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Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Monkeyleg on March 05, 2015, 03:14:58 PM

Title: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Monkeyleg on March 05, 2015, 03:14:58 PM
As I mentioned in another thread, last week we got 6" of snow here, and the city was pretty much shut down for two days. We didn't even get mail.

This morning there was 1/2" or less of snow with some freezing rain. The roads are icy, and there's been no traffic. The post office is closed again (I'm waiting for a certified letter).

I was supposed to go to Atlanta today, but I wouldn't want to be on the interstate with people who don't know how to drive on slippery roads.

It was funny last week. Now it's getting to be irritating. We need Al Gore.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Angel Eyes on March 05, 2015, 03:30:15 PM
"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

...unless we get 1/2" of snow, then we're taking the day off.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: brimic on March 05, 2015, 03:30:53 PM
Quote
I was supposed to go to Atlanta today, but I wouldn't want to be on the interstate with people who don't know how to drive on slippery roads.

It was funny last week. Now it's getting to be irritating. We need Al Gore.

We got about 1" of snow coming down on Milwaukee Tuesday morning during morning commute. It took me 1hr40min to drive my 26 miles to work (down I43 to the East Side), several accidents along the way. You aren't missing much.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Monkeyleg on March 05, 2015, 03:36:23 PM
We got about 1" of snow coming down on Milwaukee Tuesday morning during morning commute. It took me 1hr40min to drive my 26 miles to work (down I43 to the East Side), several accidents along the way. You aren't missing much.

Huh? That amount has always been just about an everyday thing.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Headless Thompson Gunner on March 05, 2015, 03:41:31 PM
Snow in the south is different than snow in the north.  I would never have guessed it, and it makes no sense, but I've seen it too often to doubt it.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: brimic on March 05, 2015, 03:43:13 PM
Huh? That amount has always been just about an everyday thing.

Not this year.
If people go a week without snow, they forget how to drive in it. :facepalm:
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Monkeyleg on March 05, 2015, 04:08:24 PM
Snow in the south is different than snow in the north.  I would never have guessed it, and it makes no sense, but I've seen it too often to doubt it.

This is the first time in four years or so that I've seen any snow here that didn't melt by noon. Usually it melts within an hour. There were two years where we got no snow at all.

Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Boomhauer on March 05, 2015, 05:21:00 PM
We got about 1" of snow coming down on Milwaukee Tuesday morning during morning commute. It took me 1hr40min to drive my 26 miles to work (down I43 to the East Side), several accidents along the way. You aren't missing much.

The video of the 193 car pileup in Michigan is my answer to those who sneer at us here in the South for not caring to tangle with the snow/ice we get. People drive stupid everywhere, and it has consequences. 

The reason we shut down is it's easier and safer to close stuff up for a few days each year rather than deal with it as is done in the North. We don't have a large number of plow trucks, we don't have salt to put down on the roads (and we don't want it at all!) and so on.



 



Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Perd Hapley on March 05, 2015, 06:10:30 PM
The reason we shut down is it's easier and safer to close stuff up for a few days each year rather than deal with it as is done in the North. We don't have a large number of plow trucks, we don't have salt to put down on the roads (and we don't want it at all!) and so on.


This makes sense to me. If you only get snow/ice three times a year, closing everything down is not so bad. If you get it constantly, then you have to cope with it, so you don't spend half the winter snowed in.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: lupinus on March 05, 2015, 06:17:11 PM
Having lived both, I've come to find that there are just an many accidents and just as many fools who have no idea how to drive in it. The only real difference is the areas where snow is more frequent and sticks around you have the equipment to make it more manageable.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: BlueStarLizzard on March 05, 2015, 07:06:17 PM
I just deleted a rant about northerners being jerks about winter weather in the south.

what boomhauer and lupinus said.

We don't live in a place that spends half the year imitating an ice berg, so don't expect us to act like it.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Monkeyleg on March 05, 2015, 08:03:15 PM
I just deleted a rant about northerners being jerks about winter weather in the south.

what boomhauer and lupinus said.

