winter driving, little nervous

Even though I've only been driving for three and a half years, this past winter was the first one of which I was stuck in for an extended period of time. The first two winters, I was extremely lucky; staying south of I-40 and east of I-35. The best advice I can give anyone driving in winter is: If you don't think you can run it safe, don't do it. Your dispatcher WILL understand.

 

Being new and all you just hear stuff.. I usually listen politely and then see how things REALLY are once you dive in. I figured that there would HAVE to be times you would need to chain up. This weather over the last few years in certain parts of the country has been pretty severe with areas literally coming to a stand still. Once the worst has past and things start to move again it would seem obvious that at least for a time, chains would be mandatory.. if not, highly recommended. Guess I'll get my taste of winter driving soon enough.

I can just see it now... My trainer showing me how to put ONE on and then saying, "I think the coffee's done." "It's kinda cold out here." "I'm gunna jump back in the truck while you chain the rest of the drives."

I just found this on youtube: Chain Up Tool - YouTube http://bit.ly/oJ2hNX

 

Digger, send a PM to Otherhalftw and he will tell you everything about chaining up you could possibly want to know....and probably some you don't.

 

I was going to post this advice but you beat me to it. If its cold and the lot is covered with snow or ice I always park, do my logbook and maybe go inside for a few minutes then move my truck a foot or so. That way it dosn't set into the hardpack and get stuck. Right around October or so I go to walmart and buy a small, plastic container of Ice Melt and small plastic container of Kitty Litter and put it in the box. I also have a childs plastic snow shovel behind the passenger seat. Many times those few things have been all it takes to get me moving. After a heavy snow and the plow going through a truck stop I've loaned my shovel to many drivers to move enough snow from in front of their trucks so they can get out.

 

I raced my Firecat 700 a bunch. Had it up to 120mph going across a lake. Now thats fun!!

 

I've been on I5 in Oregon heading south and a cop was standing right in the middle of the road stopping trucks and making them chain up or turn around.
A lot of the western states mandate carrying them in the winter but no-one can force you to put them on. You can turn around and park until the chainlight go's out. I've done this a bunch when it was snowing so hard I didn't feel safe. Let the super truckers have at it.

 

You don't even need snow. I've been across WY after a storm when all the snow had been blown off but the wind was so heavy that it blew my trailer around on the ice that was left. Very exciting.
Never drive in the winter with less than 1/2 a tank of fuel.

 

It's funny but I drove in the winter so long that I assumed everyone did this stuff without giving it a second thought. I carried a 20 degree sleeping bag, Carhart insulated bibs, mittens and insulated overboots (Neos are awesome, insulated and waterproof) in my truck from Oct to April. Don't forget a touque either. Most of the heat go's out of your head. I'm going to assume you have a jacket. I have a gortex shell i use as a windbreaker (I've used it all over the world including climbing Kilimanjaro) that doubles as a raincoat. Wind is not your friend and will kill you let it. If your going to chain up then a pair of rubber work gloves isn't a bad idea. I always carry a gallon of water and enough canned food for a couple of days year round.
A good place to get Gortex raingear/shell and mittens on sale is either Sierra Trading Post or Sportsman guide where you can get Mil Surplus fairly cheap. I also carry some Emergency 911 de-icer in the truck. First sputter of the engine and I stop and put it in. After I had that happen in the winter I added a bottle of rubbing alcohol to each tank every other fill-up. Bought it at Walmart for less than $1 each. Carried an extra fuel filter also. some companies discourage this because it can be rough on hoses but just don't tell them you are doing it.

 

lol, used to deliver into Tonawanda. The snow there was epic.