Yesterday morning, as my husband was giving me a lift to work, we hit a patch of black ice. He put on the brakes, skidded, but was able to stop just a couple of inches shy of the car in front of us. The car in front of us was lucky! We were not. An old clunky 93 Olds Delta 88 hit that same patch of ice, skidded, and crunched into us. Both the Olds and our Prius lost some bits of metal and plastic, but I think our car looked worse. Both cars still functioned (as did the people involved!), so we were able to complete our immediate errands before taking the cars to the collision centre. Our insurance allows us to get a loaner car while the Prius is in the shop. The car given to us by the rental agency? A Jeep Liberty! My gosh, compared to the Prius, that thing is huge! I haven't driven it yet, but my husband found it hard to get used to a vehicle without a display screen. On the plus side, a friend wants to give us a change table and other paraphenalia for our baby coming in March, so now we'll be able to pick it up. We'll try to think of other heavy-duty tasks to accomplish with this behemoth while we've got it. If we have it, might as well try and use it, right?
Sorry to hear about your incedent, Marge. Every winter, I'm afraid of other cars. Hopefully your Prius will be back in your driveway soon.
Oi! Sorry to hear about that! There have been nasty blizzards all through southern Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada. That doesn't help the road conditions one bit. Roads are very slick here, and due to the bitter cold, the salt isn't working. With the winter tires, I stop fine and have had nothing more than a low-key slide (Other cars were sliding right off the ramp into the field). I do worry that at a red light or stop sign, I'll get rear-ended. It's something you learn to live with in winter around here.
Tony: Are you sure you don't want to move up my way? You could "enjoy" the bitter wind chills and slick roads and drifting snow for months on end.
jayman, I just replied to your post in which you talk about -40 degrees. (hint on that one, -40C = -40F). I have a medical condition in which I experience extreme shivers and a runny nose in temperatures below freezing. I'm afraid I wouldn't like it up there because of, you know, my 'condition'.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer\";p=\"65602)</div> I recommend large quantities of any beverage containing ethanol. For the runny nose, I could teach you how folks around here blow their nose at -40. Hint: put finger on nostril opposite the one you want cleared pronto. Inhale and blow. Oops, should have mentioned not to do this in a vehicle. And it's considered impolite to do this in public without checking for innocent bystanders in the line of fire.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Robert Taylor\";p=\"65611)</div> :lol: I always felt the same way driving past Geneva Steel in Orem, Utah. Guess they shut the place down.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Robert Taylor\";p=\"65611)</div> I must compliment whoever assigns street names in Rocket City. Hmmmmm.... I think I\'ll go to Mapquest and see if there\'s a "Doofus Street" somewhere in the USA...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman\";p=\"65624)</div> Works well but the obligatory disclaimer is absent: Clear one nostril at a time. Under no circumstances should you inhale and then blow with your fingers on both nostrils ....there, I feel better now.
I grew up in Regina, so I have some understanding of what Winnipeg winters can be like. It might have changed by now, but when I was growing up, they never used salt in Regina -- only sand or gravel. As you mentioned, salt was often useless when the mercury went down too far. You know what I really hate about Ontario (separate and apart from the genetically ingrained disdain that westerners have for central Canada, I mean) ? The weather can't make up its mind! One day it's plus 5 Celsius and everything melts, next day it shoots down to minus 20 and the entire place is a skating rink. I must say that I'm happy with how the Prius has been performing in these variable conditions. Like Tony though, I'm starting to be afraid of other cars.
:x :cussing: :guns: Let me tell you. i was tboned by a large suv and it finally got fixed. was in the shop for 48 days. cost me 660 dollars for the rental after the ins company paid 1050 dollars for the first 30 days. the total damage was 11700 but this did not include the veh battery they killed by leaving the remote in the veh for a week. 160 for the battery. the car looks great and is warranted for life as long as i own the veh so i'm not too worried. ill own this baby till it dies or get totaled out. drives like new concindering the damage to it. i need to get some flashing lights so i can be seen. maybe a new paint color like the police cars so they RUN from me. also..... he was uninsured, driving an illegal veh(no reg or state insp stickers) and he ran the light. so i paid 500 for the uninsured motorist ins i have. TOTAL out of pocket cost to me 1160 plus the increase in fuel cost for 48 days(at $1.75/gal) You can amagine how i fill about the uninsured people out there at this time. i say if its not supposed to be on the street then it gets towed and the fines are paid before it is released and the state/county insures it for the driver before its given back. a few times of that and even the dumb ones will figure it out
Though it would be fun to try at least once. I wonder if your eyes would bulge out of your head, or if you would just get woozy and pass out?
Marg: Saskatchewan is still very stingy in using salt. First of all, it's useless at low temps anyway. And you save a lot of damage to cement structures and cars by not using it. Yeah, I also have that genetically ingrained disdain for Ontario. It seems the entire country must revolve around Toronto. The worst thing about Southern Ontario and the weird weather is you can't use studded tires there. Despite the fact the OPP, the regional police chiefs, and fire departments, etc call the studded tire ban "pure bs." The OPP has even called for immediate reinstatement of studded tires in all of Ontario. So in the meantime you take your chances on the ice. My studless tires are ok on glare ice, better than any all season, but you can't beat studded tires in those conditions.
It happens here too. Even worse, we have "no fault" so there is no incentive to drive properly. We have street punks here who steal cars, put a brick on the gas pedal, and send the car hurtling down a back alley to crash into a house or apartment. Do you have that down there? One of these days, a pedestrian or homeowner is going to get killed. Then we'll see the "justice" system pat the crook on the back and blame the dead victim.
