Official Snow/Driver Complaint Thread For 112107

[InlineSIX24]

The first couple snowstorms of the year always lead me to believe that Colorado drivers should be required to take some special snow driving training before being turned loose on the road. For some reason people always forget that they need a little more room between them and the car in front, and that yes.. you will slide if you break too hard on ice. Santa Fe was clogged this a.m. trying to get on C-470 because some lady in a Civic jammed on her brakes at the last moment and crunched the car ahead of her. I don't enjoy having to wake up early (not a morning person at all) to try to make it work through that crap.

/rant

[I`m Batman]

awwwwww... waaaaaaaaa... :lol:

[64BonnieLass]

It's not the true Colorado people that are the problem in this stuff. It's all the transplants that have no CLUE how to drive in snow.

And sometimes it's just the kind of car you have. I had a Maxima that couldn't get through a skiff without going off the road. And I'm from Gunnison/Crested Butte, so I am very well trained in snow. Now I have the 4 wheel drive Xterra. No more white knuckled snow days for me. :yay:

[InlineSIX24]

lol.. yeah. I'm a lil crabby in the morning.
:lol:

[rforsythe]

Seriously dude, I had to step over two dogs and shove a cat out of the way to the couch this morning. It was gridlock!

Working from home rocks. :lol:

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

In the 10 miles I go from home to work, on the straight shot up 287 from Lvld to FTC, 4 idiots had managed to plow into one another in one spot, with 2 being full-size 4X4's, one SUV, and 1 car. One of the trucks (looked like a new Tundra) bashed-up and flipped upside down in some guys front yard. Pathetic....

[DucWise]

Moved up here from Dallas TX recently. Any bit of snow and/or ice and the entire city shuts down. Those that actually decide to venture on to the roads will most likely end up in a ditch. Not one living soul there can manage their vehicle on anything other than hot dry pavement (even rain is iffy). Even the one or two sand trucks they have will mostly wreck or slide off the road in the first hour of "sanding" duties. God help you if you get in the way of one of those bastards!

Drove back from Arlington to Dallas one November (approx 30 miles) and counted about 50 cars in the ditches or jammed into/under guard rails. That included about a dozen that I personally witnessed plunging off the road... many came within inches of me as I was making my way home. that did not include all the cars that just pulled off to the side to "wait"? for who knows what. It was insane... but typical of TX drivers.

Be GLAD you don't have to deal with that!

[pilot]

I've spent quite a bit of time traveling on the road during the past year and I want to commend Colorado drivers for their ability to get on down the road. Compared to most states, we go fast. Take for instance the run between C Springs and Denver at evening rush hour. I can't recall a day when the traffic wasn't normally traveling between 85 and 100 MPH.

Now just because you're from Crusty Butt doesn't mean you know how to drive, ha. I hear that they just got street lights put in and that Matt Dillon retired.

It is like the postman's credo: Rain, sleet, snow, fog, whaterver, Go-Fast.

Oh, and it seems like I see more MCs on the road here than other places, regardless of the weather. So why the heck can't we get the IMS here?

[Priller_Nate]

Its all in the tires. I've driven in snow for the last 9 years and my Subaru Impreza AWD with stock tires absolutely SUCKED on ice and real hard packed snow. I could barely accelerate and it would move SIDEWAYS.
Picked up some true winter studless tires a couple weeks back and there is no comparison. They hook up like glue. Training/experience of course is important too. But i'm orig from Florida. If someone from Florida can drive on ice anyone can.

Now what gets me are the people that FREAK OUT when the rain begins. Ice...they laugh at it. Snow...same thing. But RAIN--OMG time to drop 40mph below the speed limit. :banghead:

[Filo]

And sometimes it's just the kind of car you have. I had a Maxima that couldn't get through a skiff without going off the road. And I'm from Gunnison/Crested Butte, so I am very well trained in snow. Now I have the 4 wheel drive Xterra. No more white knuckled snow days for me. :yay:

I am going to have to weigh in here and say it is all about TIRES. I have a '91 Honda Civic and I never get stuck because (1) I drive like it has just snowed if it has just snowed (no stomping in the gas, no stomping on the brake - just like riding a MC really fast) and (2) I have a spare set of wheels with good studless snow tires on them. One big snow storm a few years back I passed a nice 4x4 in the ditch spinning all four wheels trying to get out in my little Civic. The other driver wasn't at all amused.


