I learnt my lesson on ice about twelve years ago. It was Christmas eve and was racing around the countryside trying to deliver presents to friends before we flew out to NZ. On the way to the next village I went safely through a couple of hairpins and thought, man, that was lucky, must slow down on the way back.
So on the way back I gently touched the brakes
just in front of the hairpins and before I knew it I was doing a 360 downhill, left the road and was plummeting towards an apple tree in about 10 cm of fresh snow. That snow saved me as I suddenly realised I had some control over the steering again and managed to avoid the tree, gun the gas and get back up on to the road. Heart beat went up a few notches. It all happened so fast.
Never, ever hit the brakes on ice. That is of course that you know you are on ice or worse, black ice. Foot off the gas pedal and gently steer until you are safe or hit whatever you're going to hit. I always do periodic brake checks to see what kind of traction I have or don't have, just in case something suddenly goes wrong in front of me.
This morning was ton's o fun as we had sleety ice under the snow. No brine or any kind of pre treatment since it rained washing everything away before changing to sleet to ice to snow. The wiper transmission linkage broke on my 04 Civic (I absolutely hate, hate, hate its ABS in the snow) on the freeway going into work this morning. It was still snowing. That was fun. Limped on home 15 miles away via side streets to keep spray off the windshield from other vehicles so I could somewhat still see. $300 later, it is already fixed. Actually $800 since I had them finally replace the back struts while they had it.
Just another day in paradise ...
Glad everyone is still alive to be able to tell their stories.
I learnt my lesson on ice about twelve years ago. It was Christmas eve and was racing around the countryside trying to deliver presents to friends before we flew out to NZ. On the way to the next village I went safely through a couple of hairpins and thought, man, that was lucky, must slow down on the way back.
So on the way back I gently touched the brakes just in front of the hairpins and before I knew it I was doing a 360 downhill, left the road and was plummeting towards an apple tree in about 10 cm of fresh snow. That snow saved me as I suddenly realised I had some control over the steering again and managed to avoid the tree, gun the gas and get back up on to the road. Heart beat went up a few notches. It all happened so fast.
That particular morning was super hairy all over. I was driving the Jeep and I had to put it in 4WD to pull away from the curb. When I got to work I texted both kids to make sure they didn't try to drive anywhere, just home. Then I heard about the wreck.
I slid off the highway once, doing maybe 35mph, and didn't really spin at all. It was a long slightly curved stretch of road and I remember looking out the driver's side window at the scenery, then watched as the mountain moved to the windshield... I'd sort of drifted maybe 60° off track so slowly I didn't notice. I gently nudged the wheel to the right just a hair and that straightened things out but I was going straight while the road was arcing to the right. I slid over the center line, oncoming car about 100 yards away, so I aimed for the ditch and was down off the road well before the car got to me. Kept up my speed and like you the grass let me hit the gas and after the car passed, I nudged it back up onto the road, missed a reflector pole and eased back into my lane like I knew what I was doing.
Learned today that the car going the other way carried a guy I know from the ski hill. 2 broken ankles, broken wrist, broken pelvis etc. although the pelvis might be "hip" i.e.: not quite so bad. But he's one bunged up guy. First surgery complete. Long rehab time ahead but he works for a place that I assume has something approaching Cadillac insurance so he should be more or less okay in that regard. He's a welder, though, so not going back to a desk job.
at least he's alive I guess.
I learnt my lesson on ice about twelve years ago. It was Christmas eve and was racing around the countryside trying to deliver presents to friends before we flew out to NZ. On the way to the next village I went safely through a couple of hairpins and thought, man, that was lucky, must slow down on the way back. So on the way back I gently touched the brakes just in front of the hairpins and before I knew it I was doing a 360 downhill, left the road and was plummeting towards an apple tree in about 10 cm of fresh snow. That snow saved me as I suddenly realised I had some control over the steering again and managed to avoid the tree, gun the gas and get back up on to the road. Heart beat went up a few notches. It all happened so fast.
Learned today that the car going the other way carried a guy I know from the ski hill. 2 broken ankles, broken wrist, broken pelvis etc. although the pelvis might be "hip" i.e.: not quite so bad. But he's one bunged up guy. First surgery complete. Long rehab time ahead but he works for a place that I assume has something approaching Cadillac insurance so he should be more or less okay in that regard. He's a welder, though, so not going back to a desk job.
Dad's winter driving lessons/nagging being brought into stark relief today: Another local family lost two teenagers in an icy-roads crash on their way to school this morning.
