Winter Driving

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by TigerBait, Oct 12, 2014.

  1. Radman

    Radman Road Train Member

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    Ok, didn't know that salt froze like that I knew mag does. Bwahaha I've never ever seen them pre treat the roads! They are always short handed to with plows. Plows come out once the roads get blasted. They got to wake up scratch their butt, drag their butt to the yard. Those guys let the road close down. Sand works if they use enough but they don't. They don't want anyone on the roads at night. Believe me I drive this lane every night for the last 2.5 yrs. if it's snowing bad on a Saturday night those plow guys got to sober up before they come in and that's gonna be awhile.
     
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  3. TLeaHeart

    TLeaHeart Road Train Member

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    405 miles of I80 across wyoming, that is over 2,400 miles of plowing per pass... at 40 miles an hour, that is 600 man hours just to make one pass...

    Due to people who do NOT know how slick snow can be, and many law suits from ignorant drivers who were hurt or died driving on the sanded roads, the state of wyoming has adopted the policy of closing the roads as soon as they become unsafe for ignorant drivers... No chain law for I80, just close it... and will not open until safe for ignorant drivers.

    High volume (IA, IB) service is provided on interstates and principal arterial and urban routes. If necessary, crews will work up to 24 hours a day on IA highways and up to 20 hours a day on IB highways with a goal of maintaining a bare roadway for driving safely at reasonable speeds. IA is I80, IB is I25 and I90
    http://www.dot.state.wy.us/home/travel/winter/snow_plow_priority_plan.html
     
  4. Mtn. Dew

    Mtn. Dew Light Load Member

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    Ignorant or Uninformed? I believe that this is the first time I have read about this topic, and I am a newbie on a newbie thread. I feel more informed, thanks....so what is with the deal with ripping me with the word ignorant?
     
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  5. TLeaHeart

    TLeaHeart Road Train Member

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    casper, wy
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    Ignorant... not ripping you or anyone else...Ignorance can be fixed with education and knowledge.
    [h=2]ig·no·rant[/h] adjective \ˈig-n(ə-)rənt\ : lacking knowledge or information
    : resulting from or showing a lack of knowledge





    [h=2]Full Definition of IGNORANT[/h]1
    a : destitute of knowledge or education <an ignorant society>; also : lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified <parents ignorant of modern mathematics>
    b : resulting from or showing lack of knowledge or intelligence <ignorant errors>

    2
    : unaware, uninformed
    — ig·no·rant·ly adverb
    — ig·no·rant·ness noun
     
  6. nofreetime

    nofreetime Road Train Member

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    The state of wy closes the roads for two main reasons, when they feel they have become unsafe for travel. Which sometimes happens not because of "ignorant drivers" but because of a combination of icy roads and wind that is capable of blowing reefer and van trailers right off the road. The state is very good and prompt about closing 80 when this happens. Wy also closes 80 due other accidents almost always ones that involve trucks are responsible for these closures and as much as i hate to say its all too often it the o/o's who are involved in these accidents. I think the problem is that its so easy to become cumbersome once one has developed some winter driving skills and a false sense of security takes over leading to too high of speeds and resulting in accidents. I do see company drivers from the megas in the ditch on 80 but less of them. I think they mostly are scared out of there minds when 80 gets bad and are thus more inclined to drive slower. The main problem i see with the newer drivers on 80 is going TOO SLOWLY and thus causing traffic to build up into a pack behind them as it can take some time for each truck to pass. This can be dangerous as it causes driving in a pack on slick roads. They dont all have to cluster into a pack so close together waiting to pass but sometimes its the more experienced drivers i see trading safety for time. I like to wait several seconds behind the pack when i roll up on one then once they have passed i do the same takes a bit longer but so what. I find that the longer a driver is held up trying to pass the more likely they are to do something aggressive and unsafe in order to shorten their wait. This also causes accidents and rarely is a new guy the culprate. This and being "held up" is what i think leads to comments and insults directed at newer drivers or stories about them being group responsible for most accidents on 80 in WY but thats not what my eyes have seen when i go there quite the opposite. I think drivers just want to pick at newer drivers for causing them a delay rather than reaIising that we all have to share the same road and nether of us owns it. Chalk it up to drivers that think they are going to cross WY in bad weather without experiencing any sort of delay, i see many that are not willing to spend a little extra time here and there in order to be safe and this is what i call ingnorant.
     
