Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Humidity of south Louisiana makes a huge difference. Born and raised in south Louisiana and have traveled to several parts of the country and Europe. Humidity makes a big difference.
But shouldn't that be shown in the heat index. Its very humid here in the summer, as we have dew points shooting up to 81 F in mid July on occasions. Thankfully, our humidity lasts 2.5 months at worst. A cold front usually breaks the steaminess barrier during the last week of August.
I never so much as rode in a car with A/C until 1978, and that included a good portion of years in SW Oklahoma and a drives from Oklahoma to California, from Oklahoma to Florida, and St Louis to California, every one happening to be in July.
So it's definitely do-able.
OTOH, I've had to drive in the winter during short stints when heat has been unavailable. If the temperature is much below dewpoint, you're with fogging. Below freezing, and you're dealing with ice. At some point, you're limited by the need to control the vehicle to how much you can bundle your toes and fingers.
Driving without A/C for extended periods is merely uncomfortable--"2/50 air conditioning" won't actually kill you. Driving in freezing temperatures without heat will eventually kill you.
Anyone that thinks that you can drive in the winter without heat as never had too. Without heat you won't drive at all in the winter, so you should just park it till spring. Without heat there is no defogging, no way to keep freezing rain from forming on the windshield when you drive. Your personal comfort is an after thought in the winter. Within a few mins of getting in a car with no heat the windows will fog on the inside just from your breath.
I didn't have AC in a car till about the mid 80's. Any new car I ordered before this was ordered without AC. Now you can't get a car without it, but you will pay for it.
Anyone that thinks that you can drive in the winter without heat as never had too. Without heat you won't drive at all in the winter, so you should just park it till spring. Without heat there is no defogging, no way to keep freezing rain from forming on the windshield when you drive. Your personal comfort is an after thought in the winter. Within a few mins of getting in a car with no heat the windows will fog on the inside just from your breath.
I didn't have AC in a car till about the mid 80's. Any new car I ordered before this was ordered without AC. Now you can't get a car without it, but you will pay for it.
All true.
Even when I've had cars with AC, I rarely used it. Maybe if I'm sitting at a rail crossing, because it gets incredibly humid around the Great Lakes. Once the train passes, the AC goes off and the windows go down.
I've ridden in Eastern WA with temperatures down to the low 30s without heated gear and coastal Texas in the dog days of summer with tempatures in the high 90s, up over 110 heat index due to humidity. Eastern WA was not pleasant to put it mildly. Texas wasn't enjoyable, but hotter and more humid than CT ever gets.
+1. Having a home in both Alaska and Texas, I've had the misfortune of experiencing both scenarios But I'm going with no A/C being far more miserable. You can warm yourself up with coats and such. You can't cool yourself down, especially not when it's humid.
Also, I 40 through eastern TN likely does not see much snow. Average high is 47 F, which is 15 F above freezing. Jeez, it was 43 F and overcast up here today and I didn't turn on the heat in my car. If you feel cold afterwards, walk into a hotel after finishing a chilly drive and pick up some heartwarming Tennessee beer on your way .
Last edited by Adi from the Brunswicks; 03-23-2014 at 05:23 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.