Big American RWD boats being the exception. Those things are great for haulin ass in the snow, if you are cool with bouncing off a few things.

Skid courses should be mandatory training for all drivers. Just my two cents.

Sybarite: Two Inches Of Snow Turns Seattle Drivers Into Morons

I wonder what 12 inches of snow would do?

Lickey boom-boom, man

Surool: The problem in Seattle is the 5 drivers out of 100 that don't understand that you shouldn't drive up or down hill on snow and ice. That goes double when they put "ROAD CLOSED" signs at the top and bottom of the hilly streets. Seattle is mostly hills, so city driving is ridiculously difficult on snow and ice. It takes way more planning than remembering your chains in Seattle.

I live north of Seattle and got 5" on my driveway today. I stay in when I can, not because I worry about me on the road... but because I worry about everyone else. Seriously, I went out to the store and people were tailgating me on compact snow. Freaking morons.

For the Seattle natives: I went to the Art Institute and lived on Capitol Hill. I walked to the art supply store one snowy day, and was crossing the Denny bridge... which was obviously closed at the time. I heard a weird noise and turned to see a station wagon... brakes fully locked... skating from Bellevue Ave all the way down the bridge and blew through the Stewart intersection unable to stop. They narrowly missed the cross traffic in a way that convinced me the driver must have soiled themselves.

/csb

Yeah. We lived on Nickerson and have many similiar stories.

I'm sorry, that video lacked that sliding-down-the-icy-hill, multi-car-collision action we connoisseurs of cold weather disaster footage demand.

A much better selection.

The horrible conditions that caused Seattle School District to close 2 hrs. early today:

I live around the Spanaway/Puyallup area.
As far as I'm concerned, I'm just not going to drive.

Got into an accident two years ago from an inch of snow on the road way. Turning going around 10 mph and the guy I hit had the audacity to say "You were speeding, weren't you? I saw you speeding." The speed limit was 35 and I'll admit I'm scared of driving in snow.

I'm hoping the roads won't be too bad tonight, as I've got to drive down to Fife to pick someone up at 10:30.
Ugh.

GAT_00: James!: The biggest problem is they use sand instead of salt.

In high snow areas, there is actually a growing problem with cropland being turned useless by high concentrations of salt.

One word: urea. It's (literally) cheap as piss, has a lower freeze threshhold than saltwater, and is actually a fertilizer.

Aupey: I live around the Spanaway/Puyallup area.
As far as I'm concerned, I'm just not going to drive.

Got into an accident two years ago from an inch of snow on the road way. Turning going around 10 mph and the guy I hit had the audacity to say "You were speeding, weren't you? I saw you speeding." The speed limit was 35 and I'll admit I'm scared of driving in snow.

I'm hoping the roads won't be too bad tonight, as I've got to drive down to Fife to pick someone up at 10:30.
Ugh.

They're saying the worst will be 4-6AM, so you should be OK.

I should clarify.
I'm not going to drive when it actually does snow (tonight supposedly)... as the main roads are pretty clear.

I white-knuckled it for years driving in Montana (and went in the ditch a few times), but I was pretty careful, slow, and stayed in flat places. Then I moved here.



Three words: Studded. snow. tires. There is no other way.

cuzsis: PullItOut: I grew up in Seattle. There was a snowstorm when I was about 17; my dad took the opportunity to take me out car skating. We skidded his Honda all over a big empty lot, and by the end of the day a) I'd had a huge amount of fun, and b) I knew how to drive in the snow.

Not just a CSB, since it has a point: if there's something you can learn to do in less than a day, where ignorance puts people's lives in danger, and you don't know how to do it yet...don't.

Shadow Blasko: I know how to drive my car properly in the snow.

Don't!

/RX8. Not a snowmobile. I miss my Acura sometimes.

A perfect example of someone who knows how to drive in the snow. If your car can't do it, don't. I used to own an RX/7, and that thing was a nightmare in icy conditions. We used to take my wife's Corolla whenever it snowed...studded tires on that thing and it could go anywhere.

Unfortunately that is illegal now. So unless you've got a large parking lot where not many people pass by you're looking a pretty nice ticket. The frustrating part is that's a great way to learn to drive on snow!

