going fast in snow

It has been proven many times the extra sets of brakes don't come close to compensating for the extra weight .

 

I'll apply a rule that I learned while running end dumps....
In this case it's when you feel the "slide"...
When your rear-end starts to pucker, it's time to slow down.

 

Its all about experience behind the wheel I was born and raised in Iowa where snow is a regular occurrence. If I was in Texas and it snowed the speed I would feel comfortable at in either a big rig or car/truck is going to be MUCH higher than what the locals feel safe. Honestly the road condition I hate the most isnt snow or ice its thick fog b/c if you slow down to much you run the risk of someone running into you but drive to fast and you run the risk of hitting someone else.Which is why you should STAY OUT OF THE HAMMER LANE unless your passing someone. Snow and ice are simple to drive one just slow down your reactions and youll be fine if the vehicle starts to get squirly back it down 5mph until you get comfortable.

 

I have lived in northern North Dakota all my life and have logged many many miles in snow and ice and the trucks you see in the ditch 99% of the time are the guys that think they can actually control a vehicle at higher speeds in these conditions.

I have heard all the techniques such as slower actions or reactions, slower foot etc. The thing about unplowed snow having more traction then plowed snow. LMAO. Unplowed lanes and higher speeds will put you in the ditch much faster then plowed lanes.

It is true that if you are loaded then you are better planted ont he road while moving but trying to stop if need be is another story all together. Left off the power with a loaded trailer and your drives will actually skid. What happens next is metal crunching and a poof of white powder and a phone call for help.

 

Evidently you've never driven in states like KY and AR where there are already frozen ruts on the road before they send the plows out . The plows just run over the packed ice and don't remove it . An unplowed lane with a couple of inches of powdered snow does give better traction .

 

It's called "Driving Over Your Head."

DOYH is different for different people, vehicles and situations. But it doesn't matter what kind of vehicle, what kind of road, what kind of weather, what kind of experience, what kind of training you have. If you make a habit of DOYH, sooner or later, your luck will run out.

The most common example of DOYH is the rookie who is unsure of himself, his rig, road and weather conditions. BUT, he sees all the other trucks running faster than he feels comfortable with, so he speeds up. Yep. He is the one who is likely to panic and do something stupid when things get a little tight.

But we have all been guilty of DOYH on occasion. Most of us have been lucky. Some have not.

The thing is, that with experience, you are more likely to recognize when you are getting in over your head, a bit quicker than those who don't have the experience behind the wheel.

It is true that we (often) have better visibility than four wheelers do. It is also true that our trucks are more stable on bad road conditions. But it is also true that when the excrement hits the oscillator, and the truck suddenly develops a mind of its own, that it is harder to bring back into line. And it's gonna do a lot more damage than a four wheeler!

 

LOL as truck drivers we have to haul !## in the winter time to beat the spring and summer construction boom.....lol
























;0

 

Evidently you still don't know how to really drive in snow. I live in Northern North Dakota and driving in the unplowed lanes will put you off road much quicker then running the plowed lanes.

 

Not if you know how to drive . I drove over 100 miles in unplowed lanes last week with other truckers and nobody went off the road . We weren't going 40 m.p.h. like the ones in the plowed lanes that made it necessary to get in the unplowed lanes to get the job done . I've driven in snow over 30 years . Never jackknifed or been or been off the road . Ice is a different matter . I don't drive on ice .

 

Alot of this is a matter of perspective...in some of the northern states 2-3 inches of powdered snow IS a plowed road. Driving in KY or AR is a totally different game than the northern tier. How many of the south central states have barricades at get on ramps and/or intersections for when the road is closed due to drifting snow?
Up here an unplowed road is where you are pushing snow with your (regular size) bumper and breaking trail for the 4 wheelers who for once are more than happy to follow the big truck.
As for the "frozen ruts", what are you leaving behind you when you drive
in your powdered snow?