Vehicle Report from the 2021 Freeze

[Dougw1515]

As many as it takes?

Do nothing isn't the message either. If you'd like it summed up, best I can do is "think ahead, think behind."

Ain't hard to spot a transplant... nope sho'nuff ain't.

 

[oldag]

That is the point that needs to be understood. Knowing what you can or cannot do under the conditions, and driving the car within those boundaries, is what keeps you in control. There are always things you cannot do with your vehicle because it would exceed the available limits.

You really outline the problem with most people's "driving" here:

Q: Could you have executed a right turn?
A: Well, you normally wouldn't make right turns on a freeway overpass, at any speed, in any conditions. So I guess no. Playing to your (I think) intended question of 'can you make a right turn on black ice?' The answer is ... maybe? Each condition is different, and you have to read that as best you can. Can you put a couple wheels on something not black ice? Then yes. Is the black ice able to offer more traction (via sand, tire siping/studding, etc.) than the effects of the sum of other acting forces (gravity, velocity, wind, impacts, etc.)? Then also yes.

Q: Made an emergency lane change?
A: If I don't have my head up my ass, I can nearly eliminate most need to make an emergency lane change while on a slippery overpass. If I use a little common sense, if the need does arise I've thought far enough ahead that it won't impact others around me. That's another huge point that I really want people to grasp. Drive with purpose, especially in inclement conditions. If I "know" an overpass is going to be incredibly slick, my thoughts have very little to with that portion of the roadway. I'm focused on the point past it where I can rely on more traction. I will, very far in advance of that stretch, make sure I do everything in my power to avoid the need to make any adjustments, especially an emergency lane change. So in the mile leading up to the overpass, I'm working to be ahead of any pack of cars, traveling the same speed if not a mph faster, and alone as I go across. It's a lot like a stunt driver jumping school busses. While they are in the air, they cannot significantly alter the course of the vehicle. But in the moments PRIOR, they did everything necessary to keep the vehicle under control. When you learn high performance driving, they instill a similar notion of looking to where you're going, not where you are. If you're looking at the corner you're in, it's simply too late. If you're focusing on the slippery overpass you're already on, it's too late to do anything about it.

Q: Made an emergency stop?
A: Now we're getting closer to the problem. Remember a few posts back when I was talking about driving as a system, rather than a number of individuals doing their own thing? The better question to ask yourself is "will my actions negatively impact others?" This becomes dramatically more relevant as conditions worsen. When it's dry and you slow down the people behind you, it might be a little rude but otherwise not usually too unsafe. In bad conditions, even one person slowing down has the potential to cause a chain reaction that ultimately results in a collision. You didn't mean to do it, you didn't directly do it, but the end result was caused by your action nonetheless. There's usually more than one overpass on a freeway, right? So if you slow down, so does the person behind you, and so on. If the nice, safe distance people are maintaining starts to erode (reaction times alone will cause this, not to mention the other impacts in slippery weather), and eventually someone farther back runs out of space while on an overpass themselves, well physics dictate two cars can't occupy the same space at the same time. Slowing down is fine, as long as it is safe for everyone to do so. But if there's a column of cars, trucks, 18 wheelers somewhat close behind you? Slowing down shortly before that overpass could quite literally kill someone.

Yeah, now I know some of y'all will go off the deep end and be all like "ERMAGERD !! HE'SH SHAYING WE CANNTT SLERR DERN ON DA FREEEWAYSSS WEN THURRS BLUCK EYEZZZ !!!" Congratulations, you can't find the point at the end of a needle. You can obviously slow down, gracefully and gradually where it is safe to do so, at a rate that considers the others on the road. Hell, if we could get people to do that one thing - consider others - accident rates would plummet and traffic would flow so much better. You want to approach at the speed you feel comfortable, and you want to time that speed adjustment where it considers those behind you. Do you think the 18 wheeler a quarter mile back can drop 10 mph as quickly as you can right when you approach that overpass? The car between you and him likely can, but you could inadvertently put that dude in a pretty bad spot. So you gradually drop 10 mph without using the brakes, well in advance. Most everyone would have no problem coasting down at the same rate when the roads are slick.

I get it, nobody that's your typical point a to b type driver will ever take any of this and think about how it works. They just want to feel right, feel they're awesome behind the wheel, and feel they're the safest person on the road. Those same people are often the ones who hit the brakes when they feel the tires slip on the overpass, and call their insurance company a few minutes later. I wish everyone could get some wheel time in a skid car. A car outfitted with swivel casters more or less, designed to be able to lift the car off the regular tires as to remove as much traction as the instructor desires. You'd learn so much and a little "aha!" light would go off.

