Mari's Snow Tips - Be safe, east coast!

Mariena

To all of our East Coast Aetolians about to face two feet of snow or better: Please be safe! Here are some tips I've amassed, whilst living in Ohio my whole life. They may help you.

DRIVING IN SNOW:
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1. Snow means you have less traction. Less traction means less stopping ability and less going ability. Keep this in mind.

2. PLAN. YOUR. STOPS. Don't just slam on your brakes a few seconds before the need to stop. This will send you sailing right on past where you wanted to stop at, and likely you will rear end someone in the unpleasant way. Instead, visualize where you want to actually stop, and begin applying the brakes in short taps at least two car-lengths behind where you normally would.
2A. NEVER. SLAM. ON. BRAKES. I don't care if you have anti-lock brakes and 4-wheel
drive. Don't do it. You'll lock your brakes and you'll start sliding and then there will
be freaking out. Just tap on them, apply, apply, apply, apply....annnnd stopped.
Whoo, you're not dead.

3. Invest in a bag of cheap kitty litter. Nothing fancy, we're talking straight up clay substance. Keep it in your trunk. This isn't for weight, this is for traction when there isn't any. You could use snow melt and salt for this but why waste it when what you're really after is grip?

This is especially good when you're parked in a spot that your car is laughing at you about.

4. If you're stuck in a parking location: DO. NOT. SPIN. TIRES. All that does is create ice under where your tire is hitting the snow, thus making it worse. Put it in drive and pull up as much as you can. Get that kitty litter behind all four tires, and begin backing up. Stuck again? pull forward again. Back up again. Pull forward, back up. Don't gun it, gunning it will never help. Steady pressure.

5. In case of high winds with your snow: Don't fucking drive. Winds and snow = white out conditions where you can't see the road. As we all know: Seeing is important when driving. Unless you're bleeding uncontrollably and an EMT can't get to you before you die and the only way is for you to live is for you to drive in these conditions . . . Don't! Wait until the blowing calms down to 10-20 mph.

6. If you have to drive in it, remember: Slow and steady. Those people that will be impatient dicks? Laugh when they are in the ditch while you sail by.

7. Make sure you have in your car: A blanket. A pillow. A few bottles of water (they can thaw with you in the front seat if they're frozen over), a flare, a car charger for your phone, an extra hoodie, some granola bars, and that kitty litter before. If you end up being that dick in the ditch, you may be able to get yourself out by the kitty litter method. If not, you want to be comfortable and warm while you wait for savior.

8. Animals are cold too. If you're warming your car up, you might find a critter where it's not supposed to be. sad fact is, stray cats climb into car engines. Make some extra noise around your car when you're scraping ice off the windshield to wake up and dislodge any critters that might have found their way to a warm spot.

Mariena

HOME AND SNOW:

1. There are two minds when shoveling snow. Wait until it stops, and shovel intermittently throughout your blizzard. There are advantages to both. The first: You're not out in the snow looking like an idiot. The second one: You're not shoveling 3 ft of snow all at once and your back will thank you.

2. Remember, Just because a path is clear, doesn't mean it's not icy. Sun thaw and refreeze will mean icy patches. Black ice (ice you can't see because it blends in with the pavement) happens on the road as well as on sidewalks/walkways/concrete. Be careful of this. Wear shoes with some traction on the bottom. If you don't have these, invest in those $5 shoe grippies. They might look stupid, but they're useful.

3. Your power may go out. If this the case, you'll need batteries, candles, a lighter, stuff to do without power, and an alternate heat source (if you don't have a fireplace or something). Kerosene heaters are good options, but they smell awful and you need at least a 3 foot clearance around them so your house doesn't burn down. If you have a gas stove, you can light it without power. Turn on the burner, stand back a little bit, and use one of those candle lighters to ignite the flame. Yes you can warm your house via stove. But that's stupid and may kill you, so don't.

4. Check on old people who might not have been able to stock up for this. Your family, your neighbors. Make sure they're okay. Weather maladies are a surprisingly big cause of old-people death.

