Ok, people.....we have ice...

momtomany · #1 12/14/09, 08:52 AM

What should I do.......I asked about my driveway and snow....but ice is something is different. When I left home yesterday, there was slush......came home to sheets of ice. The sand/icer dump truck was down a ditch......and my minivan took a wild (think roller coaster) sled ride down a hill. I was very thankful to get home......and I'm staying put thankyou! But, weather is rising and lowering, with some freezing rain and so on........and I have a long driveway (think 6 acres.....not good at conversion.....).......it twists and winds and there is a hill involved. What should I be doing so that I can get in and out of my drive this week. I just cancelled an appointment cause I am chicken to go try, lol......if it were just me, it would be okay, but with 5 kids........not really keen on it. Thanks! Sue

Alice In TX/MO · #2 12/14/09, 08:59 AM

With ice, you stay home, and the kids stay home.

momtomany · #3 12/14/09, 09:06 AM

That is what we are doing now! But........this seems to be a recurring theme in this week's weather......

PhilJohnson · #4 12/14/09, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

With ice, you stay home, and the kids stay home.

Heh, if I stayed home because of ice I wouldn't be going anywhere for months! All the secondary roads are not salted just plowed where I live so after a while they all turn into ice

Usually sand is put down at the intersections to help people stop.

Quote:

Originally Posted by momtomany

What should I do.......I asked about my
driveway and snow....but ice is something is different. When I left home yesterday, there was slush......came home to sheets of ice. The sand/icer dump truck was down a ditch......and my minivan took a wild (think roller coaster) sled ride down a hill. I was very thankful to get home......and I'm staying put thankyou! But, weather is rising and lowering, with some freezing rain and so on........and I have a long driveway (think 6 acres.....not good at conversion.....).......it twists and winds and there is a hill involved. What should I be doing so that I can get in and out of my drive this week. I just cancelled an appointment cause I am chicken to go try, lol......if it were just me, it would be okay, but with 5 kids........not really keen on it. Thanks! Sue

Sand the heck out of the hill. If you have wood ashes that would be even better. My friend's parents have a wicked hill that the driveway goes up with a nice 30 foot drop off on the one side and a 20 footer on the other. Never failed to get out when they needed to. Four wheel drive helps getting up them but not down. Front wheel drive vehicles like your minivan tend to get more uncontrollable on ice. The front end tends to slide around and then you lose steering control. I actually prefer a rear wheel drive car just because it is more predictable when they do break loose. Also get a good set of snow tires on all four ends. It'll make a huge difference.

Hope that helps

Alice In TX/MO · #5 12/14/09, 09:14 AM

Hmmmm. I think our persistent fog isn't so bad.

doc623 · #6 12/14/09, 09:14 AM

What type of surface is the driveway?
You could use potassium to melt the drive - and when it washes off it will be benefical to the soil and plants.
You could have a top coat of limestone put on top of the ice on the driveway.
You could have this top coat put on the worst areas.
This would give surface for needed traction.

momtomany · #7 12/14/09, 09:17 AM

Got the snow tires......got a bucket of ashes (large bucket)......I'll start tomorrow. Yeah, I saw them putting dirt on our road, no salt. Totally what is happening with the front end sliding......I was able to semi predict some slides and act accordingly. I think without the snow tires, I would have been in a ditch yesterday and very thankful we go them on. Would chains help?

**Cabin Fever** · #8 12/14/09, 09:22 AM

That's exactly what you need...tire chains!

momtomany · #9 12/14/09, 09:23 AM

Driveway is gravel, and previous owner said to bring a comealong in the car, in the winter, lol.

momtomany · #10 12/14/09, 09:27 AM

I am staying put.......but weather this week looks like a similar theme, and we have some appointments......good thing we are homeschoolers.......cause I guess the kids would have to go backcountry to get to the road to catch a bus.....

PhilJohnson · #11 12/14/09, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momtomany

Got the snow tires......got a bucket of ashes (large bucket)......I'll start tomorrow. Yeah, I saw them putting dirt on our road, no salt. Totally what is happening with the front end sliding......I was able to semi predict some slides and act accordingly. I think without the snow tires, I would have been in a ditch yesterday and very thankful we go them on. Would chains help?

Yup they would. Sorta be a pain to put them on just to get down the driveway only to take them back off when you head out on the road. I used to drive truck to pick up milk on the western side of Wisconsin. Very very hilly and the roads were never salted just plowed. After a while there got to be a nice layer of ice over most of them. I drove very carefully and while going down hill always made sure I didn't lock up the brakes.

