It's popular when the weather gets bad for a series of posts to pop up on most automotive forums, not just this one, complaining about how bad drivers are and all the bone headed moves they make as soon as it gets snowy and or icy. Well I want to make the opposite comment. All of us in the Northern States and our brothers and sisters to the north have had some horrendous weather over the last month. I just want to make a shout out to everyone on the Michigan roads through these conditions. Honestly, Everyone has been behaving and driving really well. People have slowed down, left more room, been considerate of the conditions and others. I've seen far fewer than normal 'offs' and accidents and the roads have been slower, but moved really well. The only idiot I've seen this week was me when I got a deserted roundabout.
No real meaning to this post, I just wanted to say something nice about driving standards and the general public for once.
Stay safe out there.
mtn
MegaDork
2/12/19 9:49 a.m.
I've noticed the same thing. I'm wondering if there is a big increase in work from home on days with treacherous roads. I know I have been when possible.
In reply to mtn :
There is a lot of that. Many people here do it if they have to. And it's pretty clear that the roads are less traveled.
So for this winter, there was a bad one way before me- a truck actually completely spun around, and then tipped over on it's side. Odd to see a a truck like that pointing the wrong way...
But, for the most part, people are behaving. The number of people I would not feel bad about seeing them stranded deep in the snow has gone down quite a bit.
Based on the title, I figured this thread would touch on the topic of cannibalism and how long to cook the dish.
A little punctuation could add some clarity, as in: "Well done, drivers!"
I'll agree with the sentiment: here in the PNW, we usually see no shortage of...poor choices. But the fact that it has snowed SO MUCH seems to have kept the unprepared and unskilled at home. When I went out, it seemed like people were giving lots of space and minding their following distances. Well done.
I worked from home Thursday of last week. Had two thunderstoms roll through after midnight, which froze over everything by morning.
But my boss and I will also leave the office if we think it's going to hail or anything like that as well.
Type Q
SuperDork
2/12/19 12:15 p.m.
That is one thing I do miss from the upper mid-west. People here in California don't believe when I tell them it takes at least 4 inch of to even start to have the kind of slow down you get in LA or the Bay Area when there is a quarter inch of RAIN.
In reply to Type Q :
Not to defend the Californians, but I was more scared driving in a rain storm outside of Sacramento than I've ever been in snow around here. Back in 2012 when it had been drought for years, a quick cloud burst would bring all the oil out of the asphalt, making 80 an ice rink. Heading the other way towards Grass Valley and actually seeing snow was an eye opening experience as well. Nothing was sticking, but everything ground to a halt anyway.
Reasonably good traction at -30, too. Snow right at or slightly below freezing is the very worst, no matter where it falls.
Yesterday warmed up to -18, and blew and snowed a bit, which polishes streets up. Quite a few stuffings evident on the drive home last night.
I've taken to posting a "traffic report" on my Facebook page when I get in to work since I tend to arrive an hour before most of my co-workers. I've learned that some of my friends/coworkers actually check it before they leave for work. Here's today's report: Early first shift traffic report: For today's festivities, we have a nice packed ice/snow base with about 3/4 of an inch of granulated ice on top of it. The important thing to realize is that you aren't, as Toyota once famously said, "grounded to the ground". As you are driving, you're basically "floating" on the ice layer. Needless to say it's a pretty slippery and more than a little unpredictable. Also, be sure your car is fully warmed up or it will ice up as you drive. Good luck!
I'd second the OP's observations from the west side of Michigan. I suspect we're actually slowing down to enjoy the "smooth roads", since all the potholes are filled with snow/ice, rather out of an abundance of caution, but fewer accidents is a nice side effect.
No wintery weather here, but this week I have witnessed several other drivers letting people out from side streets into heavy morning traffic. It's nice to see people giving a E36 M3 about others. Good job peeps!
Plenty of jackholes and shenanigans on the east side and into the Thumb today Adrian.
Michigan drivers are very good. The only reason the crash rates are so high is that the roads are impossibly bad - in terrible shape and horrendously designed. You couldn't design a better spot for a pileup than the southbound curve on I-75 at Rochester Road but we go weeks without them.
In reply to kazoospec :
Why not just turn on the all traffic all the time radio station?
In reply to David S. Wallens :
No, she's too grizzled and tough, young meat has more flavor, easier to eat.
Robbie
UltimaDork
2/13/19 11:56 a.m.
EastCoastMojo said:
No wintery weather here, but this week I have witnessed several other drivers letting people out from side streets into heavy morning traffic. It's nice to see people giving a E36 M3 about others. Good job peeps!
This is rampant where I live to an unsafe extent. Everyone does it all the time. Even on 4/6 lane busy commercial streets. So I'm trying to leave the home depot parking lot, waiting for an opportunity to turn left (which will come when the lights change) but then invariably someone will stop to my left for no other reason than to "let me out". Thank you, but just because you stopped doesn't mean the other 2 lanes I am waiting for will also stop. Please stop waiving me on!
Also, by the time they usually give up and drive away, I have now missed my gap.
If you are in stop and go traffic and can just stop 30 ft earlier to let someone in or not block an intersection, good on you. If you are slowing down or stopping on a road for the express purpose of letting someone in, you are breaking the right of way rules and making a mess for everyone.
I know, opposite of the theme of the thread but 'being nice' can go too far.
In reply to Robbie :
This is in traffic that is already stopped and backed up for 1/4 mile or more past the side street. I get what you are saying, but when people block side streets in completely stopped traffic it grinds my gears.
Robbie
UltimaDork
2/13/19 1:08 p.m.
In reply to EastCoastMojo :
agree!
David S. Wallens said:
1988RedT2 said:
Based on the title, I figured this thread would touch on the topic of cannibalism and how long to cook the dish.
A little punctuation could add some clarity, as in: "Well done, drivers!"
Let's eat Grandma!
But first let's help uncle jack off a horse (because capitalization is important too!).
I too was happy to have no gripes with 99% of the driving. I think the biggest thing I noticed was a much much higher percentage of nicely kept modern cars with steel wheels. So like 10% instead of 1%. My favorite was the Challenger Hellcat on I96 that person didn't have steelies but at the light before the on ramp I recognized the Blizzak sidewalls. I smiled as they promptly drove into the unsalted snowy far left lane and with a slight wiggle accelerated to about 50 past all of us trudging at 35-45.
So has all the press about winter tires made an impact in Michigan?
My wife just called and asked if I was on my way home yet. Apparently there are tons of wrecks. We've probably gotten an inch of snow today, and we've been having snow and ice regularly for weeks. You would think that people would have it figured out by now. So far this year, I haven't seen many wrecks at all. I don't know what's different today.
My only wish is that folks turn on their lights more in crap weather. I want to see you. I want you to be seen. I want us both to be safe.
Other than that, I have seen a shift in driving. People do seem to be more courtious.
