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I'll defend the ridiculous channel 4 hype machine. Just as the evening ice caught many by surprise, it could have easily morphed into a major ice event with widespread power outages if the cold weather remained when the larger rain system moved in. The warm front movement had already stalled much longer than expected, with the weather experts stumped on exactly when it would arrive.
I'll just say it even though I may get backlash...
Southerners do not know how to drive in snowy conditions and that's why most of the wrecks occurred. Compared to northern drivers who experience BAD snowstorms, us Yankees know to drive slow and if you hit ice, do not brake. Unless those involved in the hundreds of wrecks are just stupid and don't know how to operate a vehicle, but I bet my life many people were speeding.
Also, I can't stand seeing people comment about "people should have stayed home." As many have said, this system came out of nowhere and many drivers were forced to drive home in it. I had to drive from Pelham to Wade Hampton in Greer and passed two accidents. And people were FLYING on the roads. This was around 6:30pm and personally, I didn't think the roads were too bad as I drove slow.
Back when I drove a wrecker, I saw just as many "Northerners" in the ditches as "Southerners". (No offence, but you can usually tell where someone is from by the accent.) Youre right, Southerners cant drive in ice and snow, myself included, so I keep my butt at home if Im there, and leave early from work if it looks like its getting bad. I avoid the highway if possible. Ive found the back roads, while they are not as in good of shape as the highway, there are less idiots running wide open, and I get home safely. What I noticed back then was the Northerners tended to get cocky about driving in the snow and ice and slip and slide end up in the ditch just as fast.
Back when I drove a wrecker, I saw just as many "Northerners" in the ditches as "Southerners". (No offence, but you can usually tell where someone is from by the accent.) Youre right, Southerners cant drive in ice and snow, myself included, so I keep my butt at home if Im there, and leave early from work if it looks like its getting bad. I avoid the highway if possible. Ive found the back roads, while they are not as in good of shape as the highway, there are less idiots running wide open, and I get home safely. What I noticed back then was the Northerners tended to get cocky about driving in the snow and ice and slip and slide end up in the ditch just as fast.
You typically don't hear that 300 accidents happened in one night up north. That says something about the way people drive here. I'm not trying to sound arrogant either, it's just how I view the situation.
I'm not stereotyping. Based off of events I have witnessed, I can say that drivers here do not know how to drive in snowy conditions. I NEVER saw what happened last night up north. Also, the roads that had accidents on them, people were driving fine since they had to slow down to go by the police cars. That right there shows if you just slow down, you won't get hurt.
I'll defend the ridiculous channel 4 hype machine. Just as the evening ice caught many by surprise, it could have easily morphed into a major ice event with widespread power outages if the cold weather remained when the larger rain system moved in. The warm front movement had already stalled much longer than expected, with the weather experts stumped on exactly when it would arrive.
Anyone that was caught by surprise either didn't read the weather forecasts or they finally decided that the local weather (that predicted ice starting at 3 AM) had goofed up yet another forecast. Breaking in during commercial breaks like Channel 13 would have made sense. Cancelling all programming for 1/4" of ice was completely unwarranted.
The good news is that looking at long range forecasts, the past few days may be the last we see of winter. Looks like it will slowly start to warm up over the next four weeks, hitting an average daily temperature of around 70 by mid-March.
I'm not stereotyping. Based off of events I have witnessed, I can say that drivers here do not know how to drive in snowy conditions. I NEVER saw what happened last night up north. Also, the roads that had accidents on them, people were driving fine since they had to slow down to go by the police cars. That right there shows if you just slow down, you won't get hurt.
I unfortunately lived in New Jersey for 4 years. The reason there are so many accidents here has little to do with people from up north being better drivers. It has a lot to do with the fact that up north, they have an extensive fleet of trucks with plows and salt. In northern states, all the main roads would have been salted, and the ice would have quickly melted away. In this part of the country, the low rate of occurrence of winter events makes maintaining an extensive fleet of trucks for salting and plowing roads economically unfeasible. Most of the interstate overpasses were pre-treated with salt and that was about it.
I unfortunately lived in New Jersey for 4 years. The reason there are so many accidents here has little to do with people from up north being better drivers. It has a lot to do with the fact that up north, they have an extensive fleet of trucks with plows and salt. In northern states, all the main roads would have been salted, and the ice would have quickly melted away. In this part of the country, the low rate of occurrence of winter events makes maintaining an extensive fleet of trucks for salting and plowing roads economically unfeasible. Most of the interstate overpasses were pre-treated with salt and that was about it.
That is true, however, many should agree that people in general drive horrible here. I don't know why. You see on the news everyday there's an accident on the major highways. And I'm sure many of them could have been prevented if people weren't speeding. I drove 10mph under the speed limit last night and had a ton of people pass me. That boggles my mind right there. It should be common sense to drive slow in the conditions we had.
I NEVER saw what happened last night up north. Also, the roads that had accidents on them, people were driving fine since they had to slow down to go by the police cars.
How do you explain at least TWO patrol cars were rear ended last night while processing accident scenes? (both on 276, one south of I85, the other past SC417)
Sure many people in SC haven't had ice driving practice, but it's very rare up north to face slick ice on unsalted roads.
How do you explain at least TWO patrol cars were rear ended last night while processing accident scenes? (both on 276, one south of I85, the other past SC417)
Sure many people in SC haven't had ice driving practice, but it's very rare up north to face slick ice on unsalted roads.
I didn't hear of either of those. I did hear about the one on Pleasantburg @ Villa Rd where someone was killed and the officer injured.. And one on 385 around exit 22.
The interstate.. Who knows if that was a local or not. But.. The reason that this one had so many accidents was that there was no VISUAL indication of the ice. You couldn't see it. You hit a slick spot and could go around if you got freaked out.. Speed be damned.
But.. Alot of it is that if you start slipping.. Well, in snow and ice.. Everything comes down to slow and steady. I said it before.. Imagine an egg under the gas, and one under the brake pedal.. And, preferably, one in each hand.
You jump on the gas, jump on the brakes, make a turn that loads up one side or the other.. You're going around. Well.. Too many people feel the slip and then jam on the brakes, which just compounds problems.
People driving 15mph in the left lane on the interstate is bad as well.. Because the people who come up on them, who are driving a nice, safe 35mph or so.. Then have to get on the brakes..
You do things as little as you possibly can. Ease on and ease off..
There's also a big belief here "oh, I have 4WD".. That's fine in the snow. 4 wheels driving when all 4 wheels are sliding doesn't do a lick of good. But, there's a LOT of arrogance with people who have 4WD.
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