Sigh...ANOTHER accident on I-75

**Dtroit** · February-16-13, 03:42 PM

Another nasty pileup/accident on I-75 in SE Michigan. Come on, people. SLOW DOWN and get winter tires. 4-wheel drive does not give you the right to speed in icy conditions.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/se_mich/freeways-closed-due-to-accidents

**Scottathew** · February-16-13, 06:21 PM

Craziness! I was on I-75 not too long ago.

**stinkytofu** · February-16-13, 07:07 PM

It was absolutely nasty to drive today. One of the worst days I've ever experienced...nice conditions to blizzard in the matter of seconds. Counted eight bad accidents in just three miles on the Southfield Freeway. Everything was ice...scary.

**Zacha341** · February-16-13, 07:21 PM

^^^ Yeah it was fast out of no where white-out! I was on the Southfield at Oakwood southbound, Dearborn - Allen Pk border right as the white-out/ ice combo ended.

I saw the car hauler jack-knifed...cars piled all over west bound lane. I took the back way home once I left the Hill later [[what ever that mall is called)

**Downriviera** · February-16-13, 08:22 PM

I have Hakapaleda snow tires from Finland, the same tires the rally drivers use. Snow and ice, no problem. Other drivers, big problem.

**Zacha341** · February-16-13, 09:15 PM

^^^ Those sound like great tires! I have traction control with all year tires, but brain control to not drive so doggone fast as see so many folks in ice and snow. I also turn my over-drive off on some turns, exit points and extra icy patches for extra pull and less spin.

**MidTownMs** · February-17-13, 12:22 AM

I was driving around today with the windows down and my sunglasses on....

**Gannon** · February-17-13, 03:36 AM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

I have Hakapaleda snow tires from Finland, the same tires the rally drivers use. Snow and ice, no problem. Other drivers, big problem.

I decided to buy the latest Blizzaks when it came time for tires a few months back...gambled, because it would only be a wise purchase IF we had a heavy winter. They are looking pretty smart now.

Drove my honey to work yesterday, she's got some uber-top-secret thing that is keeping a few in her office on overtime, and missed the beginnings of the storm...

...but hours later had SO much fun driving down to pick her up, rallying a very snowy and icy Charlevoix most of the way. I've got a Saturn Vue without ABS brakes, so I can still use the handbrake to check the rears if I ever snowplow into a corner. [[found out the hard way with my old Windstar that technique freaks out two-channel ABS systems)

I was so pumped up from the drive, just exhilirated with the fun of driving in this crap under relative control due the tires, that she was a little worried about me. Said something about it not being normal to LIKE driving in the winter.

I told her my only worries were everyone else...

**Zacha341** · February-17-13, 09:17 AM

Awwe... just rub it in MTMs! But this weather is why I RARELY COMPLAIN about the heat when we finally get some --

--!

Originally Posted by MidTownMs

I was driving around today with the windows down and my sunglasses on....

**michimoby** · February-17-13, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

I decided to buy the latest Blizzaks when it came time for tires a few months back...gambled, because it would only be a wise purchase IF we had a heavy winter. They are looking pretty smart now.

Drove my honey to work yesterday, she's got some uber-top-secret thing that is keeping a few in her office on overtime, and missed the beginnings of the storm...

...but hours later had SO much fun driving down to pick her up, rallying a very snowy and icy Charlevoix most of the way. I've got a Saturn Vue without ABS brakes, so I can still use the handbrake to check the rears if I ever snowplow into a corner. [[found out the hard way with my old Windstar that technique freaks out two-channel ABS systems)

I was so pumped up from the drive, just exhilirated with the fun of driving in this crap under relative control due the tires, that she was a little worried about me. Said something about it not being normal to LIKE driving in the winter.

I told her my only worries were everyone else...

Blizzaks are a total godsend. I have them on my car -- like golden rubber, I tell ya!

**Downriviera** · February-17-13, 10:09 AM

I highly recommend snow tires. Like Gannon says they actually make winter driving fun and you'll look forward to driving in the snow. The cost is minimal because while you are driving with the snow tires your summer tires are not wearing. And speaking of summer tires, this will allow you to have a better performance summer tire instead of all season tires. How can there be a all season tire unless all of the seasons are the same? Its a bit of hassle to swap them out in the spring and fall, but well worth it. Best to get a cheap set of winter wheels to make it easier. Some places will even store your wheels and tires for you.

**detlump** · February-17-13, 10:44 AM

I agree snow tires are great. It's best if you're planning on keeping the car, but I have seen a few cars for sale with snow tires included. Also I think Belle Tire offers a storage service, but I don't know the details.