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  7. nofreetime

    nofreetime Road Train Member

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    I think thats the nice thing about WY though the cold temps and the wind cause any snow thats built up beside the road way to be blown back acrossed. This causes ice to build up in because it almost like the wind is sand blasting the road with blowing snow. It causes 80 to often be really consistent on its driving conditions. Meaning that very often the road isnt patchy like say 70 in CO were i am constantly having to evaluate the road condition. On 70 i could drive over 30ft of slush then 30ft of ice then 40ft snowpack then 50ft of dry road and constantly be changing how i drive to accommodate the changing conditions. Always having to evaluate what causes those changes looking for shaded areas and such. At least with 80 its usually all the same, ice for 400 miles. This enables me to get into a "rhythm" since i can drive it all the same way w/o trying to guess whats ahead cause its ice ice and more ice. Plus there arent any wicked elevation changes like 70. Ive heard so many drivers complain about 80(and i didnt you did but) ill take it over 70 any day.
     
  8. TLeaHeart

    TLeaHeart Road Train Member

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    casper, wy
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    on the winds across wyoming, please do not ignore them, they do blow trucks over... even on clear sunny day.

    [TABLE="class: table"]
    [TR]
    [TD]No Light Trailers: [/TD]
    [TD] WYDOT will post a No Light Trailer message on the information systems when the wind gusts are greater than 50 mph with ANY road conditions.

    This advisory pertains to trailers of any size (commercial and non-commercial) and to other vehicles such as recreational vehicles which are loaded with light materials (or are empty) and have a profile that is subject to wind gusts. Drivers of such vehicles are advised not to travel when a "no light trailers' advisory is posted as they can anticipate strong gusts of wind which may result in the loss of control of their vehicle or the potential for their vehicle to completely blow over.

    Blow-overs of light trailers are very common in Wyoming. Controlling a vehicle during a strong wind event can be even more difficult when slick road conditions are present.

    There is no specific research that has been done to study at what wind speeds and what load weights trucks will blow over. Therefore, WYDOT cannot provide a specific weight or wind speed that will cause a trailer to blow over.

    Any driver who fails to comply with the "no light trailer" advisory and who is involved in a crash may be subject to a fine and can expect to pay the cleanup costs and fees associated with repairing any damage caused to public and/or private property.

    [/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD] Closure to Light, High-Profile Vehicles: [/TD]
    [TD] In locations where wind gusts are 65 mph or more AND where adequate signage to indicate the limited closure is available, WYDOT will initiate a closure to light, high-profile vehicles. This closure is targeted at vehicles that are prone to being blown over such as recreational vehicles, moving vans, campers, small trailers and lightly loaded commercial vehicles but smaller vehicles pulling trailers are also included in this restriction. Drivers of vehicles that fail to heed this type of closure will be considered in violation of Wyoming Statute 24-1-109 and 'shall be subject to a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00) or to imprisonment for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days, or to both such fine and imprisonment.'

    Research shows that when wind gusts exceed 65 mph, there is almost certainty that multiple vehicles will be blown over or be involved in a loss of control type of crash. These crashes most often result in debris on the highway that results in a road closure to all vehicles. It is important to note that WYDOT does not have adequate signage to implement a closure to light, high-profile vehicles in all locations. Additional sites may have wind gusts exceeding 65 mph and pose a significant risk of blow over. In these locations, WYDOT will indicate 'Extreme Blow Over Risk' on our information systems and drivers should exercise special caution.
    [/TD]
    [/TR]
    [/TABLE]
     
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  9. tjh

    tjh Bobtail Member

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    Best advice I've ever heard on the subject.
     
  10. Florida Playboy

    Florida Playboy Road Train Member

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    I remember once leading a convey through a white out snow storm. You couldn't see beyond five feet and the good ole boy behind me said on the CB I did good. I'm glad all that's behind me now since getting out of trucking.
     
  11. nofreetime

    nofreetime Road Train Member

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    Driving in a convoy though white out, sounds like a pretty bad idea to me. I don't like to be in a pack that's what causes pile ups.
     
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