EDIT - fine, Priller_Nate beat me to the punch as I was typing. But I am leaving my comments anyway.

[pilot]

I say we all go up to Georgetown and do a day of Ice Racing in our cars and trucks. Man, that stuff is a kick in the pants.

[Cat118!]

It's not the true Colorado people that are the problem in this stuff. It's all the transplants that have no CLUE how to drive in snow.

And sometimes it's just the kind of car you have. I had a Maxima that couldn't get through a skiff without going off the road. And I'm from Gunnison/Crested Butte, so I am very well trained in snow. Now I have the 4 wheel drive Xterra. No more white knuckled snow days for me. :yay:

True dat!!! Damn Texans and Californians
except I traded my blazer and have a malibu now!!! :cry:

[64BonnieLass]

I am going to have to weigh in here and say it is all about TIRES.

You are right Filo. I had high performance tires on the Maxima and those just are not made for Colorado in the winter. Used to scare the poop out of me. Now with the Xterra I actually have fun on snow days.
But people don't seem to realize however, that even 4 wheel drive won't do much for ya on ice.

[Sully]

Well.. as Ralph works in his pj's.. (well, we can only hope)... the rest of us endure the idiots on the road... I have to say +4 on TIRES :up: .. people just have no clue that snow or studded tires make all the difference !

[InlineSIX24]

Its all in the tires. I've driven in snow for the last 9 years and my Subaru Impreza AWD..

So what tires is everyone running that has worked well? I put a set of Avids on my Sub and have been pretty happy for winter. They are all season though, not specifically winter. If they wear out in time I may try a set of dedicated winters.

[Mental]

I had the same issue in Nebraska as here. (This is not directed at anyone on the board)

Look, you have ABS and 4WD, that means you will controled but very extended stops and that you get pull away from the intersection faster than me. It does not mean you can ride my ass.

Although I do take secret joy in passing stuck 4x4s in my 2wd F-150 with Oklahoma plates. And I grew up in Georgia

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

I agree 1000% on the tires issue. When I first moved from the SoCal high desert (Mojave area) to Cleveland, I had gummy, open-treaded BFG Comp T/A's on my little '89 Civic HB SI (God, I loved that little car....:cry:). Awesome tires, stuck like glue, and did great in the rain. Found out IMMEDIATELY that they totally sucked in the snow. Tires, especially sticky ones, are formulated to work in a certain temp range. For sport tires, the range is higher, but they won't melt under hard use/high temps. Winter tires work great and are pliable at low temps......but will come apart at higher temps and hard use on hot/dry pavement. When the temperature encountered by the tire is below it's working range, it reaches what I recall being called the "glass transition temperature", and the rubber starts to react like hard plastic at that point, unable to flex and "flow" into all the microscopic cracks in the road, even on dry pavement, let alone on ice/snow. I'm sure people here have all encountered "cold tires" on our bikes, especially. You can FEEL the tire sliding around, because it can't "flow" into the road surface like when hot. Spooky. My truck seems to have pretty good tires for all-round use, so I think I'll stick with them when it's time to replace them.

Moral of the story? Be careful, regardless of tires, and realize the different limits of the tires on YOUR vehicle.

[rforsythe]

Well.. as Ralph works in his pj's.. (well, we can only hope)... the rest of us endure the idiots on the road... I have to say +4 on TIRES :up: .. people just have no clue that snow or studded tires make all the difference !

What, you have a problem with me going commando? Hanging out with my wang out?

[64BonnieLass]

What, you have a problem with me going commando? Hanging out with my wang out?

:shocked:There are some things I just never need to know. EVER!

[Sully]

ohhhh for the love of the 2 dogs and the kittah.... I hope your kittah is declawed !! :shock:... LOL...

[~Barn~]

Snapped this (http://www.itsbarn.com/images/data/media/4/11-21-07_0748.jpg), this morning. Dude/Chick managed to lose it going S-bound on HW85, into and through the median, clean over a pretty thick looking traffic sign, and onto incoming N-bound 85. They had to have been moving pretty quick when it all went down.

You can't see it from this pic, but the cab of the other truck looked about the same. They were just crushed.
:(

Drive patiently folks. This is just the start the iffy-roads season.

[~Barn~]

Welp... A quick 9News search and I found the none-too-surprising outcome I thought that I might.

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=81411

The person who lost control and crossed the center line, killed the driver of the other truck. (And hurt other passengers).

:banghead: GOD DAMMIT!!!!!

