I moved from Glendale, CA to Portland, OR in 2007. I generally found Portland drivers to be better than L.A. drivers. However, I always felt that L.A. drivers were really bad at driving in the rain. That being said, Portland drivers handle driving in the snow MUCH worse than L.A. drivers do driving in the rain.
This video is from the year I moved to Portland. I was there for that snowfall and as I’d only driven on snowy/icy roads once or twice before then, I understand these drivers difficulties and did my best to avoid driving in that storm.
It’s like there’s either nobody driving that first car, or the person “driving” is trying to hit as many obstacles as possible.
It never ceases to amaze me just how terrible peeps in PA react to snow. It’s not a strange weather phenomenon (tho we’re getting less and less snow every year) where we live, and folks drive like they’ve never seen that white stuff before.
One of, if not the most important reasons Portland drivers aren’t adept at driving in the snow is that it doesn’t snow very often and they don’t get much “practice” driving in it. Another very important reason is that like myself, many of those people who have issues driving on snowy/icy streets come from/have moved from places where said conditions don’t really exist (the L.A. area truly doesn’t get either unless one drives over the Cajun Pass or Grapevine or is a skier or lives in the Antelope Valley).
So what you said about PA drivers surprises me…especially as I don’t think of your area getting a lot of people who have moved there. I must say that other than a few days in Philly just before 9/11, I haven’t been in PA. I DEFINITELY want to spend more time in Philly, Pittsburgh and the Lancaster area!
Right. I could understand such abysmal driving skillz in areas where snow is a mystery, but not in central PA, which used to get ample snow.
Of course, I have no way of knowing whether all the drivers I witness creeping at 5mph on one inch of snow are natives or newbs, or those who go 70mph when visibility is near nil.
In both cases, I am just left #SMDH
Yes, visit Philly & PGH. Lancaster is supposed to be a food destination these days, but I haven’t been. Go in the spring or fall when it’s nice around these parts
We’re fortunate that we allow studded tires from October 1 through May 31; school buses August to June. All weather tires are popular, but in areas where we have frequent ice, the studded tires help with driving. Excellent riving skills are paramount in any weather.
I could hear the driver stepping on the gas to try and move - yeah, STOP THAT! It’s not happening on ice/snow, dude (or dudette). And MA drivers are the same when the first snowfall hits. No, you cannot drive at 70-75mph when there’s a lot of snow on the ground. And no, your big-ass SUV and/or pick-me-up will STILL SKID. You’re just making it more dangerous for everyone around you.
For years I had a Jeep Wrangler, manual transmission, extra low gear for snow and mud. It could get through anything. But after one or two trips through bad snow, I just stayed home. Why? Because of the other drivers on the road. One dose of being stopped at a traffic light with another car sliding towards me like I was a bullseye target cured me of any desire to venture out. And that was immediately after someone went into a ditch trying to pass me going up a hill … in the snow.
Another wonderful entry from my favorite daily column. No, it’s neither silly nor funny, but heartwarming. I chose to post it here because I seriously doubt anyone here feels we have too much of that.
The entry is titled “Quite a Day”:
We’re fortunate that we allow studded tires from October 1 through May 31; school buses August to June. All weather tires are popular, but in areas where we have frequent ice, the studded tires help with driving. Excellent riving skills are paramount in any weather.
