Driving in Blizzard-Like Conditions

I hate driving in blizzards. I remember one blizzard in 1979 when I was headed home alone after visiting my parents. The drive normally took about 90 minutes, with many turns, narrow roads and such. Thirty minutes into the drive the snow was coming down so hard I couldn't tell if I was even in the right lane. The snow was so deep and drifting so bad that its a wonder I stayed on the road at all. Cars were in ditches everywhere, yet I couldn't stop because I knew if I did I'd never get going again. I called out for help on the CB radio and found a trucker headed my way. I followed that truck for most of the drive, since all I could see were his taillights. Finally even he had to get off the road. He offered to let me stay in his truck, but at age 19 I knew that wasn't an option to stay in a stranger's truck. So I kept driving and I eventually made it home, exhausted. When I walked in the door it was my mom calling. She had been concerned if I'd made it home in the bad weather. Apparently she had tried calling me back on the CB to turn me around but couldn't reach me. So, she had been phoning me for 7 hours. Yep, my 90 minute trip took 7 hours to get home. Apparently someone was looking out for me that day.

I agree that you need to be very cautious for yourself and others. It is very dangerous and you have to be prepared. Slow down and take your time is the best thing to do.

I am glad that you made it home safe, People need to slow down when the weather is bad. It was really bad around here last night, lots of accidents, I will be so happy when this winter is over with. THINK SPRING!!

It is scary. My husband had to drive in that stuff Wed. His trip to work usually is 23 minutes. It took him 45 minutes to get there. They sent them home 3 hours later, and it took him an hour to get home. He couldn't even tell where the road was. He called me 3 different times and just said I am ok and still on my way, I just can't go over 20 miles an hour. I was glad when he finally made it here.

Driving slowly is all very well and good provided everyone else is driving at the same speed. I was driving through a horrific rain storm on the way home from work one day. A twenty minute trip took 2 1/2 hours due to flooding and detours and very bad visibility. I was obviously travelling home via a different route...it was quite dark due to the dark clouds. I was driving in the outside lane and need to merge into the main lane. There was a huge puddle of water over the road that I could see as I approached a solid concrete and brick wall of a train overpass. I was about to pull into the other lane to avoid the puddle but I changed my mind for some reason and just slowed down....a huge truck, travelling much too fast for the condtions, whizzed passed me as we both went under the overpass. If I had pulled out at the time, I would have been squashed up against the concrete wall.

One of my scariest driving experiences I've had came in driving through blizzard conditions. It was at night and I could barely see anything beyond the front end of my car. It was snowing so hard that even with the heat cranked all the way up and my rear defroster on the snow was accumulating on my back window. I was on the freeway and it wasn't a well lit area, the roads were not plowed, and I as just praying to get to a point where I could get off. Luckily I came up on a big ol semi that had lots of lights all around the back and sides, like guiding lights on a runway. I slowly drove with him in my sights and he guided my 40 miles to Wisconsin where the snow stopped like someone flipped a switch. The roads were plowed and I could breath again.

Glad to hear that you were able to make it home safely. I know from the Bad weather we experienced a lot of last month, and then also some this month have made things quite interesting for sure. All you have to do is drive too fast and then have things happen that are beyond your control. But glad to see you home safe and warm, and wishing you the Best until the weather warms up there again for you as well.

You're so right... slowing down and being aware of what's around you are so key to safe winter driving (along with other practical things like making sure you have good wiper blades that can handle heavy snow and always having enough wiper fluid). I learned to drive in the winter, many moons ago, and I really believe it was the best thing I could have done for myself. It really helped to quell the panic that some people feel about driving in snowy conditions. Actually, people need to slow down in rain, too... and that almost never happens where I live, at least. They must not understand how slick roads can get or they just think they are such good drivers that they couldn't possibly lose control at the wheel. Accidents waiting to happen :(

Here in Ireland,we rarely get heavy snowfall (when we do get any!),but you have to take care on higher ground..One place I worked was up in the hills,and the road to get there was a narrow one-it was barely wide enough for 2 cars to pass one another at low speed in good conditions..there were drainage ditches on either side of the road,which would have ruined your day going offroad! One year after some heavy snowfall,going to work along that road,the fresh snow was the height of the ditch at the sides,so that you wouldn't have known where the road left off and the drainage ditch began...the road just looked as though it had been widened! I stayed in the middle and hoped I didn't meet another car coming the other way.. Another stretch of the road further along climbed over the top of a hill..it had turned cold enough that this uphill part had iced over,making it too difficult for me to drive up it..I had to turn around and go around the "Long" way,adding about 5 more miles to my journey..Like You say,you have to drive carefully and slow down..I was on the Motorway coming back from Belfast airport on another occasion when snow started falling heavily,and I slowed to suit the conditions..another Driver,Impatiently,decided to overtake the slower moving traffic...We passed the car a couple of miles further along,them having spun into the central reservation..you can't be impatient driving in snow!

Years ago I went with a friend to a Strip Club (shame on me) and on the way back we got caught in a blizzard. It was terrifying. She couldn't even see the end of the hood. We went about 10 miles an hour and had to stop a couple times b/c you couldn't see anything. Most of the time she was trying to follow the direction of the trees to stay out of the ditch. It was really scary. These days I keep my behind at home if there's even a chance of bad weather. Better safe then sorry. [b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~ **STAND STRONG AND TRUST IN GOD**[/b]

It sounds like you had a great day today. I am glad that you had a safe trip taking them home and getting back yourself. I agree, breathe, relax and be cautious and go slow, better to take longer to get there instead of ending up in a wreck.

And they say that the number one cause of accidents is people using their cruise control and not taking it off....driving when the wind is blowing hard is also not fun...you can't see if there is ice or anything under it....I am glad you made it home saftely!

That must have been a scary experience. I hate the cold and snow and have never driven in snow at all. I have driven in torrential rain and that can be a harrowing experience too as the power of water is unbelievable. when I drove a small truck I could manage the roads better in rain bit now I am driving a car I have to plan my trip carefully or do not venture outside. Usually I choose not to go outside. It is so scary. I am so glad that you reached home safely.

I hate driving in snow and ice. It is scary and there are a lot of people who don't understand how to drive in it. Slow is important and so is tapping your brakes to stop instead of just laying down on them. I think there is danger in other people driving in it as much as there is yourself.Some people think that a fourwheel drive exempts them from danger but in truth,they go no better on ice than anything else. I will try at all costs to keep from it but I have been caught in a few snow/ice storms before.

Oh yes, I have been there. Me and my husband first experienced the joy of blizzard conditions when we first moved to South Dakota from Louisiana. We ended up in a ditch on the interstate, but a nice man stopped and pulled us out. I was terrified. I always tense up when my husband or I am driving in weather like that. I have had to drive in it less than my husband, but I just take it slow and easy. Even though we have a smaller car (a Honda Accord), we rarely end up in a ditch when the weather is bad in the winter because we are very careful. You might be surprised by the amount of trucks and SUV's we see in ditches when the weather gets like that because those people think that because they drive trucks or SUV's that they can just haul butt down the road and not slide around.