__Bonk__
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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The snow has arrived and I have to drive a small truck everywhere from Widbey Island to the Canadian border and the North Cascades
Ack
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Tych2
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Low gears, go slow, pump the breaks.
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Fat_wong
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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how much does it weigh / how long is it?
its pretty easy to drive my 32' straight truck in snow and ice
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__Bonk__
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Hate to say it but I'm very nervous about this. I'm a safe driver but even with my CDL I dont think I'm professional level
This is a small non CDL truck but it still is pretty good sized at 16,000 lbs
I drive approximately 600 miles per week
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Fat_wong
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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if its air brakes pumping the brakes is a stupid idea.
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__Bonk__
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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It doesnt have air brakes, to small. I am qualified to drive a B class truck with air brakes
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Huges07.1
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Easy on the gas, easy on the brake.
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IMHO
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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When I was younger on the first snow I would find a big empty parking lot and do a couple of quick stops and a few donuts to get my snow legs.
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Bobvillas
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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I am not sure there are any tricks to it.
Just take your time and watch for the idiots that have 4wheel drive and think they are invincible.
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Bonzoboy1
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Use your shifter to control your speed and not the brakes, your speed is going to be limited so just accept that from the start. Give yourself plenty of following space, keep watching everything and drive defensively.
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Altra_Shadowstalker
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Lots of good advice here for normal drivers.
For bonk, "Don't" is the best you can offer.
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Kordirn
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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I would suggest not crashing.
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IMHO
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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I only worry about snow on the roads if the nights get below 32 degrees. The snow won't stick if it is too warm. It takes a real cold snap for it to stick on the roads and then it may be just slush or mixed with iced. I can tell if I am driving on either by the sound of my tires. Black ice is the worst and that is usually on brides or overpasses.
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He's [Manegarm] like the Fred Phelps of atheism. ~Bubbledude
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Aerlinthian
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Throw a couple of hundred of pounds of sand bags in the truck or find a way to keep weight on the wheels. (Hopefully you have the appropriate type of drive tires for the season)
At 16K gross I assume this is a automatic and not a manual shift because that is a smallish box truck, however you can still manipulate slowing forces by downshifting from Drive to 3rd, 2nd, etc, should you need to. But you may want to practice that a bit when you don't have vehicles around you and are not in bad conditions. Your better bet however is simply not to drive too fast for conditions AND to test your braking power and skills (KNOW your braking power and forces of momentum). A little controlled skidding that educates you on your vehicle handling is very valuable information.
Keep your lights on and free from dirt/snow obstruction. This means that you need to also pay attention to the marker/clearance red/amber lamps around the top of the box. Get a brush or whatever to keep them clear and visible. All your lights should be in working order always, that is not only the law but it is also practical.
Depending on the amount of snow and road conditions you may want to use chains which will slow you down dramatically. IE these are a mixed blessing. Keep your fuel tank above half. Make sure you have all your emergency gear like triangles, (flares needed for winter conditions), fire extinguisher, 20' long heavy duty (4 gauge) jumper cables. A wrench for battery terminals.
Dress like you will be out walking around in the cold and not like you will be in a heated truck.
This next item is better to do this before the bad conditions but do it anyway as it is one of the best things you can do to maintain vision. Use Rain-X on your windows and mirrors. This stuff is fantastic and I highly recommend it.
And just so you know, I have a class A license and can drive anything on the road other than passenger buses. I've done extensive class 8 truck driving in the snow and ice. Black ice is the worst, snow is bad but not so bad if you have weight on the vehicle, this goes for cars as well.
Good luck, stay safe.
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ZartanAround
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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GO OFF A CLIFF ALREADY!!!
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Eithne_Boadicea
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Extra distance to stop, extra time to get going, slow on turns. Don't EVER floor it on slippery roads or you will sit there spinning your wheels like a retart. Pump the breaks gently and regularly if you start to slip, and if you are going downhill and not getting a lot of traction to slow down shift into a lower gear. Definitely keep warm stuff with you in case you are unfortunate enough to get stuck, and extra water and snacks. I'd also take a few sand bags and a small shovel (I actually had to shovel a foot of slush out from in front of my tires a few years back because I got stuck a half block from my house in it hah). Also - if you are trying to get going again after being stuck and breaking out the sand, rocking back and forward is better than gunning it.
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Huges07.1
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Ok... do NOT downshift to slow down. Great idea on the regular road, horrible on an icy or snowy road. You don't want to slow down that fast. Tap.. tap.. tappy-tap the brakes. Easy on the wheel.
I've driven on snow and ice in northern Ohio all my life. I'm the asshole that flies by you in Texas at 80mph during the first frost you ever saw while you're sitting on the side of the road making out with Brandon Watson, bro. Trust me.
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IMHO
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Eithne_Boadicea posted:
Extra distance to stop, extra time to get going, slow on turns. Don't EVER floor it on slippery roads or you will sit there spinning your wheels like a retart. Pump the breaks gently and regularly if you start to slip, and if you are going downhill and not getting a lot of traction to slow down shift into a lower gear. Definitely keep warm stuff with you in case you are unfortunate enough to get stuck, and extra water and snacks. I'd also take a few sand bags and a small shovel (I actually had to shovel a foot of slush out from in front of my tires a few years back because I got stuck a half block from my house in it hah). Also - if you are trying to get going again after being stuck and breaking out the sand, rocking back and forward is better than gunning it.
If you have ABS (Anti-lock Breaking System) pumping your brakes is the worst thing you can do. Lots of cars now-a-days have ABS. Know your braking system.