5. If it gets REALLY cold, please make sure your pipes do not freeze. Sometimes you can't help this, though. If that happens, you can flush your toilets with melted snow and a bucket. To help your pipes, open the cabinet doors a little so air circulates under there and if you can and you know where your water pump is ( if you have well water), you can place a tiny space heater there to help everything stay warm.

6. Animals have fur but they're paws are still subject to all the ice and the salt on the ice. Please make sure to wipe down your animals paws when they come back in, because salt is drying and their pads can crack and split. Ouch!

Mariena

If anyone else has anything to add, please do! These were my thoughts on the way to work this morning Obviously, our Canadian Aetolians would probably have even better snow advice.

Neoma

yeah here is are Canadian tips in case of an incoming snow storm
1) make sure you have plenty of beer and munchies
2) stay home where it is safe
3) huddle with your mate and watch movies

lol sorry could not resist

Feirenz

Oh god, apparently where I'm at in DE is practically ground zero for this thing. Time to fortify the house and stock up on wine.

Toz

Tips to surviving a South Carolina winter
Step one:  go to Walmart. Attendance is taken so be sure to show up.
Two: buy bread (white) and milk. 
Three: grumble at the two snowflakes that make it here from the safety of your house.

Phew, that was close!

Eydis

Mariena said:

To all of our East Coast Aetolians about to face two feet of snow or better: Please be safe! Here are some tips I've amassed, whilst living in Ohio my whole life. They may help you.

3. Invest in a bag of cheap kitty litter. Nothing fancy, we're talking straight up clay substance. Keep it in your trunk. This isn't for weight, this is for traction when there isn't any. You could use snow melt and salt for this but why waste it when what you're really after is grip?

7. Make sure you have in your car: A blanket. A pillow. A few bottles of water (they can thaw with you in the front seat if they're frozen over), a flare, a car charger for your phone, an extra hoodie, some granola bars, and that kitty litter before. If you end up being that dick in the ditch, you may be able to get yourself out by the kitty litter method. If not, you want to be comfortable and warm while you wait for savior.

3. As weird as it may sound, you can also keep a few smaller planks of wood in the trunk. You put the wood under your tires for situations where you need more grip. My Dad used to treat his with spray so they're water resistant and he's used them more times than I can count.

7. Keep a first aid kit in your car. I keep one in my car all year long. Usually people complain of the cost, and while it's true that they can get costly, you can make your own for super cheap or buy a mini one for $7-$10. Read the label and double check that it has all of the basics. Flashlights and the more expensive compresses aren't included in first aid kits at that price point. I prefer to make my own since I can spend roughly $15.00 to make kits for both my home and my car, since I already have the flashlights, thermometer, and compresses.

First Aid Kit Checklist for the winter:
- (2) pairs of nonlatex gloves
- (2) flashlights with batteries that work + backups
- Varying adhesive and absorbent bandages
- Antiseptic wipes and cream.
- Advil and/or aspirin
- Compresses (hot and cold)
- Gauze
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- Roller bandage ( 3 and 4 inch)
- Thermometer, make sure it's not mercury or glass. Double check, usually the ones in first aid kits are okay.
- A couple of triangular bandages.

*To save money, I've just reused a clean make-up bag or an old, insulated lunch box to house my first aid supplies. My Dad used his old bowling bag.

Other stuff to keep in your car:
- Jumper cables if you don't already. Cables are especially important in the winter because the cold temperature zaps car batteries.
- Work gloves
- Shovel
- Tool set, if you have one. Even if you don't anything about fixing cars, chances are if something happens someone you love or a concerned motorist who has stopped to help you, does.
- Jack
- Extra set of clothes. I know Mari said an extra hoodie, but I try to keep a full set.
- Fix-a-flat.
- Light stick necklace for the times when your hands need to be free/you can't hold a flashlight.
- Tow strap

Aishia

48: Never put your hands in your pockets when you're walking on slippery ground! It puts you off balance and if you fall you'll probably put your face into the ground.

Xavin

If you are in PA, the governor has declared a state of emergency for the coming storm. Please, please stay off the roads if you can avoid being out and about, and try to make sure you have the essentials (bread, water, etc) sometime tonight.