Winter driving and chaining

I'm going to tell you guys something that only the veterans can attest to. When disaster strikes, until the emergency vehicles get on scene, everyone is going to look to you, the driver, for leadership. Ironic, isnt it?
1. SCREW COMPANY POLICY. Do not allow deskjockey decisions to cloud your thoughts. When you need to act, you need to act fast. You all seen that Wyoming crash video. When the weather goes to hell and people start crashing, heres what you do:

Carry a flashlight and an orange flag. In a whiteout, the flashlight is the first thing everyone will see. You have to get traffic stopped. Send someone along the shoulder with the flashlight. Everyone that sees it will slow next the will see the flag and realize there's an emergency ahead.
You use your tools to get people out of cars. An ax or hatchetor some big claw hammer type tool to rip safety glass out, and an indian blanket to cover any sharp metal. Kill the ignition! Otherwise the car will catch fire. Cut seatbelts and have the people around you help drag the people from the car. Hand someone your fire extinguisher and have him stay with you and stand watch. Pull everyone to the tree line asap! There will be other drivers that will show up and their presence will take a huge load off you. When emergency shows up, stay with them...they will definitely need your help.

 

Let me make some corrections. The 2nd driver on scene, have him flag down traffic. Orange flag, hi vis vest and a flashlight. He needs to go far up the road asap. And continue moving as traffic comes in. If a driver on scene tells you to run back and stop traffic dont hesitate. The sooner its done, the safer you all will be.

Most of you keep your vest on the passrnger seat. Great! Many of you keep a blade on you. Perfect.

Let the people in cars call 911. Problem is they will try to do this inside their car. No sir. "GET OUT OF THE CAR!"

You want to avoid moving injured people, but you cant let them stay in a car during a whiteout.

 

There's a ton of skeerdycat drivers out there who clog up the truck stop asking every driver who comes in off the road covered in snow how bad the road is. Once you get out there on the road, it is rude to park in the chain-up area for too long. So yes you sometimes would be required to chain up to get over the pass or incur a huge high dollar ticket and still be forced to put on chains or pay someone to do it then drive somewhere out of theway.

It's really not that bad. If it is that bad, they will shut the whole road down anyway, then you know it is bad. Last winter, the road was shut down so the Walmart was stacked up with trucks, Walmart manager had set out free coffee and donuts to any trucker who walked in the door.

Study and ask questions, your company will have training, talk to veterans of the snow trucking campaigns, actually get out there yourself and do it. It can be dangerous, sure, seen my trailer get sideways on me.Seen others too. Watched a guy panic uphil on Cabbage and sit/spinning in the middle lane going nowhere. powered right by him and kept on truckin uphill.

 

I've been told you use chains to get to a safe parking area, not meet an appointment. YouTube videos show how to chain. Drive below 30 mph on chains or follow expert advice if you can find it.

 

We had a guy that only threw 1 chain. I don't care if the mud was up to the steps. Ol 1 chain. Ah the memories.

 

Chains are to get you out of a bad situation...not into one.

 

Chaining up in winter is the one thing, as a newbie OTR driver, that scares the bejebbus out of me.

Chaining, and hitting ice on the road, actually. Two things. No, scratch that, everything about winter driving scares the bejebbus out of me.

Born and raised in Southern California. I was 19 years old before I saw my first ice scraper. I was carpooling with a girl from Colorado. I pointed to this object lying down on the floormat and asked, "What's that?" She looked at me like I was from Mars.

I've only been driving for four months and change, so I understand that what I don't know about driving in general could fill a warehouse, but what I don't know about winter driving could really mess me up.

Thanks for this thread, I appreciate all the responses here.

 

Yup, this is all good advice. Good job drivers.
I get a kick outta the veteran drivers who say they never chained. I chained twice my first year. CO and OR. Self taught and quickly. Dad, 18 years ain't ever chained either. Says he knows how, but doesn't know how. Get a kick outta that I tell ya.
I'm comfortable with chains on. I don't get all that "if ya gotta chain you gone to far and or park it". I mean, I just really don't. Chain and go. I dunno maybe I'm missing something?
I'm more worried about this #### automatic truck i've wound up in. I do think about that everyday this early. Yall be good.

 

The reason why i mentioned this is because in nearly 30 years, only once have i had to chain up for ice. But big crashes due to fog and whiteouts are alot more common.

If youre trucking anywhere north of Laredo Texas, odds are you will see icy roads. You have to be quick.