Topic: I have to vent a little! [Northern Countries]

[RossRoy]

Let's think a little. Last time I checked a world map, Canada, and Quebec, were both in the Northern region, even part of of the country touching the polar circle. So you would think we'd be used to snow.... WRONG!!

We received ~30-40 cm of snow last SUNDAY.. Today is a Tuesday.. Right? Can you explain to me why the TRAFFIC is so bad? Why there are so many people in the ditches? Why are there still people with 4-season tires that are literally CRAP in snow? Why is it everybody is surprised when there is SNOW in QUEBEC?? Where have they been living the last few years! There's been snow E-V-E-R-Y year! You'd think people would know how to drive in winter conditions... NOT SO!

It is now 8:11pm as I type this. I'm still at work, and there's congestions on BOTH route I can take to get home.... 

Yes, there is still snow falling.. some LIGHT snow, yet, from what I hear on the radio, there are still people losing control, or accidents! You're living in QUEBEC!! Winter in Quebec = SNOW! If you can't drive in those conditions... STAY HOME!!

 

[Touti]

Doctor's appointment this morning at 10:00.  In summer time it would be a 20 minutes drive, in normal winter conditions it's a 30 minutes drive.  Because I'm smart I decided to play it safe and give myself another 15 minutes to make sure I would get there on time.

I showed up at the door 45 minutes late.............and I was there because the doctor wanted to check in my blood pressure had gone down since last week.............well guess what, it didn't.......I wonder why 

[Jimmy]

This is something that I've never understand too, but I live in the northern part of our province and we have the "Parc des Laurentides" to help us to never forget to put winter tire. But every winter with the first day of snow falling in the park a couple of accidents happen and everytime the people in case came from the Quebec direction and have 4 seasons tire.

[Najemikon]

You know, the UK is known for bad weather, but winters used to be much worse. I'm 32 and haven't seen a decent snow drift since I was a kid! And in my mum and dads day it was even worse, with legendary stories of "pea soup" smog.

So can anyone tell me why the average Brit seems to go into an anxiety attack every time the weather so much as farts? A decent frost causes multiple traffic jams, public transport and power failures, not to mention general moaning, groaning and "woe is me" wailing... 

[DJ Doena]

In germany the first snow will wreak havoc on the autobahns and in the car garages. Most poeple will change/let change their tyres only after they slept one night in their car due to traffic jam caused by snow and summer tyres.

[lyonsden5]

Snow? 



 

[Touti]

Well you're gonna be happy Seb.  Our government voted their new bills last night on road security.  Winter tyres will now be mandatory from Nov. 15 to Apr. 15.

[Achim]

Snow? 



 

You know, that white stuff that replaces rain when the temperatures drop below 32ºF/0ºC...

[RossRoy]

Well you're gonna be happy Seb.  Our government voted their new bills last night on road security.  Winter tyres will now be mandatory from Nov. 15 to Apr. 15.

That's one step in the right direction. Now, they just have to bring back mandatory driving classes, with a mandatory winter conditions test, all with a CERTIFIED monitor. Then I'll be happy!

Of course, they could also just build me a private road from my door to work, then anything else will be moot 

[Kathy]

My aunt moved to Colorado many years ago and a friend and I volunteered to drive her car (with trailer) out for her. So the day after Christmas, with a “Colorado or Bust” sign painted on the back of the trailer (my aunt has a sick sense of humor) off we went.

We had decided to drive straight through and had a fairly uneventful trip…until we hit Colorado. We ran into one of the worse snowstorms ever to hit that area. Oh what an adventure.

The weather was horrendous, scary and dangerous. But to stop can be deadly; the mountains are so high drifts can accumulate to 6 feet or more. People have died after getting stuck on this highway.

Of course living in Western New York one learns the proper way of driving in winter and I do have to admit I’m pretty good at it. So driving slowly and carefully we continued on out mission to deliver my Aunt’s belongings.

Since visibility was only a few feet with continuous blackouts and the road, who could tell where that was? If you’ve driven in a blizzard you know how dangerous it is to be on the road. We had no choice but to continue on.
 
Suddenly I was startled to suddenly see a truck appear on right. I moved over as possible and slowed down even more. The driver moved past me honking his horn, obvious angry at this New Yorker and the way I drive.

As he drew along side me (he couldn’t have been more than 6 inches away) he threw me the finger and said, well you know what he told me to do. As he was giving me the bird he suddenly lost control and rolled over into the ditch!

I will never forget that moment; it seemed to happen in slow motion. It doesn’t happen often that the bad guy gets what they deserve. We were able to go a few more miles, exiting the thruway and making it to a small shopping center/gas station where we reported the accident.

Of course because we stopped, we got stuck. I couldn’t believe it…2 miles to go and we were at a stand still! All because I felt I had to report the accident; I couldn’t just leave him there. I called my Aunt, who was frantic that something had happened to us and had even reported us missing!

There was a driving ban, the snow piled up and snow plows were required to only plow the vital roads. It was such a disheartening moment. I couldn’t believe we mad made it all that way and yet…

Suddenly I saw a snow plow; I ran up to him and explained what happened. How we drove all the way from Buffalo, braved the elements, the accident, everything.
Seeing the trailer, with its “Colorado of Bust” sign, he took pity on us. He plowed the road ahead of us all the way to my Aunt’s driveway! Success!

And I am left with a story to bore others with and the guilty pleasure of remembering the moment of that truck driver getting what he deserved!

[RossRoy]

the guilty pleasure of remembering the moment of that truck driver getting what he deserved!

Had something like that happen last Monday (remember, the snowstorm here was Sunday). Anyway, everybody, and I mean everybody, was rolling carefully, in the right lane, at a decent pace but still slow enough to give us time to brake without piling up should something happen.

Suddenly, there comes this big SUV, obviously feeling confident because of his almighty 4-wheel drive, in the left lane, and he is coming, fast. Not at that particular location on the highway, the right lane was ok, partially covered with snow but still not too bad, so was the left lane. But, there a was very wide angle turn up ahead, but I guess not too many people took it in the left lane, as it was covered in snow, tightly packed, almost icy snow.

So, our overconfident driver decides that he's not so confident over on that side. So, he slams the brake to slow to our speed, and tries to squeeze between the two cars right ahead of me. Guess what happened? He of course lost control, hit the front car, who also lost control, the car before tried to avoid the whole thing and ended up in the ditch too! I barely avoided him while he was going to the ditch. Good thing I have the habit of leaving plenty of room to maneuver.

Result: At least 3 cars in the ditch (don't know really know what happened afterwards behind me), and a huge traffic jam! All, because of a SINGLE idiot.

[Achim]

Great story Kathy!

[Lone]

your ALL welcome to move near here with my family and I,,,65F today and warmer by the end of the week,,,,,we're just tired of seeing all the cars with plates from Ohio or New Jersey...they almost out number the locals

[Kathy]

your ALL welcome to move near here with my family and I,,,65F today and warmer by the end of the week,,,,,we're just tired of seeing all the cars with plates from Ohio or New Jersey...they almost out number the locals

Where's "here"? I'm packed and ready...oh you don't mind 5 dogs, 7 cats and goldfish do you?

[Lone]

hmm...thought my profile was filled,,,I'll correct later
I'm near Hilton Head,SC....all beaches,all the time
about the dogs,,,,hmmm,,,I'm a severe cat person