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[Davidfak]

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• (January 12, 2023, 01:18:11 AM)

[Anonymous]

http://www.geekforum.org/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=13" target="BLANK">http://www.gotthegeek.com/images/demo_avatar_kane_screen_sm.jpg"> Submitted by Demosthenes


So I'm on my way into work this morning, and as expected on the main road near my house after some sleet and snowfall, it's icy as hell.

I live on a somewhat rural road, and this road doesn't get that much traffic.  Oftentimes even when main roads are bone dry and safe for driving, the road that I have to drive on to get to my house is still covered in ice or packed snow.  It's not undrivable or even that dangerous, but you have to be careful when it's slick.

Most people who spend any significant amount of time in Minnesota should know this when driving on ice or packed snow.  SHOULD know.

This morning it was pretty slippery, so I was driving cautiously.  I drive a Honda Accord with tires that aren't the best under slippery conditions, so I was taking it easy at about 50 miles per hour at most.  Driving on a straight, flat road with no traffic is perfectly safe (even on ice) at 50 mph.

There are generally two kinds of people we encounter on a daily basis when it's slippery... just about any winter driver will agree with me:  "Idiots", who drive 25 mph and cause terrible traffic problems (I'm sorry, but even when it's slippery out, 25 mph on a rural road just isn't safe unless you have one of those big, orange triangles on the back of your car like tractors do), and "Maniacs", who feel invulnerable in their SUVs, ignoring the laws of physics and screaming down the road at speeds that are barely safe even when the roads are dry.

Myself, I'm somewhere in between.  I think it's a bit unreasonable to drive on highways at 25 mph, but at the same time, you won't see me totally disregarding things like snow and ice and driving the same as I always do.  My main aim is to keep my vehicle under control, and get to where I'm going in relative safety and timeliness.

This morning, some guy came barrelling up behind me in a black Ford Explorer... FAST.  He rode my ass for about a half a mile, and then zoomed past me.

With the rate he pulled away from me after passing, he had to have been doing at least 70 mph.

On ice.

I'm sorry to say, but when driving on solid ice, even on a flat, straight road, even if you are in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, even with antilock brakes, even with modern "traction control" systems, even if you're a top-notch driver, 70 miles per hour is not a safe speed to be driving.  That's just common sense.  Again, anyone who spends any significant amount of time in Minnesota should know that.

Now don't get me wrong... my wife and I own an SUV of our own. We think they're fine vehicles, and if you live anyplace rural in Minnesota, they're handy to have.  But SUV's apparently do funny things to some peoples' common sense.

A few minutes later I drove past the very same Mister Black Ford Explorer, who was standing next to his vehicle, which was now mired in about three or four feet of snow, facing the wrong way in the left ditch of this very same flat, straight road.

I always wonder at the number of cars I see in Minnesota ditches on days when driving conditions don't really warrant such chaos.  Now I think I have an idea about that.  Drive 70 mph on ice and that's where you end up.

I waved at him as I went past.

[hackess]

I know exactly what you're talking about, Demo. Wisconsin drivers are the same way. Half of them freak out at the first sign of snow and ice, and slow waaaaaay down, making them a hazard to anyone driving with an ounce of sanity. Another bunch of idiots just keeps speeding along at 75 mph, completely disregarding the now-slippery roads.

These two groups of people should be forced onto one highway, away from those of us who know how to drive responsibly. I think things would work themselves out.

[Demosthenes]

Exactly!

I'm not even in the "everyone faster than me is a maniac, everyone slower than me is an idiot" frame of mind here.... I'm just trying to be reasonable.

25 mph on a highway is simply not reasonable.  It's fricken DANGEROUS.  I don't care if there's ice on the road.  If you can't keep your car under control at even 35-40 mph then you shouldn't be driving.... either that, or there must be something terribly wrong with your vehicle, mechanically, if it's out of control at such speeds.  Either way, it shouldn't be on the road, obstructing traffic and potentially causing accidents.

In all the years I've lived in Minnesota, which arguably has some of the worst driving conditions in the US (outside of Alaska), I've never encountered road conditions so bad that I HAD to drive 25 miles per hour.  It simply hasn't happened.

Yet I've NEVER, even once been in the ditch in the winter time because of road conditions, like so many retards I see every year.

And most of them are SUVs and pickup trucks.  And I'll guarantee you that they were all driving way too fast.

So to sum up:  When it's slippery out, slow down a bit and be more cautious.  But 25 mph is ridiculous.  Get off the fricken road if you're that incompetent, people!

[hackess]

In all the years I've lived in Minnesota, which arguably has some of the worst driving conditions in the US (outside of Alaska), I've never encountered road conditions so bad that I HAD to drive 25 miles per hour. It simply hasn't happened.

I've only encountered such conditions once. We were driving to Minnesota one March in blizzard-like conditions. Visibility was down to almost nothing. It took us over five hours to get to the Cities from Madison. That sucked.

But I've never been in the ditch, either.

[pbsaurus]

I love it when people get what they deserve!

[Demosthenes]

I love it when people get what they deserve!

Hey, it does happen on occasion.

It's always fun to watch when it does.  

[JohnnyFive]

I have to say, living in Alaska, we have this A LOT. Of course, the thing is, we don't have the same outlook as you guys I don't think. You see, basically everyone goes too fast on these icy roads. Why? Because it's also icy, A LOT. Going slow all the freakin time just doesn't cut it for a lot of people. Sometimes we go fast on the ice with the intent of crashing our vehicles. Why? Well, because it's a lot of fun. I mean, there are the exceptions to this rule, like the old folks that moved up from Florida, but the great majority of those that I live around drive 60 or so on snow/iced roads unless it's really really really bad. No one thinks twice about it. Oh sure, we get the crashes every once in awhile, but not terrible. I wouldn't be surprised if we have more accidents when it's not snowing as opposed to normally.

I know we get a lot of drunks crashing though. Oh, and teenagers... Hmm... that might explain my outlook on things.. considering i'm 19...


No, they're just bad drivers. I'm invincible!

[Frozen Shade]

Here in Canada, roads are like that ALOT during the winter, and most of the drivers in this city drive cautiously when it's like that.... But some don't and those are the people you see a cross and flowers for on the side of the road. It's really sad, im just glad both my parents are good drivers.