# Snow - Driver's lack of Preps



## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

Recently we have been hit with a lot of snow, high winds and extreme low temperatures.

It amazes me how many Drivers are not prepared and what they are trying to drive in these weather conditions. 

Friday evening neighbor's car is hung up in a snow drift, she's trying to get home. She isn't dressed to be out in the weather so she sits in her car and watches as we dig her car out.

Saturday morning. Same neighbor is sitting in her car eyeballing the same drift (at least she learned something) trying to get to work. I push the drift out of her way. Does she turned around and go back home? Nope! 

Little S-10 truck took on a 4 foot drift and ................lost. Driver and his son just sit there.  They have no shovel and not dressed to be outside. Someone with a toy "tractor" tried to pull the S-10 out and is now stuck too. We get the tractor and S-10 dug out and freed. Does the S-10 turned around and go home? Nope.

Both Drivers got stuck within 500 feet of their homes. How do they think they will be able to get to their destination and back home? 

I'm dressed for outside and driving a 3/4 ton 4x4 truck with a V-plow. Got two scoop shovels and log chain with me. And I'm beginning to question my wisdom in being out in this weather.

This morning a Jeep is stuck. You know a 4x4 can go anywhere right! WRONG! Jeep's Driver is with in easy walking distance to several homes. I back up and leave them there.

Sheeple are dress in shorts and flip flops for the mad dash from the car to Walt-mart. No comprehension of the dangers or how long they would last if a good Samaritan didn't stop to help. :nuts:


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

They all laugh at me coming into work in my pink insulated coveralls and snow boots and changing clothes at the courthouse for work. I can't make it to my car in a dress suit and heels! I will change when I leave for home.

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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

One of the first things I did when we got our first snow in Oct was put the winter emergency kit in the car. It has tire chains, a shovel, a bag of cheap cat litter, blanket, work gloves, wool glove liners, wool hat, 3 days of food and esbit stove etc.

I guess common sense isn't so common anymore.


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## rf197 (Jul 19, 2009)

Around here it seems the sheep can't even prepare enough to put a snow brush/ice scraper in their car so they drive around with the windows covered in snow, except of course the peep hole that is made for them by the windshield wipers. Laziness has no limit.


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## neil-v1 (Jan 22, 2010)

And some people are driving cars that have only three inches of clearance with a foot of snow on the ground. Crazy.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

My car kit stays in year round (I have an 07 Rav4 that has a storage space in the back trunk area) that has my cheap litter, blanket, extra scraper, flare, etc. 

Tuesday on my way home from work (early cuz it got bad quick), there were 4 brand new, temp tagged, cars on the side of the road bc they cldnt make it up the hill. 2 were Cameros. Why ppl buy them in the coal fields is beyond me

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## VoorTrekker (Oct 7, 2012)

TheLazyL, for giving the hungry a fish instead of teaching them to fish, you have taught them to be dependent on you. Next time be a good teacher instead of a good Samaritan and they will learn to better prepare for the season.


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## rf197 (Jul 19, 2009)

neil-v1 said:


> And some people are driving cars that have only three inches of clearance with a foot of snow on the ground. Crazy.


With bald tires.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

VoorTrekker said:


> TheLazyL, for giving the hungry a fish instead of teaching them to fish, you have taught them to be dependent on you. Next time be a good teacher instead of a good Samaritan and they will learn to better prepare for the season.


I don't think some people are teachable. They do not want to learn, they want someone to rescue them or do it for them.

I belong to some facebook genealogy sites. On one site, people keep posting German words and asking, "What does this say?" Since I was the new girl, I told them that they can find translators online and they can find the words that are used in genealogy over and over again instead of posting and asking the question. A little while later, someone posted a grave stone in German and asks, "What does this say?" I posted two different sources of translators and tell her that she can find what it says if she types it in there. It goes quiet for an hour. No one responds like she wanted them to. Finally, I ask, "What does it say?" She types in the German words!!! I then ask her what the translator said it says. She goes quiet again. After about 15 minutes she comes back with the translation. It really should have all been done in about 5 minutes, but she just wanted someone to do it for her.

