Ice removal? It's a foreign concept, apparently…
Last night, Michael and I headed out to the border to renew his work permit, which expires fairly quickly. I wanted to get out to boonies before the next snowfall hit, which has been forcast for mid-day today. Pulling out of the garage yesterday morning for work was a bit scary, so I thought I was prepared when I pulled out of the alternate exit to pump up a low tire at a local gas station before we headed off for our 80 km journey.
Except, apparently, ice removal on major roadways downtown doesn’t appear to be a concept that Vancouver Public Works understands. I’m talking about Bute, which is a steep hill, and hasn’t had any snow fall on it in 24 hours. You’d think it would have been salted and sanded, but no! When we pulled onto the road, it was obvious this was a mistake. We were slowly sliding backwards down the hill towards the very busy Georgia Street.Â
My heart started beating very quickly, as I tried desperately to stop the car. My hands were shaking. This was the very last feeling I wanted to be experiencing — It was almost 10 years to the day since my huge 18 car pile-up on black ice which left me disabled for almost four years. I was so angry with myself for thinking that the roads were safe, and the hill wouldn’t be a problem.
Thankfully, I managed to pull (slide?) into a driveway on the other side of the road, and turn the car around.
When we finally got on to Georgia Street, after abandoning the idea of getting to the gas station up the road, I managed to calm myself down enough to embark on the journey… But, man, that is a horrifying experience I would be happy never to be a part of, again!
How about you? Ever had an extremely scary experience in a vehicle? Did it alter how you deal with road conditions?
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The Albertan in me wants to start into a “you think the roads here are bad?! Ha, you should see what we have over there in Albeeeerrta” in the vein of walking uphill both ways as a kid to school.
But really, the roads here do suck. Lots of people have summer tires that are absolutely not supposed to be used on snow and ice, people don’t understand the concept of leaving space and appropriate speed in light of the new-to-them conditions, the near-zero temps are resulting in a lot of ice and then melting and then even more ice when it drops again, the public works folks are trying to figure out what to even do with the snow and slush and the fandangled equipment they’re supposed to use to help with it, and the reality is that when you put it all together sometimes you find yourself sliding backwards on a hill and wishing you had stayed at home.
Thankfully I’ve never been in a major accident but I’ve had enough winter driving experience to know the feeling of no control when the car starts to spin or slide and you are left simply hoping that no one else comes along in those moments while you wait for the car to find traction and for you to be able to take control. I can tell many of those stories.
As for dealing with road conditions, my official prairie girl response is simply to drive only when necessary, keep lots of space between you and others, drive slow but not so slow that you’re causing problems for everyone else, and to know how your car behaves on ice. This one is important.
Find a parking lot with an icy hill or a road with no one (and nothing) else on it and plenty of room and hit the brakes or spin around if you have the room so you understand what that feels like and how it behaves so when you end up in that position on the road it won’t be the first time you’ve been in a car sliding out of control or spinning. The reality is that out of control is out of control and it might not help one bit if another car is too close or a streetlight is in your way, but if you’ve done it before and know how the car reacts I think you have a better chance of being able to get control sooner and with less panic and stress.
Glad that your winter driving experience didn’t result in an accident. With any luck according the forecast we should be back to normal Vancouver weather in a few days – I know I’ve had more than enough of the Alberta flashback for this year.
Take care!
Lots of scary situations in cars here, Tan. Many of them back when I lived up in the Northern climes. My solution? I moved down to where it rarely snows!
I’m sorry you had to relive that horrid experience of 4 years ago, Tan. I hope the rest of the winter driving is easier on you.
Y’know, now that I think about it. I’ve had two concussions from car accidents and they were both in Georgia. Maybe that’s the place to avoid!
Miranda: I totally understand — it gets on my nerves when people complain that Vancouverites don’t know how to drive in the snow. Of course not! With maybe 3-6 days of snow every year, and a city that is generally unprepared to deal with it (which also makes sense — no point in spending millions of dollars on something that almost never gets used) when the hell are we supposed to practice?
I’m actually pretty good at driving in the snow — I used to work on a ski hill. Turns out, rear wheel drive in a very light pickup is not the best vehicle for snow… but hey, you learn fast.
As for my “scary driving experience” …
Age: 17.
Place: The I-5, just south of Portland, OR.
Time: About 1am, mid-June.
Conditions: First rain in over a month. Roads are slippery as hell. Ruts you could hide a small child in.
Car: Compact, light, wimpy tires.
