Advice for Bad Weather

Post Reply New Topic

With this unexpected cold spell, it occurred to me that there is several things we could do to help ourselves. Firstly, if you have sports shoes with spikes/ studs on then these can be put to use, crossing slippery ice (golf or running shoes/ football or rugby boots etc). Next, polaroids can be used to cut down glare from low sun, reflecting off ice and snow, blinding us as drivers and pedestrians.

With regards to the conditions themselves - when the compacted snow/ frozen ice starts to defrost, it is easier to clear as the connection to the ground is lessened, meaning you can shove a shovel between the ground and it, to easy lever it away from the surface and move it out the way (Frozen to the ground, you can only hope to shift it in bits and only leave chunks still adhering to the pavement etc.

Snow, like mud or sand is tiring to walk on as it absorbs the full impact of the foot going down and also you have to pull it out of the ground etc. after. Compacted snow is glassy in appearance and easier to walk on along as it crunches underfoot because that means you've got something for your foot to grip. When it has rained or you've got melt water on the surface (or a puddle underneath, when it comes to snow), then it becomes lethal as water acts as a lubricant: Algae on rock has the same effect, whether in fresh water or the sea - a rough surface is safer and easier to walk on than a smooth one, especially if dry.

With regards to vehicles, we can use a hairdryer, plugged into an extension cable, run from the house or garage, to clear windows. This method can also be used to defrost frozen locks (concentrate on the door frame as it is usually the door welded to the frame by frost that is the problem, not the lock itself, except possibly where it goes into the frame itself): A kettle of warm water can be used instead but it is not recommended for glass, especially the windscreen. While not considered legally kosher, people do turn on their car engines and leave their vehicles unattended. While I'm not advocating this to clear windscreens and free doors as you can see, insurance wise, if you do this you'd be advised to use a spare key to lock the vehicle, ensuring the likelihood of it getting stolen is severely reduced.

If any of this doesn't apply to you because you're not in the UK or possibly Europe, then just ignore this.

[I hope you don't mind, I edited your title for the meaning by sinsboldly]

A few cold weather points to add from an Upstate New Yorker:

Sunglasses are definitely a good idea in snowy conditions (the glare coming off the snow can do a surprising amount of damage to your eyes). I'd be careful about using spiked athletic shoes for navigating ice, however, largely due to the fact that most shoes of that type aren't waterproofed or insulated for the cold and you could wind up with very cold, wet feet if you have to walk any more than a block.



One of the best bets to keep your walk and driveway clear is to deal with snow as it falls, and while everything is still cold. If you can catch things before the snow gets heavy and slushy or before the bottom layer gets a chance to melt and adhere to the ground, you'll have less scraping to do later.



I'd add to this that you should walk (and drive) carefully in winter conditions. It can be tricky to discern what areas are slippery in the winter just by looking, so you should move around with the expectation that the next place you put your foot could have somewhat less than ideal traction. The same thing goes for driving; assume that you'll have less traction so drive slower, accelerate and brake gently, and start braking early as you approach intersections or other places where you may have to stop.



Around here, clearing snow and ice off the car is accomplished by ice scrapers and snow brushes. You can probably accomplish the same thing with a putty knife (or other flat metal implement you can scrape with - use this device only on your windows so you don't make a mess of your car's finish) and a small broom. Make sure to completely clear all your windows of snow and ice (an ex of mine got in an accident when another driver failed to clean off one of his windows and turned right into her car because he couldn't see it). You should also sweep off the hood (bonnet) of your car so that snow doesn't blow off of it and block your view, as well as the roof. Lastly, make sure your lights and mirrors are unobstructed. Keep in mind that you can have your car warming up while you clean it off, which means you don't have to leave the vehicle on and unattended.

A note on warming up a car: in really cold weather, this is not something you'd do just to warm up the inside of the car for your comfort. Car engines don't like being cold (diesel engines in particular); if they get cold enough, they just won't start (in areas that get consistent deep cold, cars often come equipped with an engine block heater that can be plugged in to keep the engine warm enough to start properly). Letting your car come up to a suitable operating temperature before putting driving loads on it can help prevent damage and malfunction.

i fell twice today in the ice

bad weather!

Thanks for the tips, this is gonna save my life one of these days. We already have about 8 inches of snow on the ground in SE Wyoming, with another 4 forecasted tomorrow and Thursday.

What I need to do is get a studded tire for my bike. Better yet, get a studded tire for the back wheel, then take the front wheel off completely and switch in some skis, like a snowmobile. Perhaps in a few years if any of my mates are doing their senior design project I can run this idea by them.

They have these things now that are supposed to attach to the bottom of your shoes or boots, essentially it's an net-like array of bungie cords underneath the treads on your shoe. It's supposed to help with traction. If you walk carefully it only takes a little bit of friction on the ice to move.

I have problems with ice constantly because of our house. There's an high-traffic area that links our back door, garage, and the door to the breezeway between the garage and the house. Unfortunately, the gutters have filled with snow, and all of the sun exposed snow on the roof melts, flows OVER the gutters and off the roof into this area, where it freezes back over creating a ginormous patch of flat, slippery ice RIGHT in front of the steps to the back door. I'm constantly having to throw rock salt on it to add some traction, so that my dad and I don't kill oursleves carrying a 40-pound bag of wood stove pellets up these steps.

I remember this from That 70's Show 1st season 13th episode

OUTSIDE:

ERIC: “Okay, think Eric, think! Why kitty litter?”
RED’S face comes up in the sky.
RED: “Use the gum Eric.”
ERIC: “Dad, what are you doing here?”
RED: “I’m not here, you’re imagining me. Now’s who’s insane mister smart mouth?”
ERIC: “I guess I am.”
RED: “Use the gum to stick the candle in the can. The candle heats the can which melts the snow behind the tire. Then pour on the kitty litter for traction. Now you think you can handle that?”
ERIC: “Yes sir.”
RED: “Good, because you don’t want me back out here. I may be a figment of your imagination, but I’m still freezing my ass off.”



Using an empty tuna can with votive candles or candle stubs will melt right down to the asephalt or what ever is at the base of all that snow faster than shoveling it out will. Usually you only need that first push of traction. . . . Carry at least 5 to 10 pounds of kitty litter cause it is good for giving the car weight, too.

Merle

Red FTW!! !

Anyways, for those with pickup trucks, my dad says that if you put weight in the back of the truck, it helps equalize the center of gravity from the cab. We have a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck with a back topper, and dad always keeps about 5 or so huge bags of wood pellets back there (we have like fifty bags of wood pellets, because our house's heating system consists of two stoves that use wood pellets for fuel.) It helps keep the center of gravity, well, centered; that way we aren't sliding around as much.