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The Political Stuff |
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CHINESE ZODIAC |
A Little About Me |
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Driving on Snow and Ice
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The Political Stuff |
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CHINESE ZODIAC |
A Little About Me |
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Driving on Snow and Ice
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KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD!! SLOW DOWN! LEAVE PLENTY OF ROOM BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER CARS! IF YOU BEGIN TO SKID TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS and LEAVE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE!! KEEP
ALL YOUR WINDOWS CLEANED OFF!
Do
NOT USE Cruise Control
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| Watch the cars in the lane coming at you, and the cars that are right in front of you. Never assume that they are paying attention to what they are doing, and always leave them enough room to skid, swerve, and spin out if they get into trouble. Even at a stop light, do not bunch up right next to the driver in front of you, because the person behind you may not be paying attention to what they are doing and could rear-end you. This will give you some rolling room in case they are not able to stop. Using a cell phone, putting on makeup, or playing with your stereo is not a good idea when driving on snow and ice. |
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| The speed limit might
be posted as 60, 35, etc. Avoid using cruise control when driving
on snow or ice-covered roadways. But those speeds are calculated
for safety on DRY pavement. If the road is snowy, icy, or snow covered
ice, no matter what type of tires, type of car, even a 4x4 SUV, they do
not guarantee you a short stopping distance. The other part is that
you might be able to stop, but NEVER assume that the other driver will
be able to stop!
Seattle has many hills, and even what seem like small hills. SLOW DOWN on these too. Even oncoming traffic in the other lane can hit an ice patch and come careening into your lane suddenly. |
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| On ice your braking ability can be completely removed. Anti-lock brakes will NOT help you stop, they are designed only allow you to keep control of the car in the advent of a skid. If you have anti-lock brakes, do NOT pump them, let the anti-lock mechanism do that for you by keeping steady pressure on the brakes. If you do not have anti-lock brakes, pump the brakes slowly, once you slow down shift down to a lower gear. Do NOT lock the brakes up. If you begin to skid, turn into the skid, not away from it. Once you have come to a stop, you might note your heart is pounding, and hopefully you are still in one piece. The hint is: SLOW DOWN, and GIVE YOURSELF ROOM to stop. |
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| If the car starts to skid, take your foot off the gas but don't hit the brake. Steer gently in the direction the car should go. As the car straightens, traction and control will be regained. |
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| Clean off all the windows
of your car, even the side windows so you have a complete view of the traffic
and conditions around you. Creating a small hole to see just out
the front window is NOT a clean window. And not cleaning them can
endanger you and others around you because it blinds you from possible
road hazards.
There are other hints that you can use, but the 5 rules above are the most important, and if you keep them in mind while driving on ice and snow, you will more than likely arrive alive. And that is always a good thing!! |
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| That 4x4 SUV does not make you invinceable! Because many SUV's weigh more and have a higher center of gravity, they are more prone to overturning in icy/snowy conditions. And no matter how many wheels you have power to, they will NOT help you stop on ice. SLOW DOWN and show some courtesy to the other drivers on the road. |
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on Icy or Slick Roads |
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dangerous on Icy or Slick Roads.
There are two different things that can happen with Cruise Control that causes the problem: 1. On a slick/icy road the cruise control can downshift the transmission to come back up to speed, adding more power to your wheels, this sudden increase in power and speed to your wheels could cause the tires to lose traction. This loss of traction can cause a spin or loss of control of your vehicle only compounded when you react by hitting your brakes. 2. Another situation can be when the cruise control is applying more power to the wheels on a slick spot in the road and suddenly hitting a spot in the road where it is not slippery. This situation can cause the vehicle to swerve and in worse case scenarios could cause a severe turn and roll the car. In some cases, in single car accidents where the car has overturned, this has been the cause. The most dangerous part of this scenario is that when you are driving on black ice you may never be able to tell when you are on ice or bare roadway. |
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| If your vehicle breaks
down or becomes stranded in a winter storm, try to pull off to the side
of the highway. If you have a cellular phone or CB, try to contact the
State Police. Otherwise, be patient until a fellow motorist, road
crew, or State Trooper drives by. Bundle up to stay warm, and stay
in your car until help arrives. Many people have ventured away from their
car, only to become disoriented and lost and ultimately die from exposure.
In severe blizzards, visibility can be limited to inches. While in your
car, if you get cold, you can run your engine periodically with the heat
on, but be sure to crack open a window to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Keep a blanket, snacks, water, and reading material in your trunk. Jumper cables, a first aid kit, flashlights, ice scraper, extra oil and windshield wiper fluid are also good to have. It is also a good idea to keep the exhaust pipe clear in deep snow if you are stuck.. Also, if you can clear off the top of the car, this will help a snowplow coming your way to see you. It's a rare accident that a snowplow will hit a car, but it can and does happen. |
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| Before starting a trip, make sure you have a full tank of gas. During the winter, it's always wise to keep your gas tank at least half full, as this will minimize condensation in the tank. You'll want to make sure your windshield wiper fluid reservoir is full - an 18-wheeler truck passing by on a salty, slushy road is sure to leave your windshield covered with grime. You might want to keep a gallon of wiper fluid in the trunk as well. (Be sure to use blue wiper fluid in the winter, and red in the summer. The blue wiper fluid contains antifreeze.) |
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| Do not tailgate a snow plow. They can kick up rocks easily. Do not pass a snowplow unless absolutely necessary, they may be going slower than you want them to, but they are clearing a path for you. Do not drive along side a snow plow. They can swerve unexpectedly from hitting ice or a snow drift and unespectely swerve into your lane. Remember, a snow plow can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, and most cars only weight between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds, the snow plow is going to win in any collision, so be safe and give them room. |
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| Stay on well-traveled roads, maintain a safe distance from other vehicles and use a lower gear. |
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WATCH THE OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD! AND NEVER ASSUME THE OTHER GUY CAN STOP! And you'll arrive where you are going |