Winter Road Experiment

Bullgrit · Feb 12, 2014

The winter weather -- snow and/or ice -- has come to my area of the South, and it's coming down heavy. Looking out the window of my office building, the roads are being covered with white, and the traffic is thick. Everyone in my company is leaving now, and they're all telling me to get out because it's only getting worse.

Here's my thinking: I'm waiting an hour or so before getting on the roads. I want to let the traffic clear as much as possible. I'm willing to drive 10mph on an empty road. It's the lunatics who refuse to go less than 40mph that concern me. I figure if the traffic lessens by 50% or more, I can get home safely -- I don't care if it takes 2 hours. (I have a 35 minute commute under normal conditions.)

I have plenty of food here in my office -- food I can easily transport with me in my truck (bagels, crackers, etc.) -- and my commute stays in the city, where I have plenty of options for hotels if needed.

So, am I taking a risk? Or am I being wise?

Bullgrit

Deset Gled · Feb 12, 2014

Bullgrit said:
So, am I taking a risk? Or am I being wise?

You're taking a calculated risk; you're assuming that less cars will be on the road later, and that the roads will still be driveable. If traffic takes longer than a couple of hours to clear up, you are potentially making things worse by driving when it's more congested. If there are enough accidents that major roads are closed, you may not get home today. If the snow starts coming down hard enough travel may become impossible.

Not knowing exactly where you are located or the weather projections, it's hard to say if you're taking a good risk or a bad one. I can tell you that I'm made the same gamble many times. Sometimes I've one, sometimes I've lost. You just gotta know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Know when to hunker down and when to drive home. Never time you're commute while you're stuck in traffic, there'll be time enough for timing when the drivings done.

Umbran · Feb 12, 2014

With some of the stories I've seen recently about areas of the South and ice events... an hour may not be sufficient time to wait.

Though, why not go off more real-time data? Sites like http://here.com/traffic/ will give you traffic reports for the area you're interested in.

billd91 · Feb 12, 2014

If you're not expecting a ton of snow or in a mountainous area, waiting for traffic to clear is a perfectly reasonable idea. I do that around here. The real danger with waiting, as I see it, is when conditions can make areas utterly impassable because the drifting snow simply blocks your ability to get through. If that's not going to happen, waiting is fine.

Janx · Feb 12, 2014

Umbran said:
With some of the stories I've seen recently about areas of the South and ice events... an hour may not be sufficient time to wait.

Though, why not go off more real-time data? Sites like http://here.com/traffic/ will give you traffic reports for the area you're interested in.

Probably true.

I would assume that BG is not used to travelling in snow/ice, nor is his vehicle likely to be best suited for it (winter tires, 4 wheel drive, etc). If the truck is rear wheel, and you don't have a load of wood/bricks in the bed, you're more likely to spin out because the back end is so light.

It's important to reign in ego with this stuff. I'm from Minnesota. In theory, I know more about this kind of weather than anybody in my city. But I also know it's been awhile since I had to drive in that stuff. So I voluntarily downgrade my experience/expertise, rather than go risk my life because I think I'm a better driver than everybody else out there.

Plus, the added factor of every idiot in his village will think they can handle the roads and be out there. i would have stayed home, or stay at work, if the roads are going to get worse today and the crowds are already out there on dodgy roads

Bullgrit · Feb 12, 2014

I left at 4:00 and made it home by 5:15. I kept to around 20mph even on the 70mph highway. My direction was pretty clear of traffic, but going the other direction, it was a parking lot.

Over the whole trip, (about 22 miles), there were many abandoned vehicles, and I saw a few people walking in jeans and non-boot shoes. There were a few people who just had to drive 40+mph and pass everyone. That made me nervous every time.

The only real trouble for me was making sure to stay on the road and not slip off onto the shoulder of dirt/mud, because everything was just white. Although there were several moments of feeling a slight skid, only once did I loose traction enough for the warning light to come on.

My wife was so happy when I got home. I brought my computer home with me, so I don't need to go back to the office tomorrow.

Bullgrit

trappedslider · Feb 12, 2014

glad you made it home safely

Hand of Evil · Feb 13, 2014

Columbia (Irmo) South Carolina - three inches of snow and ice. I hate the cold and this stuff.

delericho · Feb 13, 2014

Bullgrit said:
I left at 4:00 and made it home by 5:15.

Glad to hear it. Even more glad that you get to work from home today.

Bullgrit said:
Here's my thinking: I'm waiting an hour or so before getting on the roads. I want to let the traffic clear as much as possible. I'm willing to drive 10mph on an empty road. It's the lunatics who refuse to go less than 40mph that concern me.

My experience with driving in snow is that there are two breeds of really bad drivers: the morons you mention who fail to adapt appropriately to the weather, and also the people who completely panic and insist on driving way below the traffic speed. (Note: I don't mean "10mph on an empty road", I mean "10mph on a road where everyone else is doing 30mph.")

In general, I have three rules: slow right down, allow much more stopping distance, and stick to well-travelled routes. The last has two benefits: if I do run into trouble then it's likely that there will be other people about who are able to help me; and actually the flow of traffic itself helps to clear the roads, making them safer to drive. (But stay in the single lane of traffic; don't be tempted to overtake!)

Not that I'd claim to be an expert when it comes to driving in snow!

So, am I taking a risk? Or am I being wise?

You were taking a risk, but a calculated one. The big risk was that the weather would get much worse and/or a bunch of accidents would completely lock up the roads. But you knew that.

Zombie_Babies · Feb 13, 2014

I don't think doing 20mph on a highway listed at 70 is a particularly safe thing to do. That said, I don't know what the road looked like so I can't be sure.

People panic in snow cuz people are morons. They slam their brakes - in the snow - cuz snow is scawwwy. Well, stay home if you're so scared you hit your brakes every 20 feet. Everyone thinks it's the guy going fast that's dangerous - and he may well be - but it's the moron in the left lane doing 20 under the limit or more and slamming his brakes every 5 seconds that's more dangerous. Hitting the brakes hard can make you skid. If you don't, the guy behind you who isn't aware you're a complete fool until you slam them probably will ... right into you. If you're scared to drive in snow, stay home. I don't wanna die cuz you're too scared to be safe.

Winter Road Experiment

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Umbran

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Janx

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