French Toast Alert! -- State of Emergency in Missouri

originally posted by: TheRedneck
a reply to: GodEmperor

Main thing people need to understand, 4 wheel drive does not mean you are immune to icy roads.

Nothing is immune to ice. Anyone who says they can drive on ice is either delusional or a liar. Snow still gives some traction, but a layer of ice gives none.

Everyone in the path of this, please get ready and hunker down to stay safe.

TheRedneck

Firestone winterforce with studs. And that's the wifes car. Both of my trucks are on cooper stx with studs. 85 on ice. Zero response issues, braking actually improves due to it being -30. If your not accustomed to severe weather- your not properly equipped or properly experienced. 90% of our roads are sugar sand or clay, we're thankful for the ice.

If you want dangerous, try logging in sugar sand with 12 ton behind you after 4" rain....

You guys down south have some beautiful country, but I'm suprised at the tires/suspensions you run.
All those hills and wet clay in summer is the same as ice...

a reply to: ketsuko

I have NEVER understood the whole rush on eggs and milk if there's going to be a storm. It happens here too.

originally posted by: TheRedneck
a reply to: GodEmperor

Main thing people need to understand, 4 wheel drive does not mean you are immune to icy roads.

Nothing is immune to ice. Anyone who says they can drive on ice is either delusional or a liar. Snow still gives some traction, but a layer of ice gives none.

Everyone in the path of this, please get ready and hunker down to stay safe.

TheRedneck

Absolutely, especially the really hard frozen rubber of the tires, they get quite a bit more slippery on ice when they are as hard as a hockey puck.
I am in the Auburn /Tacoma, WA area and we have had some nasty black ice the last few days here. Just remember folks, if it is in the freezing temps and the ground looks wet, it may be slick as can be.

Stay safe and inside unless necessary and you should fare well.

a reply to: Natas0114

I drove a semi long-haul for 8 years and logged over a million miles, preventable-free, across the entire country and some of Canada.

Nothing grabs traction on ice. Nothing. You might be heavy enough with studs to punch through it (that's what chains do; they break up the ice) but you just got lucky. I have run chains a couple of times, just long enough to get to a close truck stop, but that's it. If it's bad enough for chains, it's too bad to drive.

Please, no one listen to the bragging. You will likely end up in a ditch if lucky, dead or freezing to death isolated from help if not.

TheRedneck

a reply to: evc1shop

A tip for black ice: if the temperature is close to freezing and the road looks wet, watch passing traffic. If you can see spray coming from their tires, there's no ice where they are. If you don't see any spray, get off the road ASAP. You are likely driving on ice.

TheRedneck

a reply to: Natas0114

Then you've been lucky.

Driving in icy conditions is just begging for more trouble than you ever want. As the Redneck said, if it's dangerous enough for traction devices, it's too dangerous to be out in it.

Folks, don't be foolish. Stay in, if at all possible.

a reply to: ketsuko

Oh no!!


Hehe, I know it's ice and not snow. No reason to attempt travel in ice even where I'm from...but we do!

Stay safe folks.

originally posted by: TheRedneck
a reply to: evc1shop

A tip for black ice: if the temperature is close to freezing and the road looks wet, watch passing traffic. If you can see spray coming from their tires, there's no ice where they are. If you don't see any spray, get off the road ASAP. You are likely driving on ice.

TheRedneck

That is certainly good advice. I grew up in Boston and have lived in MI, MN and the Northwest and I definitely have seen my share of black ice and I do watch the spray as well.

I'll trade a tip for you, too, (not ice related but good for driving)
While growing up in the Boston area where the RT 128 traffic jams used to move at 65+ MPH (bumper to bumper zipping along) I got used to watching not only the tail lights of the cars in front of me but the reflections of taillights at night or the shading of sun/shadow on the ground under the cars in front of me to gauge when the person in front of them was stopping or slowing quickly. Very handy trick for when you are behind an car that has questionable brake lights (not working or perhaps they aren't tapping brakes when downshifting). It has saved me from a few close calls so next time you are bored and driving behind an SUV or truck that you can't see around, look at the ground of that obstacle in front of you, you can learn a lot. Let me know if you've ever tried that before.

a reply to: evc1shop
I decided, after spending a bit of time in a temperate climate, that it's a bad idea to live someplace where you can die of cold. Never mind driving on ice.

Ain't natural.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: evc1shop
I decided, after spending a bit of time in a temperate climate, that it's a bad idea to live someplace where you can die of cold. Never mind driving on ice.

Ain't natural.

I do not mind the cold and don't usually need more than a base layer, long sleeve shirt and a sweatshirt over that with hat and gloves to get through most of the winter days. I will put on my down parka when we get below 25F but my wife, she'd take your side of the argument.

a reply to: evc1shop

She's smart. 'Cuz if you get stuck outside, you'll die.

a reply to: Phage

Pfft.

No sense of adventure, you tropical Shilly McShill.



I hear that eating too many coconuts causes hairy palms.

a reply to: CranialSponge
Yeah.
But climbing the trees to get them wears it off nearly as fast as it grows.

a reply to: Phage

So long as I'm wearing my rabbit fur ushanka... all is well with the world comrade.

a reply to: CranialSponge

Sounds nice.
When it gets below 70º I allow myself to light my fireplace and put on my fuzzy shoes. Cozy.

a reply to: Phage

Ah, nothing says cozy like a crackling fire and fuzzy shoes.





It's -33 celsius where I'm at right now... flannel jammies, furry paw slippers, and a steaming cup of java to keep the ol' Yeti ticker going.

We also had a mini blizzard this morning, but it died out by the late afternoon.

Just another January day in the great white north.

*sigh*

a reply to: CranialSponge

Stay inside.
Or you'll die.

a reply to: Phage

Stay inside.
Or you'll die.

I actually trekked it five houses down the street today to visit with my neighbour (we like to do that kind of stuff in Arctic weather)... couldn't feel my face and ears by the time I got there (less than 3 minutes).

Serves me right for not wearing my damn ushanka.

Ironically it was Black Ice Wednesday here for the work commute. Aside from the white knuckling there was much pondering on speed plus weight of the vehicle plus the slope of the road grade, with much screaming in my head.
Nope, not a salt truck was seen.

It was too early for the regular Ice Follies, but one pick-up driver who I was convinced was going to end up in my back seat gunned it behind me at an intersection and wound up spinning off the road into a schools front lawn. Nice!

Got home and reviewed the local news who were calling the event a "rare flash freeze".
I would like to say for the record, if it was near zero for the last week then warmed up with rain overnight, exactly
who couldn't predict this? The ENTIRE end of my state would be a skating rink? except for the northern end who still had some snow for traction. (sarcasm)

Let me add to the ice driving tips, if possible it's better to drive with two wheels over the right side of the road line as it's usually rougher and can give you additional traction. Also just cause you made it to work alive jumping out of your vehicle to race to the time clock....yeah...the parking lot is black ice too! Not me, but a co-worker took a SEWEEEEET header under his truck.

Tomorrow morning is predicted to be the same.

Stay safe, supposed to get ice all night and morning here in Cincy. Had to tell my friend I couldn't ride her to work tonight (I do NOT drive in snow or ice unless its a life or death, job or no job for ME, situation)

I know what you mean about the grocery stores....one word of a dusting of snow or a drop of ice around here and it's all "The white death is coming!! TO KROGER! Every man for themselves!"

-Alee