Driving in the snow

Don't get in too much of a hurry when the weather turns bad. I like having the weather band in my truck. It helps to know what the weather is going to be doing so that I can plan accordingly. It is more important to plan your stops when you have bad weather. You won't usually chain up unless you run the Northwestern states. Sleet and snow can make roads get ugly, very fast. If you don't feel safe driving, then find a place to park until the dot gets the plows and salt trucks out. I would also leave the engine brake off in snow and icy road conditions.

 

momentum is my friend, try not to stop. if you pull off the road to stop in a foot or two if snow, try to back up and pack a short runway for trying to start again. hot tires will melt into the snowpack or ice and their you'll sit and spin. winter driving is inevitable, take care and use your head. parking headed down hill always helps. driving in winter just has to be experienced to gain confidence, take it easy and you should do o.k.

 

Man if I parked every time it snowed and I had to use chains I'd have no pay and most likely no job lol. Only way for some one to gain experience in driving in the snow is to do it... Not go threw your career telling your dispatcher you refuse to drive in snow.

 

Driving in snow isn't that bad. Just take it easy and don't rush yourself. Your confindence and skills for bad weather will grow with experience. Make all movement smoothly. Accelerating, braking, turns. Also dry snow has better traction than wet snow or slush. Park if its really bad or you don't feel safe but don't shutdown at the first flake either. It is part of the job. I'm a east coaster so I won't comment on the use of chains other than have them if required.

 

You will be OK, you have the good sense to ask first about driving in snow and that shows that you have the sense of caution that one needs.

There are a number of good threads about snow and chaining on this board. There is a division between drivers with some in the "never chain" camp to others in the "it's part of the job". I think this is regionally driven, with those of us who drive in the Pacific North West expecting it, and those lazy midwest flatlanders thinking it's ok to camp out the chaining areas. Not that I have a bias or anything.

So here is my advice, it's not the snow, it's the ice.

When it's cold, fog = black ice.
four wheeler in the ditch = black ice.
chains on black ice = black ice
black ice = wait for sand truck to come by.

So before the season gets into swing, flake out your chains, make sure they are good, get enough bungees, and have at least 2 cam tools. Drive your truck like you own it.

 

i can't remember ever stopping a trip because of weather, stopped because of accidents and avalanches. chains are just another useful tool, use when needed.

 

Worst advice I've ever heard. If you've got chains, use em. I had to throw iron just last week because I had no choice but to go, sometimes its more dangerous to sit than to throw iron and go until you can find a safe spot to park.

Again.....bad advice. If I can pull 107,000 pounds up a 6% grade with chains on, you lightweights can do it too. If you're sliding with chains on you did something wrong.



To the OP, be prepared, have two sets of three railers, and enough singles for at least one tire on each trailer axle to use as drag chains. And when you chain up your truck, lock the power divider and put the three railers on your REAR driver, lots of rookies make the mistake of chaining the front drive axle, that's not where the power will go and you will spin out. And if you're coming up on a hill and you're not sure, stop and chain because its much easier to chain when you can move than it is when you're spun out on the hill.

 

Be sure to check with your employer !!!!


Companies have different rules,

and some outfits would want you to avoid using chains.

 

"never stopped because of the weather".

I've stopped because of hurricanes,tornadoes, and blizzards. when the road starts getting packed with stuck vehicles and your driving down a mountain doing a zig zag around them,in 10" of snow on the road, it's time for me to put it to bed.

Not putting myself in a potential accident situation is how I avoid them.

the load ain't more important then ME !! and my driving record.