I grew up in upstate New York. I literally drove one time through about 8-12 inches of uncleared snow for 5 to 6 miles, my tires propelling me like a propeller of a boat. I *KNOW* how to drive in winter weather.
That said, Atlanta is a different animal. Snow hits, melts, and immediately becomes black ice. Everywhere. Right away.
Without salt or sand treatment — which Atlanta has precious little application ability — these roads are impassible. In fact, I’m leery of WALKING on them.
“That said, Atlanta is a different animal. Snow hits, melts, and immediately becomes black ice. Everywhere. Right away.
Without salt or sand treatment — which Atlanta has precious little application ability — these roads are impassible. In fact, I’m leery of WALKING on them.”
I can’t speak for Atlanta, but it was much the same here (B’ham area). Got up Wed morning and went out in my 4x4 to check things out. Weird. Virtually no snow on the roads. Just a thick(over 1 inch) layer of snow on the roads. It was safer to drive than try to walk or even stand on it.
I’m kinda sick and tired of these Yankee’s Holier than Thou attitudes about Southern drivers not knowing how to drive “in bad weather”. Most of the bottlenecks were caused by 18 wheelers jack knifed trying to get up hills. They are professionals and drive in all kinds of weather.
Snow actually provides pretty good traction. Ice, not so much
We visited family in Erie PA in January 1990, at that time the snowiest month in their history. I was amazed to see that the snow packed down like brown sugar. You could still get traction on it.
Around seven years previously, I was stopped on a bridge somewhere in metro Atlanta that was covered with ice from freezing rain. Cars that had come to a complete stop then began to slide. THAT is some slick.
When I got out of my truck, I could barely walk on the ice (I got some snow studs for my boots now!). Truck was doing o.k. bec. it's large and heavy, with 4WD, limited slip, and the Michelin modified off-road tires. I think it was heavy enough for the tire tread to get down to asphalt.