Location: 543 miles west of Paradis,1491 miles eas Gender:
Posted:
Feb 16, 2022 - 8:26pm
ScottFromWyoming wrote:
Coaxial wrote:
Yeah the mother, from what I gather, has lost a husband and a brother (cousin?) in two separate incidents in the past 5 years too. Possibly both self-inflicted. I know a lot of the family but not her. She's a grade school teacher in the next town over.
Yeah the mother, from what I gather, has lost a husband and a brother (cousin?) in two separate incidents in the past 5 years too. Possibly both self-inflicted. I know a lot of the family but not her. She's a grade school teacher in the next town over.
Location: 543 miles west of Paradis,1491 miles eas Gender:
Posted:
Feb 16, 2022 - 7:12pm
ScottFromWyoming wrote:
Dad's winter driving lessons/nagging being brought into stark relief today: Another local family lost two teenagers in an icy-roads crash on their way to school this morning.
Dad's winter driving lessons/nagging being brought into stark relief today: Another local family lost two teenagers in an icy-roads crash on their way to school this morning.
Dad's winter driving lessons/nagging being brought into stark relief today: Another local family lost two teenagers in an icy-roads crash on their way to school this morning.
I've often told my family if this starts to happen to me, strap a backpack on me, kiss me goodbye and drop me off in the woods somewhere. I wouldn't want to put them or me thru that.
I think I'd prefer lots of morphine, and a really good pair of headphones.
got an older friend sliding into dementia
one of the most wonderful people i have known
watching her essence slowly evaporate is heart-breaking...
I've often told my family if this starts to happen to me, strap a backpack on me, kiss me goodbye and drop me off in the woods somewhere. I wouldn't want to put them or me thru that.
Location: 543 miles west of Paradis,1491 miles eas Gender:
Posted:
Feb 16, 2022 - 6:33am
rgio wrote:
Coaxial wrote:
Yes indeed! Our problems started with a couple of small strokes and then a broken hip that required surgery. The anesthetic really seemed to push her way down the road of no return.
Our situation had no physical events....just a steady, relentless, silent erosion of abilities. It was textbook in some ways...small forgetfulness lead to speech issues, to thinking my father had broken into the house. Not so fast forward to today; mobility is gone and seemingly simple subconscious tasks like chewing don't register. At some point, she's going to forget to breathe or swallow, or whatever else. It's brutal. And in that, yesterday there were extended periods of eye contact. A familiarity and comfort to suggest some sort of recognition and understanding. Others don't seem to get that. I don't know if it's because I look like my father... or in some ways her father...or because I was her favorite (ask my brother and sisters or my wife)... but there are moments that feel like "she knows". And then she turns to look at something else and is lost again in her own silent world.
Yes indeed! Our problems started with a couple of small strokes and then a broken hip that required surgery. The anesthetic really seemed to push her way down the road of no return.
Yes indeed! Our problems started with a couple of small strokes and then a broken hip that required surgery. The anesthetic really seemed to push her way down the road of no return.
Our situation had no physical events....just a steady, relentless, silent erosion of abilities. It was textbook in some ways...small forgetfulness lead to speech issues, to thinking my father had broken into the house. Not so fast forward to today; mobility is gone and seemingly simple subconscious tasks like chewing don't register. At some point, she's going to forget to breathe or swallow, or whatever else. It's brutal. And in that, yesterday there were extended periods of eye contact. A familiarity and comfort to suggest some sort of recognition and understanding. Others don't seem to get that. I don't know if it's because I look like my father... or in some ways her father...or because I was her favorite (ask my brother and sisters or my wife)... but there are moments that feel like "she knows". And then she turns to look at something else and is lost again in her own silent world.
Yes indeed! Our problems started with a couple of small strokes and then a broken hip that required surgery. The anesthetic really seemed to push her way down the road of no return.
Our situation had no physical events....just a steady, relentless, silent erosion of abilities. It was textbook in some ways...small forgetfulness lead to speech issues, to thinking my father had broken into the house. Not so fast forward to today; mobility is gone and seemingly simple subconscious tasks like chewing don't register. At some point, she's going to forget to breathe or swallow, or whatever else. It's brutal.
And in that, yesterday there were extended periods of eye contact. A familiarity and comfort to suggest some sort of recognition and understanding. Others don't seem to get that. I don't know if it's because I look like my father... or in some ways her father...or because I was her favorite (ask my brother and sisters or my wife)... but there are moments that feel like "she knows".
And then she turns to look at something else and is lost again in her own silent world.
