To chain or not to chain...

My company said do not drive on ice..if you jacknife you will be fired

 

Why, if that ain't a country truck drivin' song, it #### well should be!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC_onLPc-0E

 

my company says "Put your ice skates on"....




American Trucker

 

Buddy you don't just chain up to drive on the ice and snow.. I know of people who have thought that way and they chained up when the chain law wasn't in effect and got ticketed for it.. It isn't good for the the surface of the road.. The question that is being asked is should you chain up when the law requires it or just park...

 

Will not drive 70 west of Denver, no matter what. I avoid that little problem completely. Enjoy all the freight for that area you want.

 

I hope people laugh at you when you too make a wrong decision and screw up royal. That sounds like it could of killed the driver. You and everyone else "laughing" at someone else's misfortune are sick human beings.

 

I threw iron for the first time last year, had a load that had picked up south of Seattle going to Las Vegas. The storm that dumped quite a bit of snow up there had already passed, and the road crews had already pretty well cleaned everything up with temperatures slightly above freezing. On top of having cleaned the majority of the snow, they were also treating the roads so with it being afternoon when I crossed I expected slightly slower running, but no need for chains by the time I hit the passes.

Long story short DOT required iron be thrown even though roads were "slushy", which is not what chains are for. I ended up throwing them twice in one day due to this BS, but I threw them in order to get out of there before the next storm hit AND still make delivery. That sound of iron on "dry" roads will wear down your nerves, your tires, your chains, and the highway; but you do what is necessary to make the delivery and make money.

The best thing to do is keep up with weather, when is it expected to hit, and are alternate routes going to be affected? If not then talk with dispatch in your company if required and have them reroute your fuel stops so that you can bypass the storm. No matter what do what YOU feel is safe. Don't endanger yourself, OR more importantly the motoring public who is out there with you.

 

What passes were you referring to? Siskyou?

 

I lived in Merced most my life was in the same boat. Lol. Then became a Otr driver and now regional here in Denver and deal with it every winter for the past 4yrs. Lol.