November has arrived, and for the next four months at least the weather is going to vary from cooler to “miserable and frozen” conditions, depending on what part of the country of the Northern Hemisphere you live on. (Southern Hemisphere guys: we know.) The Pacific Northwest has kicked over to “all rain, all the time” and hydroplaning has become a real threat. In the Northeast, wet leaves have turned wet roadways into slick blacktop that catches inattentive drivers off-guard. If you’re near the mountains, you can expect colder temperatures, icy conditions and snow sooner than the rest of us. And if you’re in the South…well, if anything more than frost occurs, trust us, your local newscast will let you know. “SNOWPOCALYPSE 2014! WHAT IS THIS WHITE STUFF ON THE GROUND?”
Here at BangShift, we don’t take the subject of driver safety lightly. There are many things that you can do to be prepared for the oncoming weather: check up on your car’s maintenance, verify your brakes and tires are up to the task, stay alert to changing conditions and prepare for the worst-case situation. That being said, sometimes you have to wonder what is going through the heads of some of the drivers out there. Driving in the Puget Sound region, when the first rains of fall hit I was genuinely concerned for my safety, because even though it rains approximately two-thirds of the year up there, the summer tends to cause people to forget how to drive in the wet. This picture, taken from IcyRoadSafety.com, basically illustrates why. Here, the unfortunate driver of this particular Camry is just about to meet the concrete center divider after looping the car out of the center lane due to freezing rain and sleet. Even in the best of circumstances this isn’t going to end without some damage to the car, so here’s where you take over: What thought (besides “oh, crap”) is going through this driver’s head right now?
For tips and tricks on how to stay prepare and stay safe out on the roads, check out IcyRoadSafety.com.
“This looked easier when Rohrl was driving.”
They’re evidently testing out the newly patented “right-side-wheel drive” transmission.
“If you go hard enough left, you’ll find yourself going right” – Doc Hudson
I’m going to sue GM the stability control isn’t working
Round and round we go. Where we’ll stop we don’t know.
“I see my headlights are adjusted correctly!”
“I saw this maneuver at a NASCAR race!”
Try to do gymkana they said, it’ll be fun they said.
Oh look, a penny