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By February our driveway turns into a tobaggan run and getting up it is a challenge. If you try to get a running start to get uphill, you might run into problems where it curves to the left.
LOL ! Your post reminded me of what I had nearly forgotten. There is practically no flat land in Vermont or New Hampshire -- and those hills are not like the rolling hills you see in other places such as Pennsylvania.
Those NH and VT hills are treacherously steep, and I've seen many a car spinning its wheels on those hills in the winter. And I've seen signs that say "Truck Escape" so that a truck with overheated breaks can swing on into a sand covered area that goes uphill.
There's one hill in southern VT that has a garage at the bottom of the hill, and I've seen trucks end up there with their brakes smoking.
This is a great thread. I will chime in as someone who lived in Atlanta and New Hampshire. Currently living in Memphis but soon to back in NH.
I love the winters but one thing to get used to is toward the end of winter - everything is dirty looking in the sense that old brownish black snow is everywhere. It snows so much and stays cold/doesn't melt - there is nowhere for the snow to go. To someone who isnt used to it - visually its really obviously unattractive at first. But you get used to it and dont see it after a while.
I found myself saying the other day, "I wish we would have a gray day -the glaring sun is getting to me!" You won't say that too often in New England.
Good luck on your decision! Lots of fun things to think about...
Thanks! Always a combination of pros and cons wherever one goes, and it's so interesting to get everyone's input and wisdom.
Yes, dirty snow! I needed to be reminded of that! I think it was the poet Robert Frost who likened it in a poetic way to a piece of throw-away newspaper.
By the time the snow started to look disgusting, I was more
than ready for spring. Speaking of spring, most Virginians, in my experience, would call that winter.
This past summer was one of the hottest and sunniest I had ever experienced in my 10 years in VA. It felt to me as if the sun was sitting right on the sidewalk -- no wonder there was an earthquake!
I also would pine for a gray day, and for one of those wonderful Boston all-day, 3-day rains, followed by more rain. --Yokie
Some New Englanders undercoat their cars with the old oil drained from their crankcase, and then they drive over a dirt or gravel road for a few miles. Sounds weird, but works for the rural folk. In any event, get your car undercoated. Also, you will need to pay attention to anti-freeze and get your car winterized before the end of October.
Another thing to remember is to keep your gas tank topped off, and that's for several reasons. If you get stuck behind long lines of cars in a blizzard out on the highway, you will need enough gas to keep the car heater working (just remember to crank the windows open a little bit so you don't get asphyxiated).
The next reason is that the car will start better when the gas tank is kept topped off, especially in super cold weather, especially if you have to use the jumper cables. Another reason has to do with power outages--where are you going to find a gas station open in a major power outage?
I was told that old oil is acidic and should not be used to undercoat. It will eat the metal quicker.
A full gas tank cuts down on the chance that water in the tank will keep the car from starting.
I gotta chime in here about the 4WD. I grew up here and when I was young I was good at dealing with the road conditions we live with in the winter. I left to see the world and when I came back, somehow I had lost my touch. But I got myself a GMC Sierra with a "magic button" and I loved that feature.
By February our driveway turns into a tobaggan run and getting up it is a challenge. If you try to get a running start to get uphill, you might run into problems where it curves to the left. No problem with that magic button. And rolling down the road in a blizzard well I would not want to be without it. I now have a Dakota with 4WD but it has a knob - not quite as nice as the Sierra. On-demand 4WD is the best.
But one more thing I would say about winter driving that is almost as important as 4WD is make sure you have good tires. Quality winter tires make all the difference in the world, even without 4WD.
I remember driving with only rear wheel drive. We managed that way back when, and it seems with fewer accidents. Go figure.
Driving on snow and ice are two different things. A 4wd will still slide and not have traction on ice. Snow you can feel when you have enough traction to move forward.
I agree with Gully: 4WD are a bit overrated - unless you do a whole lot of off-roading! they don't really help on slick surfaces, just uneven ones. Don't count on them for driving on ice. just learn to drive in winter! it's not all that difficult, just requires a bit of common sense added in (well, around here, that does make it difficult, but it never used to up there ) and having 4WD or all-wheel drive on your car makes repairs and some maintenance more expensive. get snow tires if you'e concerned.
Heck most of the roads around here are uneven. Those dirt roads turn into washboards full of gullies after a long rain. I'll stick with my 4WD, even in the summer!
Okay I am going to jump in here =) The person who started this is moving from ATL so..Greetings from Valdosta my friend! I am about to make the move from Valdosta GA to Seabrook NH and guess what? I am extremely pumped. I have been an avid visitor (weeks/months at a time) for the past almost four years. I have experienced New Hampshire/Boston in all areas in all seasons.
Now..let me just correct something someone said on like page 4 about there not being a Chic-fil-a. I am happy to tell you there IS one located in the Nashua Mall. So whew crisis averted there And about there not being any "sweet tea". Just go out and buy Lipton Cold Brew and home make it yourself. Just because they do not serve it in resturaunts does not mean you have to be without it.