We don't live in a place that spends half the year imitating an ice berg, so don't expect us to act like it.

What part of the south are you in?
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: never_retreat on March 05, 2015, 08:23:07 PM
Wow what a horrific snow storm you had.
We just pilled about 9 more inched on the the heap today. I stayed home as to not deal with all the idiots on the road.
I cleared my driveway and 2 others. Went out a little while ago to clean up and the dam chute blew off the snow blower. 2 for the low tonight then 45 by Saturday.

I don't know if its true or not but if a mail man gets the mail truck stuck in the snow they have to pay for the tow.
Title: Re: Re: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: makattak on March 05, 2015, 10:06:44 PM
What part of the south are you in?

Virginia.  We get more snow than the deep south, but much less than when I lived in the Midwest. MUCH less.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Jamisjockey on March 05, 2015, 10:09:46 PM
I saw some epic bad winter driving in Utah.  Speeding usually being the culprit, with following too closely being a close second.

Most of the south rarely experiences real winter events.  When they do, it's short lived.  Therefore, the snow removal equipment is expensive and unnecessary.  But then, when there is a full blown winter storm, they're screwed without plows and salt/sand spreaders.

That said, so many northerners talk so much *expletive deleted*it about southerners in the snow.  Yet again, I've seen some really dumb stuff north of the Mason Dixon during winter storms.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: TommyGunn on March 05, 2015, 11:47:27 PM
I saw some epic bad winter driving in Utah.  Speeding usually being the culprit, with following too closely being a close second.

Most of the south rarely experiences real winter events.  When they do, it's short lived.  Therefore, the snow removal equipment is expensive and unnecessary.  But then, when there is a full blown winter storm, they're screwed without plows and salt/sand spreaders.

That said, so many northerners talk so much *expletive deleted*it about southerners in the snow.  Yet again, I've seen some really dumb stuff north of the Mason Dixon during winter storms.


Having lived through winters in both Connecticut and Alabama the only difference I see between Yanks driving in snow and Rebs driving in snow is that Yanks think they can drive in snow intelligently, but can't, and Rebs wonder if they can, try and find out they can't.   


In other words, six of one, half dozen the other.  [tinfoil]
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Perd Hapley on March 06, 2015, 12:43:25 AM
Last Saturday, I got to see a car fly off the highway, doing a 180 in fresh powder. He started to lose control as he approached us in the oncoming lane, and then swung around behind us. We went back to check on him, and I was surprised that no one else stopped. The thing was, he was at the bottom of the embankment, and the 6' high weeds had totally swallowed the car. Or maybe the others passers-by just thought he got what he deserved.

Sorry, though, it was not an SUV, and did not "turtle." Just a young guy without much sense.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: RoadKingLarry on March 06, 2015, 12:49:37 AM
For the northerners that like to abuse us in the south about how we handle winter weather.
I'll offer you a trade, we'll take an extra week of your winter crap if you'll take one our "110° every day for a week" weeks.
:)
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Monkeyleg on March 06, 2015, 01:18:02 AM
For the northerners that like to abuse us in the south about how we handle winter weather.
I'll offer you a trade, we'll take an extra week of your winter crap if you'll take one our "110° every day for a week" weeks.
:)


I'm not complaining about the handling of the snow. It's only the second time in four or so years. I came down here to escape the 6 months of frozen tundra.

I also don't complain about the heat. The locals do, but I never do.

BTW, Virginia is about the same latitude as lower Illinois. Is that really south? ;)
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: mtnbkr on March 06, 2015, 06:10:30 AM
For the northerners that like to abuse us in the south about how we handle winter weather.
I'll offer you a trade, we'll take an extra week of your winter crap if you'll take one our "110° every day for a week" weeks.
:)


Here in Northern VA, near DC, our yearly temps swing from lows in single digits this time of year to highs in the triple digits come August.  The latter also occurring with upwards of 100% humidity.  So, no, we don't need your stinkin' badges heat.

