Winter Driving Stories

Playing in the snow up in the High Sierra Mountains around 8000 feet in this weekends storm



Got a bunch of couple hundred foot drop offs and no guard rails. That's my idea of a good time lol.

 

To bad you couldn't take that pic from a big truck.

 

Hey super trucker that was a crack at ya!

 

Driving for D.L. Sitton Motor Lines back in Jan.97, (when i was relatively new to driving) San Antonio, Tx. had a snow storm that left the City paralyzed. Heading east on I-10 just before seguin there was an accident that closed the interstate down, exiting off and following the road, i came to an area where semi trucks just parked on both sides of the road, continuing east, i come to stop and realize im at the top of a hill, and on a street covered by ice, at the bottom was a 4-lane divided hwy-90, with the opposite on coming traffic lanes separated by a small elevated partition. Looking down the hill from my cab & Unsure if i should proceed forward, i waited till no traffic was visible on hwy-90 and proceeded slowly down down the hill. Sure enuff, the road was slick as the semi truck & trailer began sliding, looking for traction i began to accelerate as my truck & trailer was now traveling sideways, all tires on the drivers side truck/trailer hit the roadways partition, it was all that was needed for my truck/trailer to find enuff traction & resume forward driving. Eh, These days, when i see ice, i prefer to shut down.

 

Ramblingman said... "He stopped 5 times before he reached the bottom."

Well driver...at least he MADE IT to the bottom!

Let me tell ya, with almost 2 decades under my belt and over 2M miles, I for one get nervous the first 2 or 3 snow storms I get into. A little bit of nervous adrenaline is a good thing....but an over - confident attitude gets the most veteran driver out of shape and into big trouble.

Slow down...the life you save may be your own!

 

Down here in Miami I know a guy, 35 yr old who never saw snow til the week before Thanksgiving in VA.

I drove across Oklahoma in a blizzard once. They had their snowplows out. 2 were broke down and the other was sitting in a rest area waiting for the big trucks to break a path for him.

 

A few years ago VA had a snow storm and we had a truck down there. They closed the roads. I think they have a couple of plow trucks. Mostly they just drive around and wait for it to melt don't they?

 

No Mostly they sit Inside &drink cocoa&wait fer it to MELT!...

 

I drove one winter in North Dakota, and I have to say I couldn't be happier to come home to a local job driving in sunny California! You guys can have the snow, ice, and horrible weather! Lol!

That said, I also want to credit Hammer166 with being a fountain of excellent information about driving, and surviving in ice and snow. His ice driving experiences and explanations saved me from a multitude of potentially deadly slides and accidents while I was working the ND oil fields (especially the part about powering out of a slippery situation) !

No, I was never able to get down the difference between a tire slip and impending slide, but I also chickened out and ran home before I got another season of experience. Driving on ice simply isn't for me! But, be thankful you have an experienced driver who is willing to take the time and explain winter driving to rookies. Their advise could save your life, or somebody else's life one day!

 

Driving the northeast US from 1978 to 2007 I have more than a few snow stories, but this one always pops to the top for me. Crested the hill on northbound NY's famous route 22 - the hill just before the B3 truck stop. Loaded to 80K gross with a dry bulk tank and a one stack Mack. Two yutes were in the south side ditch examining their ditched car. I though I would stop to help. I think i may have had what they called a "bag phone' at the time. A light brake application lead to my vehicle sliding diagonally across northbound lane into south bound lane. Seems I had wet black ice on the north side of the hill. Didn't have any on the climbing side. Oh well. Release of brakes trued the vector, and down the hill I go. That's a pretty steep and long hill, and I don't recall the rest of the downhill's saving grace - must have been the shoulder as a traction alternative. The brain has that way of deleting old bad memories I guess.

Verdict - if I'd had diapers on, I may have elected to use them.
I would think the 2 yutes remember this event as well.
If either of the 2 yutes read this, which is highly unlikely, let's just all be very glad I didn't tattoo "Goodyear" or "11 22.5" upside your noggins in my quest to be helpful, as those trailer wheels sure had your names on them. I'm going to chalk it up to the grace of God or a higher power for giving me the right instincts at the right time. Too much ice for me to take credit.