I can illustrate this many times, but this is one of my latest experiences. These are the fools that will bring others down or endanger others in a SHTF situation. Helplessness just makes me mad.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

I just Google the words for a translation! I'm lazy like that; genealogy is my addiction and Google is my dealer lol

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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

the events related on this thread lead me to believe that a large part of the "1st" world will simply die off in the event of a widespread (too big for rescue) SHTF, some may start to act when they get really hungry but many will just sit and shiver


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

Sad to say but most all of these people are the ones who vote for the people that are out to destroy the Constitution and Bill of Rights time after time. They are the ones that never take personal responsibility. I have and probably will rescue some of them but more than likely, being as I'm 71 and don't care what they may think, will give them a strong verbal lesson. My wife and I NEVER leave home without extra food and water, a shovel, chains (during snow months) and blankets. There is one road we have here in S.W. Oregon that's taken a number of lives due to people not being prepared, not having good old fashioned road maps and more than likely believed what their cars GPS told them.


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## GittyRivers (Dec 25, 2013)

This is good information here as I understand there is no just a quick trip to the store. Being unprepared without the gear you all mention could be a disaster. We are to move to S W Oregon and I have never driven in the snow.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

dixiemama said:


> I just Google the words for a translation! I'm lazy like that; genealogy is my addiction and Google is my dealer lol
> 
> Sent from my MB886 using Survival Forum mobile app


Actually, that is not lazy. I do the same thing. But the helpless just want someone to do that for them.

I have worked with some princesses. I was raised more to be Cinderella, taking care of people who were mean spirited and thought I was there to take care of them. As an adult, the helpless mode just makes me mad. I have no use for people who won't, don't, can't get it. I'd let their sorry behinds stay by the side of the road, stuck in a snow bank or whatever stupidity they decided to do. (I sure sound mean and selfish, don't I?)

And the people who have NO idea how to dress for the weather! I have seen stupid, stupid parents drive their children to school without coats in horrendous weather conditions. Why? They get in the car in the garage, drive to school, get let out at the school door, and they don't think they need a coat! I do not care how cold it is or what the weather conditions are, I honestly think there are some people who do not own long pants. Or real shoes! Flip flops in the snow, shorts in a blizzard.

We had a big blizzard. It took me two days to dig my car out. As soon as I drove away, mean neighbor thought it would be a good place to park. Thank God she is no longer my neighbor, because I would snow blow her car in now.

Okay, now I am just ranting. Stupid does this to me.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

Tirediron said:


> the events related on this thread lead me to believe that a large part of the "1st" world will simply die off in the event of a widespread (too big for rescue) SHTF, some may start to act when they get really hungry but many will just sit and shiver


Couldn't agree more. 
So many people are absolutely utterly helpless when something, however minor, goes wrong or they have to fend for themselves. 
The comment that I think amuses me the most is the "You can't make/do that yourself, that's for the experts", I've had comments like that about everything from building a house to changing a light bulb.
Most will sit and wait until an 'expert' comes along to help them.

Other just as interesting comments include, "You can't eat that it came out of the ground", "Sorry I don't eat chicken soup with real chicken in it" (pretty sure they were referring to us killing the chicken), "Is that for human consumption?" (this from someone looking at canned meat), "You can't grow wheat here!" (this from a man that grew up in the local town, this is the WHEAT growing center of Australia), "You grow things from seeds, do people still do that?", "You put wood in and set it on fire and then you can cook stuff, WOW" (this person kept putting tea towels on top of the hot plate and scorching them, never could understand the burning wood = heat thing), "We grew a real tomato on our tomato plant, we were too scared to eat it though", I could go on for ever. 
I know that not everyone is exposed to everything but aren't they even a little bit curious about how the world works.


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## cantinawest (Nov 9, 2011)

*No common sense and no sense of reality*



Wellrounded said:


> Couldn't agree more.
> So many people are absolutely utterly helpless when something, however minor, goes wrong or they have to fend for themselves.
> The comment that I think amuses me the most is the "You can't make/do that yourself, that's for the experts", I've had comments like that about everything from building a house to changing a light bulb.
> Most will sit and wait until an 'expert' comes along to help them.
> ...


I get similar types of comments when I teach and demonstrate solar cooking.
And for some people, it does not matter how well you explain it, show it and even sample or try it, they still cannot "wrap their brains around the concept", it just does not "fit into their way" of thinking, living, doing or being.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

GittyRivers said:


> This is good information here as I understand there is no just a quick trip to the store. Being unprepared without the gear you all mention could be a disaster. We are to move to S W Oregon and I have never driven in the snow.


