The Official Rants and Trolls Thread

After

Seriously, it was so slick and iced over that when I stopped at that rest area to stretch my legs, I promptly went down on my butt.

I knew there was a good reason for me to have a firm and muscular butt

The other doofus was a fool for not having appropriate tires for the conditions

Like last winter when that punk in the ricer slid into me at a stop light. I have a few scratches on my tow hitch and bumper, his ricer was heavily damaged with the rad busted

Now THAT is one icy incline!

It's all about the tires, and preferably having good factory studded tires like mine. One will note from the video that AWD and 4WD vehicles were helpless on that ice too.

Problem with those who drive AWD/4WD vehicles on level ground, they believe that because they can accelerate, they can brake just as well

Not

I noticed the fire truck, with chains on, didn't appear to have one bit of trouble

So, I'm guessing that Seattle doesn't believe in having a fleet of sand/salt trucks?

Well, that is always the best idea, isn't it? If you don't have any reason to be out in such treacherous conditions, stay at home!

 

I'm not sure, but heard that bus at the 3 minute mark did have chains. I just checked and studded tires have been legal to install for almost a month now, but I haven't heard any cars driving around w/any prior to this mess. There was no need and it tears up the roads.

Seattle does have sand and salt trucks. The mayor admitted that "the storm got ahead of us" (Seattle Mayor says 'storm got ahead of us' | KING5.com | Seattle Area Local News). From what I gathered on the news, they were focusing on clearing main roads and bus routes but not side streets.

Currently, the local news seems to show traffic moving smoothly on highways but some side streets are still icy and snowy. The news van on the highway is moving along just fine. But they've got a stuck news van on a street in Seattle.

We're supposed to get above freezing Thursday afternoon and thus have no more issues w/this afterward.

 

Well, for another week, at least. There's more snow in the forecast for overnight, so the morning commute could still be messy.

 

My memory places it in Seattle during your absence.

Short timer. Video of multiple vehicles sliding down Queen Anne Avenue has been standard snowstorm news fare for decades. If you missed it during other snowfalls, I'm guessing that your power was out.

The bus also had chains. But the wheels were locked on a patch between crosslinks, so no grip.

The fire truck didn't lock its wheels. It may also have had closer crosslinks, or a diagonal link pattern that never loses contact with the road, but I can't see well enough to know.

Chain lesson: If sliding with locked wheels, release the brakes for a moment so the wheels can start turning again and regain some grip. Actually, this is important in the absence of chains too.

The local 'fleets' -- city, county, and state -- are roughly consistent with the number of days per yearXXXXdecade that they are needed, i.e. not many.

They do OK, sort of, when the snow arrives overnight while commuters are in bed. But over the years we have had a string of snowfalls that arrived during the daily commutes, when the roads were already snarled with regular traffic. The few available plows and sanding trucks don't cover much ground in these conditions.

 

Windows 7

I hate Microsoft software with the burning heat of a thousand suns. I just installed two new computers for a client, and I tell you, I don't get paid enough to deal with Bill's junk.

Windows 7, while better than Vista, still seems sluggish when you are used to Linux. Add to that the fact that Microsoft feels obligated to reinvent the user interface ever time they introduce a new version. Who thought it was a good idea to hide the menus until you press a magic key? That's just asinine.

Drivers are still a disaster. If you use only the new hardware shipped with the box you don't have many problems, but god help you if you need to use the wireless network cards from the old machines. You would think that Cisco, AKA Linksys, would produce drivers for Windows 7. Then again, you would be wrong. Drivers exist for the chipset, you just have to figure out which one to use, since Windows can't do it, and Cisco isn't going to help. Linux generally works straight off of the install. If a bunch of Linux hackers can do it, why can't Microsoft and their army of vendors? I suppose the answer is that they would prefer to have you buy new network cards.

Other than that, Windows 7 seems pretty nice.

Tom

 

A super-user will never like what is done to appeal to the masses, i.e. idiot-users. At least they allow the option to reveal advanced menus and even make that the default if you want (change themes and rules to a more classic setting). One of the top reasons I loath OSX.

I dont know what driver problem you have had, but the only normal device I have had to manually install (not autodetected and installed) was a mid 80's dot matrix printer. My wireless cards from the days of the WRT54Gv1 were auto installed and worked flawlessly as did all my cheap chinese USB dongles. My definition of normal is something made by a mass manufacturer, not the stuff I create on my desk. Those always ask for drivers but I would be flattered if Microsoft included my dinky drivers with their OS lol.

 

Back to silly people driving on ice.
Correct me if I am wrong because I have never driven on ice. I have driven on wet clay you cant stand up on but not ice. I thought if all 4 tyres are sliding you take your foot off the brake and regain control then brake again. No one did this in these videos. Well actually I think the fire truck driver did, you could hear him modulating the brakes.

 

Without ABS your technique is correct. With ABS you keep braking. Neither works if the ice is too slippery.

Tom

 

But Tom, once all 4 wheels are locked your ABS thinks you have stopped, wont lifting off the brake and re-applying it gently reactivate the ABS?

 

ABS or not, you're not stopping without friction. Which may or may not involve a large stationary object.

 

This is Seattle, where the common reaction to snow is just plain silly. The TV 'reporters' are outside with binoculars looking for the first possible snowflake, and doing their best to hype the 'dangerous' weather and freak out the drivers, many of whom do respond as desired, providing plenty of reportable material such as video you see.

Many drivers here get essentially no winter driving practice, and real winter is infrequent enough that many don't maintain decent tires. On the infrequent occasions when snow does arrive, it tends towards worst case by staying near freezing, instead of plunging well below to more traction-friendly conditions. The combination produces a zoo on the roads.

 

Sorry, I thought these conditions were common there.

 

Yup. But I've had 4-wheel ABS lockup happen only once, not in the Prius.

 

Just an hour away, it is common. But many lowlanders are terrified of going up there in winter conditions.

 

Re: Windows 7

Don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel about them. :madgrin:

 

No, not at all. Which is why most people aren't prepared. Seattle and Vancouver have quite similar weather, which is strongly influenced by the nearby ocean. It tends to be wet, particularly in winter, but is neither very cold nor very hot. If and when it does snow, it readily turns to ice, and will alternately thaw and freeze, making for some treacherous driving conditions. Further inland and at higher elevations, the weather can be surprisingly different.

 

Re: Windows 7

I watched the video a couple more times and couldn't notice the chains. The traditional "single rail" and even the heavy duty "three rail" design typically don't have the center crosslinks. Those add weight and complexity

The firetruck if it was a newer Pierce/Oshkosh it would have traction control and ABS, along with the TAK-4 front end. All help with snow and ice, especially chained

Why oh why can't you follow the simple advice I have given you for going on 5 years now?

Heavy

Drinking

Works for me every time. And don't even get me started on Server 2010, Exchange, and the BlackBerry Enterprise Server

Oy

 

Yes, Pat, you are correct again. ABS is supposed to keep you from locking the wheels, but once they are locked you have to release and reset. Unfortunately it's hard to tell from inside whether they are turning and slipping, or completely locked.

ABS drivers are taught to apply the brakes and keep them applied, as pumping can confuse the system. I don't pump, but I do use your technique: if the car isn't tracking, I completely release the brakes and try again. Generally I don't have to do this, as years of winter driving have calibrated my butt sensor to tell me when I am braking too hard. I generally feather the brakes to avoid locking, even without ABS. However, in an emergency, now that we have ABS, I mash them down and keep it there.

Tom

 

Um that's not what your wife claims