Vent: 1st Time Winter Drivers (Denver: buy, moving, farmers)

[Avangeliz]

I was born in Denver and I generally have never liked driving when winter hits but I'm even more anxious now as there a lot of people moving here who have never had to drive in the snow before.

They buy a Subaru Outback or some type of awd and drive like the the roads are not covered in snow.

Do you have any pet peeves about driving in the winter?

[maciesmom]

Originally Posted by Avangeliz

I was born in Denver and I generally have never liked driving when winter hits but I'm even more anxious now as there a lot of people moving here who have never had to drive in the snow before.

They buy a Subaru Outback or some type of awd and drive like the the roads are not covered in snow.

Do you have any pet peeves about driving in the winter?

Hmmmm. In my experience newcomers from warmer climates don't buy Subarus, they buy the biggest, flashiest SUV they can afford. Then yes, figure they can drive like on dry pavement.

[caverunner17]

On the front range, AWD is pretty unnecessary. People think AWD means they can do whatever they want in their car, forgetting that AWD only helps starting and does nothing for slowing, turning, or stopping. Still gotta drive slow and careful.

Personally, I have a FWD SUV with a 6 speed manual. Engine breaking helps a ton in snow to slow down. People forget this.

[SQL]

Originally Posted by caverunner17

On the front range, AWD is pretty unnecessary. People think AWD means they can do whatever they want in their car, forgetting that AWD only helps starting and does nothing for slowing, turning, or stopping. Still gotta drive slow and careful.

Personally, I have a FWD SUV with a 6 speed manual. Engine breaking helps a ton in snow to slow down. People forget this.

To add to this, get a good pair of snow tires. On FWD vehicles, this will do a great deal for you in terms of mobility in the snow. And yes, just because you have AWD doesn't mean you can fly around in the snow as some people suspect.

[headingtoDenver]

I think the people who get into accidents aren't the noobs who just moved here, they are the people that have been here for years and drive around on un-maintained vehicles at a high rate of speed. You can usually tell the noobs because they will be in the right lane driving 20 miles an hour all white knuckled when it is nothing but a flurry. The 'locals' (not all of course) are the ones hauling ass around them and end up in a ditch.

[skins_fan82]

People stopping suddenly for a yellow light. Even though I'm a good winter weather driver and leave plenty of space in front of me...when the person in front of me slam the brakes for a yellow light instead of just rolling through, it creates a potential accident.

A good set of tires is so important.

[guyatwork37]

I get what you're saying man, but what prompted this? It's been 70s for weeks with no snow in sight.

[Avangeliz]

Originally Posted by guyatwork37

I get what you're saying man, but what prompted this? It's been 70s for weeks with no snow in sight.

Haa lol, the fact thats its so nice outside right now is making me worried about all the snow we will get late into the winter. Last winter we got it seems like the worst of it in late winter almost spring.

[guyatwork37]

Originally Posted by Avangeliz

Haa lol, the fact thats its so nice outside right now is making me worried about all the snow we will get late into the winter. Last winter we got it seems like the worst of it in late winter almost spring.

Someone on my street was telling me that the late winter was predictable due to this being an El Nino year and that it happens every time that is the case. They also said that El Nino years mean heavy snowfall on early winter as opposed to late. So there is hope?

[rushhournewb]

I remember one winter years ago where the daily highs never were below 50 all winter. I finally put my summer tires back on in February and didn't regret it. Dry autumn into a dry winter into a dry summer. Maybe you all remember that? The farmers were saying they'd plow down 4 feet and it was just dust. I think the Haymon Fire was the following summer.