You can not humanly brake better than ABS.
If you tap/pump your brakes it starts and stops the ABS which means you don't brake.
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He's [Manegarm] like the Fred Phelps of atheism. ~Bubbledude
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Aerlinthian
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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IMHO posted:
If you have ABS (Anti-lock Breaking System) pumping your breaks is the worst thing you can do. Lots of cars now-a-days have ABS. Know your breaking system.
This is true, even many trucks and trailers these days have ABS. If you have ABS, then read the manual. It will describe how to properly operate a ABS equipped system.
As for downshifting and engine braking. This is about knowing your vehicle and having more methods for controlling it should you need it, but not relying on those in particular. Downshifting and engine braking has been used since vehicles first appeared. As someone who has driven large heavy trucks routinely up and over the Rockies during the winter, at 80 MPH on snow pack, I know plenty about winter driving.
You always need to be in control and to be in control you need to know what you can and can't do and how to do it.
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Hsi_Kang
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Aerlinthian posted:
As someone who has driven large heavy trucks routinely up and over the Rockies during the winter, at 80 MPH on snow pack, I know plenty about winter driving.
Idiot.
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IMHO
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Hsi_Kang posted:
Aerlinthian posted:
As someone who has driven large heavy trucks routinely up and over the Rockies during the winter, at 80 MPH on snow pack, I know plenty about winter driving.
Idiot.
LOL I missed that.... idiot
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Eithne_Boadicea
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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IMHO posted:
Eithne_Boadicea posted:
Extra distance to stop, extra time to get going, slow on turns. Don't EVER floor it on slippery roads or you will sit there spinning your wheels like a retart. Pump the breaks gently and regularly if you start to slip, and if you are going downhill and not getting a lot of traction to slow down shift into a lower gear. Definitely keep warm stuff with you in case you are unfortunate enough to get stuck, and extra water and snacks. I'd also take a few sand bags and a small shovel (I actually had to shovel a foot of slush out from in front of my tires a few years back because I got stuck a half block from my house in it hah). Also - if you are trying to get going again after being stuck and breaking out the sand, rocking back and forward is better than gunning it.
If you have ABS (Anti-lock Breaking System) pumping your brakes is the worst thing you can do. Lots of cars now-a-days have ABS. Know your braking system.
You can not humanly brake better than ABS.
If you tap/pump your brakes it starts and stops the ABS which means you don't brake.
I thought that was understood.  I learned to drive in the winter in a ghetto minivan without ABS and pump the brakes for all I was worth in certain instances; of course ABS is in most everything now, but I wasn't sure if that applied to the type of vehicle Bonkster is driving.
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I say retarded things all the time. -Sinlock Dang Mamogram, that is an impressive display of stupid. -SoO Women find scars and limps to be sexy, which is why I mutilated myself and ran over my legs with a truck.-[ToS]en
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RHWarrior
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Bonzoboy1 posted:
Use your shifter to control your speed and not the brakes, your speed is going to be limited so just accept that from the start. Give yourself plenty of following space, keep watching everything and drive defensively.
Something like this, apply everything you do to driving lighter more easily handled trucks and take it two steps furter. Pack repair gear and supplies, maybe even snow chains if the downfall gets REALLY heavy.
Oh, and don't do what this guy did if you meet a more massive vechile:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIQQvgcxbgI
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Thugoneous
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Do what I'd do. Get my car stuck stay home and play video games.
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ineenia
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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If it starts to fish tale you have to hit the breaks extra hard to get it to stop on ice...lol please don't use my advice.
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smellymotor
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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Assume everyone else on the road is going to do something stupid.
I know nothing of driving trucks or heavy vehicles but what I do know is that for some reason when driving conditions get difficult there seems to be more idiots on the road than usual
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smellymotor
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armoredgimp
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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snow is easy, ice is a bitch.
take extra care on on ramps, off ramps, bridges and overpasses, these will ice over first.
stay on the main roads, they get sand / plow first.
don't come to a complete stop unless you have to.
start in 2nd gear if a stick, will help you maintain traction.
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Aerlinthian
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Any tips for driving a truck in the snow?
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IMHO posted:
Hsi_Kang posted:
Aerlinthian posted:
As someone who has driven large heavy trucks routinely up and over the Rockies during the winter, at 80 MPH on snow pack, I know plenty about winter driving.
Idiot.
LOL I missed that.... idiot
Spoken like people who don't have clue #1.
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Ptilk
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Don't hit things unless you have to, and then aim for something soft.
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Afio
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Ptilk posted:
Don't hit things unless you have to, and then aim for something soft.
That reminds me of some advice I got when I was driving home during the May 3rd flood in new Orleans.
There was a canal on my left. My boss said aim for for trees on the right. You could not see where the freaking canal started.
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Koneg
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The problem with the Seattle area is that in the 1800s when it was settled they looked around for the steepest, hilliest place on Earth and said "Let's put a city there!" 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhZCyQ3emQg
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IMHO
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In all these videos there are people standing around watching 
Driving in snow is a spectator sport in Seattle
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He's [Manegarm] like the Fred Phelps of atheism. ~Bubbledude
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cherrim
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i never had a problem driving a bus with a little snow on the road. it increases your stopping distance so you want to increase your following distance, and take turns more conservatively.
the real thing you want to look out for, as has been said, is black (invisible) ice. this will cause you to spin out and likely wreck unless you take it steady (ie, don't accelerate/decelerate/turn with some tires on/off the ice).
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sweeny_comodore
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the heavier it is the less you have to worry about slipping and sliding in the snow.
go fast and honk yer horn a lot
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