For all those wanting to move to Alaska.. (Anchorage, Nenana: home, crime)

[Alaskapat528]

For all of you folks who plan on moving up here, the following link to our daily newspaper will give you an idea of what happens when we get snow. It use to be just the first snowfall of winter there were accidents galore, now, it can only take an inch and they go crazy. We got slammed yesterday with snow and it's amazing the accidents. If you are going to move here and have not driven in snow or ice, you might want to consider defensive driving courses.


adn.com | Anchorage : Sucker punched: Late snow puts spring on hold

[Marty Van Diest]

Good point. Also, keep your studded tires on a little longer, or else slow down. A big part of the problem yesterday was that people had already changed to summer tires but were driving like they still had studs.

[Barkingowl]

adn.com | Crime Blog : Snow snarls traffic on city streets

[cobolt]

Right. 4wd/awd does not equal "I can go as fast as I want." Defensive driving is applicable to all vehicles.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by cobolt

Right. 4wd/awd does not equal "I can go as fast as I want." Defensive driving is applicable to all vehicles.

Actually it does, until the driver hits ice & can't stop.

[cobolt]

Originally Posted by Barkingowl

Actually it does, until the driver hits ice & can't stop.

I beg to differ but I still like you.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by cobolt

I beg to differ but I still like you.

You're begging?

My wife & I got married in December 1998 in TN. On the drive home which would normally take 2 hours we hit a snow/ice storm that made us crawl. When an 18 wheeler is going 10 mph you know that you shouldn't be passing it at 70+ mph. Anyways, we got passed by a bunch of SUVs & pick up trucks. As we crawled along we inevitably came across them off the road, crashed into other vehicles, upside down... You get the picture. People in SUVs think that they're invincible against bad weather & they tend to drive like idiots. So while they did managed to attain normal highway speeds for a few miles, they were unable to brak & stop when they needed to. I was driving a Ford E-150 whose defroster couldn't keep up with the ice forming on the windshield. It was a very scary drive indeed.

[akck]

Originally Posted by cobolt

Right. 4wd/awd does not equal "I can go as fast as I want." Defensive driving is applicable to all vehicles.

I would say you can go faster than someone who has a 2wd, not as fast as you want. The main problem is that you can't stop any sooner than a 2wd car, so your only options are hit or ditch.

[Barkingowl]

It must be just as bad with the motorcycles.

[Glitch]

When the tripod falls into the Tanana River in the Nenana Ice Classic I'll take off my studded tires, but not before!