/my dad used to do that too.
//I've managed to sneak one or two in, but can't risk it anymore with my current profession.

It's illegal to do that in an empty lot? I certainly hope that's not true where I live now, because my daughter's a skier and closing in on driving age. I was looking forward to car skating with her.

I can think of a few spots up in the mountains (Hood for me, now, since I live in Portland) where there are big parking lots you can't see from the street. Maybe we'll use one of those.

seumasokelly: Aupey: I live around the Spanaway/Puyallup area.
As far as I'm concerned, I'm just not going to drive.

Got into an accident two years ago from an inch of snow on the road way. Turning going around 10 mph and the guy I hit had the audacity to say "You were speeding, weren't you? I saw you speeding." The speed limit was 35 and I'll admit I'm scared of driving in snow.

I'm hoping the roads won't be too bad tonight, as I've got to drive down to Fife to pick someone up at 10:30.
Ugh.

They're saying the worst will be 4-6AM, so you should be OK.

Cool, thanks for that bit of info.
All I see on the news and hear on Komo radio is how it's going to snow a lot.
I'm worried about the hills at the end of canyon.

AWD/4WD does NOT mean that all 4 wheels are driven.Without locking or limited-slip differentials all you have is one wheel front &one wheel rear driving.Get those on ice & you sit there.


/on my 4th Jeep (with traction devices)
//you try making up the hill to my house in 2WD
///chains for all!

Aupey: I live around the Spanaway/Puyallup area.

Sumner, represent!

According to my tire place, the newest tires (best traction) should be on the rear. On the theory that the average driver cannot recover from oversteering.

Presumably, they'd argue that tire chains should also be on the rear.

Personally, I have some doubts about arguing that the wheels responsible for all of the steering and most of the braking power should be the first to lose traction. But I grew up driving in snow, and recovering from oversteering is second nature to me. Then again, maybe I'm overestimating my abilities.

I say, get a good vehicle with some clearance and go run about in some muck. Get a feel for it. Do a shiatty or three. Rev that frickin engine and play the gears or shift that tranny, vroom about a bit. Speed and cut in snow. Feel what it means to "lose control."

Then realize you never did lose control.

Then drive less stupid.

Drive smart. Any conditions.

Easy.

g4lt: One word: urea. It's (literally) cheap as piss, has a lower freeze threshhold than saltwater, and is actually a fertilizer.

Two words: Algal Bloom...

LaRoach: g4lt: One word: urea. It's (literally) cheap as piss, has a lower freeze threshhold than saltwater, and is actually a fertilizer.

Two words: Algal Bloom...

Yah.

If the oil doesn't do it, this will...

Indubitably: I say, get a good vehicle with some clearance and go run about in some muck. Get a feel for it. Do a shiatty or three. Rev that frickin engine and play the gears or shift that tranny, vroom about a bit. Speed and cut in snow. Feel what it means to "lose control."

Then realize you never did lose control.

Then drive less stupid.

Drive smart. Any conditions.

Easy.

Also get rid of Facebook, get a gym membership & join a credit union.

Indubitably: I say, get a good vehicle with some clearance and go run about in some muck. Get a feel for it. Do a shiatty or three. Rev that frickin engine and play the gears or shift that tranny, vroom about a bit. Speed and cut in snow. Feel what it means to "lose control."

Then realize you never did lose control.

Then drive less stupid.

Drive smart. Any conditions.

Easy.

Try nagivating a steep hill that has been compacted nicely into near-ice, not plowed, with no salt or sand. Go ahead, we'll wait. In the Pacific NW we have hills all over the place that are larger than any hill in some states. I happen to live on one, and my workplace is at roughly the same elevation as my house (guess what's in the middle? besides more hills, that is).

Sure, there are tons of idiots out here who don't know how to deal with snow, but being able to drive in winter does not help on our hills.

Theaetetus: Yeah. The biggest idiot in that video was the guy who zoomed past the other people who were spinning out. What, you think that just because you're in an SUV, you're immune to unseen ice patches or you have magic ice radar?

