2+2=?

I was crossing a bridge this morning over an interstate as I approached the stop sign I check my rear view mirror, a habit I have and low and behold theres a PU coming over the bridge doing about 45 mph. Now let me see below freezing, snow and ice, bridge. In my book you slow down for a bridge in those conditions. I figure whats coming so I run the stop sign hanging a hard right turn and sure enough the driver of the PU is out of control and through the stop sign.

Are people just plain stupid or just arrogant. I don't understand this type of behavior, I get the feeling that they watch to many commercials and think they drive super vehicles. So who do I sue? After all John Loncar got a woman $45,000 for a broken nose, my feelings were hurt, that must be worth at least 20 bucks or so.

Don grandfather to Chase w/cf age 10
http://livingwithcysticfibrosiscf.blogspot.com/

Glad YOU were smart enough to get out of the way, and didn't get hurt doing it! People are just plain stupid in this weather! We do not know how to drive in it, so I don't get out in it because I'm afraid of other people. My car gets hit by the door of the car parked next me in the school parking lot. Imagine what they could do if they were moving or sliding!

I think people are a little bit of both. We've had no bad winter weather here for over two years and this year we hit the jackpot. I guess people have forgotten how to drive in it. A few days ago I was driving home in my SUV with three kids and I had a man who I swear was less than a foot away from my bumper. I guess he thought I was driving too slow on the ICE and that I would hurry up. I kept checking my rearview mirror and at one point he was doing a 360 down the middle of the road. My daughter saw him too and asked me why he was doing it. :)

I always tell my husband that it's not snow that makes me nervous to drive, it's the other drivers. lol

They are just as stupid up here in the frozen north. Yesterday afternoon, I took my MIL home. It had snowed, maybe ½". Then the NW wind came up. It was 32º. So the highway was glazed with ice. There was plenty of traffic, most still trying to speed, you know 65 MPH limit, so I can drive 75. I was going about 50 & thought I was going to be run down. A semi-truck & 2 cars were right behind a state plow that was in left lane. Lots of commotion when he swung out to clear a left turn lane. He created a snowstorm they couldn't see in. One car was out on the shoulder. They were all following to close, by the way.
On the way home, there was a Bronco or Blazer down in the bottom of the ditch trying to make a new road there. (I hope he is still there!) To much is made of the merits of 4 wheel drive. They may go good in mud or something, but on ice or snow, they still have 4 slippery rubber tires on the ground like everybody else!
Bernie

Two tips I learned growing up in the Texas Panhandle. This one you may already know, when going over a bridge take your foot off the accelerator and coast over the bridge. Second if you want to use your brakes put the car in neutral, its the opposing forces between the engine and the brakes that causes you to lose control. Why you never hear the news of weather people tell you these two simple rules is beyond me. I learned at a young age how to handle the ice and snow and I have lost control on more than one occasion but keeping my head and putting the car in neutral first and then taking action pulled me out of every one of these instances with nothing more than a cheap thrill.

And never ever use your cruise control I was young and dumb thinking that a steady slow speed on cruise was the way to go, wrong, wrong , wrong! I never did so many 360's in my life. Again neutral and turn of the wheel into the skid brought me right out of it, lesson learned.

Don

I grew up in Colorado and Utah, so know how to drive in snow--but I sure hate ice!! We tend to get more ice here than snow due to the high humidity. I live next to Ft. Bragg and a lot of the young soldiers have come from snow country and want to drive faster than they should (of course some of them do that in good weather also), while most of these southerners (Bless their hearts!!) are scared to death and driving slow. It's a disaster waiting to happen, and usually does. Plus the fact that our city just has purchased plow equipment in the last few years, and before that you almost had to wait for someone with a pickup to go down the street so you could get out. If everyone would just be patient and courteous, these problems would surely be reduced--but we don't have that kind of society anymore. I applaud those who have the sense to fit their speed to the conditions.

Bravo 1gardengram well spoken.

