Well, as several inches of glo-bull warming have fallen around the lair, I wanted to share some lessons on dealing with delightful winter weather. Much of this is aimed at friends and family down South, as they seem to be catching some of this too. *Having a big 4WD SUV does NOT repeal the laws of physics!* Repeat after me, and keep repeating it if you have a big SUV or pickup. I have nothing against them, and they are handy and useful in expert hands, which I suspect means less than one percent of the owners out there. If you insist on driving as if having such negates the laws of physics, understand that unless you are one, or are packed with, attractive suitably appreciative young ladies, I am not pulling your sorry rump out of the ditch, field, whatever. This goes double if you were just a major league jerk to everyone else around you before you flamed out. *Yes, it's a snowflake. Seeing one does not demand you drop to 2mph* One caveat to this one, if you are in the Southeast, it might not be a bad idea to do so if there is more than one given the reaction to even a few snowflakes (flakes are a different matter, people are used to politicians these days). If you do this up north, don't be surprised if people are annoyed with and/or passing you, especially if it is not sticking and the road is barely even wet. If you are in the Southeast, I strongly recommend the following: If it starts snowing, find a Waffle House, cafe, coffee shop, and wait a couple of hours. Enjoy some coffee and grab a bite to eat (scrambled, scatteredsmotherdandcovered, side bacon, side pecan waffle is almost always good). At the end of that time, most people are either home or in a ditch, either way it is safe to get back out onto the road again and make your way home. If you don't do that, and have little or no experience driving in snow, keep it simple. Slow down, slow down further before turns and curves, and remember that you do have gears 3, 2, & 1 that will help you when traction is bad. Don't panic, just think slow and graceful, and make your way carefully home watching out for the idiots who don't do that. If you have moved down from the North, don't try to treat it like you would at home. It may look like snow, or even start as snow, but it become ice not quite instantaneously, but close to it. Drive as if it is ice and you will be fine. Try to drive like it is snow, and you are going to put on an even better show than the natives, who will laugh at you and make "stupid Yankee" jokes at your expense. If you do it, they should. Also, if you don't like how they handle it (or don't handle it, to be honest), remember that "Delta is ready when you are." Remember also that snow chains are legal in most Southern states, and it is good to have a set (that goes for all). Forget stopping at the grocery on the way home. If a weather forecaster has even whispered the S-word in the days before, the bread aisle, milk, and such will be cleaned bare in a matter of hours. Strangely, they often forget the beer and booze, and so you should not. You should be stocked and well prepared because of that bit about the ice. The power will go out. It may be out hours or days as they don't get this type of weather all the time. Even in an apartment, I was prepared and enjoyed having one of the complex managers come by one time to tell me that everyone was huddling in the club house. Upon seeing lights, being offered hot coffee, and that food would be finished cooking in a few minutes (may have even been baking), she said she would rather stay with me than at the club house. Still torqued that her boss insisted that she had to go be there with the rest of them... *Be Safe Out There* Seriously. Take it easy, drive sensibly, and stay home as needed. Here, the unplowed roads were not bad and in fact were better than some of the plowed IMO. Only a few inches, no problem getting through, and am at a client's drinking coffee and starting my day. Relax, don't panic, have your towel, drive sensibly, and take care. LW
Read the complete post at http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blackfive/~3/vVX31lS6OoA/dealing-with-the-winter-weather.html
Posted
Dec 15 2010, 09:52 PM
by
BLACKFIVE