China: Tanks sent to deice storm-affected highways (now out to major highways)

China Daily ^ | 02/03/08

[TheBattman]

From the look of the tread pattern, I would figure that that tire gets pretty decent wet-pavement traction as well.

[justa-hairyape]

Hard to believe the PLA does not have a few available.

Tanks to deice roads and submachine gun fire to deice power line structures. Yeah. That's the ticket. The tanks and submachine guns might have another functionality. The freezing and starving people keep hearing the sound of submachine gun fire and keep seeing tanks driving all over the place.

Has the US ever deployed tanks and submachine gin fire during a natural (non-riot) disaster ?

[justa-hairyape]

gin = gun

[Rennes Templar]

Hankook winter tires work very well here

What kind are they?

[Thunder 6]

Well, techically, yes. At Snoqualamie Pass here in Wa St. they used to use the 105mm Main Gun from M-60A3 tanks to shoot snowpacks and induce controlled avalanches. Don’t know if that’s still done, but I know our gunners got a kick out of doing it!

Regards,

[dufekin]

If you look at the picture, about eight guys with snow shovels are working in the shadow of a tank. They’re probably doing the actual work; the tank merely provides some minimal shelter from the weather, food, and fresh snow shovels. (The Chinese aren’t known for their efficiency.)

I think even Phoenix or Mississippi or Florida or probably even Louisiana could handle this type of wintertime natural disaster better than what we see from the People’s Republic of China. Chenzhou, a city of 4 million people slightly colder on average than Jackson (Mississippi), hasn’t had any electric power for two weeks.

[steve86]

I live in a remote place at high altitude in the mountains

Do you really live at high altitude or at high elevation? I would think that high altitude would be more like living in a balloon or something.

[justa-hairyape]

Thanks for that info. China does not have avalanche problems. Snow fall was under a foot. We have had some serious avalanches in the US. Saw one video on weather.com where a highway was closed and two vehicles partially buried under an avalanche. It was over 100 feet long and 30 feet deep on the road. The guy removing the avalanche said the amount of snow they had to remove was equal to all the avalanches they have cleared in the last 25 years. So who knows, they may have to call out the big guns yet, but I think they use mortars and helicopter drops nowadays though.

[Thunder 6]

Maybe the tank treads (theirs are steel, whereas ours have rubber track pads) break up the ice for the shovel bubbas. Of course, they may be using the exhaust to warm up as well...

Regards,

[Prophet in the wilderness]

I don’t know, but, those tanks with it’s weight can damage the roads.

[Inyo-Mono]

I think even Phoenix or Mississippi or Florida or probably even Louisiana could handle this type of wintertime natural disaster better than what we see from the People’s Republic of China. Chenzhou, a city of 4 million people slightly colder on average than Jackson (Mississippi), hasn’t had any electric power for two weeks.

Wimps. Those Chinese wouldn't last a day where I live.

[familyop]

"From the look of the tread pattern, I would figure that that tire gets pretty decent wet-pavement traction as well."

...about as good as competing snow tires but not quite as good as some rain tires. They're okay. ...same in snow as moderate off-road tires with a mid-sized four-wheel-drive (very good with the same tires on all fours). The Hankooks do better on well-frozen ice than anything else I've driven. Nothing goes well on snotty, barely frozen ice of the east, but it's almost always frozen pretty hard here.

I drive Goodyears (MT/Rs) when driving a lot (when building) and cheap tires when driving less (doing remote work from home). Over-sized MT/Rs with chains and differentials locked will push through very deep snows (3-4 feet...only fresh snows, as very old, icy deep stuff can blow differentials).

[justa-hairyape]

break up the ice for the shovel bubbas

The shovel bubbas were probably transported by the trucks in the left of the image. So the tanks probably also help clear the road for the trucks. If cars or trucks are stuck on the road, just push them off the road with the tanks.

[familyop]

"Do you really live at high altitude or at high elevation?"

LOL! We have altimeters in our ground vehicles. ;-)

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Waco ?

[Thunder 6]

Hey, I think we should get a job with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission...

Regards,

[familyop]

"What kind are they"

...the kind in the photo in comment #10.

[steve86]

Over-sized MT/Rs with chains and differentials locked will push through very deep snows (3-4 feet...only fresh snows, as very old, icy deep stuff can blow differentials).

Interesting.

[justa-hairyape]

Waco ?

Not exactly a natural disaster, unless you look at what happened after the tanks got done with the 'compound'.

[mamelukesabre]

300,000 soldiers to shovel snow?

I don’t understand this. How is it the chinese are this pathetic in a snow storm, yet they are stealing all our manufacturing jobs like there’s no tomorrow?