The First Winter Commute
Well, it's finally here. Snow.
Just in time for the Monday morning commute.
As usual, before the day even started we've had accidents and road closures. A couple of trucks jack knifed on the 401, closing all westbound lanes. A police car lost traction and crashed into a tree. There were more than a few pedestrian fatalities overnight.
It is as if people forgot how to drive when there is snow on the ground. Thankfully, on my commute to the office, everyone was driving at a comfortable speed. There were the odd balls going 20 km/hour over the limit, but that's not surprising.
Hope you have your winter tires installed. The radio interviewed someone who mentioned they tried to get their tires installed a few days ago but couldn't. Seems all the shops are booked with people switching to winter tires. As I mentioned in a previous post, the best time to install winter tires is before the snow starts when temperatures are hovering around the 7°C mark. The next best time to do it is now. If there is snow on the ground, better to book your appointment and drive with extreme care until then.
Another thing that is important is the ice scraper/snow brush. I forgot mine in the garage on my way out the door this morning. However, when snow accumulates on your car, it is very important to completely remove the snow. I believe this is mainly a safety issue. The snow can blind yourself or fellow drivers. This is especially dangerous when the roads are slippery. No visibility can leave you in a ditch or worse.
Snow removal is also the law last time I checked. You must have clear visibility. Additionally, clearing only the windows is insufficient. If you have 10 cm of accumulation on the roof of your car, that accumulation will cover your rear windows or blind other drivers the moment you get onto the street.
It only takes a few minutes to completely remove the snow from your car.
Once the first commute is out of the way, the second commute is calmer.
Here's hoping for a safe commute home! Stay safe everyone.
Just in time for the Monday morning commute.
As usual, before the day even started we've had accidents and road closures. A couple of trucks jack knifed on the 401, closing all westbound lanes. A police car lost traction and crashed into a tree. There were more than a few pedestrian fatalities overnight.
It is as if people forgot how to drive when there is snow on the ground. Thankfully, on my commute to the office, everyone was driving at a comfortable speed. There were the odd balls going 20 km/hour over the limit, but that's not surprising.
Hope you have your winter tires installed. The radio interviewed someone who mentioned they tried to get their tires installed a few days ago but couldn't. Seems all the shops are booked with people switching to winter tires. As I mentioned in a previous post, the best time to install winter tires is before the snow starts when temperatures are hovering around the 7°C mark. The next best time to do it is now. If there is snow on the ground, better to book your appointment and drive with extreme care until then.
Another thing that is important is the ice scraper/snow brush. I forgot mine in the garage on my way out the door this morning. However, when snow accumulates on your car, it is very important to completely remove the snow. I believe this is mainly a safety issue. The snow can blind yourself or fellow drivers. This is especially dangerous when the roads are slippery. No visibility can leave you in a ditch or worse.
Snow removal is also the law last time I checked. You must have clear visibility. Additionally, clearing only the windows is insufficient. If you have 10 cm of accumulation on the roof of your car, that accumulation will cover your rear windows or blind other drivers the moment you get onto the street.
It only takes a few minutes to completely remove the snow from your car.
Once the first commute is out of the way, the second commute is calmer.
Here's hoping for a safe commute home! Stay safe everyone.
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