Did Mother Nature just flip the “Winter” switch last Wednesday? A cruel joke. Halloween passed and we got hit with lots of snowfall followed by a blast of a frigid cold snap. Okay, little early even for us living in Edmonton. Winter driving can “drive” you crazy, especially with the snow-covered and icy roads and looking out for bad drivers. Rest assured, there is time to adapt and face the season ahead. You just have to take extra time, be patient and make necessary preparations when you are on the road.
Install Winter tires
Ditch the summer tires or at least get some all-weathers! Last week, I waited in line Saturday at the local garage to swap out my Summer tires for winter tires. Did I like the notion of getting up that early? No. The “First Come, First Serve” policy with many chain auto mechanics forces you to get out of bed early. Otherwise, you risk going too late or waiting all day for our vehicle to be ready. Plain sucks. When you are a parent and have a child(s), you are up early anyway. Don’t use that as an excuse; procrastinate and wait until it is too late. If you are mechanically inclined, change the tires yourself. Don’t ask me to come out on a windy, snowy day to help when it is -25C with the wind chill!
Armed with the proper tools
There will always be that person who fails to scrape their windshield properly; I got one bloke straining to peek through a small gaping hole trying to navigate a treacherous road of snow and ice. Arm yourself with a scraper, or snow brush and take a minute to do this before you set on the road. Is this too much to ask? …And for the people who travel outside the city in rural areas: carry a winter safety kit, blanket, jumper cables, flashlight and air tire gauge.
Where’s your toque?
I am amazed at the people who run around in their track pants or without a proper coat. Don’t dash across the snow-covered road in spandex and running shoes without looking! Maybe you got a “death wish’? I’m sorry, but I can’t stop on a “dime.” All the bulky winter attire covering their head right down to their boots probably would slow them down or doesn’t appeal to the latest fashion trend. Who knows? Parents should know better by dressing up their kids with a warm winter coat, scarf, gloves and boots. I suppose they can’t afford warm clothes or they haven’t unpacked their seasonal clothes? I’m sorry, a T-shirt and shorts are not appropriate at this time of year!
Be patient and expect delays
It is easy to get frustrated and “pissed” at the transit or bus driver. Last Friday, the buses were running 15-30mins behind schedule due to bad congestion and poor road conditions. I thought I would freeze my “ass” off with my daughter waiting at the bus stop. Once there is a backup or delay it affects the whole transit system: kind of a “snowball effect”. Not much you can do. Grin and bear it. Gas combustion vehicles are not as efficient in the cold so don’t expect them to “purr” like a kitten or be great at handling the bad roads. Drivers and transit drivers need to be patient and give themselves extra time to commute to work. This goes back to being prepared even if winter hasn’t officially arrived yet.
Avoid road rage
Emotions can run high sometimes, but some things are out of our control ie. weather etc. Try to manage and regulate your emotions so you don’t promote any road rage. Once in a while, you get individuals who are too lazy or absent-minded to brush the snow off the roof and back window. Snow is flying out of the back of the car. Not too smart, but you have to give them grace. We don’t know the circumstances, or perhaps they are just in a hurry? Stay clear of these potentially dangerous drivers and do not promote road rage.
Please save the rest of us the agony and frustration by investing in the right gear and winterizing your vehicle. I hate to be stranded in the cold so take precautions. Your vehicle should be properly serviced and have at least a quarter tank of gas. (prevent gas line freeze-ups). Let’s be safe and respectful to each other on the winter roads.