Don

The Interstates are often so crowded these days. And those that drive all the way in the left lane often like to go 78 mph [70mph speed limit] sucking up the exhaust of the vehicule ahead of them...insanity! Some states the drivers drive faster than others. I don't know if I have ever passed a Michigan car on the Interstate...lots of them have passed me!!.

Try New Orleans I-10 if you aren't going at least 80 look out. And thats in right hand lane mind you.

Don

Going into downtown Minneapolis on I35W, the limit cuts to 55 MPH at city limits. That is right where everybody gives it a little more. 4 & 5 lanes wide, both sides, bumper to bumper, 75 MPH. Thats why I live in the boonies. I can travel my 5 miles to town for coffee & not even see another car.
Bernie

I was lucky that my dad taught me how to drive in bad weather by taking me out and making me do it. He taught me all of Don's tips, including the cruise control tip. At the time, I thought I had better things to do (why does a girl need to learn how to drive in the snow?), but I am soooo thankful now.

In it's own way, it is good to know that all states have their share of idiot drivers.

A friend of ours used to shake his head and say, "Natural selection in action", when he would see someone doing some hair-brained driving stunt. He drove Formula 1 in Europe when he was younger.

I have always been grateful for growing up in Northern Minnesota. Learned to drive at 11, and snow and ice driving on the lakes the next year. Drifting at 5-10 mph is much safer. But really helpful when you find yourself sliding at highway speeds - "been there - done that" - so no panic, just steady control.

Nearest ever to a pileup in the winter was in Colorado Springs. I25 was clean and dry all the way from Denver, but due to the hills and curves, there were ice ruts BIG TIME in the shade through the city - and - the local drivers had already started their demolition derby. I was OK and in a 4wd Subaru under control and cruising at an appropriate speed for the conditions, but the crowd coming up from behind me, did not have a clue. Took an exit ramp I didn't want to avoid the rear-ender I was facing. It took the local authorities several hours to clear and reopen the road after the pileup.

Ahhhh! Life's little off ramps isn't that what they call country living?

Don

The wildest drivers I have ever been around (and I've been lots and lots of places) were in St. Louis. You could not even get out of their way in the right lanes, because they were racing to be first at the next off ramp. I'm not afraid of much, but those people scared the daylights out of me. Thought it must have just been that particular day for some reason, but have been through there several times now and it's always that bad. The rest of Missouri has been about the most pleasant road-sharing experiences I've ever had. I guess it's everywhere. Here we have soldiers that are convinced they will never die, but everyplace has somebody!!

Thinking about the way some drivers are over here reminded me about drivers in Italy. Robin came over on a dependents cruise to join me in Naples while I was in the Navy and we took a Taxi into town and the speeds they drive at with no light control at interchanges because they don't have intersections scared her to death, they just weave in and out of each other at high speed. That first night I like to never got her to come to bed as she was watching the traffic below amazed, she asked me how it is they never hit each other and I told her that in Italy if you hit someone you are financially responsible to that persons family to support them until the person you hit can take care of themselves again. And if you kill someone you are financially responsible for their family for the rest of your life. I don't know much about other countries but I was in Naples long enough to have learn that about their driving. So I guess it could be worse.

Don

Don--You sure are right about that one. Wonder how our accident rate would change if those laws applied here?--Diane

Had to share a pleasant/scary experience. I was driving back from Wendover, NV with me mom, blizzard came up thought nothing of it (I am Canadian). It just got worse and worse, total white out...fingers clenching around steering wheel cause I can not even see the line anymore (Double lane divided), can not even till where to pull over to and visibility being what is was did not want to get rear ended by someone else. So for better or worse pressed on.............then all of a sudden bright lights behind me. Big old semi truck guided me back to my lane, passed me and I was escorted home sandwiched between two semi's that new I could not see a thing. Never had a opportunity to thank them, but when I am delayed in traffic because of some professional driver I wait with a smile on my face.

