The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsDrove my car to the end of the street
I already know this car (21 Rogue) is no good on snow. It has no wheel drive. I haven't driven it since last Sat. before the snow. I have a storage rental at the end of the street and thought I'd try to get out and drop the Feb. payment off. I was surprised and delighted to get the car out from where it was parked, behind a pile of plowed snow, onto the shy pavement, peeking out from a thin layer of the icy remnants of whatever you want to call the stubborn reminder of a sleet-snow-rain-ice storm. I heard that Eskimos have 1000 names for snow. I bet they don't have one for this crap!
I got down to the motel safely. My residential street is just barely passable. I turned into the lot, which hasn't been treated. The place used to be a motel that the owner converted into low-income housing and the tenants park their cars in the lot. I go in the entrance off my street, near the storage units and drive past most of the units to the drop off box. I was basically wishing my car along, because if I gave it gas, it slid. Maybe it didn't want to be out either. After I put the payment in the box, I usually go out the entrance onto Rt. 7,and turn onto my street, but that entrance is slanted, and I had nightmare visions of sliding into oncoming traffic, or across 4 lanes and on to the mighty Ohio River. So, I put my car in reverse and backed almost all the way back the the entrance I used. I was surprised and delighted to learn that the car is better on ice in reverse than in drive, and if I could get away with it, I'd drive in reverse until the streets are clear! As I reversed, I successfully avoided all of the parked cars, and the porch supports. I got to a space big enough to do a 3 point turn (thank you, my driver's ed. teacher for schooling us on that!) I got turned around and again, wished my car forward, maneuvered between a dumpster and the storage rentals, and back to the street. Naturally, a car was approaching, but I got stopped before the patch of ice that was almost the final hazard between me and home. I got back to my house, and it was a nail biter getting my car parked on the other side of the pile of plowed nightmare rock ice. But we did it, old unreliable and me. I am in, and I will probably reschedule my appt. Tuesday.
UpInArms
(54,369 posts)That sounded treacherous
Easterncedar
(5,725 posts)Diamond_Dog
(40,018 posts)I can attest to how scary it is to drive on a sheet of ice. Didnt your city put down salt or slag?
justaprogressive
(6,510 posts)As you've discovered , only studded tires work on sheet ice....
Marthe48
(22,844 posts)Last year, it was stuck for 2 weeks, until the snow melted. I wanted to get new tires this fall. The place I go to said I could wait a couple months. They showed me tire options while I was there, and even with new tires, I don't think there will be much benefit.
I haven't been back to get new tires. I was caught out in early November in a surprise snowfall, about 3" in less than an hour. I was on the other side of town, and had one of my grands with me. You can't get across town without driving on hills. I picked the flattest route, but I was sliding horrible, barely missed 3 cars. I was so grateful when I got home and swore I would stay off the roads when it's like this. I did okay on the actual street, but not in the lot. I've driven different vehicles in snow or ice over the years, and this car is the worst. It's on my list to trade it in, maybe for huskies and a sled
justaprogressive
(6,510 posts)you need dedicated snow tires, not-all season...
Marthe48
(22,844 posts)I was looking at tire chains, but realized I don't know how to put them on. I can imagine another adventure! lol
justaprogressive
(6,510 posts)(she drives a FWD Corolla station wagon)
https://www.expert-pneumatiky.cz/_pics/d_VREDESTEIN_QUATRAC_PRO+.jpg
it's like having tiger claws in the snow!
Marthe48
(22,844 posts)They have some heavy duty tires on display in their lobby. I was looking at the ones they had with zigzag tread patterns. They offered me these, called them straight line tread. I have have straight line on it right now. I didn't know if getting another set of those would improve performance on the icy surface.
Thanks for showing me these. I'll see what how they compare with the tires they have. There's another tire place downtown. We got tires from them once, because the dealer we bought the Prius from got tires from them and they had offered him a deal that he passed along to us. They were good tires. Anyway, they might have tires that my regular shop doesn't have.
justaprogressive
(6,510 posts)TireRack.com is a 5-star company I have been buying from, for all our tires for 35 years.
They ship free IN ONE TO TWO DAYS DELIVERY to either you, or garage of your choice.
their discounts are real and large.
Plug in you car's info they'll find the tires, you want "severe snow rated" or something like that...
I forget what they call it offhand.
They will save you (lots of) money!
Marthe48
(22,844 posts)I do want to trade it. I have had an off-hand debate with myself about replacing the tires, or letting the dealer do it. When I bought it, the dealer said they had serviced it and the tires on it might only have under 10,000 miles on them.
My husband bought tires off eBay once and made arrangements with our regular mechanic/tire shop to mount them. I was surprised the garage did it that way, but they did. We had some body work done around the same time, with a different shop. My husband asked if he would let him but the parts and bring them. The guy happily agreed. Actually, we liked him a lot and got some other body work done there. He seemed dedicated to bringing the jobs in way under the insurance payout. It was a joy to find someone with that mindset
You've been so helpful! Thank you!
cachukis
(3,734 posts)nuxvomica
(13,948 posts)So later generations can marvel at and aspire to your courage and dexterity. Did it not seem like an epic adventure at the time?
Great story, and I'm glad you made it okay.
Marthe48
(22,844 posts)I felt like the heroine in a book-in spite of not having to prove myself, I did! lol