I hate winter

[DRW]

"RWD can be fun in the snow!"
AWD IS fun in the snow!
It's like having your own amusement park ride.
AWD donuts make me dizzy uke:

[kamesama980]

RWD and AWD are fun in the snow if you know what you're doing. My truck has just the right amount of weight in it now... 3 60# sandbags, spare, tupperware of tools/spare fluids :-p. My mom suggested taking either of the family buicks (both newer fwd with abs, tcs, etc....automatic understeer wonders) over my truck cause it's cold (90 hp and no insulation). I sort of laughed and reached for my keys...

IMO subdivisions are far more fun that parking lots.

[almightybmw]

I love subdivisions. The thrill of avoiding all those parked cars while you take every 90* corner sideways. (actually a bad idea, do not do if driving in non-sunny weather makes you even slightly nervous)

Once I got the truck I stopped driving the car. While left foot ebraking is fun (go Grand Prix pedal setup!) using the throttle to control the sideways motion is far more fun. There's an empty stretch of road on the way to my work that is fun. And I mean empty. Curbed, 1 fire hydrant, 4 signs, 4 little trees. I've been practicing swinging my backend from side to side down this stretch, and have really gotten a feel for how the truck handles adverse situations. Yes, I have swung around backwards and bounced up the curb (very little since the snow banks grew) but no one and nothing was damaged (maybe my pride if someone was watching). Doing things like this have made me a better driver, I only wish others felt the same or had the same opportunity or drive to be better.

Yesterday I saw a 4 car wreck, SUV rearends smaller car, who didn't give enough space, plowed the car infront of them, which went sideways into another car. Wish people would think and give adequent stopping space while moving and while stopped.

[Snax]

Originally Posted by almightybmw

. . Doing things like this have made me a better driver, I only wish others felt the same or had the same opportunity or drive to be better. .

Agreed. Unfortunately too many Negative Nellys out there would sooner accuse you of reckless endangerment when nobody else is even remotely around instead of recognizing snow and ice covered parking lots and deserted roads as some of the best emergency driving training available. It's a free opportunity to learn skills that otherwise people can only pickup to a minor extent with skid-car training, and over the longer term to a far greater extent with autocross.

I've never been in a skid-car, but I have over a decade of autocross experience and plenty of slide exeperience on the snow, but I have never hit anybody or run into anything despite my frequent antics that might appear extreme to other drivers. It seems contrary to public opinion to suggest that I have better control by intentionally sliding around a corner and regulating my turn rate with the throttle than what most drivers do, which is to hope they don't plow or loop it into the ditch only to have that panic lever called a brake pedal to save or maybe slow them down a bit. In a slide, I already KNOW EXACTLY how much grip I have to work with and steer/throttle accordingly.

Obviously the threshold for what's possible is dramatically different depending on drivetrain, and it is the reason we keep Tercel. Even with virtually bald snow tires, it spanks any 2wd.

[almightybmw]

So I had a decision to make this evening coming to work: Drive the truck with 4WD and ground clearance but just all seasons, OR drive the Grand Prix with very aggressive snow tires.

I took the GP. On the less traveled streets I was a snow plow. You know how the West Coast got feet of wet snow? Well we got almost a foot of dry fluff that packs. And it's still snowing with no end in sight. It's awesome. I'm just sad that I have to drive to Seattle Friday morning, as that's going to be a white knuckle drive.

For the wife!

Have I said how much I love snow?

[bowtieguy]

i really hate winter so far...

had to run the a/c last night 'cause it was 89*F in the house.

[theholycow]

Come on down...even with the recent thaw we've still got a decent quantity of snow and ice here on our frozen ground. Take as much as you need to cool your house. Maybe you can bring some of your extra heat?

[bowtieguy]

HC,

40 degrees! that's what we can settle on. i'll give you 40 degrees, that way i'll need no heat or air!

[theholycow]

It's perfect, I'll take it!

[GasSavers_GasUser]

Originally Posted by bowtieguy

i really hate winter so far...

had to run the a/c last night 'cause it was 89*F in the house.

It was 89 in my house last night too and I had to shut down the wood stove and open the door for a while.

But if you want some ice/snow to cool yourself off, I got 6 foot snowbanks and you can have as much as you want. Bring a big truck and I'll snoblow it full for you.....haha