How Things have Changed

[iowahiker]

Like many places, Northeast Iowa has six weeks of tough winter weather and several more weeks on the way with no sign of spring. One thought comes to mind of how America has changed:

In the mid-80's we drove from St. Louis to Kansas City to visit family for the holidays. We drove over 200 miles of freezing rain and 100% ice covered I-70 in single lane/bumper-to-bumper traffic, as far in every direction as you could see, going 25 mph in the dark. We never saw a sand truck or salt truck the entire trip. The temperature was so cold, our front window defrost could not keep the window de-iced on the outside. Every vehicle had rear wheel drive, no AWD or 4WD. No ice or snow tires on any vehicle. The number of vehicles in the ditch or involved in an accident for over 200 miles in both directions and more than 8 hours of driving: ZERO.

In winter on I-35 north of Des Moines during 2-3 inches of snow, no freezing rain or drizzle, the vehicles in the ditch or on top of a guard rail averaged one every five miles with over 90% of those vehicles being AWD or FWD trucks and SUV's.

I do not think driving skills have changed only our culture.

 

[Foy]

That's a great observation and most likely dead on target.

 

[ski3pin]

Part of it was judgement. In our neck of the woods here, it seems that most expect things to be taken care for them. The road crews are working just for them. How dare they close the road in white out or avalanche conditions. Bottom line - there is a real disconnect with the natural world. No one knows how to use a shovel, clear their own parking place, good old honest, basic, work. My favorite - it is the weather's fault, or there was ice. Never was it, "I was driving too fast for conditions."

Our basic observation these days is we do not want to join our current crop of drivers on the road in challenging weather conditions.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Part of it was judgement. In our neck of the woods here, it seems that most expect things to be taken care for them. The road crews are working just for them. How dare they close the road in white out or avalanche conditions. Bottom line - there is a real disconnect with the natural world. No one knows how to use a shovel, clear their own parking place, good old honest, basic, work. My favorite - it is the weather's fault, or there was ice. Never was it, "I was driving too fast for conditions."

Our basic observation these days is we do not want to join our current crop of drivers on the road in challenging weather conditions.

I love the comment,"...never was it driving to fast for conditions".
When the "chains required" sign goes up the speed is 25 mph.
Seems like a lot of people ignore it. Seems like the view is,"I have 4wd/awd I can go through at any speed",is the mentality.
Well enough of the soap box.Enjoy the winter. Spring will start next Friday the 1st.
Frank

 

[FoxenTec]

As a Southern California driver, who like many, have very limited or no driving experience in snow or ice, I respect those that know and understand how to drive in these conditions. I plan my routes ahead of time, carry chains with even the possibility of snow and slow down and observe the conditions. I have spent my two wheel days riding street and dirt on motorcycles though and understand traction, braking and slowing down based on conditions and skill level. Wish I had more experience in the 4 wheel cage and snow and ice though!

 

[iowahiker]

During the I-70 ice storm, no one entered the left lane or passed another vehicle for the entire ice storm in either direction even though both lanes had the same traction, wet ice with zero braking and a little steerage.

I-35, North of Des Moines, had one truck upside down but the cab did not deform thanks to all those safety regulations.

The last economic crash in 2008/9 reminds me of I-35, too many going too fast.

The new culture: too many going too fast (but not everyone)

 

[Smokecreek1]

Spring-with all that mud? With all those Oregon Grossbeaks coming down here and messing up my yard and getting into fights with my nice and quiet Steller Jays! All that rain and sun and no more wearing my old Soral snow boots everywhere. Why I love it in the winter, nothing better than getting up in the dark, with ice cold 6 degree weather outside, black ice-can't even walk the dog, 50 mph zepher winds and white outs and with only idiots out on the road And they all are trying to kill you these days-don't know how to drive, much less help and old fella like me dig myself out in the morning, Did I mention snow plow operators don't know how to plow the roads right and always block me in! Gosh darn it all wish I could live in a real winter place all the time like they had in the old days or like they have today in Truckee or Canada or Minn-what's the name of that town up on the border? ARE YOU KIDDING ME-The heck with Spring, I want Summer to get here now -the sooner, the better !

On a more serious note, did anyone see that program on the weather channel the other day on the Donner Party? Now you are talking weather-and real surviving a real bad time. While those people make allot of mistakes and it killed some of them, the program pointed out how tough they were. They had none of the winter gear and or neat things we have today and what was more amazing was that more of them didn't die, than did! I've been up to the Donner Historical Site and as a archaeologist/historian, I've read allot of historical stuff on how they and our ancestors lived and boy compared to them we are wimps -but, maybe that is why our species survived all these years. Man you had to be tough, and they did it without either Safeway or 4 wheel drive too!

Smoke

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

They had "4 hoof drive" though. Tough people,yes.
Frank

 

[PaulT]

When our team at work went to the Spaghetti Factory for a lunch, we would need places for 8-10 people. When asked for a name, it wasn't unusual for us to say Donner. Was a hoot to see the expressions of others waiting when they called out "Donner Party" as our turn came up.

Paul

 

[craig333]

With the amount of snow forecast out this next storm maybe it will be Donner like. I've learned my lesson on driving in icy conditions the hard way. Want to tailgate me while I drive slow and cautiously? Go ahead, doesn't bother me a bit. Oh, I won't be winching you out of the snow when you pass me though.

When the authorities say stay home, I hear "stay home" not "whoo, get the snowboards".

