Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
- 23,054
- 45,952
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- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
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Snow + Ice = abandon your car?
- Thread starter MJ5150
- Start date
I guess not. It boggles my mind how someone can reason that out in their head..."it's too snowy to drive, so hows about I just park my car here on the freeway, walk home, then come back and get it when the snow is gone"
No stills, but I did find some video. Here is one from one of our local TV stations: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] Even includes a guy telling you why he did it, then some others telling us they are going to sleep in their car for the night.
-Mike
It's actually a Spokane pastime to watch the news (which I don't) and snicker at Seattlites panic at the first sign of snow.
Bendy Buses are the bane of Mass Transit systems.
Originally from South Dakota, I lived it the Seattle area for most of the 90's. There were times when I swear I saw people purposely drive into the ditch. It was like they were pissed that there wasn't enough snow to just not go to work, so this was their way of getting revenge. On the snow. By putting the car in the ditch.
Strange place full of strange people. Not that there's anything wrong with that...
Strange place full of strange people. Not that there's anything wrong with that...
Since you don't, here is a clip: Invalid Link Removed
By the looks of that headline, you'd think we had 5' of snow on the ground. Nope folks, less than six INCHES.
-Mike
Not here in Cleveland. You abandon your car, for whatever reason, and IF you're lucky enough to ever see it again, it will probably have another family in it.
Last year they were actually ticketing people for parking in the streets in front of their homes so they could shovel their driveways. I think they ended up forgiving the fines, but pretty crazy, nontheless.
Last year they were actually ticketing people for parking in the streets in front of their homes so they could shovel their driveways. I think they ended up forgiving the fines, but pretty crazy, nontheless.
I grew up in Louisiana (hey Shadow!) and Florida, never dealt with any kind of cold weather issues, like snow or ice on roads, until I was in my 40's. Been living in NC now since '05, we usually get 2-3 good storms that will drop between 3-10" of snow each winter, and it never even makes me think twice - just drive like a sane individual, and I get everywhere fine (I don't drive if it's icy...that's lunacy). The locals lose their minds as soon as there's a snowflake on their windshield...I cannot begin to understand it...
...if the weather says it will snow, you'd better not need milk or bread either - they'll clear the shelves within 2 hours of a news report about any kind of snow...
...really???
...if the weather says it will snow, you'd better not need milk or bread either - they'll clear the shelves within 2 hours of a news report about any kind of snow...
...really???
According to local news there are 10 plow trucks + 4 de-icers (which it's too cold to work) and two sanders; for a city that significantly smaller than Seattle
I would never abandon my truck in winter. I live in Minnesota, I drive across glare ice at 60 mph in 2 wheel drive without flinching. A little snow never stopped me from driving. Never seen that happen here either. Odd.
Haha Has some truth though... Since we don't really get very much snow here I don't think the Cities and Counties are prepared as much as other States leaving the roads a little worse... Some say the Mayor of Seattle didn't get re-elected after the snow debacle from two years ago.
You'd think...
Man, what the hell? You know I'm sitting here in Chicago shaking my head at this, Mike. I've lived here 7 years, I think the longest my commute has been slowed by snow is about 45 extra minutes.
Oh, I disagree. I ride a bendy bus most days to and from work; they're used all over the city year-round with no issues, and Chicago knows a little bit about snow. That looked more like operator error.
I saw this happen in Nashville too. I was driving from Columbus, Ohio to Nashville, Tennessee which is usually about a 5.5-6 hour trip. I had a 2 door Honda Accord with some 18" rims and super low profile tires. Once I hit Kentucky, that's when the fun started. I was going pretty good though.
Then I hit the KY./TN. border. Cars were stopped all the way from the border to Nashville. I 65 was a parking lot. I called my girlfriend, who's now my wife, and asked her to get online to see if there were any alternative routes from the highway, since I really was heading about 15 miles east of Nashville to stay the night with her. She guided me by phone, since this was before the time of GPS and navigation systems. As soon as I got off the highway, it was dead silent. There was about a foot of snow on the roads with no tire tracks whatsoever. I drove through the Tennessee countryside at about 25 mph through a foot of snow on those low profile tries and rims. No anti-lock brakes either.
There was a discrepancy between Map Quest and the where actual roads were once I got into Ashland City. I tried to call my girlfriend again but it was a dead spot, so I saw a building with some tow trucks parked in front. There were 2 rough looking hillbilly types inside. I went in and asked the where Sam's Creek road was. They looked at me like I was nuts but asked me if I had 4WD. I said no but I'm used to driving in this stuff. They told me where it was but said that if I got stuck, don't bother calling them until the morning. An hour later, I make it to my destination and everything's cool.
The next morning, I drive my girl to work, since I didn't want her driving in the stuff, and you would think that a nuclear holocaust had just occurred. There were cars all over the place, in ditches, upside down, in the middle of the road, just like out of some horror flick. I saw a BMW that had to be a $100,000 vehicle, just sitting in the middle of the road with it's back axle broken. I just drove around, looking for something that was open for breakfast. I finally found a pizza shop open and ate. I think I was their only customer that day.
Then I hit the KY./TN. border.
