Hope your Christmas was better than mine

[archerm3]

I'd trade you. A lifelong friend of mine lost his 25 year old son in a snowmobile accident Dec 12 and his father last night.

Ouch, so sorry to hear that.

 

[MarkV]

Wow that looks like it was scary! Glad you are OK. I also had to wonder who would fly the chopper if you had needed it.

MarkV

 

[dodge man]

I hope you are a better pilot than driver. Just kidding, it can happen to anyone. I've had my moments driving in the snow and ice, and its usually because I was going to fast. The problem is you don't know that you were going to fast until its over. If I have any doubts, I leave it in 4 wheel drive. Glad your O.K. The truck is probably old enough that its totaled out, but it might be OK. just to keep driving it.

 

[etcallhome]

Hate to hear about the accident ,but glad to hear you are alright.

Have fun and be safe !!

 

[lakeside]

I'm a Canuck and I can really feel for you. Black ice is probably the most dangerous thing you can run into (pardon the pun). I hit a patch years ago on Highway 20 in Quebec, halfway from Montreal and Qhebec City and there wasn't a darned thing I could do. I was only travelling at maybe 40 MPH when the car decided to do it's own thing. I slowly slid into the snowbank and flipped over twice. Stuff was flying around the car but I didn't get whacked by anything . I wiped out just near an overpass and mayber 200 meters from a garage. After I got towed, cleaned out the engine compartment and banged most of the dents out of the roof I was on the road again. Lucky for me the snow was soft and I really didn't hit anything hard.

But, as I drove back onto the highway, I saw a car that had hit the 4 ft concrete overpass support post right dead centre. But for the Grace of God went I.

 

[kthompson]

RickB
Those are hard life experiences to take, any time let alone at Christmas time.

Sure seem to be very noticeable when around Christmas. My Dad passed when I was 16 just a few days after Christmas. Will soon be 40 years ago and I still can tell you what I gave him and him me that Christmas. Let your family know you love them. For fact one time will be the last.

 

[etcallhome]

Yes still hard around this time of year..Lost Dad 29 yrs ago Jan 7, My Grandmother (MOMs mother) died same day 1968. It was always hard for Mom ,losing her mother and Husband on same day. Moms' birthday was Jan 1 mine the 16th .
Lost Mom 5 yrs ago in Oct. ... My father in law lost his dad on my birthday (1967) . .. At least we had a good news for Dec 29th----8yrs ago First Grandchild a Girl..

Happy New Year

Please don't drink and drive !!!

Have fun and be safe !!

 

[3930dave]

I was driving to spend time with family near Toronto Xmas eve, on the local all news AM station they flashed up an accident - 4 construction workers had been killed in a scaffold failure.

We all need to value each day for what it is.

Just bought some new snow tires for the old pickup myself - money well spent, as all seasons or SUV tires can turn to hockey pucks (hard) in the cold. The road crews do a pretty good job near where I live (1 hour north of Toronto), but they do slack off sometimes when the budget gets tight.

As most would agree on TBN, if you want it done right, you have to do it yourself. A few years back, I used to do a 1 hour commute at 4am, in Canuck heavy weather. I got pretty fed up with the ice conditions that early in the morn, if I'd kept doing that commute, I would have probably gone to the trouble of studding my snow tires. Not legal where I live, but given the chances of getting caught (low) vs. the cost of smacking into something/someone, I'd have gone with studs if I'd kept that job.

Slow down, carry an emerg kit in the car, and if you are not used to temperature swings - make sure to check your tire pressure - it can change quite a bit. Costco here fills with Nitrogen - helps reduce the delta, and if it's good enuff for airplanes......

Drive safe,

D.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

So you may or may not know that I'm an EMS helicopter pilot. So on Xmas eve, the weather was clearing during my work shift so I had to make it the 20 some miles into work at 5am even though the roads were closed due to ice and drifting snow. This was the result... Pics of me recovering my truck with my Bobcat..

What happened was on US 30 doing about 40 mph through various clear pavement and scattered packed snow/ice, took it out of 4x4 b/c there was enough clear sections. Hit a patch of black ice, plus a 30 knot crosswind at the same time, just pushed the back end right around with no chance of countersteering, I was along for the ride. No injury at all. Stood up on the passenger door wondering how to get out when I realized the engine was still running. Killed the engine, then a nice lady in a minivan on her way to work at Cabelas stopped and gave me a ride to work, kicked out the sunroof to get out....All my xmas presents to my family were in the back of the truck, scattered like a lawn sale... Roads throughout the state continued to be closed through yesterday so never had a chance to make it home for the holidays..besides, that would be a cold *** ride some 150 miles in 5 degree temps on a tractor doing 15mph..

Some pics of the drifts in my yard I had to clear to get out of the driveway...I know some of you canucks and n'easterners this is nothing, but it sucks when you're not used to it...But it was the ice that was the problem, road crews refused to put out any sand or salt.

So I have to ask, when you were starting to spin, did you attempt to counter manuever with your feet as if your brake/gas pedals were for the tail rotor?

I've hit the wrong stuff when I switch from our big tractor to my 4310.

Glad to hear your OK.

 

[archerm3]

So I have to ask, when you were starting to spin, did you attempt to counter manuever with your feet as if your brake/gas pedals were for the tail rotor?

I've hit the wrong stuff when I switch from our big tractor to my 4310.

Glad to hear your OK.

rofl.

Autorotation didn't work out so well on that rapid right yaw rate...lol