Speed: About 120kph, which was approximately the speed limit (70mph) but way, way too fast for the conditions.
Me: In a *totally* pissy mood, having just left my lover’s place on rather annoying terms.
Add all of this up, and what do you get? One Donna hydroplaning her way to terror-ville. I spun off the road. The blessing is that at 1am, the only other cars around were semi trailers, so I didn’t hit anyone. The downside is that at 1am, the only other cars around are semi trailers, including one jackass who, having witnessed my spin off the road, stopped to make sure I was okay. *He* decided I was ok, said no, he can’t take passengers, and took off. Nice.
I was young, panicked, didn’t have a cell phone or anything useful like that, and didn’t know if my car would start or not. (It had stalled when I went through a fence and wound up on an access road next to the freeway facing the other direction.) There was an office building nearby, with lights on, so I was hoping there might be some cleaning staff or something… alas, nobody.
Luckily for me, someone finally came along the access road — two young guys driving a car that can only be described as a “pimpmobile”. Honestly, they could have raped & murdered me and taken my car, but instead they gave me a ride to the next town where I could call a friend to come get me. Phew.
I grew up in the interior and learned how to drive in the snow.
However, I did have one nasty experience, a chunk of ice /snow fell off a semi in front of me and bounced directly towards me. I swerved at the same moment I hit some black ice, next thing I knew was going backwards at 90kph in the opposite lane with traffic coming at me in both directions.
I eventually slide off the side of the road backwards into a ditch. Sat there stunned for a couple of moments, restarted the car and drove out of the ditch
scared the crap outta me, but no harm done.
I’ve also driven across the Coquihala in whiteout conditions, driving at night using the reflectors marking the snow banks as the way to go. Very entertaining and damn scary too.
So yah, I can honestly say I’m pretty experienced at winter driving conditions. It’s the boneheads running summer performance tires that scare me(the riced out civics, lowered suvs, etc) and the clueless pedestrians that step out without looking(even when traveling at 10kph on ice it takes some time to make an emergency stop).
As far as roads go, I think they’re in relatively good shape here. The major traffic routes have been cleared, Bute is considered a side street though, heck even the ‘major’ route through the west end hasn’t been cleared(nelson) but it has from Thurlow east.
Incidentally, a slightly underinflated tire will give you more traction in this type of conditions.
Good to hear you made it out unscathed!
Back 15 years… my G/F and I am in my car, driving downhill on a highway with a gradual turn. An on coming car, cuts the corner in wet conditions. To avoid, I had to move the car to the soft shoulder… the tire got stuck in the rain water cut trench… at 80k. 3 seconds later, the water way ended… the front passenger tire hit the end, bounces up, kicks over…. and the car (with clutch depressed)…
Spins once…
Spins twice..
Spins a third time…
and ends up pointing forward again as we are a foot from the a bank on the other side of the road… with oncoming (now slowed) traffic.
I quickly move the car to the other lane, return it to 80K, and then ask the G/F whose head is now buried deeply in her hands: “Where did you say you wanted to go for dinner again?”
I am so glad that you are OK. I’ve been thinking about you as news of all this wild weather has made headlines in Ontario.
When I was 14, I was a passenger in a car driven by my sister. She was lighting a cigarette as she accelerated onto the highway. As she want under an underpass, she hit black ice. Distracted by the cigarette, she freaked, lost control of the car, and spun it. We slammed into two walls before coming to a rest in the center lane.
We walked away from the accident, and the police officers who responded said they were shocked that we did.
I’ve had an immense respect for the forces of a moving vehicle ever since. I’ve never had an accident, and never received a ticket for a moving violation.
About 12 years ago.
3am, driving up the narrow road to Morraine Lake in Banff National Park.
Listening to the Police on the stereo.
Going WAY too fast.
Missed a hairpin turn. Launched the car off the side of the mountain.
Threaded several trees before wrapping the car around a rock at the bottom, 75 feet down.
Rear taillight was embedded into a tree 11 feet off the ground.
No harm but uninsured 2 year old car was.. well… written off.
Moral of the story… NEVER listen to the Police while driving.
Ugh! So glad the outcome was far different than your other experience.
As for me–(and I just blogged this a couple days ago oddly enough)–my thing is pedestrians. About 8 years ago a pedestrian stepped in front of my car and I hit her. I have since developed a severe intolerance for jaywalking–I don’t do it, and I hate seeing others do it. I have been known to (stupidly) actually yell at jaywalkers–particularly if they are carrying one kid, pushing a stroller, and less than 50 feet from a crosswalk.