I have used a single 40 lb bag to keep a normal parking space clear of 3" of snow in the past.
because of the rain first, do NOT put the salt down early, this will dilute the salt and wash it away, you need to put it down as it transitions from rain to snow so that the first snows are falling on the new but wet salt.
the more salt you use, the better off you will be.
do not expect to buy enough bags for your driveway, but a small sidewalk to your car is doable.
plan on one 40 lb bag per parking space sized area for each 3 inches of snow
southerners, you can do this, but check your forecast, do NOT put down the salt while it is just rain, it will dilute the salt!
Tip: Do not attempt to drive in snow with bald tires. Unless you voted for Xiden.
Invite all your liberal friends over for a Donner Party.
A fun time for all!
or you can shovel it. In the south, the snow melts after a couple of days anyway.
1. Increase your speed by 15 mph
2. Decrease your following distance by half
3. Brake much later than normal as you approach stop signs and stop lights
I grew up in Connecticut, and I really got sick of salt eating up my cars. I would never expose my car to salt when I was living in Georgia.
Since everything shuts down in the south over a flurry anyway, keep your car from rotting and just stock up on food, pick up some Duraflames if you have a fireplace, and stay home until everything melts at 2PM the next day.
Please refrain from abusing the news forum and the Announcements sidebar.
To each his own but I will not use salt in that manner. Salt eats or kills many things; vehicles, concrete, plants/vegetation, etc.
The most important thing to do before a snow storm is to run out and buy bread and milk.
Or you can wait a couple of hours for the sun to melt it all away...
And a large pot of boiling water will clear off icy windshields fast!
My plan is to drive for the Florida coast tomorrow AM. And go to a music festival.
Of course, that’s been my plan for several months.
We own 4 vehicles. One is rough (though mechanically sound). It’s a 90 chevy heavy half ton, 4x4, extended cab, long bed, with 5th wheel and bumper hitches. After my first 62+ yrs in nw IL, and 20 yrs as a OTR class A trucker, I am quite comfortable driving in adverse conditions. I have chains, two winches, and two generators. It’s definitely our ‘challenging times’ rig.
And I have the experience to know what I can do, and what I can NOT do. In bad conditions I don’t go near the metros. Too many bad drivers.
*Make sure it’s Calcium Chloride (CaCl), NOT Sodium Chloride (NaCl).
*Stock-up on Milk, White Bread, Eggs & TP.
I also avoid limited access roads in bad weather. Interstates and tollways are good places be trapped because of just one bad driver.
Just stay home. Snow brings out the crazies
also even if you never lose power in your neighbor hood, back up plan.
Last storm 4 days no heat because i did not think to have wood. NOW i know better.
Another thing, and an experienced road construction worker or engineer can verify this, is that our pavement is different. I heard that up north the pavement is less porous because here in the south we need our pavement to do slight movement for hot days ("movement" meaning expanding when it gets really hot) and don't want it cracking when it does. That's not as much of an issue up north. Therefore, the pavement up north doesn't have as many small gaps for ice to stick in and make a sheet of ice cling tightly onto the pavement. But here in the south that's what happens when our roads get ice. Thus, even an experienced driver in snow and maybe ice from up north might even be less experienced at driving on our type of icy roads the few times we have them. At least that's what a programmer told me he had to get used to a couple of decades ago when he moved to the south for work and we eventually had a snow storm. He thought, "I can handle this. I'm a northerner." and learned that's not the case and eventually learned why.
2”-4” of forecast snow is NOT time for your governor to pre-declare a State of Emergency.
Is there a snow storm heading south?
I live in the country on 13 acres with an 800 foot long driveway with part that looks like a ski slope. One drop off goes into a 10 foot deep pond. 4Wheel drive is a necessity. I usually wait until the snow is stopping and go in and out of the drive a few times. This will speed up the melting. One of my trips is to the hardware store where I buy a a60 pound bag of playground sand. I stop at the steepest areas on the drive and sprinkle a line of sand in the ruts I made going out. Works every time. Also I am stocked up on propane, food, water, and entertainment. I could go a week without every going outside...... Nothing is important enough to go out short of an absolute emergency,
Make sure you have food and an alternate source of heat and hunker down for the duration.
If there’s ice, do NOT try to challenge it. You WILL lose.
Having grown up in Upstate NY, snow does not intimidate me at all, but I will not mess with ice. Ever.
Driving in snow requires a lot more anticipation. Drive slower, do NOT make sudden moves, either sudden braking, sudden starting, crawl through your turns or your momentum will slide you right into the other lane, and do not accelerate during the turn. Wait until your wheels are straightened out and you are pointed in the direction you want to go.
If you’re adventurous, find a deserted parking lot and practice doughnuts and learn how to drive in the stuff without endangering anyone else.
And if the car slides and begins to spin, turn the wheel INTO the spin and do not accelerate. Accelerating during a slide or spin will only add to it. Locking the brakes doesn’t do any good either. The wheels need to roll freely.