Chick-fil-a proof ----> Moderator cut: link removed, please wait till you have at least 10 posts before posting links
-About the winters...Alright I don't know if you NE guys have ever been to GA but it is HUMID as hell. The thing with our weather is yes you guys get up into the 90s and such as well but there is a HUGE difference between 90s with little humidity and 90s with immenseeee amounts of humidity. It is literally like walking in a sauna. You never want to have your hair down if you are a girl because it will stick to the back of your neck. It makes you feel gross. So yea I LOVE the fact that New England has all seasons. North Georgia gets a bit color during the fall but I can tell you from experience there is NOTHING like New England during fall foliage. Google it. Tourist come up here just to marvel in it's beauty. As far as winters go I know that snow is a *****. But as long as you dress properly (with layers) you should be okay. I do recommend lotioning due to the coldness drying out your skin a good bit. BUT for me with mild oily skin that moving has made my face prettier =p
Alsooo I have heard people say that when going north you won't get the same "hospitality" that the south provides.... -.- Alright let me clear this up. New Englanders are nice in their own way. AKA they are not all up in your business. I still recieve "Have a Nice day's" and smiles. There is a huge difference between people being overly fake nice to your face then gossiping to everyone around town behind your back. New Englanders are no bull**** people. I prefer that.
I also love how natives will call certain people rednecks without truly knowing how gross REAL rednecks are. I'm talking trashy hicks with no teeth.
*Fact. Crime is SO much lower in New England. Just compare all the statistics at move.com between GA and NH
There is even a lower crime rate in Mass than there is in Ga. Also the website (which is pulled from public records and the most current census) shows that more people finish highschool and college. There are more white collar jobs than blue collar. Overall it is SUCH a better place to live overall than Ga. I would think of THOSE things before I would pout about the winter.
Crime Rate comparison ---Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
And sure you'll think "Oh well Atlanta is bigger so that doesn't count." Well Boston is a big city and Atlanta still trumps it on crime.
Are studded tires legal in Nh? And how many use chains?
Most people stick with all weather tires and run them through out the year. It's better to have a specific set of winter tires, that's why they are manufactured. And keep the pressure a little low for better traction.
Winter driving is all about feeling the road. I have a brother who just drives as if he is separated from his car, he doesn't feel the road just runs the machine over it. It beats the hell out of his auto.
Once you get the hang of feeling the road through the car winter driving is a piece of cake.
One time I had to pick up the ex's cousin and wife at Buffalo airport. Not even a bad day by WNY standards. They were scared I was driving too fast for the roads. They were from CA and that inch or so of snow must have looked like drifts to them.
Okay I am going to jump in here =) The person who started this is moving from ATL so..Greetings from Valdosta my friend! I am about to make the move from Valdosta GA to Seabrook NH and guess what? I am extremely pumped. I have been an avid visitor (weeks/months at a time) for the past almost four years. I have experienced New Hampshire/Boston in all areas in all seasons.
Now..let me just correct something someone said on like page 4 about there not being a Chic-fil-a. I am happy to tell you there IS one located in the Nashua Mall. So whew crisis averted there And about there not being any "sweet tea". Just go out and buy Lipton Cold Brew and home make it yourself. Just because they do not serve it in resturaunts does not mean you have to be without it.
Chick-fil-a proof ----> Moderator cut: link removed, please wait till you have at least 10 posts before posting links
-About the winters...Alright I don't know if you NE guys have ever been to GA but it is HUMID as hell. The thing with our weather is yes you guys get up into the 90s and such as well but there is a HUGE difference between 90s with little humidity and 90s with immenseeee amounts of humidity. It is literally like walking in a sauna. You never want to have your hair down if you are a girl because it will stick to the back of your neck. It makes you feel gross. So yea I LOVE the fact that New England has all seasons. North Georgia gets a bit color during the fall but I can tell you from experience there is NOTHING like New England during fall foliage. Google it. Tourist come up here just to marvel in it's beauty. As far as winters go I know that snow is a *****. But as long as you dress properly (with layers) you should be okay. I do recommend lotioning due to the coldness drying out your skin a good bit. BUT for me with mild oily skin that moving has made my face prettier =p
Alsooo I have heard people say that when going north you won't get the same "hospitality" that the south provides.... -.- Alright let me clear this up. New Englanders are nice in their own way. AKA they are not all up in your business. I still recieve "Have a Nice day's" and smiles. There is a huge difference between people being overly fake nice to your face then gossiping to everyone around town behind your back. New Englanders are no bull**** people. I prefer that.
I also love how natives will call certain people rednecks without truly knowing how gross REAL rednecks are. I'm talking trashy hicks with no teeth.
*Fact. Crime is SO much lower in New England. Just compare all the statistics at move.com between GA and NH
There is even a lower crime rate in Mass than there is in Ga. Also the website (which is pulled from public records and the most current census) shows that more people finish highschool and college. There are more white collar jobs than blue collar. Overall it is SUCH a better place to live overall than Ga. I would think of THOSE things before I would pout about the winter.
Crime Rate comparison ---Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
And sure you'll think "Oh well Atlanta is bigger so that doesn't count." Well Boston is a big city and Atlanta still trumps it on crime.
i lived in the south for a few years when i was a kid(south carolina). it was terrible, bugs the size of my fist, oppressive heat, racism and food i couldn't identify. good post
Are studded tires legal in Nh? And how many use chains?
Studs are legal in NH year round. I haven't seen chains on a passenger vehicle in a LONG time.
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There is practically no flat land in Vermont or New Hampshire -- and those hills are not like the rolling hills you see in other places such as Pennsylvania. 
--Yokie
) and having 4WD or all-wheel drive on your car makes repairs and some maintenance more expensive. get snow tires if you'e concerned.