Which brings me to my next point. Most cars made in the last 20 years have ABS. I don't like ABS on the ice (don't like ABS at all actually). Most ABS systems seem way to over reactive on ice especially GM ABS. I have gotten into more trouble with ABS in the winter than I ever did with just plain ole brakes. It ruins the whole brake feel which I think is very important for winter driving.

ronbre · #12 12/14/09, 10:00 AM

well first..chains are probably illegal in your county, they are in ours in MIchigan.

if you are going in and out of your driveway..first..you can either stay right in the middle and go really really slow..or go very near the edge of the driveway and allow the left hand tires to go into the edge of the snow slightly to give you a tad of traction..

if your driveway is tremendously long..i will make another suggestion..put a leanto shelter for your vehicle closer to the road..and get a sled to bring groceries and things to the house..so that you don't have to drive the car down that long driveway.

here in Northern part of the mitten..my son and I shortened the length of our driveways by putting our garages much closer to the road than the house..however..we also have a drive around the garage to get to the back for hauling in firewood and such and keep that plowed as well..but that way..the vehicles are parked much closer to the road.

our original driveway was about 300 to 400' long..now it is 70'long..a lot shorter..less shovelling, plowing, cost, maintainence..we have our garage right out there by the road and our house is 40' behind the rear of the 40' long garage..it is easier to safe salt the path to the garage than the entire 400' long driveway.

you may really struggle this year..but next year get some sort of vehicle shelter closer to the road..or just park that sucker closer and brush the snow off if you don't have any garage anyway.

we have friends that used to live a couple miles off of a plowed road..they kept a large rubber maid locker by the road for packages..that the UPS or whoever would lock if they left somethings..and they kept snowshoes in it when they were gone..and they would park their car just a little ways off the plowed road and snowshoe in to their home..using a sled to pull their "stuff" to the house and out..it worked out well for them..but i wouldn't want to have to do it..but it does show what people are willing to do..cross country skis would also work for that.

momtomany · #13 12/14/09, 10:23 AM

I think 8,000 feet would be about our drive length if it was straight......but it isn't. Garage already exists by the home. Taking the 5 kids up the drive everyday or thru the woods isn't the ideal condition, lol.........

momtomany · #14 12/14/09, 10:29 AM

Ok....looked into it....chains are illegal....WHY!? Don't get it.

PhilJohnson · #15 12/14/09, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momtomany

I think 8,000 feet would be about our drive length if it was straight......but it isn't.

You sure your driveway is that long? That would be over a mile and a half long!!! I have pretty close to six acres myself and there is no way it is a mile and a half to the back of the property.

Quote:

Originally Posted by momtomany

Ok....looked into it....chains are illegal....WHY!? Don't get it.

They tear up the road. Hence why I said earlier it would be a pain to have to take them off as soon as you reach the end of the driveway.

Harry Chickpea · #16 12/14/09, 10:43 AM

"Which brings me to my next point. Most cars made in the last 20 years have ABS. I don't like ABS on the ice (don't like ABS at all actually). Most ABS systems seem way to over reactive on ice especially GM ABS. I have gotten into more trouble with ABS in the winter than I ever did with just plain ole brakes. It ruins the whole brake feel which I think is very important for winter driving."

AMEN. IMO, there should be cut-out switches on those. There is nothing like putting on brakes going downhill and having the ABS decide "no, you really don't want to brake bad enough for your car to slip sideways." YES I DO!

edcopp · #17 12/14/09, 10:48 AM

Spring is just around the corner.

rambler · #18 12/14/09, 10:51 AM

When it's real cold - around 0 - ice isn't that big a problem. when it is above freezing, it melts way.

It's only when the temps are around 25 & cloudy, the ice is very slick & lingers on. That's when you just stay home.

A little sun, a little sand, a little cold with snowpack & your driveway will be fine. For the moment - take it real easy, stay home. It will change again.

We are getting the real cold over here west of you.

--->Paul

frankva · #19 12/14/09, 10:52 AM

Someone there must have a pickup mounted sander. Common here in Maine.
Not cheap, tho.

Studded tires help on a minivan?

momtomany · #20 12/14/09, 11:39 AM

Maybe I did the conversion wrong......google was helping me. This week is the week of 25-30 and cloudy. I have been looking into getting a 4x4 truck......the guy behind me the other day had 4x4 but it wasn't doing him any good he said. Will the 4x4 basically only help on snow?