Driving home from work at midnight in the snow

[scuba-sass]

Hmm, do you have the correct tires on the car? Winter wiper blades? Are they in good condition? Were your windows cleared of snow? ...

Winter Wiper Blades - tried them once - NEVER AGAIN! I suppose the idea is sound, encase the wiper in a rubber cover so the ice doesn't build up in all the little nooks and crannies, but on our 1996 Toyota Corolla Wagon, they were the pits. There was so much wind resistance against them at anything over 30 miles/hr that they were completely useless. They just slid over the participation accumulating on the windshield. That was a miserable trip from Rochester, NY to Hamden, CT!

Also - remember that not just your windows, but your entire vehicle should be clear of snow. I get so aggravated with drivers that think it's acceptable to clear their windshield, side windows (maybe) and half their back window, and leave a foot or more of snow on the roof, hood, trunk and bumpers. Not only is it a hazard for themselves, as their lights are blocked and inevitably the snow on the roof is going to block the back window, but eventually that snow is going to fly off (at highway speeds) and fly into whomever is traveling behind them.

All that said - I LOVE driving in snow! I grew up in upstate NY, spent 4.5 years in Tallahassee, FL and have now been back in New England for about 15 years. Even when I was driving a 2-door Acura Integra, snow was my friend. I'm a department director at a hospital, and in good conditions have a 30-minute drive to work. When I can get to work thru the snow, my employees (most of whom live locally) have absolutely no excuse for not showing up!

Now shovelling - that is a downside to all the fun whitestuff!

Happy Diving,
Scuba-sass

 

[baltimoron]

I'll tell ya, Marylanders and Baltimorons FREAK OUT whenever there is a chance we might get snow. First, all the supermarkets clog up with peopel buy toilet paper, bread, and kitty litter.... then people are crazy on the beltway trying to get home before it does snow, then people are crazy when it snows, then some loser goes right into a electricity cable, there's no power.... MORE people going to the supermarkets... MTA is completely shut down.... must I go on?

But I like the snow, the first time I saw it was when I was ten in Switzerland. Had a blast!! Though Baltimore Snow makes me want to hop the nearest plane home, where its 95˚ every day.

 

[MikeC]

Scuba-sass, I grew up in Buffalo and I never had issues with winter blades EXCEPT when I owned a Ford Probe. You had to switch a jumper in the fuse box that allowed the blades to "park" in a higher position than normal. If you forgot to set that jumper BEFORE you had the new blades installed you could scratch the paint on the hood near the blades or damage the wiper motor, neither is good.

Most people have forgotten about snow tires, but they are worth their weight in gold if you live in an area that calls for them. Buffalo is one of those places.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

I don't mind driving in snow, especially if an empty airport ramp is involved. We recently had a layer of ice followed by some pretty good snow, so a large open flat expanse of pavement suddenly gains many more uses .

 

[DeepBlueResort]

Hi

Do what i did move to the Caribbean

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Sounds good to me....

(1101st post, BTW)

 

[DeepBlueResort]

Its Easy teknitroxdiver

Just jump on the next plane.

 

[Squalus]

Nothing like a layer of ice under a nice coating of snow in a vacant parking lot.....beckoning. Full speed Mr. Scott, giving her all I can capt'n and your going and pull the emergency break doing doughnuts. Gonna miss that when I move south for good.



*******This is not to be performed by adolescents, detrimental to your parents insurance*****

 

[pennypue]

I grew up in the Cleveland area. And I too LOVE to drive in the snow. I wait for the level three emergencies, just after they lift I go out for a drive. In Cincinnati we don't get enough snow for people to learn how to drive in it decently. When I came to Cincy in '82 for college my sister and I drove (amongst various other vehicles) a very large, very heavy, rear wheel drive Ford Crown Victoria, '79. Those amongst you in law enforcement likely know the vehicle well. Cincinnati has LOTS of hills too. The girls in the sorority (imagine that, I was in one, snicker) used to freak out. My sister and I would get in the car to go 'out' since we were all 'snowed in'. I would drive and she would pull the car from the rear bumper to where we could get some traction, or bounce the suspension. Oh the memories!!!!