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Do you have snowmobiles on your streets?

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by qbee42, Feb 13, 2008.

  1. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    A snowmobile just streaked past my office on the road, and it made me wonder how many other PriusChatters have snowmobiles on their streets. All of the roads and road right-of-ways in our county are open to snowmobiles. There is a gas station diagonally down the street from our building, and you often see groups of snowmobiles gassing up. It's one of those odd little winter quirks.

    Tom
     
    #1 qbee42, Feb 13, 2008
  2. Rae Vynn

    Rae Vynn Artist In Residence

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    Ah, memories. 25 years in Minnesota, 5 of which I spent near Hibbing, where snowmobiles are in the streets all winter.

    In most of Minnesota, there are snowmobile lanes beside the main roads, with their own little traffic signs.

    hmmmm... yeah, I don't miss it. Thanks. :)
     
    #2 Rae Vynn, Feb 13, 2008
  3. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Never seen a snow machine here in Missouri at all...just not enough real snow to justify them.

    But when I lived in Alaska they were everywhere...they literally had their own 'roads'...paths they'd create along the main roads...pretty much everywhere. And they were NEVER called snowmobiles....always snow machines.
     
    #3 efusco, Feb 13, 2008
  4. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    No, no, can't say I have seen that. I just looked out the window and no snow mobiles or snow machines. Don't recall ever seeing one, ever. Only pictures never seen a snow mobile up close cos I never seen snow. Bummer.

    OBTW expecting about 27 degrees celsius today.:D
     
    #4 patsparks, Feb 13, 2008
  5. ny biker

    ny biker Member

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    My sister used to have a house near Rocky Mountain National Park. I only ever visited in the summertime, but she told me that people use snowmobiles to get around there in the winter.
     
    #5 ny biker, Feb 13, 2008
  6. markderail

    markderail I do 45 mins @ 3200 PSI

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    As soon as you leave the Island of Montreal, skidoo's and 4-wheeled rv's is a common sight.

    Right now, Quebec City, has had just as much snow as Montreal (& more) but it's not melting, like it has been in Montreal.

    Right now in Quebec City, 10' tall snowbanks are common, all over the place.



    _
     
    #6 markderail, Feb 13, 2008
  7. ewhanley

    ewhanley New Member

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    Actually I am looking out the window of my office and see one about the size of a small tractor crawling across the tundra. Of course, I am sitting on the North Slope of AK right now. :) I do see them (much smaller, mind you) running around some of the neighborhoods in Anchorage and quite frequently in smaller towns. Something like this (sorry, "stock" photo):

    [​IMG]
     
    #7 ewhanley, Feb 13, 2008
  8. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    i do miss the mini-road signs on the side of the road.
     
    #8 galaxee, Feb 13, 2008
  9. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    The only snowmobiles I see around here are in the back of pickups. In other places I've lived, they're driven on the streets just like cars. ATVs are popular, too, because they make the transition from snow to mud and back again much more easily than either cars or snowmobiles.
     
    #9 hyo silver, Feb 14, 2008
  10. icarus

    icarus Senior Member

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    I have to drive 25km on a snowmobile to get home for a long part of the year.

    Icarus
     
    #10 icarus, Feb 14, 2008
  11. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    We just made it legal to drive ATVs and golf carts on the village streets. A lot of people did anyway, but now it's legal.

    Tom
     
    #11 qbee42, Feb 14, 2008
  12. ozyran440

    ozyran440 New Member

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    In my neck of the woods, people don't drive golf carts on our streets, but sometimes, when it snows, you'll see an ATV or two tearing up the road - on a road w/ a 40 mph limit. (The scary thing is, even if I dare to get up to 40 - which I don't, because at 40 mph on a snow-covered road, standard tires won't hold their grip very well - I'd still get passed sometimes.)
     
    #12 ozyran440, Feb 15, 2008
  13. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    It's not hard to be passed by a snowmobile. Some of the ones around here can top 100 mph. Why anyone would drive one that fast over open ground and unfamiliar territory I can only guess.

    One of the stranger winter sports is driving snowmobiles (snow MACHINES for Evan - don't want him to be confused) over open water. The trick is to race down to the edge of a river or small lake and hit the water with plenty of speed. With enough horsepower, a skilled rider can keep a machine water skiing across the surface for hundreds of yards. If you don't keep it water skiing across the surface, well, that's another problem...

    Tom
     
    #13 qbee42, Feb 15, 2008
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