 

[ski3pin]

As an example of traffic incidents in the Sierra Nevada during winter storms, here is a report of an ongoing incident. Start at the bottom and read up. This is on 395 at the bottom of Conway Summit -

[SIZE=12pt]Us395 / Sr167[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Area: Bridgeport
Updated: 1:59 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019
Type: 1182-Trfc Collision-No Inj
Detail:
8:49 AM PST - Tue, Feb 26 2019 : [37] LATE ENTRY // LINE 31 - RED TRACTOR TRAILER - PTYS CONTRACTED 1185 OO LOS ANGELES TO TURN THE TRAILER AROUND // WILL CALL AN HOUR BEFORE ARRIVING AT LOCATION TO REQ 1184
6:07 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [34] LINE 31-33 : ALL 1124 VEHS ON RHS UNTIL FURTHER ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE
6:07 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [33] #3 PK TK PULLING TRAILER - TRAILER BLOWN OVER - 59167F2 - NB JNO 167
6:06 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [32] #2 WHI TRACTOR TRAILER - WP32539 - NB JNO 167 - SOLO VEH BLOWN OVER
6:05 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [31] PER 71-11 - THREE SOLO VEH 1182 // #1: RED TRACTOR TRAILER - XP33162 - NB JSO RED HILL
5:21 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [30] B71-011 ADVS CT 97 W/ LOADER ATTEMPT TO PUSH OVERTURN TK/TRL OFF RDWY
4:08 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [29] B71-011 ADVS DRIVERS OF 3 VEHS - TRANSPORTED TO LEE VINING TO A SAFE LOCATION - ADVS WILL CHECK TO 167 FOR ADDITIONAL VEHS
3:25 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [28] 1039 SILVER STATE
3:10 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [25] 1039 CT - ADVS SHORT HANDED - WILL SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO
3:08 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [24] B71-011 ORIGINAL CT WORKER MANNING CLOSURE HAD TO LEAVE LOCATION - NOT LETTING TRAFFIC THOUGH 167 - REQ TO CHECK W/ CT IF THEY HAVE PERSONNEL
2:49 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [23] 1039 SILVER STATE
2:47 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [22] B71-011 REQ 1185 HD
2:33 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [19] B71-011 CHECKED ON BIG RIG JSO LOCATION // 1181
2:27 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [18] B71-011 ADDT'L 1183 BEHIND HIM DOT NB - ADVS ANOTHER BIG RIG /REQ TO ADVS SOUTH END TO STOP ONCOMING TRUCK TRAFFIC
2:20 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [10] 2ND BIG RIG BLOWN OVER NEAR CONWAY RANCH RD PARTIALLY BLOCKING #2 LN
2:19 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [14] [Appended, 14:23:13] [2] WHI BIR RIG // BLKING SB LANES[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]2:19 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [14] [Appended, 14:23:13] [2] WHI BIR RIG // BLKING SB LANES
2:16 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [9] B71-011 BIG RIG COMPLETELY BLOCKING NB LNAE
2:00 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [6] [Notification] [CHP]-Problem changed from 1183-Trfc Collision-Unkn Inj to 1182-Trfc Collision-No Inj by CHP
2:00 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [5] DRIVER OUT OF BIG RIG NO INJURIES
2:00 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [4] PARTIALLY BLOCKING #2 LN
2:00 PM PST - Mon, Feb 25 2019 : [2] BIG RIG BLEW OVER[/SIZE]

 

[roverjohn]

A friend just sent me some pictures of overturned semis somewhere near Dayton NV. I didn't know the story so I said 'maybe the wind just picked up'. Turns out all the flipped over trucks had to pass at least three flashing "DANGER HIGH WINDS" signs before getting to the actual high wind area where they were flipped.

I went to school in the UP of MI in the late 70's. My car had RWD, a big block, and bias ply snow tires and getting around really wasn't that bad. I remember coming home for Christmas one year and the traction available on dry roads was astounding. It sort of took me by surprise when the go pedal actually caused the car to go. It might be why rallying is still my favorite form of auto racing.

 

[Foy]

A friend just sent me some pictures of overturned semis somewhere near Dayton NV. I didn't know the story so I said 'maybe the wind just picked up'. Turns out all the flipped over trucks had to pass at least three flashing "DANGER HIGH WINDS" signs before getting to the actual high wind area where they were flipped.

I went to school in the UP of MI in the late 70's. My car had RWD, a big block, and bias ply snow tires and getting around really wasn't that bad. I remember coming home for Christmas one year and the traction available on dry roads was astounding. It sort of took me by surprise when the go pedal actually caused the car to go. It might be why rallying is still my favorite form of auto racing.

I had the good fortune to attend and graduate from Appalachian State University in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains in the early/mid 1970s. We had our share of snow and cold weather keeping it around for a long time. Most everybody had rear wheel drive American made sleds and bias ply snow tires were standard equipment. My roommate piloted a '69 Volkswagen Beetle with studded snow tires and cleated tire chains. He nursed the tires and the chains through 3 winters and never once got stuck or went off-highway "touring".
I also spent time on the UP in various parts of 1980-1982. Mostly the central UP, west of Marquette, east of Iron River, south of Houghton. Had the good luck to watch some stages of the Press On Regardless in 1980 when it was an SCCA event. Been a fan of the sport ever since, to the extent of having returned to the UP for the Lake Superior Performance Rally in 2013. We got some snow that year and they got a lot of it during the LSPR in October 2018, and it was a ton of fun to experience that.

Foy