Yikes! The best thing I can say about driving in snow, rain, or ice, is to go slow, don't wait until the last minute to brake! Take it easy. Practice, read about how to drive in adverse weather conditions. Practice and take it easy. Keep your eyes on the road. Don't tailgate. If someone is tailgating me, I slow down, and if I can, I pull over and let the speed demons go around me.

I try to plan ahead so I never have to make a quick trip to the store, but I am a prepper after all!  If I make a last minute trip to the store, it is usually for something not needed, just wanted. But then, I am a home body. Some people just have to go, and some people seem to wait for a storm and then they HAVE to go somewhere. I am the opposite. If there is a storm, I don't want to go anywhere.

Right now, we are getting snow. Where am I going? No where!

Hey, I have a cousin who is a State Trooper out of Klamath Falls. You and he might just meet up by the side of the road.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

When I lived in NEPA I plowed in the winter, driveways and helped larger trucks plow commercial parking lots. Never had a weeks worth of supplies but a week's worth of laundry behind the seat and enough Reese's, Snickers and coffee to last at least two days. Chains, shovels and other implements of destruction floated in the bed. Did I ever get stuck in the snow? Heck, anyone who has plowed and hasn't gotten stuck ain't doing it right! Damn, I could have sworn that culvert was 10 feet over yesterday! Get the chain out. You angle the plow, get up to speed and drop it, hit some ice and you are suddenly going in a direction other than you intended. Get the chain out.

Now, in NC, when it snows, or is forecast to snow, I STAY HOME! One quarter inch, 5 inches, who cares, STAY HOME! I can get from here to there but I worry about the guy coming in the other direction!!!!!!! Go to make dinner and are missing an ingredient? Do without.

We are forecast to get 1" to 8" of show tomorrow afternoon in the Raleigh area. Depending on the storm path and where you are. We will go from the usual 2 to 5 accidents to a few hundred at commute time, I guarunteeeeeee. I'll be throwing snowballs for the puppy while checking the local news... AT HOME.


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## grakita (Dec 13, 2013)

Wellrounded said:


> Couldn't agree more.
> So many people are absolutely utterly helpless when something, however minor, goes wrong or they have to fend for themselves.
> The comment that I think amuses me the most is the "You can't make/do that yourself, that's for the experts", I've had comments like that about everything from building a house to changing a light bulb.
> Most will sit and wait until an 'expert' comes along to help them.
> ...


OK, this is funny. When and where did you meet my husband? :rofl: He was raised in the city - Brooklyn, where I guess in apartments there are people you call to fix things. Then went in the Military, where living in base housing, there are people you call to fix things. Then there are my people. Dad wanted a son, he got me instead. He taught me plumbing when I was in grade school, we put in a bathroom while Mom was gone to visit relatives for a week. In Jr High, we built the front porch and re-roofed the house. Then we built the barn, and ran the elec. Until I met my husband I didn't realize there were people you could call.. Food came from the garden, pasture, and hunting. When I went in the military, this no longer occurred, but I didn't forget how. We had a small garden this year, when I went to put the food up, his first comment was "can't we just buy that from the store", I'm scared to eat it. Really!!! Now we are getting ready to move to our retirement location which is in the middle of nowhere. Let the fun begin. :gaah:


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

GittyRivers said:


> This is good information here as I understand there is no just a quick trip to the store. Being unprepared without the gear you all mention could be a disaster. We are to move to S W Oregon and I have never driven in the snow.


Coastal influence climates have some of the nastiest winter driving conditions, so are just best avoided, others you can work through. there are several threads on here about winter driving. stopping can be the biggest challenge.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

Wellrounded said:


> ...many people are absolutely utterly helpless... changing a light bulb....


Now you done it! You got my dander up.

For almost 40 years. Wife would sit there and point out that a light bulb is burned out and it needed to replace. I'd buy a light bulb and replace it.

A few weeks ago Wife sat there and point out that there was 2 light bulbs over the kitchen table burned out and I needed to replace them.

"Why don't you.", I asked.

_"Do what"_

"Change the light bulb."

_"How do you put one in?"_

"The opposite way you take one out"

_"I don't know what size is needed."_

"When you take the bulb out look at the end. Writing will tell you what size and type. Or you can just take the bulb to the hardware and tell them you new one just like (but one that works)."