I have had truckers help me several times as I've traveled through bad weather, stopped to check my map, had a major tire blowout, etc. I'd rather travel on a whole road full of those guys than just a few screwballs in cars. When I pull into a rest area for more than a few minutes, I always park over by the trucks.

I know call them the Knights of the highway. I feel bad that they have to be out there with the inconsiderates. People just do not realize how much distance they need with all that weight, the morons put their very lifes in danger, all to get where they are going 45 seconds sooner.

What is a PU?

Pick up.

Aha! Thank you for that clarification. Snipe, I believe you are experiencing that modern dilemna that the folks who drive them these days are no longer folks who use them for work. It's all for show. Those who really need their PU for work, aren't going to risk destroying their capital assets by driving like an idiot. Or so one would like to think. I'm sure there are always exceptions. I'm definitely a defensive driver and don't trust any other driver on the road........or parking lot for that matter.

I was waiting in the gas line at Costco when the SUV in front of me let his large vehcle roll backwards over the hood of my commuter car. He claimed it was not his fault and stated that he could not do anything about the situation because the power had failed and his power brakes wouldn't work. I asked why he didn't put the car in gear or set the parking brake. He said he did not know the car was rolling backwards

I asked him how he managed to not hear my horn. I was leaning on it for a good half a minute (if the lane behind me had been free, I would have backed up and left). He couldn't hear my horn because he was listening to the radio.

Go figure.

I was raised in the Texas Panhandle and pickups were for work I laugh at the wantabes around here who drive the things and treat them like a Cadillac and not even know to put bags of sand in the back to weigh down the rear end for traction. OMG put bags of dirt in my truck!!!!!!! If it ain't beat up it ain't a truck in my opinion.

Don

Don,
When we were in Colorado, some people would buy a 4x4, get a fancy paint job, then be afraid to take it into the mountains - my goodness it might get all scratched up! LOL.

Even though I had my old crew cab patched and repainted - extra lights, running boards, etc. We still went deep into old mountain trails - a little DuPont #7 and some elbow grease, and the scratches were gone.

Moved several pallets of grass (one at a time) - fork lift loaded. Scratches in the bed - who cares - it's a truck designed for work, right?

Got 1/2 million miles on that vehicle before I had it towed as scrap. Still have the 454 engine, tho.

Bubba_MoCity 454 what a great gas hog! Got poop in its drawers and thats what pickups are for, they call it work.

Don

Don, it is actually bigger than that - threw a rod at about 350,000. The old Swede that rebuilt it put in a .030 over sleeve and punched the rest the same, then took .030 off the heads. Our son gave us a mid rise intake manifold, Preditor carb, and headers. Would get maybe 6 mpg on a good day, but at 80, it would almost break traction if you stomped it - and that was a 5400# dry weight vehicle.

Would not install the power plant in anything but a show car, hot rod, or drag boat today - fuel WAY to high for a daily runner.

Actually got better milage in CO before the rebuild - up to 16 mpg - I always thought it was because most of the trip back to Denver was downhill, so it coasted. When we first got it in TX it would average 11-12, but with 40 gal on board - it allowed for a long time between fuel stops.

Don,

Sand bags [play sand] can be helpful for rear wheel drive pickups, but it can cause some cars to flash their brights meeting you as it raises the light beams some.........unless you have super springs and shocks.

2 + 2 = 22 So 4 (wheels) + 4 = 44 ways for a fool to endanger their life and the lives of others on the road.

During a recent freeze I was crossing a bridge that was covered with black ice. I had reduced speed to about 25 miles per hour and was coasting safely onto the bridge when a math genius as shown above decided to pass me. Honking, yelling and saluting me with one finger this mental giant sped passed me onto the ice doing about 70 miles per hour. I came to a stop as he began to spin. He managed to spin across without hitting the railings of the bridge and came to a stop facing the wrong way from the ditch on the other side.

I would love to be able to say that the ordeal taught him better math but he passed me again within a few minutes by going faster than before to make up his lost time! There were numerous serious accidents that night in this area....I wonder if he was one of them....or the cause of them.