Anybody Else Snowed in?

[AGDee]

Nobody can drive on ice- northerner or not. I very narrowly missed being in an accident on Tuesday morning because of black ice. It was too cold for the salt to work. A car two cars in front of me on I-75 started spinning. I was able to brake- my ABS kicked in- and steer slightly to the shoulder so I had traction on the nasty icky snow stuff at the side of the road. That car spun all way across three lanes until it hit the cement barrier on the left side of the freeway and it took out 3 other cars (including a pick up truck) on its way. It was so cold (-12) that when it hit the pickup truck, the plastic part of the car that hit shattered- like an explosion- sending parts into the air and scattering everywhere. Not just cracked or crunched- shattered. It was the freakiest thing I ever saw. I was shaking the whole rest of the way to work because the ice would just show up out of nowhere.

Cabin fever? It's been too cold to do anything. The one day it got into the 20s, I went out and ran a bunch of errands because I can't stand the thought of leaving the house when it's below 0. This winter has really been awful. When it's not sub 0, it's snowing massive amounts. We're on the schedule for the snow Saturday and they said Wednesday here- we're usually a half day behind Chicago for their weather. They did say that Wednesday's snow might go south of us, which would be a blessing.

If I never had to leave the house all winter, I'd be fine. Going out in this crap is torturous.

[cheerfulgreek]

A snow storm over three weeks ago, and the roads still aren't right. That's sad. At least some of the potholes are covered with snow for the time being.

[HQWest]

Day three and we are starting to get a little stir crazy
Road were still icy this morning but they are clearing up
I think we're all going to lose it if we can't go back to school tomorrow

[ComradesTrue]

Public schools here already closed for tomorrow. Yes. Day 4.

My kids are in private and I am praying that we are open. No word yet. It's just time to go back.

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

A snow storm over three weeks ago, and the roads still aren't right. That's sad. At least some of the potholes are covered with snow for the time being.

LOL...I've noticed that, too!

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

A snow storm over three weeks ago, and the roads still aren't right. That's sad. At least some of the potholes are covered with snow for the time being.

I didn't catch the "over three weeks ago" part. It has snowed like every other day. It wasn't one snow storm. Saturday when I had to drive my son to Farmington for his college interview, it was white out conditions and the roads were a mess. In the time we ate lunch, we got two inches of snow. Then the winds with that very light fluffy snow- you see the snow blowing over the road and it just glazes right over.

I'd like to know what they use on the roads in those colder states for real. I know salt doesn't work below 20 degree or so. Do they use another chemical of some sort?

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I didn't catch the "over three weeks ago" part. It has snowed like every other day. It wasn't one snow storm. Saturday when I had to drive my son to Farmington for his college interview, it was white out conditions and the roads were a mess. In the time we ate lunch, we got two inches of snow. Then the winds with that very light fluffy snow- you see the snow blowing over the road and it just glazes right over.

Right, it did snow every other day, but they won't plow. They wait until it stops snowing, then they plow and salt, and they do a poor job at it when they do (not just in Novi, but all over). When we had that really bad storm, they let it snow all freaking night, and did nothing until the next day. I'm like, really? In Minnesota and North Dakota, when I lived there, and when I go back to visit my mom, and my in-laws, with really bad snow storms, the trucks are out all night. They start salting when the snow starts. Then, the next morning the roads are just water after the plowing. Here, it's left over slush, and that stuff is hard to drive in. I am just so sick of it.

Originally Posted by AGDee

I'd like to know what they use on the roads in those colder states for real. I know salt doesn't work below 20 degree or so. Do they use another chemical of some sort?

I don't know. I'm guessing, but I think so, because salt trucks in Minnesota carry a darker blue salt. It's so blue that if you have a white car, or lighter color car, it stains, and it's hard to clean off. My mom has that problem every year. Her SUV is silver. I've noticed in Michigan that the salt is either white or a really light blue. I think there's a different between what the two states are using. But I could be wrong.

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Nobody can drive on ice- northerner or not. I very narrowly missed being in an accident on Tuesday morning because of black ice. It was too cold for the salt to work. A car two cars in front of me on I-75 started spinning. I was able to brake- my ABS kicked in- and steer slightly to the shoulder so I had traction on the nasty icky snow stuff at the side of the road. That car spun all way across three lanes until it hit the cement barrier on the left side of the freeway and it took out 3 other cars (including a pick up truck) on its way. It was so cold (-12) that when it hit the pickup truck, the plastic part of the car that hit shattered- like an explosion- sending parts into the air and scattering everywhere. Not just cracked or crunched- shattered. It was the freakiest thing I ever saw. I was shaking the whole rest of the way to work because the ice would just show up out of nowhere.

That is a northern driving technique that is so helpful. It's harder to do this year, because the snow banks are so high we're driving through tunnels over here...so there often isn't a shoulder.

That plastic story is wild! Like liquid nitrogen!