Author Topic: How's the weather?  (Read 211235 times)

Offline iFett

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1590 on: December 8, 2009, 09:43 AM »
We're supposed to get 5-8" of the white stuff today into tomorrow.  Oh fun....
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Offline Rob

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1591 on: December 8, 2009, 11:44 AM »
This morning...



Being as I'm new to this... how often does one need to get their car washed to make sure it doesn't get rusted out?  Any non-obvious tips for driving in the snow?

Offline I Am Sith

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1592 on: December 8, 2009, 12:01 PM »
Light flurries now, but I think the heavy stuff will be coming down later tonight.  8-12 inches expected overnight.
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Offline Keonobi

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1593 on: December 8, 2009, 12:11 PM »
Above all resist the urge to over-correct.  If you try to start from a stop and the car doesn't seem to go, don't stomp on the gas, you'll just slide around.  Same thing with turning.  If your car doesn't turn, straighten the wheels out and they are more likely to grip.

When you get home/to work, make sure to knock the ice boots off of your car.  That's the buildup of ice/snow/road gunk that builds up in the wheel well.  If you do it after you driven it will be loose and probably just fall off.  If you wait until its frozen solid, it'll be frozen solid and could limit your ability to turn your car (it will buildup on the inside part of the wheel well and limit the steering angle you can achieve).

Make sure to clean off all of your windows, mirrors, lights (and to obey state laws: your license plate) before you go anywhere.  Too many idiots driving around today, two days after it snowed, with windows still blocked.

If you haven't already, get snow tires.  If you have been driving in the snow for years they approach being optional, if you have limited/no experience in the snow they should be pretty much mandatory.

Don't know if its obvious or not, but on the back side of most ice scrappers are little ridges that look a bit like knuckles, those are for scraping ice buildup on your windows.  The blade is better for frost and a brush works best for snow.  

While you are at it, its probably a good idea to clean off the roof of your car.  It sucks when you get a couple inches of snow, start driving, come to a stop light and all that snow slides forward onto the windshield, you turn on the wipers to clear it, but its too heavy for the wipers and the fail safe bolts release and now your wipers don't work at all.
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Offline Chris M

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1594 on: December 8, 2009, 02:22 PM »
^^Good information here for non-snow people.^^

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Offline Rob

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1595 on: December 8, 2009, 03:01 PM »
Yep, I knew some of it but other stuff in there is new and helpful.  Much appreciated.

Offline Mikey D

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1596 on: December 8, 2009, 03:16 PM »
Come on, Rob.  That's not even a dusting.   :P


While you are at it, its probably a good idea to clean off the roof of your car.  It sucks when you get a couple inches of snow, start driving, come to a stop light and all that snow slides forward onto the windshield, you turn on the wipers to clear it, but its too heavy for the wipers and the fail safe bolts release and now your wipers don't work at all.


Or even worse, when it blows off your roof and hits me on the highway.  :-X  Everything else is sound advice.

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Offline Keonobi

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1597 on: December 8, 2009, 03:23 PM »
Forgot to mention it earlier, but you probably should look for winter wiper blades as well.  Not sure if its too obvious, but they are encased in a rubber sleeve so ice can't get jammed in the spring, thereby keeping the wiperblade on the glass, and they are made of a different rubber compound so they remain pliant at lower temps compared to the all season varieties.

Good luck Rob, I tried to avoid the most obvious stuff, like: slow down, don't drive if you don't have to, etc.

I kept picturing an episode of King of the Hill where Arlen gets a freak snowstorm and Hank, who hasn't driven in the snow, ends up doing donuts in the street because every time the tires slip he slams on the gas.  Rob=Hank Hill :)
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1598 on: December 8, 2009, 03:28 PM »
Agree with Mikey - aggravating to drivers behind you too.  Not having been in Chi-town in winter, not sure how cold it gets, but if you get a really dry cold spell and you don't clear the snow off the hood of the car and start driving, the snow will blow up on the windshield and then seemingly get into the intake, come out the defrost vents and fog up the window on the inside, really reducing the visibility.  Not sure how clearly I explained that but it's a bitch to deal with because you end up either having to use the scraper on the inside of the window or wait until the car is blowing real heat, not just cold air, to clear your vision.  I expect it happens in Chicago too, it does for sure in the prairies and it's weird.  

