that hell of a rain storm in Houston the other day! What a drive that was! I had my Jeep Wrangler in 4-hi, and I took it slow. In fact, the design of the Jeep's front end causes water to splash up on the windshield in deep water if you're going more than 15-20 miles an hour. You're blinded, so you have to drive even slower. It rained so much parts of town got flooded and lines and trees went down. The air was so thick-pea-soup that it was literally gray-greenish in front of me! You could see but 40 feet ahead of you, and water was well over the sidewalks in places (I had water in my Jeep, too! I just pulled the drain plugs, washed the carpets, and sopped up the rest of the water). A tree was down in my direction of travel to work that morning, but it wasn't long enough to force me to try out driving over the small tree medians in the middle of the street (this is not a highway median with 3-feet ditches, so don't panic). Wind was blowing, too!

I was excited, but of course I used my head in avoiding certain things. I would never do this in the Corolla I had before. I would e-mail work to let them know I wouldn't make it in that situation. Anyway, I knew that the route does not have drainage ports capable of swallowing whole cars (like the ones along I-10 did one time a while back before they had their grates installed in place) - a while back in another major storm, a driver in a Toyota RAV4 was found DEAD 1,000 feet inside the drainage pipe, and you could see places where there were paint marks and tire marks up on the top side of the pipe!

Water in any form can be deadly.
 
deafdrummer said:
I drove through that hell of a rain storm in Houston the other day! What a drive that was! I had my Jeep Wrangler in 4-hi, and I took it slow. In fact, the design of the Jeep's front end causes water to splash up on the windshield in deep water if you're going more than 15-20 miles an hour. You're blinded, so you have to drive even slower. It rained so much parts of town got flooded and lines and trees went down. The air was so thick-pea-soup that it was literally gray-greenish in front of me! You could see but 40 feet ahead of you, and water was well over the sidewalks in places (I had water in my Jeep, too! I just pulled the drain plugs, washed the carpets, and sopped up the rest of the water). A tree was down in my direction of travel to work that morning, but it wasn't long enough to force me to try out driving over the small tree medians in the middle of the street (this is not a highway median with 3-feet ditches, so don't panic). Wind was blowing, too!

I was excited, but of course I used my head in avoiding certain things. I would never do this in the Corolla I had before. I would e-mail work to let them know I wouldn't make it in that situation. Anyway, I knew that the route does not have drainage ports capable of swallowing whole cars (like the ones along I-10 did one time a while back before they had their grates installed in place) - a while back in another major storm, a driver in a Toyota RAV4 was found DEAD 1,000 feet inside the drainage pipe, and you could see places where there were paint marks and tire marks up on the top side of the pipe!

Water in any form can be deadly.
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I had friends living in Houston in the late 1970's-early '80's and they deliberately did not buy vehicles with power windows because of the way so many of the underpasses would floor so quickly. They were afraid of getting caught in a flash flood, needing to get out of vehicle but not being able to because of power shorted out.
 
Jane B. said:
I had friends living in Houston in the late 1970's-early '80's and they deliberately did not buy vehicles with power windows because of the way so many of the underpasses would floor so quickly. They were afraid of getting caught in a flash flood, needing to get out of vehicle but not being able to because of power shorted out.
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Yes, this happens even today, not only in Houston but elsewhere also. People just panic and don't realize they need to break the window to get out. That is why I carry a punch inside my car so I can break the glass if needed and a knife to cut the seat belt if necessary. People do need to plan for an emergency.
A few weeks ago a family from the Houston traveled to snow ski and got caught in a storm and the snow pack was over the roof of the car. However, they were extremely lucky to have provisions and a cell phone with GPS to get to the help they needed. So snow or rain it does not matter.....stay home....your life will thank you.
 
Jane B. said:
I had friends living in Houston in the late 1970's-early '80's and they deliberately did not buy vehicles with power windows because of the way so many of the underpasses would floor so quickly. They were afraid of getting caught in a flash flood, needing to get out of vehicle but not being able to because of power shorted out.
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That is why I drive vehicles with manual locks and windows. I may have to do that in the back country.

rolling7 said:
Yes, this happens even today, not only in Houston but elsewhere also. People just panic and don't realize they need to break the window to get out. That is why I carry a punch inside my car so I can break the glass if needed and a knife to cut the seat belt if necessary. People do need to plan for an emergency.
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Are you sure you can break the window? Check this out. A mother found her babies locked inside a car and couldn't get back inside. See what was required to break the window out at about 2:40. Notice in the beginning that the skateboarder couldn't break the driver's window open.

Babies Locked in Car | Skaters Save Babies In Car | Skate Video | Mediaite

What the original poster of the video and the article fail to indicate is how dangerous these power windows are in a flood situation. AND, do not forget to roll your window down BEFORE you cross substantial water on the trail.
 
Sheesh, lot of people don't know what snow could do to their vehicle when they drive like normal. I've seen trucks or car spun around and landed on ditch. I usually slows down when it's snowing or icy. If it's 70mph on highway, I would slow down to 30mph. It's basically common sense if driving under 35mph during snowy weather. Some driver tried to pass by me ended up spinning around their vehicle and I had to slow to avoid and kept going.

Here in Kansas, we do have harsh winter sometime. In January afternoon, it can be around 50 degree then it'll drop to 20 degree in the evening. Ice form quickly, causing road become slick like "black ice". Those who live in KS and MO many years do not have problems driving on this road condition BUT those who moved from another state have tendency to cause accidents because they are not familiar with Kansas weather. Last year, we had snow and ice in month of January which was the coldest month each year. I drove slow on Dodge Durango. I don't even have 4x4 at all but made it on the way to work and back home without problems.

Also during rainy season, some stupid jerks drive fast and it's their problem if they slammed brake and ending up in an accident.

Catty
 
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