**Gannon** · February-17-13, 11:18 AM

Many years ago, when I had the Audi wagon, I had a full set of winters with the original 15" rims, since I'd upped to sixteens for the spring/summers...and had to drive in January down to Vegas and LA for work. I put the summer tires in the back seat, drove straight south and a bit west to Texas, dropped into a Discount Tire store, and took advantage of their free 'Tire Rotation' service.

Those boys were so confused, they'd NEVER even conceived of a tire for snow...let alone had to handle 'em. When I was telling the manager what I was doing and why, it dawned on me that driving the round trip with all that weight would be wasteful, so I convinced him to hold my tires until I got back for the re-swap.

That must've been early 2002 or '03...because I bought the snows just before I left LA. I was absolutely sure I was the only car driving the LA basin in Blizzaks. VERY carefully, because in the heat those things are like pencil erasers, I'd bet you could scrub off many miles of tread spinning out on hot pavement.

Plus, the change from the OEM tires to the bias-ply winters made for some seriously squishy cornering. THAT is my only complaint about the Blizzaks, but it makes me drive more deliberately the rest of the season!

**rb336** · February-17-13, 11:56 AM

One problem I've noticed: We all should know that bridges ten to get icy, but we never seem to realize that the road UNDER an overpass is also likely to get icy because it isn't getting warmed by the sun. this is why you often see spun-out cars just after an overpass. We zoom down a highway, it's dry, not iced, then we hit an overpass at 70 and suddenly there is no traction.

SLOW DOWN under overpasses too - especially if they are on a curve

**Hamtragedy** · February-18-13, 10:54 AM

Center Differential Lock is fun. I can push that little button on my old Mazda 323 4WD and immediately I track as if on rails. Take it off the E-way and throw on the sidestreets and I can drive that thing sideways.

**Armin** · February-18-13, 11:15 AM

Crap.....crap. crap. crap. Next week I'm moving back to the D after being in Scottsdale, AZ for the past 4 years. It was 80 here yesterday. There's no place like home, though......right?

**Downriviera** · February-18-13, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by Armin

Crap.....crap. crap. crap. Next week I'm moving back to the D after being in Scottsdale, AZ for the past 4 years. It was 80 here yesterday. There's no place like home, though......right?

Its cold here...but don't worry, its a dry cold.

**kenp** · February-18-13, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

Its cold here...but don't worry, its a dry cold.

Excellent, good schtick!!!

**Embee** · February-18-13, 05:02 PM

Sometimes it's not a matter of people driving too fast. These lake effect snowsqualls can come out of nowhere and instantly reduce visibility to zero in a few seconds and there's no time to react.

**stinkytofu** · February-18-13, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Embee

Sometimes it's not a matter of people driving too fast. These lake effect snowsqualls can come out of nowhere and instantly reduce visibility to zero in a few seconds and there's no time to react.

Very true. The conditions on the Southfield Freeway down in Dearborn/AP on Saturday were impossible to overcome. Sudden blizzard resulting in mass ice on the highway. People were driving as slow as possible and still getting in bad accidents.

**Gannon** · February-18-13, 05:53 PM

Winter performance tires do indeed have MUCH greater traction on ice than anything this side of studded tires. Surely, studs work even BETTER...for ice-only conditions...but for every other situation, the very porous, softer rubber formed into aggressively-blocked but siped tread gives such control AND roadfeel that they make winter driving a joy.

Until we meet up with someone like you in traffic.

I've used them on three different cars over fifteen years, every one the same result. MUCH safer and more enjoyable winter driving, not merely 'riding'...which is what most people barely do.

Cheers!

**stinkytofu** · February-18-13, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

^^^ Yeah it was fast out of no where white-out! I was on the Southfield at Oakwood southbound, Dearborn - Allen Pk border right as the white-out/ ice combo ended.

I saw the car hauler jack-knifed...cars piled all over west bound lane. I took the back way home once I left the Hill later [[what ever that mall is called)

That car hauler was scary as heck. I had to take people to the airport from Royal Oak and also took the back roads all the way back. Was a much more interesting day of driving than I had bargained for...when I was in college going back up to MSU one night in a snow storm I spun out on I96 and I've been very, very cautious in bad weather ever since. It's scary though when you are literally going 15 MPG and it seems like a struggle to stay on the road.

**Gannon** · February-18-13, 05:56 PM

Here, read and learn.

http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/...jsp?techid=116

SE Michigan would be a safer place if everyone had to use winter performance tires between November and March.