Snow & Ice

[kenmac]

I sure wish you guys & gals that are use to this stuff would keep it. People in the South sure can't drive in this stuff. I guess we've got about 3'' of this white stuff they call snow. Then, after ever one drives on it , it becomes ICE. Then, these southern drivers end up in ditches, vehicles turned over on top of each other Etc, etc,.I even saw this 1 nut in a Fire dept. 4WD Blazer think he was going to conquer this Iced over hill with vehicles stranded on either side of the road. He didn't make it and slid into other vehicles. I have no idea where he was trying to go. He didn't have any emergency lights on . It really pi$$ed the guy in the stranded car off that this FD blazer crushed his car ...Down here, This sort of thing shuts down everything... Anyway, You guys up north of the boarder can have all this stuff you want, Down here

 

[PMA]

Sleeting at my house now. Suppose to get 3 to 5 inches tonight. This has been a cold winter.

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[grsthegreat]

I sure wish you guys & gals that are use to this stuff would keep it. People in the South sure can't drive in this stuff. I guess we've got about 3'' of this white stuff they call snow. Then, after ever one drives on it , it becomes ICE. Then, these southern drivers end up in ditches, vehicles turned over on top of each other Etc, etc,.I even saw this 1 nut in a Fire dept. 4WD Blazer think he was going to conquer this Iced over hill with vehicles stranded on either side of the road. He didn't make it and slid into other vehicles. I have no idea where he was trying to go. He didn't have any emergency lights on . It really pi$$ed the guy in the stranded car off that this FD blazer crushed his car ...Down here, This sort of thing shuts down everything... Anyway, You guys up north of the boarder can have all this stuff you want, Down here

yup/... i look forward to the youtube videos from you Southern drivers after a snowfall...makes for some funny vids.

 

[kenmac]

yup/... i look forward to the youtube videos from you Southern drivers after a snowfall...makes for some funny vids.

Not only do I have to watch out for the idiots that think,,,,, I have a 4WD I can go anywhere ( like the FD guy that flew by me and slid into another stranded car) and do anything to the ones that are so careful that, they will also get you into trouble, just poking along looking at the snow and ice. I got stuck out in this mess and it took me 3 Hrs to get home from a place that, under normal conditions would have taken me about 35 min. I didn't have time to take vids ,I just wanted to get home

 

[Sigarms]

Not only do I have to watch out for the idiots that think,,,,, I have a 4WD I can go anywhere ( like the FD guy that flew by me and slid into another stranded car) and do anything to the ones that are so careful that, they will also get you into trouble, just poking along looking at the snow and ice. I got stuck out in this mess and it took me 3 Hrs to get home from a place that, under normal conditions would have taken me about 35 min. I didn't have time to take vids ,I just wanted to get home

You should see what happens when cars tap on their breaks in freezing rain on bridges

Seriously, had to pick my wife up in town late this afternoon with the one boy, and it was snowing really good, hard pack snow on some of the roads (20 minute trip turned into 60 minutes). We were explaining in detail to our son in the back exactly what YOU'RE saying as I was driving, yet my wife is from Vermont and myself from Maine:laughing:

Belive it or not, you sould like you would drive good anywhere you live:thumbsup:

Although not a great amount, the snow did do some good tonight. The boys have off tomorrow (at least not because it's too cold LOL) and don't even know it.

 

[deerseeker001]

We have 50+ inches on ground dont need no more

 

[kenmac]

We have 50+ inches on ground dont need no more

I can't imagine 50 '' of snow ! What do you do ? do they plow the roads ,etc, does life go on like it's nothing ?? This state would have to call out the armed forces. The weather we got wasn't even suppose to hit us. It was suppose to hit further south of us. The State moved all their equipment ( what little they have) to the area of the State where this storm was to hit. Now, the State can't move any of it back. So, we just wait it out

 

[rmorey]

I can't imagine 50 '' of snow ! What do you do ? do they plow the roads ,etc, does life go on like it's nothing ?? This state would have to call out the armed forces. The weather we got wasn't even suppose to hit us. It was suppose to hit further south of us. The State moved all their equipment ( what little they have) to the area of the State where this storm was to hit. Now, the State can't move any of it back. So, we just wait it out

Like Ron, we've had over 4' this winter so far. It comes in 4" - 6" intervals. They private snowplow guys are grinning from ear to ear. They've been out every other day!

Our municipality has all kinds of equipment, so roads are plowed clean and sanded within hours of the snowfall ending.

 

[kenmac]

Dumb question. Do the private snow plow guys plow city roads or just private driveways ? If just private drives, it doesn't seem like they would make much $$ unless, there are some very long drive ways

 

[Dutch445]

it really is amazing that a few inches of snow or sleet can cripple an area like we're seeing down south tonight.
obviously it has a lot to do with the lack of equipment to deal with it, so roads aren't plowed/salted like up north.
but, it really does open the eyes of a lot of people and make them wonder "how the heck do you guys deal with
this stuff all winter long"?????
there are areas in the NE that can get 48-60 inches of Lake Affect snow in a day or two. and, when a major
highway closes due to visibility it makes the news. but, other than that, life goes on. roads get plowed, and
salted, and we persevere. but send 3 or 4 inches down south with no equipment to handle it, and cities get
shut down.
I, for one, am ready for this winter to loosen it's grip. we have had many days with overnite temps below
0, and daytime highs in single digits. Here we will get a shot of snow, then wind, then a warm up, and it all
melts, so snowpack IMBY has been minimal. But, it's cold. I don't remember this many days with temps so
cold for so long in years.
for those of you down south, it'll be over in a day. for the rest of us dealing with the cold, maybe this weekend
we get a little relief, but, i have seen some longer range forecasts calling for another wave of deep cold weather
in Feb. let's hope not!
i leave for Orlando Sunday for work related training.... CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

 

[dave1949]

Dumb question. Do the private snow plow guys plow city roads or just private driveways ? If just private drives, it doesn't seem like they would make much $$ unless, there are some very long drive ways

Sometimes private guys are hired as contractors to help plow snow on public streets.

