The problem here is not much snow and hills. It seems the drivers have no
experience in snow and are not prepared. Also a lot of this snow tends to
turn to ice and then unless you have chains it is a real problem. The other
day I had to stop on a hill that was fairly steep. Turns out a guy went off
the road and there was one car waiting. I started down the hill and saw the
car in the road and tried to stop. It took about 20 feet and at the point
the car was sideways due to the ice. This road had not been plowed or
sanded and this is 2 days after the snow ended.
The car in front of me was in park and not running while they waited. The
driver got out and slammed the door; at the point their empty car started to
slide down the road. It did not stop until it went about 20 feet and hit
the snow on the side of the road.
When the road was clear I was able to explain to the driver of the other car
how to get off this patch of ice. The real problem was on downhill side of
the road was a 10 foot deep gully. My turn started with me jamming a rock
under the back tire (no cats around). I started slowly slid straight and
was able to drive off the hill and ice. I have 4 winter tires on the car.
Chains would have been priceless on that hill.
A lot of people panic and hit the brakes and just ride the slide, except for
the first guy in that video who used the gas no matter what he was hitting!
If you have good winter tires and chains you can avoid most of the
problems. Of course you are still a target.
I am from the east coast and I puchased my first set of chains ever just to
deal with the hills here in Seattle. Can't get home without them.
-g
On 1/16/07, Bill L <pythias@pacifier.com> wrote:
>
> Hello Paul,
>
> East Coasters and Mid Westerners don't get it about snow out
> here Paul. .. they can drive in 6 or eight inches, heck even a
> foot or 18 inches or more and don't understand what the big
> deal is about getting 2 or 3 inches.. WHY should THAT close
> down a city.. .. then they come out here and try to drive in
> our "stuff" and you results like in the video! (not saying the
> "culprits" in this case were out of towners, just idiots,
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