When I was in the mountains of Colorado, Typically the highest percentage of vehicles turned over or abandoned in ditches was SUV, so yes. People who don't understand physics think it makes them immune to their ignorance to own a heavy car. And I would glide by in my rear wheel drive sports car with all season tires because I had picked the correct speed and track for the slopes on the road. Speed is not necessarily an indicator of stupidity in this case, as long as you've planned out your reactions to an appropriate degree.

Calmamity: James!: GAT_00: James!: The biggest problem is they use sand instead of salt.

In high snow areas, there is actually a growing problem with cropland being turned useless by high concentrations of salt.

In west coast cities, there is actually a growing problem of people crashing their damn cars because of low concentrations of salt.

They are using salt in Seattle after getting spanked so hard for their inept response a few years ago.

I love it when it snows here, it is hilarious.

That said, one thing to keep in mind before laughing to hard is that we have actual fu*king topography here, unlike most of the midwest.

Get your Minneapolis ass out here and see how you fare on Counterbalance hill, hyenas.

/grew up in snow in the mountains.

I love the uneducated who believe the midwest is flat.

ShawnDoc: Herbie555: Seriously, it's 65 and Sunny here in San Diego.

So that's where all the warm weather went. Highs in the 50's in my part of Orange County. Absolutely freezing. ;)

It's close to 70 in East County San Diego at work. Still love driving in the snow!

Jument: Indubitably: I say, get a good vehicle with some clearance and go run about in some muck. Get a feel for it. Do a shiatty or three. Rev that frickin engine and play the gears or shift that tranny, vroom about a bit. Speed and cut in snow. Feel what it means to "lose control."

Then realize you never did lose control.

Then drive less stupid.

Drive smart. Any conditions.

Easy.

Try nagivating a steep hill that has been compacted nicely into near-ice, not plowed, with no salt or sand. Go ahead, we'll wait. In the Pacific NW we have hills all over the place that are larger than any hill in some states. I happen to live on one, and my workplace is at roughly the same elevation as my house (guess what's in the middle? besides more hills, that is).

Sure, there are tons of idiots out here who don't know how to deal with snow, but being able to drive in winter does not help on our hills.

Seriously?

Did you READ what I posted?

Terrain implied.

MrSteve007: Aupey: I live around the Spanaway/Puyallup area.

Sumner, represent!

Growing up I lived in Sumner and I went to McAlder Elementary.
Being the darkest kid of my class nearly all times (half asian, half white... not body parts), I would get called racist names all the time.
For some reason that never deterred me. I love Sumner still.

In the Puyallup area on River road, I discovered Five Guys was there.
Never knew that until my boyfriend's brother pointed it out.
Surprisingly good.

I've lived my whole life in CA, but every time I meet someone from somewhere else they always claim the worst drivers are from either their hometown or one town/county away. Just off the top of my head, I've heard that the worst drivers are from Boston, Baltimore/whatever is right next to Baltimore, Utah, Miami, Chicago, Seattle/whatever is next to Seattle, Phoenix, Tucson, Dallas, and Houston. Of course, there are plenty of people here who claim that CA drivers are the worst as well. This is exactly why I mentally disregard it whenever I hear someone talking about how the drivers back home in Hicksburg are soooo much worse because of the following anecdotes. It's always an automatic pissing contest whenever driving is brought up.

Indubitably: Jument: Indubitably: I say, get a good vehicle with some clearance and go run about in some muck. Get a feel for it. Do a shiatty or three. Rev that frickin engine and play the gears or shift that tranny, vroom about a bit. Speed and cut in snow. Feel what it means to "lose control."

Then realize you never did lose control.

Then drive less stupid.

Drive smart. Any conditions.

Easy.

Try nagivating a steep hill that has been compacted nicely into near-ice, not plowed, with no salt or sand. Go ahead, we'll wait. In the Pacific NW we have hills all over the place that are larger than any hill in some states. I happen to live on one, and my workplace is at roughly the same elevation as my house (guess what's in the middle? besides more hills, that is).

Sure, there are tons of idiots out here who don't know how to deal with snow, but being able to drive in winter does not help on our hills.

Seriously?

Did you READ what I posted?

Terrain implied.

Oh, and I have a small 4x4. I forgot to mention that. Never show your cards, son. Shoot. I drive smart. ;)

texdent: What driving is like in Dallas when it snows or ices.

Ah yeah, I stayed home for that one, thankfully.

