why is it no one can drive in the snow?

[mpvue]

Originally Posted By: MrHorspwer
When it turns into chest thumping about how everybody else is a horrible driver when it snows and I can go anywhere witha FWD car when the 4WDs are in the ditch, it's always fun to bring up the concept of illusory superiority and the Dunning-Kruger Effect.

In 1981, Ola Svensen surveyed a number of drivers, asking them to rate their own driving ability compared to the driving ability of others. In the United States, 93% of the drivers rated themselves as above average for skill and 88% ranked themselves as above average in safety.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect explains this as a cognitive bias that causes people to overestimate their own abilities and underestimate their deficiencies when comparing themselves to others.

In other words, everybody thinks they're an awesome driver in comparison to others, even if they're actually terrible at it.
I don't have an issue w/ that, but I CAN say I've driven and lived in the NE for almost 25 years, never had a 4WD vehicle, and never been involved in anything like is in that video.

 

[JHZR2]

Lack of understanding of physics. If people knew how to drive MT, they would appreciate the physics of driving and momentum more.

 

[ajchien]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself


Come on, people. 3,000 pound cars don't bounce around like hockey pucks on snow. This has to be ice.


Totally agree. That's ice. On a hill. You're screwed.

 

[ajchien]

Originally Posted By: Rand

I've driven rwd fwd awd 4wd.. with the right tires and driving they are all adequate but awd is the best.



It is possible that RWD is best. If you had a RWD car ... You might not even think of going out in the first place.

 

[thr_wedge]

Snow no prob. Ice because salt quit working 15 degrees ago was how I wrecked my truck. That was 8 years ago when I knew everything. Now I know nothing and stay home (I also moves to Texas so that helps) .

 

[hattaresguy]

Cause the average person is an idiot and can barely keep their car on the road in perfect conditions.

Throw in a bit of snow and its a good show.

Personally I love watching the destruction, just as long as it stays away from me.

 

[mopar_monkey]

ok, i'll say my peace, yes it appears to be iced over, anyone with half a brain would stay home, also some drivers managed just fine, why?... because they know how to drive in these conditions, i once drove 300 plus miles on iced over snow and had zero problems, i was tense and a nervous wreck but if you drive according to the conditions you will be fine but you must also size up a situation and avoid if need be.

 

[bullwinkle]

I'm still trying to figure out why the road wasn't shut down before it turned into the giant demolition derby! No substitute for studs or studless winter tires on ice!!

 

[hattaresguy]

Going down that hill isn't a big deal.

First of all anyone who stops is a moron inviting an accident, first rule of winter driving is never stop on a hill. Going up or down you just don't do it.

Going down is easy, put it in neutral and roll down with light pressure on the brakes and keep the wheels pretty straight. Keep your speed around 15-20, no problem. Do it all the time. That hill has plenty of run off too so if you build up some speed you have all the space in the world to bleed it off. On my hill their is a stop sign and busy road right at the base so I have zero fudge room.

The idiots stopping and overtaking are just that, morons who shouldn't be on the road.

 

[Popinski]

Can someone tell me what YOU would do on that iced up declined road?

 

[Spazdog]

Every year that we have an ice storm, there are a bunch of Northerners that pop up with, "You southerners don't know how to drive in the ice."

Then I see videos like that or the late '90s when Toronto got hit with an ice storm like one of ours.

Apparently, northerners don't know how to drive on ice either.

I've never missed a day of work because of ice.

 

[MNgopher]

There is ice under that. Snow you can deal with. Ice is another story. My driveway presently has abouta 1/4 inch of ice on it. If you break traction on it, right now you are done. The only reset is to back all the way out or slide all the way down.

In regards to why wasn't the road closed, sometimes conditions change so rapidly that this happens before that can be done. Close it down earlier and its an overreaction.

Agree whole heartedly on the ice comments - its another ballgame besides snow.

 

[SLCraig]

That is absolutely not snow, that is buttery slushy stuff over pure ice. Truthfully it looks like an actual skating rink by the way the cars don't even remotely slow down before they hit stuff.

That Trailblazer SS is a real shame... And I'd say the Panther is a write off.

 

[rslifkin]

In something like that, I would have been crawling down the hill in 1st gear, 4lo, maintaining 2 - 3 mph, hopefully having enough remaining traction to steer. Engine braking is greatly preferred to using the brakes in slick stuff, as it's much harder to lock up a tire.

 

[SEMI_287]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: SEMI_287
How did they get their license? Jesus people are stupid.

If you're on wet ice, there is only so much you can do unless you have studded tires.


Yeah, our driveway is like that road right now. It definitely sucks. But I mean a few of them were barreling through there! I like that early 90's Dakota. LOL

 

[hardcore302]

That was more involved than driver inexperience.

 

[rjundi]

That is glare ice or some extremely slippery surface on a inclined street with a steep crown as evidenced by the vehicles sliding to the side.

That road took the drivers likely by surprise.

Its easy to blame a driver however the city can be blamed for not getting out and sanding that road fast enough. What happens in New England is we expect our roads to be sanded so conditions like that take drivers by surprise leading to a pileup. Decent winter tires would help there also.

 

[MNgopher]

I guarantee that even in New England the folks who maintan the streets have times when they "don't get out there fast enough". Unless your weather forecasters are 100% correct, and trust me, none of them are, you will miss every now and then (speaking from practical experience with municpal snow removal). Think about it. A difference of 1 degree can mean the difference between freezing and just a wet condition. Local topographic variation alone can cause more tempature swings than that.

Also note that one of the vehicles involved was a plow - seems pretty on the ball as far as that goes.

 

[01rangerxl]

I think some people simply don't care to change their driving to suit conditions. The people who have a paticularly hard time staying on the road in snow are probably the same ones who do 80 MPH in pouring rain and then slam into a bunch of cars on an exit ramp because they couldn't slow down in time.

Also, a lot of people neglect their tires. If it's not flat, it must be good. That doesn't work in the snow and tires can make all the difference.

I'm not a snow driving expert, but I have gotten by with RWD pickups for years and never been stuck, went off the road, or hit anyone else. Starting out in 2nd and turning OD off so I get engine braking helps.

 

[Kestas]

Also the same people who cause the 70-car interstate pileups in the fog.

I wonder where some of the people were going... home from work, or on some frivolous errand? Videos like this are a reminder to me to stay home when it's really bad.

Also, seeing squiggly tire marks on the road are a good indication somebody almost lost it from the icy conditions. There are lots of other clues in the video that should have slowed people down.