Recent comments in /f/LifeProTips

Sometimes_Stutters t1_j1qz6ze wrote

Reply to comment by DatJEEPDoeYo in LPT: If driving in a snowstorm and your GPS suggests taking a faster route, don’t do it if it takes you off the Highway. Backroads are usually last to be cleared of snow and you could get stuck! by Bradiator34

I don’t disagree. Definitely a skill worth learning. It certainly takes a level of feel to be proficient at it.

However, if you haven’t practiced this you’re better off not attempting it.

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Boredzilla t1_j1qys9j wrote

Reply to LPT: If driving in a snowstorm and your GPS suggests taking a faster route, don’t do it if it takes you off the Highway. Backroads are usually last to be cleared of snow and you could get stuck! by Bradiator34

Googlemaps did this to me in Oregon in 2017 and instead of a relatively easy drive down a mostly clear highway, it took me over a peak and around twisting farm roads, some of which were untouched since it snowed and then rained and thrn snowed again. This was in my '01 Accord with cheap tires and no chains. Easily the most terrifying driving experience of my life.

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eggsuckingdog t1_j1qxr40 wrote

Reply to LPT: If driving in a snowstorm and your GPS suggests taking a faster route, don’t do it if it takes you off the Highway. Backroads are usually last to be cleared of snow and you could get stuck! by Bradiator34

Lpt. Suggested reading for the new year: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
There are many things you should do before you drive anywhere. Check your oil. Check your tire pressure. Know the most common tools specific to your vehicle to address known issues. Extra socks and gloves. A wool blanket. Water. Snacks. Have you checked the condition of your spare tire? Can you easily access your car jack? Have you changed a tire on a slope? Do you have an ice scraper?
It's totally fine to admit that you have no experience driving in snow. It can be dangerous and too many people drive as they always would. I'd much rather be on an unplowed rural road with nobody on it than an interstate with drivers unable to adapt to bad weather. Gps is handy for getting around. Shouldn't have any bearing on choices you make during a snowstorm.

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bob4apples t1_j1qw6e1 wrote

Reply to comment by TMKF2 in LPT: If driving in a snowstorm and your GPS suggests taking a faster route, don’t do it if it takes you off the Highway. Backroads are usually last to be cleared of snow and you could get stuck! by Bradiator34

The point here was that in heavy snow it is generally better to stick to roads that are being cleared, salted, or sanded. Since navigation only knows traffic and not road conditions, it may try to direct you onto (rural) roads that are impassible by your vehicle.

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KGB-dave t1_j1qvqa7 wrote

Reply to comment by bugalaman in LPT: If driving in a snowstorm and your GPS suggests taking a faster route, don’t do it if it takes you off the Highway. Backroads are usually last to be cleared of snow and you could get stuck! by Bradiator34

Interesting, just read it. However, the article states they used an old fashioned paper road map and not a GPS/navigation :)

[quote]Because of Mr. Kim's background as a technology analyst, observers speculated that the family had used online mapping to find their route.[18] However, Mrs. Kim told state police that they had used a paper road map,[19] an account supported by the Oregon State Police, which reported that the Kims had used an official State of Oregon highway map.[20] Mrs. Kim later recounted that, after they had been stuck for four days and were studying the map for help, both she and Mr. Kim noticed that a box in the corner of the map bore the message: "Not all Roads Advisable, Check Weather Conditions".[21][/quote]

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DatJEEPDoeYo t1_j1qv3h9 wrote

Reply to comment by Sometimes_Stutters in LPT: If driving in a snowstorm and your GPS suggests taking a faster route, don’t do it if it takes you off the Highway. Backroads are usually last to be cleared of snow and you could get stuck! by Bradiator34

Great advice, but on the last one, definitely learning to steer into a slide will help you more than doing nothing. If you want the experience, go to an empty snowy parking lot (devoid of light poles too) and try to force a skid. Learn the feel, and get used to getting the steering wheel turned the appropriate amount.

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