Plow guys make money, they have to because plowing is hard on pickups. Think about apartment complexes, stores and all those non-public places that need plowed. It's not just driveways.

 

[kenmac]

Shut down is correct. Parents can't get to the schools to pick up their children... School Teachers are going to stay with students over night at school .

 

[kenmac]

Sometimes private guys are hired as contractors to help plow snow on public streets.

Plow guys make money, they have to because plowing is hard on pickups. Think about apartment complexes, stores and all those non-public places that need plowed. It's not just driveways.

Dave, Thanks for the info.. never really thought much about a snow plow truck or who they would even plow for. I've only seen them on TV. The State doesn't even have plow trucks. They only have trucks with rear spreaders that spread sand / salt.

 

[rmorey]

Dumb question. Do the private snow plow guys plow city roads or just private driveways ? If just private drives, it doesn't seem like they would make much $$ unless, there are some very long drive ways

Most private guys charge a flat fee for plowing, up to a certain amount of snow. For example, charge $450 up to 125 cm. (about 50"). Above that, they may charge $25 per visit. In our township, there are a number of narrower cottage roads. They larger plows cant fit and some private plow guys are given contracts to maintain these roads as support for the larger plows.

Our road is about 4 km (2 1/2 miles) long. The first half is wider and the muni plow can do the job. The last mile or so is narrower and a private guy plows to our driveway.

 

[Dutch445]

it looks like a lot of SE US is in for a long nite and long day tomorrow...
stay safe if you venture out

 

[dave1949]

Dave, Thanks for the info.. never really thought much about a snow plow truck or who they would even plow for. I've only seen them on TV. The State doesn't even have plow trucks. They only have trucks with rear spreaders that spread sand / salt.

Folks usually use the same plow guy for years. Some charge a flat rate for the season, some charge per storm, some charge per each plowing. They may have to plow more than once during a heavy snow. I don't know typical current rates since I've plowed my own drive for the past ten years.

 

[kenmac]

I own a HVAC / Plumbing co. and I have instructed my guys to stay off the roads. We're not taking any calls tonight or early in the am. So the answering machine is set. If your heat is out, we're not coming tonight. We're staying put until about noon tomorrow

 

[BuzzardA91]

I just don't get it. I have always lived in the Northeast and never think twice about driving in heavy snow. Never an issue. BUT, I went down to Wilmington NC a couple years back to visit family. It snowed on way down and they had about 4" or so. I figured no problem. OH NO, I couldn't move in that snow. I figured it was lack of snow experience of drivers that caused the problems. I couldn't believe how slick the roads were. There were times I slid sideways from a near stop. I just couldn't figure it out. I was in my own vehicle that I rip around up north in the snow. Is it possible the road surface is different down south, pitched differently? I don't know but in my experience it was way worse then driving in snow on home roads.

 

[HillStreet]

Dumb question. Do the private snow plow guys plow city roads or just private driveways ? If just towns private drives, it doesn't seem like they would make much $$ unless, there are some very long drive ways

Towns hire private contractors to supplement their plowing functions. Some have some pretty big contracts.

Also, the small private plow contractors can make a lot of money on shopping center and business parking lots. As for homeowner driveways, even a 500 foot driveway could cost $120 each time they plow, and on a heavy storm they charge charge that to plow twice, plus $50 for sanding.

That's why I own a tractor. I clear my 800 foot driveway about 15 times a year, and have to sand 5 times or so. All in all, it's no big deal. Let it snow, sky turns blue, push the snow, and get on with it. To me, this is much better than 85 muggy degrees and bugs.

 

[Wakey]

I just don't get it. I have always lived in the Northeast and never think twice about driving in heavy snow. Never an issue. BUT, I went down to Wilmington NC a couple years back to visit family. It snowed on way down and they had about 4" or so. I figured no problem. OH NO, I couldn't move in that snow. I figured it was lack of snow experience of drivers that caused the problems. I couldn't believe how slick the roads were. There were times I slid sideways from a near stop. I just couldn't figure it out. I was in my own vehicle that I rip around up north in the snow. Is it possible the road surface is different down south, pitched differently? I don't know but in my experience it was way worse then driving in snow on home roads.

Thank you.

Our problem yesterday was that it snowed starting around 10 AM and it didn't stick to the roads until about 3 PM and in some cases, earlier. All the wet roads turned into ice. I don't care what someone's driving experience is, you simply cannot drive on roads that wind around like cattle trails with the constant elevation changes. Practically nobody here has snow tires or chains. Very few people in my area are from here and I'd bet more than half are from the Northeast.