Pileup

[starmac]

Wow, we are getting on the map, we actually had a pileup involving over 20 vehicles today.
May not sound like much, but is super rare for here, in fact the very first one since I have been here.

[Thin Man]

Must have involved some of your transplanted California drivers, they are used to these group hugs.

[Omega]

Must have involved some of your transplanted California drivers, they are used to these group hugs.

Man, you almost cost me a keyboard, and worse yet my last swig of coffee.

[starmac]

LOL. On the news last night it was claimed that they had not found what caused it. It was a fairly low speed pileup, with no major injuries, thankfully.

We usually have many wrecks the first couple of snows, then taper off quite a bit. We have many new GI's, that have never seen snow before every year, but they learn pretty quick for the most part.

[leeggen]

The other day we had 18 semi's and unknown number of cars in a pile up on 40 west on Nashville. Had to laugh a little at the reporter when he stated the unknown number of cars, they were not sure how many cars were covered by semi's. All that in just one little stretch of highway. First snow and freezing rain.
CD

[xs11jack]

Omega do what I do. I bought a wireless keyboard and when I come her the keyboard goes out of range of the computer.
Ole Jack

[Down South]

We had 600 wreaks a week or so ago when it froze here in Houston in one day. Glad I stayed at my RV.

[starmac]

I have been in Houston or the area when it snowed, I found the very best thing a guy could do was pick a spot and just watch the wrecks out of a window. lol
In the 90's we had an ice storm that stretched from West Texas to the east coast, I watched 27 wrecks happen driving through Ft worth and Dallas, I do not have a clue how many wrecks I drove by that were already there. Later I was talking to a JB Hunt driver, and he told me the company had 2500 reported accidents in a 3 day span, I mentioned I didn't see how the company could stand that, and he stated that was not bad, they ran 7500 trucks. I said yep, 2 more storms and they will be down to zero. lol I am sure a lot of them were minor fender benders, probably in parking lots, but heh, it sounded good. lol

[GhostHawk]

Myself, a dog trainer from west of Minneapolis and 14 retrievers rolled through Nashville at 8 am with 6 inches of snow over freezing rain. I saw 3 other vehicles moving. Two of them actually did full 360 degree loops on the interstate. Both of those once they got their vehicle under control actually drove into the ditch and got out and walked. And fell, and walked, and fell.

We were in a 3/4 ton dodge pickup truck with a dog box on the back and about a ton and a half of dogfood stored over the rear wheels.

Kept our speed around 30 to be safe. Never slipped a wheel.

Coming down out of the hills in the dark, snow was scarier.

This was way back mid 70's.

Took off from Mound Mn mid december, he had a friend in Pensicola, spent 2 months there.
6 weeks of pure training then we started running retriever field trials all over the south.

Saw some of the best dogs in the country.

Was quite a learning experience for this old boy.

Eventually we worked our way back home about May.

I did not make a lot of money, but I learned a lot, met a lot of nice folks.
Got to do some hunting and fishing down there.

Travel is broadening.

And those folks down there sure don't know how to drive on snow.

Like pigs on ice.

[AllanD]

I-81 runs north to south about 20 Miles west of me It is a road I stay off of this time of year.

[10x]

Pile ups are caused by the "Save your brakes, use the car in front of you to stop..." Crowd

This is compounded by folk who have no idea of how quickly they can stop their vehicle, nor the distance it takes to stop over a wide range of road conditions.
In my misspent youth I practiced panic stops, skids, slides, and all sorts of things considered illegal stunting today. That experience has allowed me to avoid situations that would result in an accident.

[Forty Rod Ray]

If the South bought the equipment to handle “black” ice of any thickness, there would be little problem driving down heah. Without help, no one can drive on ice.

[starmac]

If the South bought the equipment to handle “black” ice of any thickness, there would be little problem driving down heah. Without help, no one can drive on ice.

Ice is not so much an equipment thing. Ice here is just ice, I do not know of any equipment to get rid of it, in fact the state uses water trucks to ice the roads. The difference is tires and temperatures, no one buys good tires for ice in the south, and your temps are not a good combination for ice, throw in hard tires and you have a recipe for disaster.

[fatnhappy]

is super rare for here, in fact the very first one since I have been here.

I presume people in your neck of the woods know how to drive in snow.

[starmac]

I presume people in your neck of the woods know how to drive in snow.

Well yes and no. We have our share of greenies that insist on driving gas saving vehicles that do not have enough weight to be safe, and many times they poke around and slow traffic to the point it is hard to get up a hill.
then we have 2 military bases here and 1 more 100 miles away that comes here to do their shopping, many of these guys and their spouses and the folks that come to visit them have never seen snow, and show up with vehicles that are basically dangerous to be on the road. This usually changes after the first snow or two of the year, it really is not rocket science and they learn pretty quick for the most part.
Then we have many asian tourists that come and a percentage rents cars. Winter is their preferred time, as they think if their wife can get pregnant while they are watching the northern lights, their kids will be much more intelligient.
And then, we have our fair share and more of alcohol and drug impaired driving, maybe even worse in the winter.
Even with all that, most wrecks only involve one vehicle, and most of them can be pulled back on the road and continue on.