Black ice doesn't only exist on overpasses. Not sure why that assumption is being made.

But in getting into the weeds, you have entirely missed the point. By a long shot.

Bottom line, for the last time, you may be at the controls but you ain't IN control on black ice.

 

[G O B]

Grew up driving on black ice and crappy snow. Was "essential personnel" for years. Went out for the first time today. Damn glad to be RETIRED!

 

[Coop45]

Should we have a thread with bikini girls to take our minds off this subject?

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Should we have a thread with bikini girls to take our minds off this subject? View attachment 245714

Ask and you shall receive....

https://www.texasguntalk.com/threads/im-tired-of-all-this-beer-flu-so-check-this-out.97019/

 

[Axxe55]

Should we have a thread with bikini girls to take our minds off this subject? View attachment 245714

Looks just like one of my future ex-wives!

 

[Coop45]

Looks just like one of my future ex-wives!

Hmmmmm, Biden isn't the only one who is a touch crazy.

 

[Younggun]

They just want to feel right, feel they're awesome behind the wheel, and feel they're the safest person on the road.

Well, this is awkward...





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[Vaquero]

The truck saw almost 500 miles last week.
I minded my business, it did it's job.
Remote start is awesome in shit like that.

 

[Axxe55]

Hmmmmm, Biden isn't the only one who is a touch crazy.

Wishful thinking, but not crazy. If I'm going to dream about what a future ex-wife looks like, it might as well be her!

 

[Tex62]

With the great Texas Freeze of 2021 almost behind us, anyone have lessons learned from this painful week?

I have a couple:

1. Totally screwed up and forgot to stock up on diesel anti-gel. My Diesel pickup went down and took me a day to get it running when I finally located some anti gel (used Sea Foam). I generally keep some Power Service (white bottle) on hand to put in the tank when temps drop but forgot to restock my stash. I won’t be in this situation again

2. With my truck down, I was relegated to driving my daughters 2018 Subaru Forrester. I had never driven a Subaru in the snow. I took that buggy through the deepest snow I could find (8-10” drifts) and it never missed a beat and barely spun a tire!

I grew up driving Jeep’s in New Hampshire. I’ve lived in Alaska and Montana for over 15 years between the two. I’ve owned Jeep, Chevy, Dodge, Isuzu, and Ford 4X4’s. That little Subaru with basic all season radials is as good as any of them in deep snow, I swear!

Thinking hard about replacing my wife’s Accord with a new Subaru this summer.

I’ve had 2 Subarus. Fun driving and yeah great in snow. Maintenance nightmare though. Both needed head gaskets at 80k. AC went out on one. Radiator on the other. Both needed wheel bearings before 100k. Those run about $400 a wheel. There were other things but that’s just what I remember off the top of my head.

I tend to put a lot of miles on cars before giving up on them. These went early. Seems like you are waiting on “what next?”

Got a RAV 4 with AWD now. Not as fun to drive but did just fine in the snow and ice. Probably get 200k out of it easy.

Just a heads up...


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[Saltyag2010]

I didn’t drive my MR2 a single day it was freezing. I realized Sunday after the cold came I left my map light on and put the car on the trickle charger for a day and a half. Started up fine today.

I did drive the wife’s Subaru Impreza wagon on Valentine’s Day to H‑E‑B. It didn’t slip or act any different.

It’s hard to believe it froze here in Corpus for more than a few minutes.

 

[Bozz10mm]

My lawn tractor batteries usually last 3 years before I have to replace them. I guess I got a good one this time. It's 5 years old and has been sitting in the shed idle since October. I fully expected to have to jump it or charge it before starting the mower. Surprised the hell out of me when it cranked strong and fired the machine right up yesterday.

I hooked up the trailer to the lawn tractor so I can haul the bags of trash to the street Thursday. We have 3 weeks worth of garbage saved up, heh.

 

[HarryK]

With the great Texas Freeze of 2021 almost behind us, anyone have lessons learned from this painful week?

I have a couple:

1. Totally screwed up and forgot to stock up on diesel anti-gel. My Diesel pickup went down and took me a day to get it running when I finally located some anti gel (used Sea Foam). I generally keep some Power Service (white bottle) on hand to put in the tank when temps drop but forgot to restock my stash. I won’t be in this situation again

2. With my truck down, I was relegated to driving my daughters 2018 Subaru Forrester. I had never driven a Subaru in the snow. I took that buggy through the deepest snow I could find (8-10” drifts) and it never missed a beat and barely spun a tire!