Cars were stopped all the way from the border to Nashville. I 65 was a parking lot. I called my girlfriend, who's now my wife, and asked her to get online to see if there were any alternative routes from the highway, since I really was heading about 15 miles east of Nashville to stay the night with her. She guided me by phone, since this was before the time of GPS and navigation systems. As soon as I got off the highway, it was dead silent. There was about a foot of snow on the roads with no tire tracks whatsoever. I drove through the Tennessee countryside at about 25 mph through a foot of snow on those low profile tries and rims. No anti-lock brakes either. There was a discrepancy between Map Quest and the where actual roads were once I got into Ashland City. I tried to call my girlfriend again but it was a dead spot, so I saw a building with some tow trucks parked in front. There were 2 rough looking hillbilly types inside. I went in and asked the where Sam's Creek road was. They looked at me like I was nuts but asked me if I had 4WD. I said no but I'm used to driving in this stuff. They told me where it was but said that if I got stuck, don't bother calling them until the morning. An hour later, I make it to my destination and everything's cool.
The next morning, I drive my girl to work, since I didn't want her driving in the stuff, and you would think that a nuclear holocaust had just occurred. There were cars all over the place, in ditches, upside down, in the middle of the road, just like out of some horror flick. I saw a BMW that had to be a $100,000 vehicle, just sitting in the middle of the road with it's back axle broken. I just drove around, looking for something that was open for breakfast. I finally found a pizza shop open and ate. I think I was their only customer that day.
It really baffles me. I mean, I have no fear of driving in the snow, the only thing that has me worried is OTHER drivers. Up here on San Juan we got, you know, 3", maybe 4"? And people can not handle their S%$t. Cars going all over the place, doing burn outs and donuts at intersections (not on purpose). 4-wheel drive and your fine, but seriously, if yo have 2-wheel drive, either learn to drive (low gear, DO NOT gass it off the line to try to gain speed), get some chains on, or get off the road. Had to sit at an intersection and watch a guy spin his wheels for three minutes cause he decided to try and floor it with no chains or snow tires. People over here just do not know what to do when it snows.
Basically this. I'm over on the Western side of the mountains for school, but grew up in Pullman. I'm one of the roughly ten people in Bellingham who seem to have snow tires and the ability to drive when they're necessary.
If you're going to WWU, most drivers you run into in are probably WWU students. Given their age, they probably don't have a lot of experience driving in the ice. Most of the abandoned cars I've seen in Bellingham were close to campus.
Three factors for Western Washington is that there are a lot of hills, it only snows 2-7 days a year, and when it snows, it almost always melts in the daytime and turns to ice at night.
It snowed in Bellingham on Friday night. In downtown, the roads are clear, but the sidewalks are covered with 1/2 inch to an inch of ice. There isn't a lot of snow, mainly ice.
It snowed in Bellingham on Friday night. In downtown, the roads are clear, but the sidewalks are covered with 1/2 inch to an inch of ice. There isn't a lot of snow, mainly ice.
It is strange...but I will say, it doesn't snow every year here. Last year we got nothing.
For one, it was snowing on sunday. The past has told us commuters here in ill-equipped vehicles don't make to work or back. So why do people still try to drive on monday with a snow storm happening? Today was better as people simply stayed home.
I have no problems getting around, I have 4wd trucks and know how to handle winter. Today the sun came out and started melting snow, but my drive home was 11 degrees. I can see where folks in 2 wheel drives would have problems with ice.
I drive out to Enumclaw for work, so I take some hilly areas on my commute. I saw a Chrysler 300, and a Porche left on the side of the road.
On the argument side, I will say Western Washington area is a big hilly and mountain region. I've been to SLC, Denver, Col Spgs, Chicago, NYC, Nashville, all in winter times, and those places are flat as can be. No comparison.
For one, it was snowing on sunday. The past has told us commuters here in ill-equipped vehicles don't make to work or back. So why do people still try to drive on monday with a snow storm happening? Today was better as people simply stayed home.
I have no problems getting around, I have 4wd trucks and know how to handle winter. Today the sun came out and started melting snow, but my drive home was 11 degrees. I can see where folks in 2 wheel drives would have problems with ice.
I drive out to Enumclaw for work, so I take some hilly areas on my commute. I saw a Chrysler 300, and a Porche left on the side of the road.
On the argument side, I will say Western Washington area is a big hilly and mountain region. I've been to SLC, Denver, Col Spgs, Chicago, NYC, Nashville, all in winter times, and those places are flat as can be. No comparison.
Seattle is nothing but hills, bridges and overpasses. Plus it is shaped like a hour glass with the Puget Sound, Lake Washington, Lake Union and the canals and locks that connect them greatly limiting how much road there is and where you can put it. You add snow and ice to that and everyone is S.O.L. I went to college in Boulder Colorado and have driven in plenty of snow but here it is way different. Way too many places to get stuck or slide off the road if you are caught off guard or without chains. Our weather forecasts always suck too. Never correct. I checked it Saturday and it said we were only getting snow for first half of the day Sunday and them it would turn into rain and that would be that. I'm sure plenty of people got that same bad info and didn't bother with snow tires or chains. I live smack downtown Seattle and even our main road weren't all cleared today. I'm just glad I was off work for all of this.