[Priller_Nate]

So what tires is everyone running that has worked well? I put a set of Avids on my Sub and have been pretty happy for winter. They are all season though, not specifically winter. If they wear out in time I may try a set of dedicated winters.


I'm running a set of Semperit Sport Grip Sport winter tires I picked up off of Craigslist for cheap. They are made in Europe some place (maybe Switzerland or Austria). They replaced a set of Bridgestone Potenza RE92's (stock on my Sub Impreza).

[Sully]

I run this tire http://www.toyocanada.com/products/ObserveG02plus.asp

You can check this link for tires for your ride

http://www.tirerack.com/winter/index.jsp?s_kwcid=snow%20tire|567016873&source=S13674x009-win_gen&code=yes&keyword=snow%20tire&

[Filo]

I used to have a set of Nokian tires - pricey but the worked well. I replaced them with a set of Kumho which work about as well and are less expensive. Just don't use your winter tires all summer unless you want to replace them prematurely.

On a related note, the 1991 Civic SI that these were on will be for sale by the end of the week (with two sets of wheels/tires). I will post it up here, just so you all can get a crack at it.

[Sully]

I've heard Kumho's are great tires too..

I will be switching them to the summer performance tire .. probably April-ish... Then you only have to buy tires ever other year.. usually :(

[~Barn~]

Hankook Icebears here. I hope I have reason to swap them on soon!

[Mother Goose]

I've heard Kumho's are great tires too..

I will be switching them to the summer performance tire .. probably April-ish... Then you only have to buy tires ever other year.. usually :(
I had some summer Kumhos on my VR6 Jetta and I loved them, especially good for the price. But I picked up some Yokohama AVS ES100's from Hoopty for this last summer and ooooweee! Those were fun!

I have some winter tires on now, made by some Swiss company that kick ass. I had them on my Jetta too. Never had any problems. I tried to break my car loose today a couple times but no dice.

[Kristian]

I have some winter tires on now, made by some Swiss company that kick ass. I had them on my Jetta too. Never had any problems. I tried to break my car loose today a couple times but no dice.

Nokia Haakapalitas? Those things are incredible!

[InlineSIX24]

Welp... A quick 9News search and I found the none-too-surprising outcome I thought that I might...

Lon was tied in w/ our race team from work. Heard that he had passed this morning. He also had a big lifted F650 that he drove around a bunch and would probably still be here had he been in that thing.

[Mother Goose]

Nokia Haakapalitas? Those things are incredible!
No, it starts with a V, I can't pronounce it, so I couldn't begin to try and spell it out. :lol: AND it's too freakin cold to go outside just to find out the name. :lol:

[Kristian]

vredesteins(sp?)

[Mother Goose]

vredesteins(sp?)
:applause: You get a cookie! Maybe they're German? :lol:

[~Barn~]

Lon was tied in w/ our race team from work. Heard that he had passed this morning. He also had a big lifted F650 that he drove around a bunch and would probably still be here had he been in that thing.

I was sad to hear about Lon, when I read the article. Sorry to hear about this, man. =\

[Mother Goose]

I say we all go up to Georgetown and do a day of Ice Racing in our cars and trucks. Man, that stuff is a kick in the pants.
:imwithstupid:

[motorcycleman]

In the 10 miles I go from home to work, on the straight shot up 287 from Lvld to FTC, 4 idiots had managed to plow into one another in one spot, with 2 being full-size 4X4's, one SUV, and 1 car. One of the trucks (looked like a new Tundra) bashed-up and flipped upside down in some guys front yard. Pathetic....

Tundra's do not crumple up like paper mache'.

that was a Dodge Ram

ever seen the crash test videos?

Ford and Dodge crumple up.

Tundra Cab stays intact.

Sorry for those that drive these death traps....

Too Bad we do not get the toyota turbodiesel engines here...

www.toyota.co.uk
www.toyota.com.au

http://www.toyota.com.au/landcruiser-70-series the shanizzle of 4x4s

[Mother Goose]

Tundra's do not crumple up like paper mache'.

that was a Dodge Ram

ever seen the crash test videos?

Ford and Dodge crumple up.

Tundra Cab stays intact.

Sorry for those that drive these death traps....

Too Bad we do not get the toyota turbodiesel engines here...

www.toyota.co.uk (http://www.toyota.co.uk)
www.toyota.com.au (http://www.toyota.com.au)

http://www.toyota.com.au/landcruiser-70-series the shanizzle of 4x4s
Was that a haiku?? :think:

[Sully]

I haven't decided what type of performance summer tire to get yet.. but I'll check those Yokohama's out Wicky..

