Snowstorm was a breeze for some SUVs

Columbus Dispatch ^ | 18 February 2003 | Joe Blundo

[Deadeye Division]

Snowstorm was a breeze for some SUVs
Tuesday, February 18, 2003
Joe Blundo
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Finally, central Ohio presents a snowstorm worthy of a $40,000 sport-utility vehicle.

The SUVs plowed through the snow pretty well. Too well for some drivers, who say the occasional sport-utility cowboy left them shaken.

"They seem to have an attitude,'' said Brian Oman of southern Delaware County.

A black SUV blew past him Monday as he did 35 mph on his way to Highbanks Metro Park with his two children.

"We were sliding as it was, and he still made an effort to plow right ahead.''

Gary Cox of Columbus saw similar stunts.

"I've seen some Jeeps and SUVs just going down the street like there's no tomorrow.''

Still, when more than a foot falls and the kids want to go sledding, it's tough to beat an SUV, said Paula and Rick Clay of Columbus.

They loaded their kids, their neighbors' kids and a fleet of sleds into the back of a Suburban.

"It's perfect,'' Mrs. Clay said. "We feel a lot safer in it.''

Mr. Clay, though, knows that the power and traction lead some drivers to go faster than they should. They forget about the weight.

"You can go anywhere in them,'' he said. "You just can't stop.''

Nick and Kim Gulyassy of Clintonville decided they could live with less traction and more money.

"It was using too much gas,'' Mrs. Gulyassy said of their four-wheel-drive vehicle. "Now we have a Honda Odyssey -- with a snow shovel in the back.''

The SUV mystique probably survived the storm intact. After all, when a Level 3 snow emergency hit southern Ohio, people weren't turning to four-door sedans.

Fairfield Medical Center in Lancaster used a Dodge Durango, Nissan Xterra and Kia Sportage to shuttle employees to and from work on Saturday and Sunday.

"I'm absolutely amazed at how easily I got around,'' said David Bickham, a hospital spokesman who owns the Sportage.

"I've been to Hideaway Hills, the back roads of Sugar Grove, to Lithopolis. I've seen a lot of central Ohio in the past few days.''

The snow helped sell at least one Hummer yesterday, said Tom Bentley, general sales manager of the Hummer of Columbus dealership, 4300 W. Dublin-Granville Rd.

"We were just dying for a day like this,'' Bentley said.

A customer who said he was tired of winter watched the Hummer navigate, then bought one for $53,200.

[MissTargets]

My kind of SUV.

[taildragger]

"Fairfield Medical Center in Lancaster used a Dodge Durango, Nissan Xterra and Kia Sportage to shuttle employees to and from work on Saturday and Sunday"

When I was in my teens a friend of mines mom was a ER Nurse specializing in saving people with Heart Problems. She worked 3rd shift. Her husband always owned a 4 X 4 to get her to the Hospital, not going in because of the weather was not an option. This was before the SUV craze,so there 4 x 4 vehicle also did duty as a good tower for there boat,camper, and for when "the guys" (all over 200 lbs and 6') went hunting.

Also in this time frame the vehicle of choice for many Surgeons she worked with of all disciplines was the old Jeep Cherokee, Grand Wagonner. They had to get to the hospital, period, it also was a great family car for them. This was when it was still a AMC vehicle and about the time Chrysler bought AMC.

Even with this said the eco-weenies will never get it.....

[Ichneumon]

I see your point, Huffington was being used as a shill for these lefties.

She sounds awfully "lefty" on her own. Her recently released book is entitled, "Pigs at the Trough: How Corporate Greed and Political Corruption are Undermining America".

[AppyPappy]

The odd thing is that I see Blazers on the side of the road quit a bit but never Bravadas.

[Protagoras]

"Pigs at the Trough: How Corporate Greed and Political Corruption are Undermining America".

I haven't read the book, but the title in and of itself is not leftist.

I'm not a leftist and I think that that statement is true as far as it goes. They are SOME of the things that that are undermining America.

[Protagoras]

She may be a registered Republican,

A lot of that going around, Republican but not conservative.