A couple summers ago, daily highs ran in the very high 90s to low 100s with 90%+ humidity for a few weeks.  Even at night, it never got below the mid 80s. 

Chris
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: RoadKingLarry on March 06, 2015, 06:35:36 AM
We call that summer around here. =D
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: roo_ster on March 06, 2015, 06:49:08 AM
North texas has gotton more ice and snow later in the season than i have ever experienced around here.  It is the same thing every time.  Ice followed by more ice or ice followed by snow.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: mtnbkr on March 06, 2015, 09:42:40 AM
We call that summer around here. =D

That's not overly unusual for us either.  The last couple summers have been unusually cool.

Chris
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Ben on March 06, 2015, 09:54:06 AM
You all could join us in CA. It's gonna be in the high 70s today.

(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rowthree.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F05%2FMetropolis-workers.jpg&hash=ae7556601d1ce205dcb7b5c29f8d391ee984ffdc)
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: makattak on March 06, 2015, 09:59:54 AM
We had 8-12 inches of snow on the ground here last week. Temperatures just shot up this week and all that snow (aside from the plowed piles) was gone by Thursday...

At which point we got 3 inches of snow on a frozen ground. Which, looking at the forecast will likely be gone by Sunday.

This has been an odd winter.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: brimic on March 06, 2015, 10:28:46 AM
Quote
This has been an odd winter.

Yes :cool:
All of the snow has been blown by some sort of jet stream south of me, and piling up on the east coast.
I currently have about  4-6" of snow on my lawn- it would normally be 4x that much this time of year.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Marnoot on March 06, 2015, 10:29:20 AM
I saw some epic bad winter driving in Utah.  Speeding usually being the culprit, with following too closely being a close second.

Yep. Too many people with A/4WD that think that means they can stop more betterer too. The worst is always the first snow storm of the season, like everybody forgot that snow and ice are slippery. Though it is satisfying seeing some idiot speed by you in his 4WD pickup or AWD luxury SUV, then seeing them spun-out or turtled a couple miles down the road.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: mtnbkr on March 06, 2015, 11:34:38 AM
We had 8-12 inches of snow on the ground here last week. Temperatures just shot up this week and all that snow (aside from the plowed piles) was gone by Thursday...

At which point we got 3 inches of snow on a frozen ground. Which, looking at the forecast will likely be gone by Sunday.

This has been an odd winter.

If you have a basement, keep an eye out for water ingress.  Flooded basements are an issue where you are.

Chris
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: makattak on March 06, 2015, 02:07:34 PM
If you have a basement, keep an eye out for water ingress.  Flooded basements are an issue where you are.

Chris

We have a sump pump that's been working hard the past couple of days. Otherwise, our basement would have been underwater.

Thanks for the heads up.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: bedlamite on March 06, 2015, 02:29:24 PM
I'm going to have to plug my sump pump back in. This weekend it's supposed to get above freezing for the first time in what seems like months.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Monkeyleg on March 06, 2015, 03:17:30 PM
There's another advantage to living in the south: no basements. Our houses in Milwaukee always had basement problems, with cracked walls and leaking.

The downside to not having basements, aside from not having the additional storage space, is that slabs tend to move more, and will need mudjacking.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Ben on March 06, 2015, 03:32:57 PM

The downside to not having basements, aside from not having the additional storage space, is that slabs tend to move more, and will need mudjacking.

Is that a Southern soil thing? Outside of hillsides and big earthquakes, or poor home siting, I've rarely seen foundation problems of that sort in CA.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: vaskidmark on March 06, 2015, 03:44:40 PM
I don't see what all y'all are nattering on about snow removal and clearing roadways and parking spaces and bad drivers and .....

