To chain or not to chain...

1. I'm a company driver, also my boss expects me to use my judgement. If I don't feel it's safe, I don't leave Denver. I've turned back a couple of times. Am I a super trucker with a death wish, no, but chaining is part of the job, it's a requirement. Again, as I said earlier, I notice McD's is hiring, you'll never have to chain, you'll be nice and warm, and all the food you can eat at a discount.

2. COlorado State Law, contrary to what OOIDA tries to tell you, requires that if you deliver freight anywhere in Colorado, you must carry chains. I'll guarentee you, 90% of the drivers who deliver here, don't realize there are areas of I-70 East of Denver that can require chains if the weather is bad enough, same with a couple of stretches of US 287 in S.E. Colorado.

3. Wyoming now has the exact same chain law as Colorado, with the exact same fines, before long New Mexico will as well.

4. It's amazing the number of drivers who deliver in Denver, see a bright sunny sky who have no clue that less than 60 miles away it can be blizzard conditions. Not to mention, those condition can change very quickly. My company runs tires that are good enough that I can often sneak past the chain up areas without a problem and barefoot it. I do it, I realize that I'm risking a serious ticket as well, but I hope that I have enough exp. and faith my exp. and my truck to make it. However, I also have 6 chains swinging on the right side that I can stop and get two of them on and be moving in under 10 minutes if I have to. Many of the tickets issued on Vail EB or Eisenhower EB are to drivers who look at slushy conditions and clear skies at the bottom, and fail to realize that 3 miles up, it turns to crap.

 

If CDOT cant even get their trucks out for 4 days to plow I-70, it was probably a very bad storm. I do carry chains because the law says I have to. I would only use them to get me to the nearest hotel. But I wouldnt get to that point because I have the weather channel on my iphone. Anyone who drives over the Rocky mountains in winter with no fuel (one gallon per hour to idle for 48 hours = 48 gallons of fuel when he shut down) without chains and without looking at the weather first deserves to run out of fuel on the interstate. I cant tell you how many times I have screamed at a truck driver at a truck stop who walks up to me and says "do you know where 1234 Main street is"? HOW ARE YOU A TRUCK DRIVER WITH NO GPS OR MAP? HOW DO YOU DRIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH NO FUEL OR CHAINS WHEN A BIG STORM IS COMING?

PLAN YOUR TRIP!

 

My apologies to the O/O's for mistaking you for one.
It's only a requirement to carry chains on the truck. It's a requirement to install them if you get caught in or intend to continue driving in foul conditions when the state determines it is needed. It's not a requirement to get into a situation to need to use them. So in essence, yes, you are a super trucker with a death wish.

Your condescending remarks about McD's and chaining is not appreciated and as such I'll discount it to your obvious need to prove your manhood in some way, shape or means, to counter your feelings of inadequacy.

Since your boss depends on you to use your judgement as ours do, what gives you the right to belittle anyone else's judgement, counter to yours? (See this is where the inadequacy comes in...the need to prove oneself, a super trucker with a death wish) Sorry, those days are long gone for me...so go rattle someone else's cage.

We all realize we need to carry chains, that's why they're stored where they won't need to be used, but we have them. Almost every carrier I know makes sure that drivers have them on the truck. I don't see how they can't realize it, there's stations and gates all along 70 warning them, besides the signs and staging areas for the "chain up areas" . Maybe they do realize it, but they just don't intend to chain up because if the weather is bad enough, as you mention, it's time to hole up.

And they will get the same consideration for travel as Colorado does, if safe proceed, if foul weather, hole up.. simple as that.

So you see, in this last paragraph, you now tell us, you are indeed a super trucker with a death wish. Not only that, but you are purposely driving without them, knowingly endangering other drivers and/or their family members too, because you think you have enough experience to make it safely. How hypocritical.

I have chains, too, know how to put them on and use them, but they will rust waiting to be used because I have enough faith in my experience to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em, and avoid 'em, and someone brazenly trying to challenge my judgement with pathetic attempts to belittle it, won't shake it.

Good Luck and have a nice day.

 

In the winter of 2011, Donner Pass had record snows- which is saying a lot! Somebody on this forum must have driven thru it. I can't imagine sitting for a week to 10 days waiting for the snow to stop falling. I wouldn't wait.

 

I'm a O/O with chains and run Colorado A LOT and yes I do chain up when needed. I'll be ###### if I'm going to sit for hours or days when all I have to do is take 30 minutes to throw some iron. Why would I want to run my APU when I can be home watching T.V. because of a little thing like chaining up. Last year I got lucky and only chained a few times,the year before not so lucky, shoot one day I chained 6 times going in and out of Steam Boat Springs so I guess that makes me a "super trucker" too.

 

But you're not a "super trucker with a death wish", nor are you belittling someone who won't chain up. You just stated your preference and reasoning...and I agree with you. That's your call, and I won't tell you that you're wrong or a suicide driver either because of it. I wish I had an APU, but that last carrier was cheap.

Remember, this is a "Questions From New Drivers" forum.

 

Know a few who did just that. Again, it was their call. Not all drivers are created equal, and the key, of course, is that it is their judgement of their skills to proceed or not. That doesn't make them any less of a driver because of it.

 

CDOT was out plowing around the clock, but the chain law stayed up for 4 and a half days because it snowed for 4 of those days and they kept it up a little longer to let them get the roads cleared.

 

Chains required? Chains on and keep going . Road closed? Wait till it opens ... Chains on if needed ....keep going. It's not "super trucking" it's just trucking..... in winter. Nothing bad to the guys who don't chain , it's your choice, but I just put them on and take it easy. Haven't had any problems so far.

 

Really? Waited a week to 10 days 'cause they wouldn't drive the 87 mi between Applegate and Reno? Wow.

I say this as a brash (but not young) wannabe: I'm not afraid of the snow. I grew up in the GWN, across the lake from MI. I drove taxis in freezing rain. I am, however, scared to death of 4 wheelers- and you have to deal with them everyday...
I'm also afraid of not being able to see...so if I can't see, I'm going to slow down and get off the road ASAP.