Topic: Winter Driving

[sailor723]

The 80 car pileup that's been talked about in the tweet thread got me thinking about the problems of highway driving in poor conditions. It seems that no matter how bad the roads are there is always some drivers who feel that driving at or above the posted speed limit is mandatory. When you've got some cars going 50-70 kph and others 110+ it just adds to the chances for collisions. I've noticed some interstates in the US have large ,remotely controlled speed limit signs that can be set to whatever speed the highway operaters choose in bad weather. I can remember driving on the Maine turnpike in an extended freezing rain event where the limit was 40 mph and the troopers were out in force. 99% of the traffic was running at or below the posted limit.  IFAIK the signs also mentioned "fines doubled". I don't know about Ontario but we don't have that kind of system here. I wonder if it would help?

[aquadorhj]

I don't think it will, sailor.

Though I have to say "double fine" has a nice ring to it and I support that.

Given the winter conditions here in the west, I can honestly say my car can go speed limit most of the time.  Only on very rare occasion that I have to slow down due to weather.  On those occasions I stay right and see pickup trucks with all season fly by me on the left.

[safristi]

  How do YOU DETECT those ALL SEASONS as they fly BY...........

[dr_spock]

Cutting down the speed limit is probably not going to help that much.  I see people driving really close to each other in packs.  I guess the impact won't be as hard when someone messes up and they all go ramming into each other at a lower speed.

[Northernridge]

When I'm in town and drive on the 401 I'm always surprised at how close people travel to each other at all speeds...takes me a while to get used to it. Add high traffic volume and it seems inevitable that the occasional massive pileup is going to occur in winter or fog.

I can't imagine anything short of massive intrusive enforcement to reduce speed making any difference at all. I also can't imagine massive intrusive enforcement along the length of that highway...I bet it's cheaper to sweep up the odd carnage.

Idea – Weather-event triggered (inflatable) speed bumps every 100 meters...those painted chevron things could just swell up a little.

[Brig]

 

[Rupert]

Photo radar.

[Angry Chicken]

When I'm in town and drive on the 401 I'm always surprised at how close people travel to each other at all speeds...takes me a while to get used to it. Add high traffic volume and it seems inevitable that the occasional massive pileup is going to occur in winter or fog.

I can't imagine anything short of massive intrusive enforcement to reduce speed making any difference at all. I also can't imagine massive intrusive enforcement along the length of that highway...I bet it's cheaper to sweep up the odd carnage.

Idea – Weather-event triggered (inflatable) speed bumps every 100 meters...those painted chevron things could just swell up a little.

NASCAR wannabes!

[The Mighty Duck]

Given the conditions, I'm not sure anything would have prevented the pileup in question, short of closing the highway. But I do think speed limits that are adjusted depending on conditions would help winter driving generally. Good idea....

[Fobroader]

LOL 

[dkaz]

Lol.

Last November I was driving to Edmonton, Hwy 16 east of Edson was terrible, there were ice ruts along the entire stretch and it was like piloting an airplane through turbulence. I could barely do 70km/h and I was in a convoy of 10 other vehicles who thought the same thing, meanwhile vehicles and semis would overtake us at the speed limit on the left lane. I guess it all worked out but when the semis overtook us, the snowdrifts it created were blinding and would break up our convoy. You'd think these guys would learn from the number of cars, trucks, SUVs, and semis who ended up in the median. Actually, one semi that crashed into the median was half sticking out in the left lane. That was a scary four hour drive. I was so relieved when we got to Anthony Henday.

[Fobroader]

2 years ago I was driving with the wife back to Brandon, it snowed from Lloydminster to Brandon. It was windy as hell, white out for the whole way, like foot high drifts after Regina on the highway, scariest drive ever. I could only do like 70-80Km/h and when a semi or some crazy bastard passed it went from 0 visibility to -10 visibility. We stopped Id say like ever 10 minutes for cars that had gone off to make sure they had a cell phone and enough fuel. Couldnt believe that people were still doing the speed limit when the highway was a curling rink and there was so many people in the ditch.

[Rupert]

Yeah, a snow plough passed us on the eastbound 401 near Gananoque many years ago now...gosh time passes quickly. Anyway it was a whiteout and we were doing the speed we could in the right lane; not fast enough for the plough seemingly. All visibility dissappeared and we ended up driving off the road. There are rocky spots around there but where we went off there was a wide grassy strip up to a fence and we ended up just by the fence. The plough just carried on and left us there. Fortunately we were able to make it back onto the highway but that might not have been the case. The consequences of inconsiderate actions can be dire.

[Angry Chicken]

Another pileup on the 401, this time near Woodstock.  So far it seems like there were only minor injuries.  50 more cars to the crusher....

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/02/01/hwy401-pileup.html

[5 Wheel Drive]

Here's a Winter driving tip:. If you can't see over the snowbank...don't just pull out.  Lady in the black CTS coming out of Lowes, I'm talking to you!!! Dumba$$!!!

[Black Hatch]

I thought this thread was going to be about actual tips for winter driving.

One tip  that I have is when accelerating on snow/ice;
Slowing push the gas pedal down at a slow constant rate rather than flooring it ie accelerating slowly until your tires have traction.
If you floor it, you just make a mess and make the road more slippery.

Similarly to going up a hill; better to have a constant motion of the wheels or slow acceleration rather to floor it and slip when your tires can't get the traction required.

[blur911]

Well my old Audi quattro made it to work fine last night  smashing through snowdrifts and such.  Then this morning I start it and see a lot of smoke billowing from under the hood, turn it off and discover a seized up alternator and a shredded v-belt.  Hopefully the alternator is just frozen and will be fixed with a warmup and a new belt.
Either way I had to hitch a ride home this morning.

[Rupert]

There was a rear ending incident involving a few cars on the 401 and the car at the back that caused it had...winter tires on it.

[sailor723]

I see that the Governor of Massachusetts banned all vehicles from the roads in the state yesterday as of 4:00 pm (a few hours before the worst of the blizzard hit last night)  Penalties for violating the order were possible arrest, a minimum fine of $500 and possible jail time. What do you think?  it at least allowed emergency crews to get around and probably prevented hundreds if not thousands of collisions.

[Northernridge]

I see that the Governor of Massachusetts banned all vehicles from the roads in the state yesterday as of 4:00 pm (a few hours before the worst of the blizzard hit last night)  Penalties for violating the order were possible arrest, a minimum fine of $500 and possible jail time. What do you think?  it at least allowed emergency crews to get around and probably prevented hundreds if not thousands of collisions.

That's interesting...massive savings in $$ and strain on emergency services...but people have to stay home under penalty of law.