[~Barn~]

Was that a haiku?? :think:

Free Toyota gloss
Like viral advertising
Domestics crumple

[Mother Goose]

Free Toyota gloss
Like viral advertising
Domestics crumple
Touche

[motorcycleman]

Was that a haiku?? :think:

It was Free Form Haiku....

[Mother Goose]

It was Free Form Haiku....
ohhhhh :drink: :lol:

[Sonic Boom]

Tundra's do not crumple up like paper mache'.

that was a Dodge Ram

ever seen the crash test videos?

Ford and Dodge crumple up.

Tundra Cab stays intact.

Sorry for those that drive these death traps....

Too Bad we do not get the toyota turbodiesel engines here...

www.toyota.co.uk (http://www.toyota.co.uk)
www.toyota.com.au (http://www.toyota.com.au)

http://www.toyota.com.au/landcruiser-70-series the shanizzle of 4x4s

Notice those we're older rams too... not the new ones. and the current F-150 is the safest 1/2 truck right now IIRC.

[Kristian]

Tundra's do not crumple up like paper mache'.

that was a Dodge Ram

ever seen the crash test videos?

Ford and Dodge crumple up.

Tundra Cab stays intact.


http://www.toyota.com.au/landcruiser-70-series the shanizzle of 4x4s

Just checked safercar.gov and you are right, the Toyota does get a 4 star rating, pretty good.8)

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

Tundra's do not crumple up like paper mache'.

that was a Dodge Ram

ever seen the crash test videos?

Ford and Dodge crumple up.

Tundra Cab stays intact.

Sorry for those that drive these death traps....

Too Bad we do not get the toyota turbodiesel engines here...

www.toyota.co.uk (http://www.toyota.co.uk)
www.toyota.com.au (http://www.toyota.com.au)

http://www.toyota.com.au/landcruiser-70-series the shanizzle of 4x4s
I was looking seriously at a Crew Max myself. Awesome truk.

Did you go by that accident this morning? Around 8AM? If I remember, it was silver, and upside-down in the front yard, on the East side of the road, right before the lake South of the 'Haus. I didn't want to rubberneck, but just glanced at it. thought it was a Tundra. The bed was all smashed-in for sure. nothing like the pic Barn posted.

As for the turbodeisel, 650nM is 479.4lb-ft of torque. The gas v-8 makes 421lb-ft, and another 40hp, and revs higher/faster. They'll need more diesel power than that to play in the HD market. But, that's good power for the size of the engine, so if they'd make it 6L or larger, they should be right in the ballpark or better. Go to http://www.pickuptruck.com/ and go to the "war room/bring it on!" thread and see the rednecks hating the Toyota.

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

Snapped this (http://www.itsbarn.com/images/data/media/4/11-21-07_0748.jpg), this morning. Dude/Chick managed to lose it going S-bound on HW85, into and through the median, clean over a pretty thick looking traffic sign, and onto incoming N-bound 85. They had to have been moving pretty quick when it all went down.

You can't see it from this pic, but the cab of the other truck looked about the same. They were just crushed.
:(

Drive patiently folks. This is just the start the iffy-roads season.
Jesus!!!:shocked: Do you know how hard you have to hit a full-size to bend the frame like that? That idiot in the white truck must have been HAULING! Totally sucks someone else had to die for that fucktard's careless mistake. Hope they get major prison time for that.:scream1:

RIP, victims.

[rforsythe]

Yup. Safety ratings don't mean much when several thousand pounds come at you doing 70mph.

[InlineSIX24]

I was sad to hear about Lon, when I read the article. Sorry to hear about this, man. =\

Right before the holiday too. His wife is in critical condition and his son came out w/ only bruises it sounds like.

[Kristian]

...

And crashing sucks no matter what you are driving!

[motorcycleman]

I was looking seriously at a Crew Max myself. Awesome truk.

Did you go by that accident this morning? Around 8AM? If I remember, it was silver, and upside-down in the front yard, on the East side of the road, right before the lake South of the 'Haus. I didn't want to rubberneck, but just glanced at it. thought it was a Tundra. The bed was all smashed-in for sure. nothing like the pic Barn posted.