There was one back in 2003 where I actually got iced in at work and had to spend the night in a nearby hotel. My car was in the shop, and the gf came to pick me up in a 1980s RWD Swedish brick w/ generic passenger tires on it just as the ice pellets started coming down in the late afternoon. The next day, we spent over 4 hours inching our way from northeast Dallas to Arlington only to get iced in again.

Was fun doing doughnuts with that old Volvo in the Crowne Plaza parking lot, though.

/csb

Here in Birmingham, we have terrible drivers, some serious hills... and no snow, thank FSM. That is, snow is very rare. When we DO get some, it's easy to shoot video like the one in TFA.

ricewater_stool: In all fairness, clearly there is ice under the snow. That little bit of snow would not be that slippery.

It's Seattle. You know that everybody's using M&S (mild and sunny) 'all season *snicker*' tires. Combine that with the total lack of snow experience, yeah, I believe it.

I just chain up all four wheels and drive like a mad man. Problem solved hills or not!

Indubitably: Indubitably: Jument: Indubitably: I say, get a good vehicle with some clearance and go run about in some muck. Get a feel for it. Do a shiatty or three. Rev that frickin engine and play the gears or shift that tranny, vroom about a bit. Speed and cut in snow. Feel what it means to "lose control."

Then realize you never did lose control.

Then drive less stupid.

Drive smart. Any conditions.

Easy.

Try nagivating a steep hill that has been compacted nicely into near-ice, not plowed, with no salt or sand. Go ahead, we'll wait. In the Pacific NW we have hills all over the place that are larger than any hill in some states. I happen to live on one, and my workplace is at roughly the same elevation as my house (guess what's in the middle? besides more hills, that is).

Sure, there are tons of idiots out here who don't know how to deal with snow, but being able to drive in winter does not help on our hills.

Seriously?

Did you READ what I posted?

Terrain implied.

Oh, and I have a small 4x4. I forgot to mention that. Never show your cards, son. Shoot. I drive smart. ;)

I re-read it and I guess I'm missing the point completely. Never mind then.

Aupey: Growing up I lived in Sumner and I went to McAlder Elementary.

Ha, small world. A few years back I moved into my Grandma's home, just south of the BMX park along the river - on 86th St E - about .5 miles north of McAlder.

As a former Seattle resident/Washington native who moved east, I can vouch that Seattle drivers are farking terrible. Yes, it doesn't help that there are steep hills, that the temperature is frequently right around 32 degrees, and that the street layout reflects a total lack of any kind of planning. All of that is true, but there's still a whole bunch o' stupid on those roads. I love the place, love to come back and visit, love the people... hate the drivers. They're terrible in different ways during the summer, by the way. Sorry.

kim jong-un: GAT_00: James!: GAT_00: James!: GAT_00: James!: The biggest problem is they use sand instead of salt.

In high snow areas, there is actually a growing problem with cropland being turned useless by high concentrations of salt.

In west coast cities, there is actually a growing problem of people crashing their damn cars because of low concentrations of salt.

So what? Learn to drive. I've driven on stuff as bad as that with a worse car and no salt.

If only more cities took up your "so what, learn to drive" plan. They wouldn't need to plow either. And they could adopt a "so what, learn to not die plan" to deal with the inevitable accidents.

Intelligent highway funding that included things like teaching how to drive in bad weather might be a better use of money when people clearly don't know how to drive in snow, which might mean that just sanding the roads is enough. Clearly from that video and some of the other ones taken from the same place show it is possible to drive fine in those conditions.

Clearly you don't know the first thing about driving in conditions worse than that.

Rule number one: don't drive if there is ice on the road.
Rule 2: if you are a good driver who knows how to drive on icy roads, you are kidding yourself because good drivers plan ahead and don't need to drive on icy roads because they left earlier, they decided to spend the night, or they waited for the plows and salt trucks.

There is something to not making the situation worse, but the smart people take time and don't put themselves in situations like that.

I can't believe I'm taking the bait...have you never arrived to work on dry roads and left in a blizzard with ice all over? Do you sleep in your cubicle for the duration? Smart people simply learn how to be prepared by knowing how to drive and adapt when they live in places that weather can change rapidly.