Proof that people are incapable of driving in snow, period

[Blake Noble]

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It's time to pop a bag of popcorn and sit back and watch countless citizens of the state of Utah conquer a few inches of snow. I also reccommend muting the audio in the video above, bringing up YouTube again in a new window or tab, and playing Benny Hill's theme song just for a little added effect. Notable highlights from the video include a mid-90s Chevrolet Cavalier that does a three-sixty degree spin without hitting anything, a dude stupidly trying to haul ass in his Dodge Dakota, and how both a Trailblazer SS and a Crown Victoria were seriously wounded.

... Okay, okay. I know car accidents aren't any laughing matter. But even still, you have to admit that a lot of the accidents in the video above could have been avoided if the drivers only used a little common sense or just stayed stationary until the roads were cleaned off.

[ocnblu]

The sudden urge to purchase milk, bread and toilet paper is so strong tho.

[Camino LS6]

That road had to be hyper-slick, add in stupidity and wow!

[caddycruiser]

Out of the mix, when I watched this I think the worst sounds came from that lovely white Crown Victoria...silent sail...then crash, bash, and almost like transmission whine or something at the end. The Saturn ending up in a tree was priceless as well.

[Robert Hall]

Ahhh..winter driving...whenever possible, I worked from home when the weather was bad in Colorado. Been out of snowy climes for 4 winters now, going to take some adjustment to get used to it again..

I bet all those cars had weak 'all-season' tires, which are useless. Snow tires all the way around is the way to go..

[G. David Felt]

I have never seen so many terrible drivers. That poor Trailblazer SS just got it's nose badly bloodied on the snow plow.

[ocnblu]

AWD and 600+ hp is a recipe for stoopididitity.

[cletus8269]

pffft. this is what happens when it rains here in sc... if it snows its freakin carmageddon...

[pow]

I've never driven in snow. Is there a vehicle that would have worked in circumstances like these? Would snow tires have made that stretch navigable? What's better -- a light vehicle with a low center of gravity and skinny tires, or a heavy one with big chunky tires?

[Intrepidation]

Well if its just snow, good all season tires, or better yet, snow tires and common sense are all you need.

I drove through the big snow store we had in October that dumped 27 inches of snow during the height of the storm. Roads were covered ins now, from the highways to the main roads. We took my car with it's 245/45ZR18 tires. We traveled about 40 miles total. Why? Because I we felt like it. I wanted to do the week's grocery shopping in Fitchburg because I like that city's store better than the one near my house. Sure, what would normally be a half hour trip each was took over an hour, but the car never slepped or slid. I took my time and enjoyed the snow. The key is taking your time//usuingc ommons ense and having good tires. Those tires are Michelin Pilot Aplines and they are awesome in the snow.

The Prizm isn't quite as planted to the ground with its Bridgestone Insignia all season tires, but they still do a good job and I had no problem driving to work the other day. Even though we only had a few inches of snow, none of the roads or even the highway were plowed, so that was mostly covered in snow.

However if there was ice under the snow on that road then it would be very difficult for any vehicle short of one with studded tires or chains to keep control.

Either way those wing nuts in the videos were going far too fast.

[pow]

Well if its just snow, good all season tires, or better yet, snow tires and common sense are all you need.

I drove through the big snow store we had in October that dumped 27 inches of snow during the height of the storm. Roads were covered ins now, from the highways to the main roads. We took my car with it's 245/45ZR18 tires. We traveled about 40 miles total. Why? Because I we felt like it. I wanted to do the week's grocery shopping in Fitchburg because I like that city's store better than the one near my house. Sure, what would normally be a half hour trip each was took over an hour, but the car never slepped or slid. I took my time and enjoyed the snow. The key is taking your time//usuingc ommons ense and having good tires. Those tires are Michelin Pilot Aplines and they are awesome in the snow.

The Prizm isn't quite as planted to the ground with its Bridgestone Insignia all season tires, but they still do a good job and I had no problem driving to work the other day. Even though we only had a few inches of snow, none of the roads or even the highway were plowed, so that was mostly covered in snow.

However if there was ice under the snow on that road then it would be very difficult for any vehicle short of one with studded tires or chains to keep control.

Either way those wing nuts in the videos were going far too fast.

But what about hills? It seems like there was no way for people to stop until they reached level ground.

