How is the cold and snow in your area? No smart-aleck warm weather birds welcome here...lol

[SuZir]

Yes, engine block heaters are absolute must. And the heaters that also heat inside the car make life much more comfortable. Also, if you do not have warm garage (like most around here do not have at least for all of their cars, because heating them would be so darn expensive), you make sure to park your car to warm garage of some mall etc. once or twice a week to melt it throughly.

We also use mostly studded tires, because ones without just are not very good at ice. They tend to work well on plain snow, but when it gets icy they have even double the stopping distance compared to studded tires, and we live next to big body of water, so roads always get icy.

And when it comes to clothes, we have as a country given up being stylish half of the year. We simply all dress in sport clothes during the winter. Also sweaters etc. are nonsense when it is really cold. To actually survive, and be comfortable, outdoors when it is cold, you dress to technical sports clothing. Starting with either wool or technical thermo underwear (yes, I'm speaking of longjohns both for men and women) and add layers, and right kind of layers and cover it all up with technical, wind/rain/storm/everything stopping cover. It's in fact difficult to find a jacket around here that would not have Goretex (or some other similar) coating in it. When it gets cold, your are likely wearing for example three or four layers of pants at the same time. No snowpants or heavy down jacket is enough to keep you warm, if you don't have enough, and correct, layers under them (for example, you simply do not use cotton in your under layers or you are sure to freeze. Or at most you may have cotton sweater over wool or technical undershirt under your winter jacket. But fleece or wool is much better.)

We are strongly in opinion that there is no bad weather, there are only people dressed badly and plain wrong. Of course we never get too hot weather and it is much easier to dress against cold than hot.

 

[cubsgirl]

Well I work weekends and I also work outdoors some of the time. Saturday was 50 degrees and comfortable. Sunday was 25 degrees and cold because I didn't dress for the cold. I was wearing a thin spring jacket. I'm coming to terms with the fact that I need to break out my winter wear. I don't mind the cold too much but I detest driving on snow. husband says my car handles fine on snow - that it's "operator error" that causes all the sliding and problems. I have to take the car into the shop this week to get an oil change and winterize the car. I'm considering new tires.

 

[Californiablonde]

It hailed yesterday morning in California. Does that count?

 

[GoingNorth]

IC. I have a battery blanket and put my battery "to bed" last night as it got down to -10F. It is currently 4 above and the car is running warm as I have to go run errands shortly.

Like you, twice a week I go "for a drive" for half an hour to thoroughly warm everything up and "blow out the pipes'. Our big fear up here is corrosion or freeze-up from condensation not burning off. Ice melts but the car doesn't warm up enough for it to dry off.

 

[GoingNorth]

So, tomorrow we are supposed to warm up to 30F. Whoopee! It's a heat wave!

Of course, the forecast is for freezing rain. Blah! I'd rather have snow!

 

[InsaneCdn]

Blah! I'd rather have snow!

I'm with you on that one.

As long as it's less than a foot at a time, I'm fine with snow. Especially the nice light fluffy stuff.

 

[GoingNorth]

I'd be a lot better with snow if people knew how to drive and park in it up here. It's ridiculous! We get plenty of snow. Not as much as you do, IC, but more than enough.

They don't do a good job on the roads and lots up here, and I swear people forget how to drive in-between snowstorms and haven't figured out how to park if they can't see the markings in parking lots.

It's insane! People speed, tailgate, change lanes too quickly, and in general slide all over the place. They park wherever. It makes me crazy.

 

[InsaneCdn]

My biggest pet peeve about snow is people who think summer tires are good enough. Even "all-season" tires are not good enough - they loose their effectiveness by the time you can see your breath. We live in "winter country" people... get winter tires.

 

[GoingNorth]

IC, this may be a difference between the US and Canada, we have newer rubber blends and do OK with all-season radials up here provided one KNOWS HOW TO DRIVE.

One can't even FIND winter/summer tires up here.

 

[GoingNorth]

IC, I didn't mean that to sound insulting and upon re-reading it, I realized it did. I know that in German in the 80s, all-season rubber blends weren't available, and one switched tires when winter came and winters were mild.

Also, studded tires are illegal here. I looked for "snow tires" when I moved up here and they don't exist. I drive all-season radials with a fairly aggressive tread and hope for the best.

I'd change tires if I could.

Sorry about the tone of my previous post.

 

[BusynMember]

Oh happy, happy days, GN! It's going to be in the (are you ready?) 40's next week!!!! That is going to get Wisconsinites out in sweatshirts for sure.

Of course, the snow will melt and it will be a mess and when it freezes again our cars can ice skate as we drive. I am fine driving on snow, not so much on ice. We do have a 4-wheel drive as do most people out here because it helps with winter driving and, no, we do not stay inside just because it's cold out.

IC, you are also right about getting used to any temperature if you live in it for a time. Last winter was brutally cold and often negative 30 with the wind chill. At first, I stayed in. Ok, one day I stayed in. The next day I got bored so I heated up for car for twenty minutes (no exaggeration) and then went somewhere. It's not fun sitting at home due to Mother Nature.

