Experience with alternative traction devices

I wouldn't waste my time on inventing a better traction device for motor vehicles. The Weather Channel is broadcasting 24/7 how the earth will be too hot to support life in just a few more years. And it will all be the fault of foolish USA citizens deciding to progress forward these last 100 years.

 

Yup. World's 6th mass extinction. Wonder if the other 5 were due to climate change as well?

 

And disregard this December 2016 that will likely go down as the coldest in North American record keeping history.

 

Sand away. There are systems for that. Im all for it. In fact. Ground slag from Steel mills would even be better than just sand.

 

I have installed two types of traction devices on my trucks, both are pretty much the same.

On-spot automatic chains and Insta-chains.

Both are not cheap but both work most of the time, as do the old fashion chains.

The sock, the other things we tried never really worked.

 

Compliant in all the states with chain laws.

The driver use them all the time, no limits on the use.

 

My experience is only watching people drive with them. They're usually going about 5 mph, and it makes me wonder if they'd be better of just taking 8 hours off and resuming the trip later at 45mph or so.

 

It's not so much the 45 mph, it's the stamina.

I don't remember all the battles Ive fought in winter through the years, but I do remember one particular convoy of about 48 trucks behind me coming off cabbage eastbound by the time we all got towards Odgen we were a solid convoy. All doing 15 on interlock with split ice that turned to two feet of slush and snow. There were a number who were new and was learning their very first winter, virgins if you please on ice. So that is one of the reasons I recall that Convoy day really well, I was number one and between myself and numbers two through 5 we worked together to teach the newbies how to do ice and snow, literally monkey see monkey do. By the afternoon, they were rolling along nicely and not sliding so much. If there was ever a convoy that would be it. It took alot out of me that day due to mountain sickness that was coming on so I pulled off to let them go on down the road. I did not hear or see anyone in the ditch or middle later that evening so I think everyone did well. Once in the watsch pass for WY it really opened up into good weather. It was a major storm that grew bigger and deep strong all that day and you had to keep moving east to avoid getting trapped in a chain law once the Law started to require them.

In my time it was all paper logs, we would keep moving even if it was 8, 15 or whatever it is speedwise as long as necessary to get through or reach delivery. Sometimes 30 to 45 hours until the work was finished. I recall being pretty into my gas tank so to speak energy wise by the time we reached 7 mountains se of State College on US 322 which is one of my technical favorites as far as mountain work goes. Techaphi is a close second with what I consider a scenic reward westbound that last three mile drop at sunrise.

Im not certain that Stamina is being taught to our Newbies. They might not understand what it means to be slow for three states in three feet of powder or ice. I don't think the Elogs allow for that.

 

Western Distribution gives drivers the option to use Autosocks, a few have. They do work, BUT, you have to be in snow/ice with them, not wet or dry. In wet condition, 10 mph, on dry conditions, pull over and remove or they will disintegrate in a short while. Spoke with a one of their drivers a few years back that was running them. She said in snow/deep snow they worked, and worked well. On ice, they were so/so, but you had to watch your speed. As soon as the road turned to slush or just wet, you had to stay under 10 mph or they would tear themselves apart.