Geico266

For those of you traveling this Christmas Season remember not to use your cruise control on snow, ice, or when the pavement is wet. The engine does not know the drive wheels loose traction (on slick roads surfaces) and WILL add more power trying to keep the speed constant and cause you to loose control. In Nebraska, on I80 it is estimated 40% of people who loose control and end up in the ditches have their cruise controls on during icy, snowing road conditions.

Make sure you have plenty of fuel for weight and in case you get stranded. Carry blankets, food, candles, cell phone.

If you get stranded in a snow storm stay with your vehicle.

Be carefull out there!

Any other thoughts?

Thishasbeenapublicsafetyannouncement.

Scotty

Check the road conditions and the weather before you go.
Have good tires on the car.
If stuck and staying in the car, be careful if you are idling the vehicle and crack a window. If possible, clear a path for the exhaust so it does not fill the interior.
I found a car in the ditch with a couple nearly gassed that did not think about this. It only takes a few minutes to alter your thinking and abilities when a car has exhaust flowing into it.

When possible, check vehicles or call police when you see a car in the ditch with no visible tag[usually bright orange and is accounted for] on it.

Use a CB. Take a shovel

Scotty

Geico, the speedos are not warm enough for these kinds of trips.

IA_James

If you're really out in BFE, clear the top of your vehicle off so you can be spotted from the air, after bad storms alot of times there are airplanes up looking for folks that didn't make it to where they were going. Ditto on keeping the exhaust clear. Also, the best way to keep it OUT of the ditch to begin with, drive nice and slow, and whatever input you make to your truck, make it smoooooooth. Gentle throttle, steering, and braking will keep your tires from breaking traction. Start stopping plenty early.

Redleg

For the local members and any pilgrims out there.... [I]now maybe they'll quit calling...JK.

http://www.ohsp.state.mi.us/rw/home.htm

Mexstan

If you do get into a skid, be very careful not to over correct. Only turn the steering wheel a little bit and wait for the tires to bite. In slippery conditions the steering may not react immediately. If sliding when trying to stop, slip it into neutral. If driving an auto, be careful not to go too far and slip it into park.

Scotty

an alternative to all of this is move to Stans or Bobs.

Mexstan

NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't trust you bunch. You will probably bring down truckloads of that yucky, cold white stuff as a "gift".. Stay where you are - please.

BigBlue

Nice thing about stacks, you don't have to worry about the exhaust getting clogged. Yall be safe out there. There were 143 accidents in college station alone yesterday.

jfpointer

It's also a good idea to clean off your lights. Brush the snow off if applicable, and if the roads are sloppy, clean them just like your windows when you fuel up.

(Scotty, I don't think this applies to those mammoth Lightforce jobbies; I assume they just vaporize anything that lands on them. )

Scotty

I had a guy call them a tanning bed on wheels when I turned them on.

TRCM

Some other more common sense things (is there really such a thing anyway ?)



Don't use your high beams in a snow storm. Most of the time it will just give you more glare and blind you. I prefer yellow fog lights for bad snow storms...when properly mounted, they shine along the road, not down at it, and the yellow won't blind you from the glare/reflection off the snow.

Check the vehicle out good before you leave (including exhaust leaks) AND look everything over at each stop. A flat tire in the middle of nowhere in a snow storm ain't fun.

Make sure someone knows when you left and when you should arrive, and the route you are taking, so if you are real late, they can call for help.

Consider not running the engine until it is absloutely needed if the storm is likely to last a good while. It'd be better to start it every 15 minutes or so (assuming the alt will recharge it in that time) to keep warm than to be toasty for a few hrs, then be out of fuel for the duration.

Don't let the tank get below 1/2 full. Stop and fill it up.

If you are stuck, don't use anything that can kill the battery, it may be needed to start the car for warmth.

If there is more than 1 person with you, make sure at least 1 person is always awake. If you all fall asleep, you may not wake up again (cold, exhaust, etc).

Drive carefully....

mikmaze

Another tip, NEVER assume the guy plowing sees you, if he is plowing the po po tend to give him right of way in most accident cases, stay out of his way for a few extra minutes and he will leave you a better road to travel.

mr T

ive been plowing for a couple previous seasons let me just tell u that most of us PLOW guys go 24 hours straight sometimes, pop pills and have a beer or two when we have a break...so never assume anythign around us

my tip...if u dont have to drive .DON'T drive during a snow storm...that being said for people who do have to get to work no mater what with their vehicle...leave extra early before the mornign rush hour

darrenG

My favorite tip:

Four Wheel Drive doesn't mean you can stop any faster.