For the last week new bulbs have been laying on the kitchen, waiting for...I guess for the fairy godmother to put them in? :dunno:

For crying out loud. Bulbs are low enough that she could change them with both feet flat on the floor. :rantoff:


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

UncleJoe said:


> Been there!
> 
> A few years ago we had 2 storms in less than a week The first one on Tuesday was 20." The second on Saturday was 23." I pretty much lived in my truck. When my thermos of hot tea ran out, I would run home and make another. Had lots of food and cloths with me and in the rare instance I could find a fast food joint, I used that as well. I had shovels, chains and 500# of salt in the bed. I found one of those culverts one night.  Nothing I did could extract me from that ditch. Walked to the property next to the one I was working on and asked the guy plowing there for a hand. He didn't have a chain with him. "That's OK. I do."


Joe, I figured you would be one who could relate. At the time it sucks to be out there, in the blizzard, COLD, at 1,2, 3 or 4 am pushing snow. But to think back of the stuck stories makes me chuckle. We all knew where the closest Dunkin Donuts was, as well as the 24 hour diner. One of my plow buddies also owned a local gas station. You could get food or gas whenever you needed it. This is back when the local police really were there to protect and serve. They knew your handle on the CB and that you would be out and available to help, we got called a lot.


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

That reminds me of my neighbor. Last month, I walked down the road to where my car was parked to go to work, and I see my neighbor stuck in the snow (in front of my car, of course). He was pressing his accelerator to the floor; digging himself even further into the snow. I could smell the rubber burning from the friction. I tell him to stop and I start digging around his tires and tell him to turn his wheel so I can get around the tires and under the carriage of the car. I stand up and ask him, "Do you have cat litter?"

"No, I don't."

"Do you at least have a shovel in your trunk?"

"No."

I probably gave him a decently disgruntled look considering he was making me late for work. I told him as nicely as possible that he needs to put the bare minimum in his car in case he gets stuck again. His boyfriend came over and was able to get him out. :gaah:

Is it really that hard to be prepared when you live on top of a *mountain summit* that obviously gets a decent amount of snow every winter???


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## GittyRivers (Dec 25, 2013)

Thank you Weedygarden and Tirediorn I will try to learn in safe places like empty parking lots with spouse as he has driven in the snow. I will stay home when snowing seems the best thing to do. I do feel have to learn though for sure just in case I have to drive in or get caught in it. They say where Iam moving it hardly ever snows but short while back they got over night storm with lots of problems. So I plan to learn and prepare , stock up and not make more problems


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## lilmissy0740 (Mar 7, 2011)

How about in Atlanta last night? Heck there are still people stuck in their cars. They even kept the children overnight in the schools. You know the storm is coming, you know you don't know how to drive in snow and ice, why didn't you get home? I know sometimes it is impossible to go home when you want, but if you get stuck in traffic, don't you have some boots to slap on and start walking somewhere?


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## gabbyj310 (Oct 22, 2012)

I just got back stateside and the very first thing I did was buy some very good all weather tires for my car.Yes,I was in Fl.but on my way to see the kids and "home" to Tn and Ky.Going over Mounteagle in Tn was clear but as the cosmos would have it I HAVE to go back down South in a week or so for a class.Yes I have kitty litter,flaslight,glowstick,spaceblanket,gloves, safety vest,water,and a few other goodies.
My sister lives in Canton Ga and it took her over 7 hours to get home from work(just a few miles from home)thanks goodness she had lived up North for a few years and knows how to drive safely ..But she (bless her heart)doesn't have any supplies in her car because "Hubby" will "save her".


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

GittyRivers said:


> Thank you Weedygarden and Tirediorn I will try to learn in safe places like empty parking lots with spouse as he has driven in the snow. I will stay home when snowing seems the best thing to do. I do feel have to learn though for sure just in case I have to drive in or get caught in it. They say where Iam moving it hardly ever snows but short while back they got over night storm with lots of problems. So I plan to learn and prepare , stock up and not make more problems


If you're moving to the Grants Pass, Medford area they seldom get much snow and if they do it's often gone in a day or two, on the other hand they get freezing fog and that's not fun. We've not had the pleasure of driving in that nor do I ever want to unless absolutely necessary. Just remember to never take GPS shortcuts from the I-5 corridor to the coast as that's were people run into deadly consequences.


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