winter driving, little nervous

I haven't seen anyone mention drying your trailer brakes just before you park, if someone did, crucify me. I use the spike to drag them a little, but if you don't have one, your service brakes will work as well, just not as convenient.
You guys are right, I'd rather drive in a blizzard in the Yooper before I 75 in Georgia. My chances are better up here.
You need to respect that slick stuff, not be scared to death, as has been said, slow and easy, and if "really" bad, park the thing.

A couple ears ago during a snow storm, West Va and Maryland decided not to plow I 81. You guessed it, myself, a guy from Pa, and another from Maine, all took off, and had no problem. Of course the road was pretty vacant of 4wheelers and nonsnow type people. We all felt safe doing this, and there in lies the crux. If you're feeling unsafe or scared, please park it, but don't make fun of the guys still out there. Some can drive in worse conditions than others.

I got a phone call from some bimbo at USX once while going across US20 in Slohio in a storm. Her question? "Are you aware of the weather conditions where your at"? I didn't know what to say for a minute or two, until she asked me if I knew how many trucks were in the ditch. It was a dry snow, and it was a bit windy. I just said maybe they should teach some guys how to drive. I really couldn't see where there was much of a problem. The difference between someone in snow all their life, and someone who hasn't. In a sense, it was funny.

 

gravdigr, you will do great, and Ill add one, to your list, LOTS of rest, be ready every day, if you feel tired, sleep, but not on the steering wheel. LOL

 

Great post. I did forget, so many winters, My freakin wipers would sometimes build up 4 inches of ice on them , I can remember driving 5-6 miles and have to snap the wipers on the windshield. I drove a local day cab forever. No defrost options. I dont even know if they have wiper defrosters. 38 years of raggedy day cabs, some had a fan on the dash board.

 

Snow will build up on more than your wipers. Try to clean off your lights before you can't be seen from behind and your air lines before they're dragging on the ground.

When you come up on a bunch of slow movers don't just assume they are going slow because they're not used to snow. Caught up to a line of slow movers on I-94 last winter just before a right hand curve. I slowed and paced them at first and soon realized why they were slow. Supertrucker flew by me in the hammer lane and was able to stop just in time for the State Trooper who was stopped in the hammer lane halfway around the curve. The guy in the pickup behind him wasn't and slammed into the back of his trailer doing about 40.

 

Gotta love the dummies dontcha?

Dispatcher (500 miles away) when I notified him I was parking it for awhile.... "But it isn't snowing here".

Border guard at Houlton Me kiosk... "What are you hauling?" (Empty flatbed might be a clue)

Daddy type with jr in tow.... "Are you hauling milk?" Sure pal, milk always travels with "skull and crossbones" placards. Hadf more fun "educating" him how most of the interior of his new SUV was made with the very poisonous chemicals in my tanker.

Lordy, we could write a book.

 

My favorite is when 2 trucks pass each other on a 2 lane and no one can see for 5 seconds. That an no one seems to remember where the lanes are they just wander all over the road. If it gets slick throw a set of singles and a drag chain. If your in the mts use more iron..

 

You always have that banana head that has something to prove. Hey, look at me, I'm a super trucker. I win, you lose. Then you see em in the median down the road.

 

Don't be these guys......!







Hmmmm,didn't look that steep but we ain't move'n.



Crap,I can only go sideways,what now.

 

I totally understand your nervousness, I started last winter and my first couple runs were in snow...My best advise is to go as slow(or fast) as you feel comfortable and ignore anyone trying to push you, especially up or down hills...

Leave way more room and know slow and steady wins all the winter races...

The biggest obstacles I found in winter driving, and the only places I had issues like getting stuck, seemed to be at terminals and shipper/receivers when the ground wasn't plowed as well as the roads...There were some docks I had to gun it up and hit the dock a lot harder than I would have preferred just to get up the incline to even hit the dock without spinning and some I could barely get out that were downgrades into the docks after they loaded me...I also found it tough, at times, to find ground I could get traction on to move my tandems...You'll learn a lot this time of year, embrace it!

Oh, and in my opinion, other's may vary, I believe chains are to get you out of trouble and to a safe place, not to drive thru trouble...Many of the trucks I saw jack-knifed at the bottom of hills had chains on, they're not a "cure-all"...

 

the worst thing about running 80 in the winter is the idiots trying to set a coast to coast record regardless of weather--just do your job --drive carefully and let the super truckers blow by at 75--you will pass them in a few miles as they are in the ditch--