On the snow tires even with years of experience I think they're tremendously beneficial if you can afford them.  I grew up in this crap and drove for nearly 20 years without them.  I have them every year now and consider them to be a very wise use of money.  You certainly can get by without them if you are cautious enough.

Oh, and go find an open parking lot after it snows to go do donuts on purpose.  It is an absolute blast.  If you can get hold of an older rear-wheel drive car it's even more fun.  Aside from being fun it can be incredibly instructional on how little control you have once your tires lose grip. 
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Offline iFett

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1599 on: December 8, 2009, 03:34 PM »
not sure how cold it gets, but if you get a really dry cold spell and you don't clear the snow off the hood of the car and start driving, the snow will blow up on the windshield and then seemingly get into the intake, come out the defrost vents and fog up the window on the inside, really reducing the visibility.  Not sure how clearly I explained that but it's a bitch to deal with because you end up either having to use the scraper on the inside of the window or wait until the car is blowing real heat, not just cold air, to clear your vision.

Wow...That's crazy Brent.  Never had that happen to me, but I suppose there's a first time for everything.

Oh, and go find an open parking lot after it snows to go do donuts on purpose.  It is an absolute blast.  If you can get hold of an older rear-wheel drive car it's even more fun.  Aside from being fun it can be incredibly instructional on how little control you have once your tires lose grip. 

I do this religiously the first time every year we get a good snowfall.  Good advice.   ;)
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Offline Keonobi

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1600 on: December 8, 2009, 03:45 PM »
As for donuts.  You should probably scout out a parking lot ahead of time.  If the parking lot has any large pot holes they might get covered up by the snow, the same with any of those little curb things they use for parking spots.  They have a habit of ruining donuts really quick.
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1601 on: December 8, 2009, 04:15 PM »
As for donuts.  You should probably scout out a parking lot ahead of time.  If the parking lot has any large pot holes they might get covered up by the snow, the same with any of those little curb things they use for parking spots.  They have a habit of ruining donuts really quick.

Most prudent information.  I was thinking of the usual shopping mall scale stuff.  We have pretty archaic shopping hours up here, so you can often find good spots.  Looking for curbs, potholes, posts and light standards in advance  is an excellent piece of advice.  Bending a rim to doing worse damage to your car is a mood killer. 
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Offline DSJ™

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1602 on: December 8, 2009, 05:22 PM »
Really good stuff here, winter tires are a must when you get dumped on like up here & winter wiper blades are needed. I need to get a set as the snow melts on the windshield but ice builds up on the blades & skips leaving a small cleaar gap to look out when driving. The lower half of my windsheild clears off but the upper half was just melted snow & dripping on the clear part making it more of a mess & I had to wait to stop & quickly get out to clear the blades off till it happens again a short time later. I also had to drive with the side window down so I could see a bit better. Crazy.

Always leave enough room between yourself & the front driver (driving & stopped), it helps for a quick reaction as to hopefully not hit the vehicle in front & pray no one beside you is close. The heart rate will step up a bit.  ;D

It's the others drivers ******** you have to watch out for.  ;)

Yeah, practicing donuts is a great way to learn how the car reacts. Just don't do it with other vehicles around in the lot & if you practice at night, check to see what vehicles are around outside the lot. A few years back with a few friends in the car at night, a vehicle was sitting on the far lot with his lights on when I burned & couple of donuts then went to the mall. Just as I pulled into the mall lot, the cherries flashed in my mirror. I pulled over & the cop got out & ask if I had an excuse for buring the donuts, then a friend spoke up & said "I thought you guys liked donuts!".   :D

Yeah, I made him pay the damn ticket! Asswipe!  >:(   ;D

Offline iFett

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1603 on: December 8, 2009, 05:38 PM »
I also had to drive with the side window down so I could see a bit better. Crazy.

My windows usually lock up when it gets below freezing so I don't have that "luxury"   :D

...then a friend spoke up & said "I thought you guys liked donuts!".   :D

Yeah, I made him pay the damn ticket! Asswipe!  >:(   ;D

That's hillarious!   ;D
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Offline I Am Sith

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Re: How's the weather?
« Reply #1604 on: December 9, 2009, 07:13 AM »
8-12 inches expected overnight.

Woke up to nothing more than an inch of heart-attack snow.  Still supposed to get 4-6 inches today though...
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