Blizzards and the inevitable

[Earthworm]

Well I woke up to see a lot of white fluffy stuff flying by my windows this morning. Throughout the day the snow became more and more horizontal. On my 10 minute drive to work I saw 2 accidents.

The first one was a car getting t-boned. I just missed it and met the ambulance shortly after as I now had to make a detour to get to work. I heard from coworkers that the door of that car was pushed in about even with the steering wheel.

The second was more of a single car accident. I was coming up to a red light and stopping on a sheet of ice that went on for about 2-300 yards before the intersection (ABS going crazy under my foot). Immediately after I come to a stop I hear this "BANG". Turns out this car was going to turn right at the same intersection. He was going way too fast and to his surprize he found out that you can't turn very well on ice. Thankfully all he hit was the curb and not another car.

Now I will admit that I will drive too fast on ice on occasion. However, there are never any cars around and it's not excessively fast. Kinda like me playing with my Justy.

For me I find this helps me learn the abilities of my car in a "controlled" fashion instead of learning the hard way. I only wish other people would test the conditions when it is safe instead of in an emergency.

On a side note, after finally rotating my tires on my SVX I have noticed that it is easier to kick the back-end out when coming out of a corner and driving down the street sideways. I think I made it about half way to the next street before eventually straightening out.

My ride home will not be as fun as all the streets will be full of salt. I can't even wash my car right now as the temperatures are too low, I don't have a garage and I can't have my doorlocks ice up unexpectedly either overnight or while I'm at work.

Eventually the dash for the Justy will be in and I will go back to driving that instead of risking anything happening to the SVX on days like today.

I wish a safe and smart drive to anyone on the streets today here and everywhere.

[SVXphile]

I hear you David!

After school yesterday I made a beeline to Lowes to pick up a few extra bags of pellet fuel for the stove, and try to make it back before the big storm. As I was decending our local mountain on the return leg....the flakes began to fly. Feeling a sudden urge for a pizza, I called an order in to a little store up the road. "Be ready in 15 minutes!" .....in 15 minutes the roads were....a mess! I went to fetch my dinner in the Swift with the Blizzaks. Now here is a car that is nearly legendary in my family for making it through almost as many ice and snow storms as Jean's Impreza, and when I turned onto the main road, I was all over the place! <I have noticed that it is easier to kick the back-end out when coming out of a corner and driving down the street sideways>That pretty well describes what happened next! The first layer of snow had become ice and then a cover of fresh snow on top of that....how exciting! I finally made it the 2 miles to the store, got the pizza and slid home....literally! Jean was on evening watch, but was asked to stay till 3AM, and rather than trying to come through what was then about 5 inches on the roads....camped out at work and came on in after sunrise this morning. Oh....we had a snow day today....bet you could guess that! There were accidents all over the place....like you said, people who just don't adjust their driving for the conditions.
<I wish a safe and smart drive to anyone on the streets today here and everywhere> I'll second that emotion!!! Don

P.S. By the way....how cold is it, up your way???

[Earthworm]

Originally posted by SVXphile
P.S. By the way....how cold is it, up your way???

Actually it was 6°C (11°F) below freezing and that's warmer than it has been as of late. I believe that had a serious impact on the consitions of the streets here in Winnipeg today.

[Noir]

Hey guys, be safe. AWD is good and all, but people take that for granted, especially those in tall SUVS. But welcome to drifting. If you guys like to kick back the rear to slide, you are getting into drifting unknowingly. I used to do that with a nissan 240. Really fun on wet days in parking lots. 240 is a RWD, which means it looses traction easily. If one gets good at controlling their car like that and then learn it with an AWD vehicle, you are pretty much the safest driver on the roads. Then again, if you are perceptive and can keep a good area around you (away from stupid drivers like the ones you mentioned about going too fast and trying to turn while sliding on ice) then you'd be king of the roads.

If you ever get a chance, you should try it out on a RWD vehicle. It's save me a few times while on the road and hitting black ice and oil slicks on the highway on rainy days.

