"The road is open", do you go?

Depends...

On stretches like I80 in IA during daylight hours, I'd probably wait awhile - traffic gets pretty thick, especially between Des Moines and the Quad Cities, and 4-wheelers are morons.

In less populated stretches, I'd probably go sooner. Certainly if it was night. A lot of it depends on what my "bottom" tells me about how the rubber is holding the road. But then again, I've spent much of my life driving on snow and ice where I come from.

Driving full-blast on snow and ice is pure lunacy.

 

They are out there among us folks. And it is proven by this thread. . .

I just hope the crazy bstd doesn't take somebody else with him when he goes.

 

Too true. I believe the poster has been driving for a year and has much to learn, but the same poster was advocating the use of an 18 wheeler for "revenge" not too long ago. There is a time to "hammer on it" and a time to use our heads but that point is lost on those who confuse 'nads and brains. The best we can hope for is that they won't kill someone else or block the road when they lay it over.

Drivers who have been at it for more than a year or two have probably seen several Billy Bigriggers blow by them, only to see them in the ditch down the road. My favorite was in IL when "Billy" pushed and shoved his way past a string of trucks on icy roads and had the good sense (?) to key up his big radio and mock them for running about 30-35... "Whatzamatter drahvers, a little ice gotcha skeert?"

In only a few miles, around Manteno, Billy finally put it in the ditch and I only wish I had recorded the CB comments as everyone rolled by. Billy was out examining the damage and trying not to look at the trucks rolling past... Priceless!

Who said, "There are old drivers and bold drivers, but not many old, bold drivers?"

 

Definition of a "Professional Driver". One who knows when to go- and when not to. The rest usually wind up in the ditch or in an accident. Never let anyone talk you into doing something you are uncomfortable with. It will cause you grief!

 

i drove from winnipeg to galveston in the weather, icy roads, wind and freezing rain. I took it easy and a couple of times i stopped because i felt it was too dangerous to continue. i was a day late delivering my load from galveston to regina sk, that was no problem, the company was ok with me being late. the embarressing problem was that after parking the semi at the company yard i put myself and my dodge pickup in the ditch driving the 20 minutes from the company yard to my home!! it can and will happen anywhere anytime!!

 

the last time I thought I was perfect behind the wheel, mother nature reminded me who was boss.

I've only been stuck three times where I had to be pulled out, once by a HD wrecker, once by a grader and once by a farmer with a loader. Every time it was while I was going super slow and in "controlled" situations.

That said, it comes to down to the "butt dyno", the rubber, and how I "feel" about the road. I catch hell arguing with the people on the Audi board about Colo. chain laws and who's more at fault truckers or skiers. But, I'm more likely to run I-70 WB "barefoot" when the chain law is up that direction than I am to chain up, it's not because I'm an idiot, a super trucker, or I wanna piss people off. It's because I have confidence in my ability and my equipment.

I spend 10 to 14 hrs a day in that truck, I #### well better know by now how it's gonna react and respond, I listen to her, I watch her guages, I use my mirrors and watch the color of my tires in the snow. I also use my brain.

Super Trucker may think he's god, eventually, his butt will override his brain too much and he'll be in the ditch, pray that he doesn't take one of us or some 4-wheeler with him. He doesn't have the exp. that many of us have, or in the conditions that most of us have seen.

 

I would always wait a while untill all of the other people out on the road get going and hopefully out of the way, or to where they are going etc.. I would head out at night if the visibility is good..If they just opened the road everybody and there mother will probably be out there.. I have done this many times leaving my home in montana during the winter months going down through west yellowstone and Island Park Idaho, to avoid all of the snow mobilers during the day...

 

I agree just a matter of time

 

if you have to ask someone else stay off the