 

[InsaneCdn]

No problem

You probably don't get -40. At -40, all-season tires are as useless as summer - or bald - or anything else except winter tires in good condition.

Having said that... probably 80% of the people around here use... all-season tires.

I'm just sick and tired of sitting behind them at the intersection while they polish the snow to glare ice, skid sideways on start-up, and end up half-way into the intersection when they brake. And most of them think what they are doing is "normal".

 

[cubsgirl]

I asked my husband is my tires were okay for this winter (he is a mechanic) because when we had 1/2 inch of snow a couple of weeks ago I was sliding all over despite driving very slowly. He informed me that the tires were fine and it was "operator error"

I try never to drive in the snow.

 

[GoingNorth]

IC. No, we don't get -40. Coldest base temps I've seen in 10 yrs up here is -26, and at that, I agree, all-season tires don't cut it.

Coldest I've seen wind-chill-wise was -50, which was miserable enough.

MWM, I haven't seen next week's forecast yet. If we get into the high 30's/40's, it's gonna be a nightmare. We've got 2+ ft of snow on the ground which will melt off, leaving the area a mudhole. Then, it will freeze, leaving a skating rink.

I assume, we'll get a dandy snowstorm on the tail end of the thaw and then a "polar blast" or whatever they are calling it this year.

Looks as far out as WeatherBug is showing things, that we'll be in the 20s, which is fine with me.

IC, how far North are you?

toK

 

[GoingNorth]

Cubsgirl,

Instead of telling you your driving issues in snow are "operator error", ask your husband for some snow driving lessons (if he'll be patient with you).

Otherwise, consider taking a few driving lessons in the winter, or just going to an empty parking lot while there's snow on the ground and getting feel for things.

Believe it or not, I go EVERY winter with the first snowfall, and re-acquaint myself with winter carhandling.

Just getting a feel for things before I take it on the road. It's easy to forget how long it takes to stop or start, how to control a skid, etc.

Most likely, your husband is right, but he isn't being very helpful. What year, make, and model car do you drive? Is it front, rear, 4, or all-wheel drive? Do you have regular or ABS brakes? All those things make a difference in how you drive the car and not just in snow. If your husband is a mechanic and a good driver, he should be able to help you with these things.

He should want you to be safe when you drive.

 

[BusynMember]

I'm not the least bit afraid of driving on snow. Ice is a different matter. There is no safe way to drive on ice.

I'll double check the weather for next week, GN. Yes, if it gets in the 40's we will be swimming and then, of course, it will freeze and we will be doing a version of car ice skating

 

[GoingNorth]

MWM, it looks like we'll be getting a couple of days in the thirties, but freezing at night, so will be getting icy.

Does not sound like fun at all.

It always amazes me that you are only about 80 miles from me, but your weather is so much more moderate.

 

[BusynMember]

Very strange indeed, but a fact. We also get far less snow. Seems like we always just miss bad storms.

The 30's are not the 40's. If it stays freezing, maybe the snow won't melt and we won't have to ice skate with our cars...lol. There's enough snow here to cause that problem here too, if it all melts

 

[GoingNorth]

Right now, it is 28* at 6:30PM, which is abnormally warm for this time of year, so I don't know what is going on with the weather.

The high today was 29*, same as yesterday. Pity they didn't salt as it's actually warm enough for salt to work and melt some of this crud off the roads. Instead, they sanded, and we've got muddy, icky slush, and it's still slippery.

The city was already talking about shortages of snow removal funds in August, so it should be an "interesting" winter, to say the least.

 

[cubsgirl]

Cubsgirl,

Instead of telling you your driving issues in snow are "operator error", ask your husband for some snow driving lessons (if he'll be patient with you).

Otherwise, consider taking a few driving lessons in the winter, or just going to an empty parking lot while there's snow on the ground and getting feel for things.

Believe it or not, I go EVERY winter with the first snowfall, and re-acquaint myself with winter carhandling.

Just getting a feel for things before I take it on the road. It's easy to forget how long it takes to stop or start, how to control a skid, etc.

Most likely, your husband is right, but he isn't being very helpful. What year, make, and model car do you drive? Is it front, rear, 4, or all-wheel drive? Do you have regular or ABS brakes? All those things make a difference in how you drive the car and not just in snow. If your husband is a mechanic and a good driver, he should be able to help you with these things.

He should want you to be safe when you drive.

You are totally 100% right that husband should go out with me. Really, I am not a bad driver and I go slow in snow (and don't drive in ice at all). I drive a 2008 Chevy HHR with front wheel drive, I am not sure about the brakes.

Honestly, the most trouble I have is getting out of our apartment complex. It is uphill to get out and hard to get traction in the snow. I'm a little concerned about getting to work if it snows because there is one steep hill on the way to work and I always get stuck on the hill at a red light. It seems hills are the major problem.