What do you do when weather catches you on the road. - Page 2

nailit · 12-11-2018, 07:31 PM

We all can be careful and watchful, but there are times when you have the other driver that is not being careful and may have never experienced winter conditions on a major highway. Just resently, 11/30/18, the 5th wheel was rear ended while I was stopped on I-17, just south of Flagstaff AZ because of a semi that had just jack-knifed in snowy/icy conditions. I was being careful, but the young driver of the car that hit the 5er did admit he ahd never really drove in conditions like that before. At least no one was hurt in either accident.

kluza2786 · 12-11-2018, 07:32 PM

A couple of years ago we were leaving Cincinnati in early February heading to Florida for a few weeks. Based on the weather report of a blizzard coming in to Ohio, we left a day early and spent our first night in Chattanooga. Chattanooga was supposed to get freezing rain the next morning so we left early before it was supposed to arrive. We left Chattanooga just in time since we started getting some freezing rain on the windshield for about a half hour after we left. The only issue that we had was arriving at the destination a day early to find that the campground was full for that one night. We had to find a CG for one night then able to get the one that we reserved.

quicky06 · 12-11-2018, 09:26 PM

I plan ahead as much as possible. I do carry tire chains as a just in case.

If you need to chain up in Missouri you should be be out there. But some of the places I camp I could need them to get out of a bind. Used them to get out of the mud last week.

Jakieboy · 12-11-2018, 09:28 PM

I grew up in the Northeast, including college in Connecticut, so I learned how to drive in snow and ice. But, that was more than fifty years ago. Now we live in SoCal and avoid traveling in winter conditions if possible. Last time we hit bad weather we were coming downhill into Salt Lake City when I first realized we were on glare ice. The traffic light ahead of us suddenly turned red, and I had no chance of stopping. I laid on my horn and flashed my high beams as fast as I could and coasted through the intersection much to the consternation of opposing traffic. They all had the good sense to not pull out in front of us!!

After we pulled over to a safe stop, my wife advised me that I should go into our travel trailer, have a beer, and lie down for a few moments. She agreed to drive the remaining miles to our RV stop!!

spock123 · 12-11-2018, 09:48 PM

When it starts to snow and I’m pulling the camper I’m finding some place to park. Anyplace is better than being on the highway in snow, especially freezing rain

Reverse_snowbird · 12-11-2018, 10:05 PM

It's not just snow. High winds, driving rain, fog... etc. Hydroplaning on wet roads is just as dangerous as snow and ice.

If we get caught in bad weather while on the road, we pull off the road as soon as possible and wait out the weather. Now if it's going to be two or three days of driving rain, we try to find a campground.

FORKLIFMAN · 12-11-2018, 10:10 PM

All this information sounds great! We are planning a trip to Yellowstone next year, for the first 2 weeks 0f October.Then heading east to Cleveland, hitting all the hot spots along the way. This will be our first experience in the MH, wintering it. I want to be well prepared! And I am copping all this information for my list.

We live in CA, when snow hits and sticks to the ground the CHP are out, and making everyone chain up, no matter what.( four wheel drive the exception) I plan on having chains for the trip, either way. I am curious , do other states stop traffic and make you chain up? if so which states do so?

Thank you

spock123 · 12-11-2018, 10:20 PM

In North Carolina a chain is for pulling someone out of a ditch or stuck

TitanMike · 12-11-2018, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spock123

In North Carolina a chain is for pulling someone out of a ditch or stuck

A lot of people here in WA State think that too. So many in fact that if you now get stuck or are in an accident on our mountain passes, without chains, You get an nice summons from a State Trooper that's going to cost you $500.

Way too many "I grew up in 'Xxxxx' and know how to drive in snow so I don't need chains" types were causing the passes to be closed for hours, if not days. Once the traffic started piling up behind the spun out car/truck or wreck the plows couldn't get through to keep the snow from piling up. Only solution was to shut the highway.

I used to live in CO and I believe they started this "fine the fools" program long before WA did.

BTW, didn't NC just get their butt's kicked with a huge snow storm? Maps show the Winston-Salem area as getting well over a foot. I imagine there's the need for a lot of "tow chains" about now.

quicky06 · 12-11-2018, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FORKLIFMAN

All this information sounds great! We are planning a trip to Yellowstone next year, for the first 2 weeks 0f October.Then heading east to Cleveland, hitting all the hot spots along the way. This will be our first experience in the MH, wintering it. I want to be well prepared! And I am copping all this information for my list.

We live in CA, when snow hits and sticks to the ground the CHP are out, and making everyone chain up, no matter what.( four wheel drive the exception) I plan on having chains for the trip, either way. I am curious , do other states stop traffic and make you chain up? if so which states do so?

Thank you

In mo there is no requirements to have chains or any situation they can require to chain up that I know of. I have never seen any one with chains on. I still carry them. I have been stuck out in some ice storms that I would have tried them in.