I guess in retrospect that during the Clinton years, if you were opposed to him many people just concidered you to be on their side. Live and learn.

[sneakers]

No problems getting around in our Jeep Cherokee. But then, we only got about a foot or foot and a half of snow.

[Pharmboy]

You are a gentleman, a scholar and a true Freeper; that is, intellectually HONEST--something the lefties will NEVER understand.

Hats off to you, sir (and I've done as you've just done on these boards myself).

[Protagoras]

Just one more addition to the extensive "Protagoras fan club".

(that makes two, you and I )

:^}

[ElTianti]

Here in Ellicott City MD, the Suburbans and Avalances
couldn't move any further than my Cavalier Z24 or Honda
S2000 untill we were plowed and after that I could go
anywere they could. Ok, I only went out in the Chevy; the
S2000 will stay in the garage until everything melts.

[Pharmboy]

Glad to join!

[johnb838]

A black SUV blew past him Monday as he did 35 mph on his way to Highbanks Metro Park with his two children. "We were sliding as it was, and he still made an effort to plow right ahead.

Ok, I have a problem with this. I haven't lived in snow country in a long time but I remember something. When you are approaching a hill, or a low spot you have to get on the accelerator a bit to get up enough momentum to get you through the gully and up the other side. If you don't you're liable to get stuck halfway up. The other thing I remember is that there was invariably some IDIOT slowing down approaching the grade, right in your way, trying their best to get stuck and block traffic. If I had an opportunity to blow past such a cretin, you're damn right I would and would probably be extending my middle finger as I went by. Also -- I live in a place where I'm a helluva lot more likely to encounter a foot of water than a foot of snow. I drive a 4-door shortbed pickup (might as well be an SUV). Doesn't mean I look for high water to drive through, but if I get caught out in a turd-floater I have a lot better chance of getting home than I did in my Taurus.

[Chemist_Geek]

While they sit stranded with the family Yugo in the driveway, those of us with 4-wheel drive go about life.

Hmm, that's funny - during the two winters I've driven a Prius, I've seen more SUVs in the ditch than any other kind of vehicle, as I cruise on by in the snow...

[PBRSTREETGANG]

The most current attack has been spearheaded by Arriana Huffinton...

I don't tend to rely very much on the judgment of women who have married homosexuals. (I'll pay as much attention to Arianna as I would to Lisa Marie Presley or Liza Minelli on this, or any, issue.)

[husky ed]

This is what I was driving during the storm of '93 here in SE Washington. Just added 4 studded snow tires and lowered my speed. Never had a problem. And yes, that is the road below the car. The snow was about 2 feet that winter.
BTW: the car is 90 LX 5.0L 5speed.

[rintense]

You are correct. There are those who own SUVs who think that just because they have SUVs, it's automatic that snow will be a breeze. But like I said before, it comes down to the driver. Of course, the SUV owners in the ditch would probably blame the vehicle. Heh.

I've been driving a Toyota compact car for the past 12 winters and have not ditched once.

[Darnright]

>I've seen more SUVs in the ditch than any other kind of vehicle, as I cruise on by in the snow...

Oh, I've seen 'em too. Of course, that doesn't mean all 4-wheel-drive owners act like turkeys just because they think they're invincible in bad weather. I had some dipwad in a Chevy Cavalier on my butt because I was doing the speed limit (35) on the wet road. Probably should have pulled off and let him on by so I could laugh when he ended up in a snowdrift.

[Darnright]

>If you use your SUV to get through without worrying about getting there in a hurry, they are great in the snow.

Bingo. They are at their best going up a steep grade that would stop a 2 wheel drive car in its tracks.

They do not, however, stop any better than any other vehicle. Thank goodness for ABS braking systems.

[Chemist_Geek]

I don't know if it's my tolerance and patience decreasing as I age, or if there really is a greater proportion of poor drivers out there now as opposed to, say, ten years ago.

n.b. poor driver, to me, is exemplified by massive disrespect for the traffic laws and other drivers, inability to control their vehicle in response to traffic and weather, and a lack of attention to said traffic and weather conditions.