Driving habits of rural folk

[daugen]

Sigarms, yeah winter here and what little snow we get makes things very exciting, particularly over here in the East. Drivers are terribly inexperienced and drive way too
fast in what snow we get, and once again, those big deep ditches gobbles up another...and just as many 4x4's as cars too...
Get a BMW with summer high performance tires on it and good luck, won't end well.
I pulled three cars out of my front ditch with my tractor in 7 years...at least they usually don't hurt themselves and if they are lucky don't wreck the suspension on their cars.

So I just learned to stay home when it snows and wait for it to melt. I had way too much lifetime experience driving in the snow in PA while I was a volunteer fireman, not worried about myself, just don't want to get hit by someone else. Spent most of my life in insurance business and there is rarely an accident where folks walk away happy. Always better to avoid them, regardless of who is right or wrong.

 

[dodge man]

In case I haven't well documented my gradual shift of opinion, I'll spell out where I am now. This thread has led me to realize the following:

1. My gripe is less with my fellow rural folk, and more with people who drive distracted. Or just plain badly. Or people who intentionally sour the driving experiences of everyone around them because they're awful people.
2. Being mid-range range on the aggression meter means other, more aggressive people probably gripe about me as much as I gripe about those less aggressive than myself. And the people less aggressive than me, probably think I'm trying to kill them as often as I think other lunatics are trying to kill me.
3. Other people hate being lumped into groups as badly as I do, whether it's natural or not; nobody likes it. I'll try to be more cognizant of that even though it's already something I'm working on.
4. Some people simply can't be pleased. I should strive to not be one of them, and to not suffer their acidic words.
5. I wouldn't trade my place in the country (yes, I said it again, the country) and sometimes foul commute, for anything.
6. Some things just aren't worth complaining about. But often we don't realize that until after we've already complained about them. This is one of those things.

I withdraw my complaint and I will be content with the hand I've dealt myself. I apologize if I've offended anyone who wasn't already out looking for something to get offended about. I will try to be the commuter who I wish everyone else was. Thank you all for helping me grow personally.

For just a kid, you are learning! (Said in a joking manner).

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I pay the same road tax you do, I own the roads just as much as you do... When people try to push me down the road, I slow down even more!

IF, you don't like the way I drive, MOVE BACK TO THE CITY!!!

You won't hurt my feelings one bit... lol

SR

 

[Sigarms]

Sigarms, yeah winter here and what little snow we get makes things very exciting, particularly over here in the East. Drivers are terribly inexperienced and drive way too
fast in what snow we get, and once again, those big deep ditches gobbles up another...and just as many 4x4's as cars too...
Get a BMW with summer high performance tires on it and good luck, won't end well.
I pulled three cars out of my front ditch with my tractor in 7 years...at least they usually don't hurt themselves and if they are lucky don't wreck the suspension on their cars.

So I just learned to stay home when it snows and wait for it to melt. I had way too much lifetime experience driving in the snow in PA while I was a volunteer fireman, not worried about myself, just don't want to get hit by someone else. Spent most of my life in insurance business and there is rarely an accident where folks walk away happy. Always better to avoid them, regardless of who is right or wrong.

NC is funny for snow and weather. Having lived in both the eastern part (above Harrisburg) and western part of Pennsylvania (below Erie) it just seemed the whole state got snow (particularly with the lake effect off Lake Erie). In NC, it seems a lot less snow east of Raleigh and more and more snow accumlation the further west you go. I only live an hour south of Boone, and in the winter months, it can be sunny and 40F outside my door, great weather, then drive an hour to Boone and you can be in a 5" snow storm. Needless to say, higher elevations futher west you go. Just looked, seems my county averages a whopping 6" of snow a year.

Like you, just tend to wait it out and hopefully most of it melts in a couple of days. About 7 years ago or remember one snow storm we had around Christmas time. 11 of us including relatives stuck in our house for about 5 days.

 

[Oaktree]

I've found good tires are a lot more important in snow, unless it's really deep. And slowing down...
A 2wd car with limited slip and good winter tires can be remarkably effective in bad weather.

And a front wheel drive car with good tires will get you pretty much anywhere you want to go if you drive with a grain of common sense. AWD has been way oversold IMHO. Ground clearance was the biggest issue I ran into with FWD cars, especially if it was wet snow that built up.

The only thing people never seem to realize with 4wd in the snow (or any other bad conditions) is speed, and hitting your breaks may not help.

So many people think that 4/AWD makes you invinceable. 4WD will get you going, but isn't going to help you stop.

 

[Diggin It]

When it snows, I stay home. I don't like being the center bumper on a pinball table.


I got caught out in it once last year. Freak storm only iced up a few roads in one area. Everywhere else was clear and dry. I was already out and had to pass thorough that area. No choice. I made it ... somehow. Lots of others wrecked though.

 

[Jstpssng]

And a front wheel drive car with good tires will get you pretty much anywhere you want to go if you drive with a grain of common sense. AWD has been way oversold IMHO. Ground clearance was the biggest issue I ran into with FWD cars, especially if it was wet snow that built up.



So many people think that 4/AWD makes you invinceable. 4WD will get you going, but isn't going to help you stop.

It can when nothing else fails, but you need to be on top of your game and expect the unexpected. The first time that I drove my new company F150 in sleet/snow after running my ABS-less GMC for years (because I pulled the fuse and a few other parts), I tried to stop well in advance of an icy intersection but it was just wishful thinking; t appeared that I was going out into a busy intersection no matter what I did. And it wasn't from going too fast...I was doing about 20 mph.
In desperation I stomped down on the parking brake which gave me traction with all 4 tires instead of just one.It snubbed me up so quickly that I was glad nobody was behind me.

I use the parking brake a few times per winter on snow now, although not as hard as I did that day. Often it's just because I want to stop, and not wait for the ABS to decide when it will happen. On snow all that feature does is allow you to maintain steering so that you can decide what you're going to run into.

 

[Diggin It]

In desperation I stomped down on the parking brake which gave me traction with all 4 tires instead of just one.

That's OK if you're not already on ice.

 

[Jstpssng]

That's OK if you're not already on ice.

It works on snow though. I used to disable the ABS until I realized that while it does help me to stop quicker, if something did go wrong I would be on the hook. I had that revelation the day that somebody looked at me and pulled out 20 feet in front of me. With ABS I would have T-boned him but was able to stop because it was disengaged...
If you're on ice you're already screwed. The only thing that's going to help is steel. That's why I have ice chains for my pickup.

 

[Alien]

I am 72 and still get peeved at slow drivers. I call them inconsiderate to other road users. It can frustrate some leading to accidents. Trouble is, they can't see that. Just because they have all the time in the world doesn't mean they have to use up other peoples time as well.
I strike quite a few of them going to town but fortunately town is only about 12 klm away so it rarely matters.
I do detest those that drive at 80 klm in a 100 zone, and when they reach the 80 zone they slow to 60 klm. Luckily when they hit the 60 zone there are 2 lanes.....

Oh, they are usually in a dirty old white ute and wear a hat and have the window down.