I grew up driving Jeep’s in New Hampshire. I’ve lived in Alaska and Montana for over 15 years between the two. I’ve owned Jeep, Chevy, Dodge, Isuzu, and Ford 4X4’s. That little Subaru with basic all season radials is as good as any of them in deep snow, I swear!

Thinking hard about replacing my wife’s Accord with a new Subaru this summer.

With the great Texas Freeze of 2021 almost behind us, anyone have lessons learned from this painful week?

I have a couple:

1. Totally screwed up and forgot to stock up on diesel anti-gel. My Diesel pickup went down and took me a day to get it running when I finally located some anti gel (used Sea Foam). I generally keep some Power Service (white bottle) on hand to put in the tank when temps drop but forgot to restock my stash. I won’t be in this situation again

2. With my truck down, I was relegated to driving my daughters 2018 Subaru Forrester. I had never driven a Subaru in the snow. I took that buggy through the deepest snow I could find (8-10” drifts) and it never missed a beat and barely spun a tire!

I grew up driving Jeep’s in New Hampshire. I’ve lived in Alaska and Montana for over 15 years between the two. I’ve owned Jeep, Chevy, Dodge, Isuzu, and Ford 4X4’s. That little Subaru with basic all season radials is as good as any of them in deep snow, I swear!

Thinking hard about replacing my wife’s Accord with a new Subaru this summer.

I have a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek. I’ve driven it in 2 feet of snow at Mammoth Mountain, CA, so I knew it would handle 8” of snow in North Texas last week. The thing that surprised me was my wife’s 2014 Subaru Impreza also performed well in the snow, despite lower ground clearance. Great cars!

 

[BuzzinSATX]

I have a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek. I’ve driven it in 2 feet of snow at Mammoth Mountain, CA, so I knew it would handle 8” of snow in North Texas last week. The thing that surprised me was my wife’s 2014 Subaru Impreza also performed well in the snow, despite lower ground clearance. Great cars!

You don’t have stickers on them, do ya? I hear Subaru’s grow stickers like a toad grows warts...




Just kidding! It was mentioned way early in this thread...took me by surprise...

 

[cycleguy2300]

I’ve had 2 Subarus. Fun driving and yeah great in snow. Maintenance nightmare though. Both needed head gaskets at 80k. AC went out on one. Radiator on the other. Both needed wheel bearings before 100k. Those run about $400 a wheel. There were other things but that’s just what I remember off the top of my head.

I tend to put a lot of miles on cars before giving up on them. These went early. Seems like you are waiting on “what next?”

Got a RAV 4 with AWD now. Not as fun to drive but did just fine in the snow and ice. Probably get 200k out of it easy.

Just a heads up...


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I wrench on all my own stuff. My 2004 Land Rover is as reliable a vehicle as can be had. Our Subaru is great too, but does seem to need more love. In fact I am doing a driver side front CV/axle tomorrow. Being able buy less expensive vehicles and wrench on it instead of having a payment saves us beaucoup moolah.

Did heads on my brothers Suburu Forester last week. It was a big job with a lot of parts, but really isn't too bad.

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[candcallen]

I miss working on cars. Just not physically able to anymore and all the youngsters dont like taking directions so.........I dont keep cars out of warranty. Infact I will only lease them for now on.

 

[BigTexasOne]

With the great Texas Freeze of 2021 almost behind us, anyone have lessons learned from this painful week?

I have a couple:

1. Totally screwed up and forgot to stock up on diesel anti-gel. My Diesel pickup went down and took me a day to get it running when I finally located some anti gel (used Sea Foam). I generally keep some Power Service (white bottle) on hand to put in the tank when temps drop but forgot to restock my stash. I won’t be in this situation again

2. With my truck down, I was relegated to driving my daughters 2018 Subaru Forrester. I had never driven a Subaru in the snow. I took that buggy through the deepest snow I could find (8-10” drifts) and it never missed a beat and barely spun a tire!

I grew up driving Jeep’s in New Hampshire. I’ve lived in Alaska and Montana for over 15 years between the two. I’ve owned Jeep, Chevy, Dodge, Isuzu, and Ford 4X4’s. That little Subaru with basic all season radials is as good as any of them in deep snow, I swear!

Thinking hard about replacing my wife’s Accord with a new Subaru this summer.

CANNOT BEAT A SUBARU, in any kind of slippery conditions!

 

[OldCurlyWolf]

If you plug a block heater in do you think you still need anti gel? Not a great diesel expert.

Still need it if it is cold enough

 

[mongoose]

Still need it if it is cold enough

You can also use an in tank heater.