chain tips

Otherhalf,

Ok, I can see the grey area. Yes you are right if he is from around those parts and grew up in that kind of environment then he should have a better head on his shoulders and know more about the situation. As a driver of a big truck he is a newbie. He should be able to weigh his own decision on whether or not to chain and continue.

For those drivers who are brand new and don't even know what chains look like, this is not a good idea. I understand man, I know the difference in a trucker that knows how to get the job done and a mega-carrier trucker who drinks the cool aid and follows the rules and plays it safe.

My point of the post was your topic lighting a spark under a newbies ### to think its not a big deal and that they should throw chains to keep going and that, that is the norm and what all "real truckers" do. I think too many newbies get out there these days and automatically pick up the "supertrucker" attitude, think they can handle anything (and will try) and end up killing themselves or a family on a ski trip! I have heard too many times on the radio the supertruckers trying to corral the guys teetering on whether to park or keep going and after a few name callings talk them into doing something they have no business doing! The trucks you see on their sides or in the ditch or at the bottom of a ravine aren't the locals, or long time owner operators etc... You know who they are.... They are the trucks that belong to the companies that throw new guys behind the wheel with no experience. Which is fine, but they need to be smarter about where to draw the line when it comes to their abilities. Someone that is asking questions about how to chain up needs to yes, practice chaining, but no, not continue on to a worse condition in which they currently are.

New drivers, this winter when it gets bad or you think it maybe bad where you are headed, pullover! Put on the TV and check the weather. Get on the CB and check the conditions of the road. Get out your Road Atlas and in the front under every state listing is a phone number for road conditions. It will give the exact road conditions for every mile marker. You will know exactly how far you can go and where you can't go. There maybe sections of highway in which you will have to really take it easy and then it will be free and clear. Worse comes to worse or you aren't sure then stay where you are! You have pole position on parking spots in a truck stop that is going to be a circus in an hour! Grab a cup of coffee, kick back and watch the chaos! In a few hours the roads will be good to go, don't be the first one out of the parking lot, and continue on. I'm betting money you will pass a good handful of trucks that didn't make the right decision and are on their phones trying to find a cheap tow truck! You will probably even pass one or two guys on the side of the road still trying to untangle their chains and figure out how to put them on!

 

Florida surely doesn't need chain laws.... people down here can't even drive when it rains! Its utterly amazing!

 

in some state cables are not legal. if you do use cables be careful of spinning your tires they are not as strong as regular chains. ran to alaska in the late 60s and always run regular chains well lots of luck p.s. you always get dripped on from the trailer jon

 

contrary to what OOIDA and Cotrip.org try to tell you, chains must be carried state wide in Colorado. Chains were required on I-76 between mm 54 and mm 50 on I-76 this morning, and were strongly advised on I-70 both directions between mm 340 and 371. This accident happened in the area that I just referenced, there were drivers WB putting chains on at the 362 just before this happened. As a note for the ani-chain/part and wait crowd....I-70 from the 340 to the 400 was very icey all morning, even on some the flat stretches traction was marginal, and most of it, you wouldn't have know about until you were moving.

http://www.9news.com/news/article/296225/188/Multiple-semi-trucks-crash-closes-WB-I-70

 

in some states, use of cable chains will get you parked until the chain law is lifted if that is your only option. Colorado allows them, BUT, only in conjunction with regular chains. If you put cables on one drive axle, you better have regular chains on the other drive axle.

 

having driven a truck in Fla. once, I'm pretty sure they can't drive when it's clear and dry on a bright sunny July morning

 

as someone pointed out, this varies state by state. Colorado for example, the minimum chain requirement, is your primary drive axle, the advised is all 4 outer driver tires, there is no requirement for chains on a trailer. However, this can change based on where you are at. There are some higher mtn. passes on the backroads of Colo. (US 550, US 40 Rabbit Ears) where a drag chain is a good idea.

BTW, if you don't know which is your primary drive axle, FIND OUT!!!

 

If 2 cars with Floridians driving them were the only 2 cars on a 12 lane highway they would still crash into each other!

 

Unfortunately that's not even a joke! It would surely happen! I have traversed this entire country and have sat in traffic in every city and highway and by far Florida is the worst. Only in Florida can a major accident happen on a straight, dry, uncrowded road in the middle of the day! Look at I-95 and I-75 in Florida. Both are the most straightest, dry, well kept roads. Every single day at least one of those highways gets shutdown if not both! Its just amazing!

Add rain or a little fog and its crash up derby! Could you imagine if it did snow or get icy down here?!

 

Not much to it. If you are comfy chaining and can drive in the snow, throw iron and roll. If you cant, sit it out and not cause wrecks and pileups.