[SVXphile]

Well....the latest batch of air from up YOUR way has made it down OUR way. My handy-dandy digital outdoor thermometer is continuing its downward plunge. It is currently sitting at 12 degrees F....and with the breeze outside, I'd say the chill factor is about zero. Lets see....things to do before bed:
(1) make sure Jean makes it home safely
(2) turn up the heat
(3) add extra quilt to the bed
(4) throw on an extra cat for additional warmth...

Stay safe and warm out there everyone! Don

The State Road plow and cinder truck just went by the house.
Those guys do a great job!

[Earthworm]

My car after work...

[immortal_suby]

We got about an inch of snow this week and there were cars upside down in ditches/ small crashes all over/ cars abandoned on the side of the road. They closed all the schools in the county. People at work freaked out and left early. the grocery stores were packed.

It was enough to make a yankee sick.

Originally posted by SVXphile
Lets see....things to do before bed:
(1) make sure Jean makes it home safely
(2) turn up the heat
(3) add extra quilt to the bed
(4) throw on an extra cat for additional warmth...

You can fit a 9th cat on the bed?? amazing, i learn something everyday.
I went out last night to go to walmart, lets just say everytime i go near that place a target is painted on my car, bout got nailed again in that place, nice balmy 9 degrees out there and snow was still falling, the SVX is amazing if you only use 2nd and 3rd gear. I had fun

[Noir]

imortalsubby, yeah same thing happens here in georgia. except all you have to do is mention that it "may" snow. happened on thursday. weather conditions "may" be hazardous, guess what: school closings, etc. and no snow fell, maybe a few flakes.

[SVXphile]

Well, the temperature finally got down to 7 degrees last night....
....all 3 indoor cats took up residence on the bed. (under normal conditions Leslie, only 2 stay on the bed) Their extra heat was welcome. I set the stove to a setting somewhere between "very hot" and "produce steel" positions and we were cozy all night.
Today I venture over to Fayetteville and take my sister out to where she has her horse stabled, so she can feed water and do regular horse maintanance. She can't get her Mercedes through the slick twisty back roads, so she calls on her older brother with his lowly Subaru when the going gets tough... Like the rest of you, the scanner-TV-papers are full of accident reports. I guess I am more concerned with some yahoo coming over into my lane as he/she looses grip, than anything....

"I don't know why the car just took off across the road into the guardrail like that officer!"

"It might have been due to your speed and the large amount of snow and ice beneath your bald tires...sir!"

Don

Originally posted by SVXphile
(under normal conditions Leslie, only 2 stay on the bed) ....and do regular horse maintanance.

Well i guess you save all eight for when the power goes out...

Dont forget the plugs and oil on the horses, maybe some brake pads. Isnt it every 50 miles they need a timing belt too

As far as the Benz, i have driven a ML320 a lot, they are AWD with all the fancy stuff yet must say my '92 SVX has better traction

[4TUN8 1]

Earthworm:

Our local news had a story about the Winnipeg weather the other night and it looked ugly. We were 0C (32F) today with some wet snow.

You are right about the car's behaviour in the winter. After my understeering '93 MX-6, I assumed the AWD would be spectacular. HA. On the original Bridgestone RE 95's, this baby does great big sweeping arcs and keeping the rear end in line takes some work. When you power out of a slide, you really feel both ends of the car fighting for grip, and at times, you don't quite know where it will place itself which can be a bit disconcerting. Straight line stuff is fine however. Since I'm too cheap to buy a set of Nokian NRW's, I shouldn't *****.

[SVXphile]

Jean's Impreza with Guardex's grips SO well in all this mess, that I took it for a spin (really) over at the parking lot in front of the closed Ames store (you know the place Leslie? My tracks may still be there, if this new snow hasn't covered them up...) What fun! Jean was not at ALL amused, especially since we had just had a big breakfast at Bob Evans....but at least nothing came up. Shoot....can't let these WRC guys have all the fun!
Don

(Well officer....I was just trying to clear all the ice buildup from my mudflaps and.....did you know that it is really SLIPPERY out here?)

I know the place.
I just got back from the HS parking lot, what fun....