[Intrepidation]

Well as long as their isn't ice under the snow the tires get traction. I use the engine braking to creep down the hill (1st or second gear in the Prizm) L1 or L2 (first or second gear) in the automatic cars. Using the engine to brake and keep the car going slow reduces the chance of sliding VS using the brakes, and when you use the brakes you use them gently, leave lots of space between you and any vehicle in front of you, and plan accordingly.

[Blake Noble]

DF, if there was a prize to hand out in this thread, you would win it.

[ocnblu]

Clearly the Utah video is not mere snow. The storm had to start with freezing rain, coating the road in ice. With snow on top of ice, it is very difficult to walk, let alone drive.

[G. David Felt]

Clearly the Utah video is not mere snow. The storm had to start with freezing rain, coating the road in ice. With snow on top of ice, it is very difficult to walk, let alone drive.

If that is how it started as I had no audio when I watched it then it would explain allot of why so many auto's that I have seen handle 6" plus of snow here in seattle ended up being worthless.

Very true of what has already been posted, everyone was driving way too fast.

[Camino LS6]

Nice little lesson on snow driving, DF.

I would add that slow, steady motion is the best policy on snow. Using the brakes is to be avoided whenever possible.

Rapid control inputs from brake, gas pedal, or wheel are all pathways to a crash.

Could I have driven safely through this stretch of roadway?

Yeah, most likely.

But even for someone as experienced as I am with winter driving, it would have been a challenging gauntlet.

Clearly it wasn't simply snow that these drivers were dealing with.

Edited January 25, 2012 by Camino LS6

[Camino LS6]

I've never driven in snow. Is there a vehicle that would have worked in circumstances like these? Would snow tires have made that stretch navigable? What's better -- a light vehicle with a low center of gravity and skinny tires, or a heavy one with big chunky tires?

Heavy is generally better, as are skinny tires (with aggressive tread). A low center of gravity shouldn't come into play at all - if it does, you are going too fast. If the snow is really deep, good ground clearance is a bonus. 4WD (or at least AWD) is the best attribute a vehicle can have after good tires. But 4WD and AWD are NOT going to change the braking capacity on such a slick surface - thus many SUVs end up in ditches via overconfident drivers who think that they can stop as easily as they can go.

[Robert Hall]

I hate driving on ice..same with fog. Perhaps the most white-knuckle, terrifying drive I've had to endure was 7 hours to go 25 miles on I-5/I-205 in Portland in a rental '04 Grand Prix during a December ice storm...

3-4 freeway lanes packed w/ holiday shoppers on ice. Slight banking on corners w/ semi trucks sliding across the lanes into each other....cars sliding into each other all around...darkness coming. 5 mph max speed. AUGGGGGGHHHH.

Edited January 25, 2012 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Camino LS6]

Ice sets the limit for what is possible in a car in a way that snow could never touch.

It is the most treacherous of driving conditions.

[Drew Dowdell]

Not saying I could have gone through the snow in that video, but the recent freezing rain + snow we had over the weekend wasn't difficult for me in the Toronado.. and I don't have snow tires.

[Camino LS6]

The biggest danger is always the other driver who could at any moment slide directly in front of you or into you.

The plow driver in the video, for example, had no way to avoid creaming that Trailblazer.

[knightfan26917]

The biggest danger is always the other driver who could at any moment slide directly in front of you or into you.

This is my biggest fear, and it's probably a little bit because people are, generally, "afraid" of my car when they see me coming. People get out of my way when they see my '79 Caprice Classic. Well, for the most part, they do. I'm sure they're probably thinking that I'm going to be the one to plow into them, but thing is ... I KNOW how to drive in snow. Yeah, I may drive slower than I need to ... but I'd rather be safe than sorry ... and give people MORE "ammunition" to put down RWD.

*rolls eyes*

Cort | 38.m.IL | pigValve + paceMaker + cowValve | 5 MCs + 1 Caprice Classic

* post-surgeryPARTY = 5:30p-10:30p, SAT, 02/11/12 | Beef Villa, 1225 W Spring St, S Elgin IL *

"This is where you don't say what you want so bad to say" __ Billy Ray Cyrus & Miley Cyrus __ 'Don't Go'

[SAmadei]

I've seen in my rearview at least two people (on different occasions) spin out and hit the center median trying to keep up with me and my yank tanks in inclimate conditions... Whoops.

[G. David Felt]

I've seen in my rearview at least two people (on different occasions) spin out and hit the center median trying to keep up with me and my yank tanks in inclimate conditions... Whoops.

Yea it is funny to see people try and keep up with others that have the right tool for the conditions.