As for the turbodeisel, 650nM is 479.4lb-ft of torque. The gas v-8 makes 421lb-ft, and another 40hp, and revs higher/faster. They'll need more diesel power than that to play in the HD market. But, that's good power for the size of the engine, so if they'd make it 6L or larger, they should be right in the ballpark or better. Go to http://www.pickuptruck.com/ and go to the "war room/bring it on!" thread and see the rednecks hating the Toyota.

I think Toyota has answered you....

http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/autoshows/sema2007/toyota/tundradually1.html

to all those guys who sold out on their Tundras and bought a diesel ford or other domestic....

if I had to buy a domestic truck, it would be a chevy.... 1953 Chevy Truck!

[Kristian]

The wheels look like 19.5", that means it probably has a gcwr that matches that hitch!

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

I think Toyota has answered you....

http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/autoshows/sema2007/toyota/tundradually1.html

to all those guys who sold out on their Tundras and bought a diesel ford or other domestic....

if I had to buy a domestic truck, it would be a chevy.... 1953 Chevy Truck!
Yeah, I saw that. Interesting, for sure. I'd like to see the concept go to production, but for 8L, they'd better up the power a bit. Say, 350-400hp, and 650-700lb-ft. Then, that'd be a diesel I'd even consider.:)

[Matty]

True dat!!! Damn Texans and Californians
except I traded my blazer and have a malibu now!!! :cry:
i take offense to that comment. Not all California people don't know how to drive in the snow. there are a lot of us that actually do know how to drive.

[Kristian]

Yup. Safety ratings don't mean much ...

Tell that to this person and family
:)

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

Tell that to this person and family
:)
Hey, that's my buddy Hobbz!:)

[Kristian]

Really all I can say is, this winter is only 1 day old and I'm already jonesing for another track day or bike road trip.

[Canuck]

Jesus!!!:shocked: Do you know how hard you have to hit a full-size to bend the frame like that? That idiot in the white truck must have been HAULING!

Not necessarily. Have you seen the IIHS (Insurance institute for highway safety) conduct the full size pick up crash tests a few years ago? The early model GM's did poor on the offset tests. The Fords and Dodge trucks were even worse.
Now the newer (current) models are improved but by the looks of that picture that Brandon posted, the white truck is one of the earlier GM trucks with the bad ratings.

[rforsythe]

I think Toyota has answered you....

http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/autoshows/sema2007/toyota/tundradually1.html

to all those guys who sold out on their Tundras and bought a diesel ford or other domestic....

if I had to buy a domestic truck, it would be a chevy.... 1953 Chevy Truck!

Well, I sold my Tundra because I needed a 1-ton, but that nonwithstanding, that "concept truck" is the most hideously ugly thing I have ever witnessed - and that's saying something, since I actually met BiBrit.

I hope Toyota comes out with something competitive in the "big truck" market here in the US, and when they do I'll consider it since I've generally always been a Toyota owner. However if it looks anything like that "thing" I will stick with my F-350. ;)

[motorcycleman]

Well, I sold my Tundra because I needed a 1-ton, but that nonwithstanding, that "concept truck" is the most hideously ugly thing I have ever witnessed - and that's saying something, since I actually met BiBrit.

I hope Toyota comes out with something competitive in the "big truck" market here in the US, and when they do I'll consider it since I've generally always been a Toyota owner. However if it looks anything like that "thing" I will stick with my F-350. ;)

I don't like that funky bull/push bar deal that they pasted on the front bumper...

ARB needs to help them a bit...

maybe some www.man-a-fre.com bolt on products

and that harley davidson denim paint scheme sucks *ss....

and they are going to have to do a better job styling the rear bed to accommodate those duelies.....

and what is up with that ferrari look leather interior?? It looked good in a ferrari.... this is not a ferrari..

someone tried TOO hard on that concept vehicle....

www.summitracing.com has better aftermarket gages

shiatt.... I am in the wrong business..... time to blast a CV to Toyota Caltry Design or who ever they let loose on this concept....

[TFOGGuys]

What, you have a problem with me going commando? Hanging out with my wang out?

Pressing the mental Delete button repeatedly to no avail.....:banghead:

[InlineSIX24]

You have to do a complete shutdown to clear that one out.

[07GixRsix]

You know what's funny to me is that people that have lived here for all their lives and they still don't have a slight clue on how to drive safely in dangerous weather. There's people that panic out so much that they go 10+ mph below during simple rainy days..... it's insane but well I guess some people are more confident than others.