Last time Richmond (Va) had any real snow was the blizzard of 199whatever when the plows (such as we stole from Northern Virginia) came through early and often, keeping not only the major arteries but the neighborhood streets clear - by piling it all up against the cars parked next to the curbs.  And when the snow turned to slush/sleet the plows kept coming through, keeping the roadways clear and the snow covered with slush/sleet packed almost to the roofs of the parked cars.  After almost a week of temps staying below freezing and nobody able to get their car out to go rent a jackhammer to free their car, the Mayor was asked just what he planned to do about removing all the snow/slush/sleet.

The Mayor announced an absolutely foolproof plan that would cost the city next to nothing - May!  The snow/slush/sleet removal plan worked so well (and almost a month ahead of schedule) that he was elected to another 4-year term!

Tell me now that we Southroners don't know how to deal with snow.

stay safe.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: vaskidmark on March 06, 2015, 03:56:21 PM
Is that a Southern soil thing? Outside of hillsides and big earthquakes, or poor home siting, I've rarely seen foundation problems of that sort in CA.

In the coastal and piedmont areas we have shrink-swell soil or just plain clay that tends to slide about when wet.  Also, certain parts of the South are where the glaciers decided to stop and leave all sorts of rocks.  Get out towards the mountains and you strike either granite or coal.

stay safe.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: brimic on March 06, 2015, 04:31:41 PM
Quote
If you have a basement, keep an eye out for water ingress.  Flooded basements are an issue where you are.

Interesting problem that arose one year about 10 years back...
All of the houses in the subdivision were 5-10 years old at that time, and on high and dry ground and people's sump pumps rarely, if ever, ran. We had a lot of snow melt off slowly, which saturated the ground, every rain for the next 2 months caused people's sump pumps to run 24/7. The people who hadn't previously replaced the cheap pedestal pumps put in by the builders with submersibles, ended up with flooded basements. OF course, with JIT inventory systems in place, all of the big box stores within 50 miles were sold out of submersible pumps.
I had a spare pedestal pump, which I took over to the neighbors on a friday night after the neighbor lady called and said her basement was flooding- for the next day, her dad and I swapped pumps back and forth every hour or so as they overheated.
When her husband got home from work on Sunday, the flooding had stopped, but he soon installed a submersible with a battery backup.


Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: MechAg94 on March 06, 2015, 06:24:07 PM
What is this snow stuff y'all are talking about?  Down here they shut down half the stuff if it even threatens to be wet and close to freezing.  Of course, I work in a chemical plant in an area where it rarely freezes so freeze protection is never tested.  If we have a hard freeze that lasts a while, I will likely be working. 

I saw a presentation for Dow Chemical in Freeport.  Looking at the last 30 years or so, their most expensive weather related incidents have been due to freeze conditions (only a couple of incidents).  That was more expensive than hurricanes that have hit the area.  Since it rarely freezes for more than a day, they just aren't as prepared for it as plants further North.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Hutch on March 07, 2015, 05:23:52 PM
One of my very favorite TV memories was a woman-in-the-parking-lot interview at a local TV station, ragging on all us dumb southerners (obviously redundant, in her mind) that "couldn't handle a little snow" in her nasally Chicago accent.  They kept cameras rolling as she backed slowly out of her parking place... and slid 50-75 feet, pranging her car and two others.  Instant Karma, served up cold.   >:D
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Perd Hapley on March 08, 2015, 01:56:52 PM
pranging


Is that a southron thing?
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Hutch on March 08, 2015, 09:55:12 PM
Actually, I'd heard some very proper Brits use the term, and I thought it useful, so I adopted it.  So, I guess, it's southern now.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Boomhauer on March 08, 2015, 10:08:24 PM
One of my very favorite TV memories was a woman-in-the-parking-lot interview at a local TV station, ragging on all us dumb southerners (obviously redundant, in her mind) that "couldn't handle a little snow" in her nasally Chicago accent.  They kept cameras rolling as she backed slowly out of her parking place... and slid 50-75 feet, pranging her car and two others.  Instant Karma, served up cold.   >:D

Is it wrong to laugh whenever that happens?

Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: RoadKingLarry on March 08, 2015, 11:35:12 PM
Is it wrong to laugh whenever that happens?



It would be wrong not to laugh..
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: brimic on March 09, 2015, 12:46:53 PM
One of my very favorite TV memories was a woman-in-the-parking-lot interview at a local TV station, ragging on all us dumb southerners (obviously redundant, in her mind) that "couldn't handle a little snow" in her nasally Chicago accent.  They kept cameras rolling as she backed slowly out of her parking place... and slid 50-75 feet, pranging her car and two others.  Instant Karma, served up cold.   >:D

That's normal driving in Chicago- snow or no snow.
I had a friend from Chicago in college- he believed that bumpers were put on cars for the purpose of parallel parking- you backed up until you bumped into the car behind you, pulled forward until you bumped the car in front of you, then backed off a foot or so. Leaving a parallel parked space used the same bumper skills.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Ben on March 09, 2015, 12:57:41 PM
That's normal driving in Chicago- snow or no snow.
I had a friend from Chicago in college- he believed that bumpers were put on cars for the purpose of parallel parking- you backed up until you bumped into the car behind you, pulled forward until you bumped the car in front of you, then backed off a foot or so. Leaving a parallel parked space used the same bumper skills.

That seems to be a not uncommon big city, limited parking (e.g., NYC) modas operandi. Likely a cultural thing where the people who do it think it's no big deal. Personally, I'd be pissed if I saw someone doing that to one of my vehicles, regardless if it was my baby or a beater. I had someone use my F-250 as a parking (actually, most likely a backing up) aid once at the work parking lot. They missed my big beefy bumper and squished the end of my tailpipe. I was only lucky that they didn't hit it with enough pressure from that angle to crack my diesel DPF. Of course I wasn't there when it happened, and no note on the windshield or anything.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: MechAg94 on March 09, 2015, 03:01:58 PM
Is it wrong to laugh whenever that happens?


IMO, self induced pain/adversity is nearly always funny.  What I often have a hard time with it the really painful "prank" stuff people do that shows up online. 
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: vaskidmark on March 09, 2015, 09:03:16 PM
That's normal driving in Chicago- snow or no snow.
I had a friend from Chicago in college- he believed that bumpers were put on cars for the purpose of parallel parking- you backed up until you bumped into the car behind you, pulled forward until you bumped the car in front of you, then backed off a foot or so. Leaving a parallel parked space used the same bumper skills.

Want to keep other drivers from cuting you off/tailgating?  Get some decent dents.  They see those and know you don't care about adding another one or two.

Know how to spot the undercover feds?  They have shiny cars with no dents or dust/mud.

stay safe.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: Hawkmoon on March 09, 2015, 09:40:34 PM
Not this year.
If people go a week without snow, they forget how to drive in it. :facepalm:

I blame it on modern automotive technology.

First came wide-spread 4WD or AWD. People found they could go in conditions where they previously had not been able to go. The forget that they may be going thanks to 4WD/AWD, but each tire is right at the ragged edge of traction, and 4WD go does not equal 4WD stop.

So then along came anti-lock brakes. People think, "Cool. Now I won't slid when I apply the brakes." What they overlook is that anti-lock brakes simply electronically release the brakes when the computer senses skidding (locked brakes). So, where they are expecting MORE brakes, they in fact has LESS brakes.

All of which may explain why, the morning after the first snow storm of last Winter, I got all of three miles from home before seeing a Ford Explorer on its roof in a ditch.
Title: Re: "Winter" in Alabama
Post by: cassandra and sara's daddy on March 11, 2015, 08:09:44 AM
My jeep crapped out morning of last storm and I loved watching people freak out seeing a minivan go in and out of my neighborhood. Tire chains for the win. Some folks have never seen chains


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