Trawlerphil · 12-12-2018, 08:45 AM

I spent many years living on a boat and the most important lesson learned is to NEVER have a schedule. A schedule has been the root cause of many disasters, on land and at sea, making normally intelligent folks make bad decisions. Our motto when we travel is "We've got no schedule and we're sticking to it!"

spock123 · 12-12-2018, 09:01 AM

If I’m pulling my camper and it starts to snow I’m finding a safe place to pull off and stay there until it’s safe. I don’t need chains pulling the camper. If not pulling the camper I have four wheel drive. I love snow but I love me and family more and I’m not pulling camper in the snow, I don’t have to be anywhere but alive

PenJoe · 12-12-2018, 01:49 PM

We watch the weather fronts closely. If we see significant weather problems, we either try to get in front or behind the incoming weather.

Years ago, we left home when there was an ice storm warning. Limited on vacation time, we started out. As we got into the Chicago area, it started to rain and freeze on the roads. Chicago traffic is bad enough without icy roads. We had a MH towing and 18' cabin cruiser, so we had some traction on the rear MH wheels. We were also listening to the truckers and gained a ton of information of what we should anticipate. When the professionals can't stay out of the ditch, it's time to find a safe parking area. I would not suggest to anyone to just pull over if traffic is moving at all.

The next morning, we decided to have breakfast before hitting the road. The eggs were frozen in the refrigerator, but the salt trucks were out, the weather had cleared and conditions had significantly improved. There was still carnage in the ditches from the previous night along with multiple tracks of trucks and cars that had been pulled out. The good new is that we were not one of them.
Frozen eggs were a very minor inconvenience.

We were coming through Atlanta on another occasion, we were again towing the boat with the MH. The Interstate coming through Atlanta was one infinite rumble strip of packed snow and ice. We recall two truckers conversing with each other. One of them said that he had to give Georgia credit for having the equipment to handle the conditions-yes, he had just seen both of them!

A32Deuce · 12-12-2018, 02:22 PM

As long as its not freezing on the roads, I will keep moving like I did this past January. MH had a ice coating on the over hang, but the roads were only wet. Now if it started to lay on the road surface, then a safe parking area is in order. We always have propane, water and gas. Most important, food!

TitanMike · 12-12-2018, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trawlerphil

I spent many years living on a boat and the most important lesson learned is to NEVER have a schedule. A schedule has been the root cause of many disasters, on land and at sea, making normally intelligent folks make bad decisions. Our motto when we travel is "We've got no schedule and we're sticking to it!"

Same applies to private pilots. Way too many end up in the trees because they became a slave to their schedule.

pmsherman · 12-12-2018, 09:37 PM

I've been forced to drive on snow covered roads when starting out on a Winter trip. The choice was to drive through the bad road conditions or possibly delay the trip for five or more days.

I have good all weather tires on both my Georgetown and Toyota Yaris toad. I drive significantly slower when the roads are in poor condition and do have chains for the rv. I had chains for my toad but, when I had to replace it after it was abused by an 18 wheeler, the chains I have are the wrong size for the replacement.

I'll be buying chains for the toad before my next Winter trip. The one question I have is where to put the chains on the toad. For driving it, they obviously go on the front wheels, the drive wheels. When towing, I've always wondered if it might be better to put them on the rear wheels of the toad which should provide better control to prevent a jacknife condition when stopping.

As an FYI - California requires all vehicles to have chains when travelling on I-80 East from SanFrancisco. If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, they may not require you to put on the chains but that's dependent on the current road conditions. I've travelled this road when it's clear and dry and encountered stretches where chains were required. If you don't have chains, they won't let you continue on the road and force you to turn around and head back.

Phil

PenJoe · 12-13-2018, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A32Deuce

As long as its not freezing on the roads, I will keep moving like I did this past January. MH had a ice coating on the over hang, but the roads were only wet. Now if it started to lay on the road surface, then a safe parking area is in order. We always have propane, water and gas. Most important, food!

We were driving in similar conditions. When we merged onto an Interstate from another Interstate, the roads turned to black ice. Vehicles were going every which direction except straight. There was no warning other than observing the vehicles ahead of us.

A32Deuce · 12-13-2018, 10:31 AM

It was interesting this past Jan. We got on I 10 west in Baldwin, Fl and maybe we went 30 miles to where the Interstate was closed. Went south a little and got on 90 west. Wandered all over the country side, but was only wet. Short bridges were sanded. Road was wet but not slippery at all. I 10 was closed because all the overpasses were a solid sheet of ice.

TitanMike · 12-13-2018, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmsherman

I'll be buying chains for the toad before my next Winter trip. The one question I have is where to put the chains on the toad. For driving it, they obviously go on the front wheels, the drive wheels. When towing, I've always wondered if it might be better to put them on the rear wheels of the toad which should provide better control to prevent a jacknife condition when stopping.

Chains on a towed vehicle go on the rear axle. The idea is to provide enough drag to keep the towed vehicle from trying too pass the tow vehicle when braking or going downhill. Usually only installed when going down a mountain pass but if your road has lots of ups and downs I'd just leave them on and resign yourself to driving 30 mph or less. If the road is icy that's probably the right speed anyway.

muddyrode · 12-13-2018, 04:59 PM

growing up in Iowa where the winter weather can sneak up on you at any time i have learned to just forge ahead, and i have pulled some trailers through some pretty bad weather i used to go to Tennessee and pick up flat bed trailers and pull them back to iowa stacked 5 high
I remember going through st Louis one year and there were littery cars stuck and sitting on the interstate just put in four wheel and pedal to the metal and don't stop if you don't have to

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