Black ice or just wet?

Oh my there's SOOO much to say about this. Since you're not a driver in training yet and just curious; the posts already made will do, but a nod and props to your Dad; experience does play a big part of it because the white slick stuff comes in so many forms in so many different areas even though it's all ice. all the stuff we say is good - but you have to see that Devil in all it's forms to truly know when to go and when to NO! Except for the obvious. LOL. It's the different geography PLUS the different ways the cold places treat what's coming (or don't). Plus snow pack can turn to ice real quick. Even though it's cold as you know what, tires under the weight ours are heat up. They melt the top of the snow pack as we go over. It's super cold so it freezes back quick into ice and after a little bit with only cars running on (they aren't heavy enough to produce the tire heat trucks do) it you got ice on top of what WAS snow pack.

Here's My advice: IMHO you seem to be traveling with your Dad in snow country and the frozen stuff: He seems to be a real savvy hand. Good head and judgment born of experience. Try this; buy him a mug of hot cocoa or coffee or tea and a slice of pie at a truck stop ask him about his experience in it in a "I wanna learn what you know" way. Ask him the same things you asked us, tell him what we've told you and then ask what HE thinks and if he has had any bad experiences too. It's important to do it when you are both relaxed and in downtime mode, though. Many a diamond for the future has been gleaned reminiscing with an experienced and savvy hand.

You might be surprised. Good info AND a bonding time. Coffee and pie at a truck stop: About $5. Time learning from and bonding with your Dad (actually IN the truck and rolling through the life he's lived for 34 years; even for just a little while); PRICELESS. I'd bet my boots neither of you will regret it and both of you will always remember that meal fondly for the rest of your lives. We're here for a minute - then gone. 24 hours, maybe 60 good years; it's really not that long a stay. Some things we get to take with us when we sail away; most we don't. Memories are one of things we get to take with us. Build them and build them well.

Just a thought from an old OTR roadie with grown kids of his own.

 

Spray, thermometer, weather reports, other drivers... use every bit of info you can get. I have gone to the extent of stopping in a Rest Area and feel the ground like an Indian! If it's bad you stay, if not you go on.

 

Good post. Got to learn to watch the sky too and learn to know the weather patterns where you are. Had it happen both in the Rockies and upstate NY by the big water. FM radio? Nothing. Some religious channel all that will come in and the person on was more interested in telling me about saving my soul than my tail with the weather. Sirrus (please! just a mega CD bank LOL). CB - dead. Didn't have all this "internet on a smartphone anywhere" cool stuff back then. Nobody on. Just me and my Nat. I look up and say: "Nat (my truck - stupid but I name them - like a horse. It's me and her way out HERE (wherever HERE is)) that's some serious ugly $#!+ coming cross the mountains and it's headin' our way. Commin off the lake (or out the valley or whatever) too so it'll be packed full of ugly. Looks like it'll be here in about a little under an hour the way them clouds movin. I think we need to find a place to hold up for a while pronto.

We did and it came down and we were fine (sometimes just parked under an underpass) and I was GLAD I learned to watch the sky too. Happened over a ton of other types of bad weather too. You gotta figure: You're the modern day version of a horse and wagon. Techno blazing!!, but still, you, a horse and wagon on our own; way out there (wherever there happens to be). Gotta know yourself, gotta know your horse. Gotta know your wagon, gotta learn to take care of all three when you are the only thing around and you GOT to know the weather. My technoblazing smart phone and internet anywhere has failed me a LOT more than my watching and knowing and a good judgment call based on the sky and my nose has.

[looking at "real time" weather on the smart phone, safely tucked away]: "Hmm? Snow showers expected? Hmm? Need to update that website. A two and a half foot micro blizzard ain't quite the same as; "could be some accumulation in higher elevations or the lakefronts".

[Later] "We got a bit more than expected due to the convergence of two fronts ("yeah, that would be them ugly clouds huh?") and such and such is shut down and travel is stopped on . . . ."

You get the point and you made it well.

 

One trick i use,which doesn't work for all ice,is to go to highbeam and see if the road "twinkles".

With "twinkle" i mean a certain way the light reflects on the ice,icecrystals have a different shape to water.
But again,it is not foolproof.


Another trick is when driving with no one around and on a "safe" part off the road,slow down (we are talking walking pace) and slam on the brakes.
Effectively doing everything you should not do on ice and see how the truck reacts.But again not foolproof.


Driving safely on ice is a combination off information(outside temperature,how you are loaded,how heavy,state off your tires,........................) that you process to make the right call.
And there's no manual that can teach you that.
It comes with experience and common sense.

 

Can't help you on auto's kid. Hate 'em. Never drove one full time. Wouldn't unless they just made me. Then I'd be learning all over again. Test drove one when we first bought some. Offered me a new truck and it had an auto. Told 'em thanks very much but I'll stick with what I got if it's the same to you. Didn't like my horse making my decisions for me. Not saying they're bad. Just didn't work for me is all. I'm sure you're Dad has a fine handle on it and can tell you lots more than I can. An auto in snow? I shudder to think. How do you pull THAT off? Gosh I'm getting old. LOL.

 

Animal,you drive a auto in the snow the same way as you do a manual.....................CAREFULLY.

 

when winter hits on every new load I get I get out map see all major cities I have to go thru. I have the weather bug app on my phone it will give down to the hour on weather to where I plan to travel. I will know how to plan out my trip. then If I do hit any snow, etc I turn my music down and cb up other drivers talk about what is going on. I pay attention to the driver in front I make sure I have enough room between me and them if they loose it I can slow down correctly and I try to stay close enough so I can watch how they are handling the road.