When is the right time to shut down due to bad weather.

Well I never reached that high pinnacle of driving in my career.

 

It begins! I'm sure we'll pick right up where we left off last March. ( with the pile-ups) Usually, if I broke traction say under 30 mph, that was kind of the cutoff. It takes a long time to get somewhere at 20 mph. 30 or 35 loaded is doable when it's snowing. Empty, not so much. Freezing rain is the worst, NEVER run in freezing rain. Totally unpredictable.

 

It's like porn, you know it when you see it.

 

Once you break traction it takes a bit of skill to catch it and maintain control. That's why speed is the enemy on ice. I passed that truck in the pic later that day coming back loaded and I met him coming down hill. His trailer started pushing him and I could see his drives kick out to the right. He managed to straighten up (and not plow into me, thank God!)

 

I first slow down to the point I feel comfortable driving in the weather conditions, then slow down more if needed. If I am starting to drive so slow that I am getting in the way of other traffic, I shut it down.

 

Just be like all the weenies and shut down when you see the first cloud

 

That video of the Wyoming crash. The truckers. Looked like no ####s were given at all. Pretty scary.

 

The right time to shut down differs from one driver to another, being that you are a new driver it might be sooner than someone that's been driving for decades, if you feel it's unsafe to continue, trust your instinct and shut down

 

Sometimes, the idea of parking in a truck stop (or wherever you can manage to get "parked") in the middle of a bad winter storm is as dangerous and unsafe as pushing through. Some day you will see what I mean if you're not understanding what I'm saying.

Having said that, every situation is different. You will know what to do in the given set of circumstances, when the time comes.

 

I was asked once if I have chains for my truck....I said sure there is a chain hooked to my key so I can lock the door when it gets that bad.