(no subject)

[rootofnewt]

I live in charlottesville, a small city/town nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's hilly here. We do get snow every winter, though not as much as the Shenendoah Valley recieves.

So, WHY can't local people drive in snow? It's not like it's something crazy and new and out of the blue. It happens every single year. We have winter. In winter, we sometimes get snow or *gasp* ice! And people suddenly forget how to drive. I know--it could be worse. In DC, they forget how to drive every single day, rain or shine, snow or wind, gridlock or construction. Why do they give these people licenses to operate motor vehicles?

And people freak out when the accumulation is half an inch. Half an inch. That's barely even a dusting. Even one inch isn't enough to cover the grass. You need about four to five inches to make the grass be invisible, usually closer to six or eight inches. Good sledding (for adults) also requires *at least* that much.

And WHY is it so damn hard to find windshield wiper fluid rated below 32F around here? It gets colder than that! I hate frozen wiper lines and I especially hate instant slush/ice on my windshield. When I do find fluid rated for well below zero, I stock up.

And that lock I bought a few weeks ago from Lowe's? It's frozen. Not in ice. I just tried to open it this morning so I could get the shovel out of the basement(just in case--I like to have it near the door, not around the side of the house and down a flight of slippery steps)... and the key wouldn't turn. It's an all-weather heavy-duty, cold weather padlock. What is it about Virginia's positively balmy winters that it can't handle? I doubt I still have the reciept or the packaging. If it doesn't loosen up, I'll need bolt cutters to remove it. I have something that would cut it--inside the basement.

Comments

[never1eighty.livejournal.com]

I never got that "can't drive, strange weather phenomena impairing ability to drive!". In LA, everytime it rains, and I mean EVERYTIME there's this huge reaction. Everyone is shocked by the wet droplets falling from the sky and do one of two things: 1) drive 2 miles an hour as this "ray-n" must be highly dangerous. 2) drive twice as fast as normal as rain-smain, I'm gonna be late!

It's just psycho.

[stmaybe.livejournal.com]

yeah, people here are freaking out over barely a 1/4 inch of snow. the local news just reported on a school with 400 children "trapped" in the school because the buses can't drive in the 1/4 inch of snow. oh & would the 400 parents please come get their kids. ugh!

[twopiearr.livejournal.com]

Humans were simply not designed with weather in mind, I think. I used to live in Portland, Oregon, which averaged 250 days of rain annually. And in spite of that fact, and in spite of the unending amounts of shit Oregonians heap upon Californians for their inability to drive in rain, without fail, the first week or two after the summer ended and the rainy season began would account for about 70% of the automotive accidents for the year.

[kesara.livejournal.com]

they MAKE washer fluid that only has a min temp rating of 32F????? good god, my lines would freeze by the beginning of october... I guess I'm buried in the frozen tundra of the northeast; it's damn near impossible to find washer fluid that's rated above -8. :)

send me your address and I'll send you a bottle. :)

[lightning-rose.livejournal.com]

And that lock I bought a few weeks ago from Lowe's? It's frozen.

You need an excuse to play with fire? ;)



Try heating the key with a match or lighter. If that doesn't work, heat the whole bloody lock. And then, once you get it open, a liberal dose of WD-40 inside the lock will help keep it from freezing.

[krasota.livejournal.com]

Aye. I had no matches at the new place, so I couldn't do that. In fact, I don't have WD-40 there, either. I'll take both over tonight. And then use them together. I love fire + aerosolized fuel.

[dizzyblind.livejournal.com]

hehe. Yeah people freak out there. Now that I'm in MI it's snowed a lot but it's normal here. People don't even pay attention to it.

[thekdog.livejournal.com]

Buy the orange colored windshield wiper fluid, it has an anti-icer/de-icer ingrediant in it. The sell it at Advance Auto.

[soulcry.livejournal.com]

Funny that you mention the snow. I drove to cville yesterday to get a few orchids (suprise suprise) and people were driving like 15 MPH. I'm not saying just a few people it was more like everyone.
The funny thing it though I took 29 back to the house and took the left off 29, the Schlyer (sp) turn or whatever, and me being the idiot I am was going like 50 down the roads and slide the car into a ditch lol. Luckily the ditch wasnt deep and I could drive the car out. Now that's what I call fun!

[krasota.livejournal.com]

Most windshield fluid contains alcohol or antifreeze. Is the orange stuff Rain-X or Bug-X? If so, I won't use it. It makes a nasty film that's impossible to get off. They actually sell decent wiper fluid over in the Valley, where people apparently expect cold weather. I suppose I can always go for a drive.

Thank you, though. :)

Thanks

[handycapsrevolt.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your help... it's going to be hard I know.. I just don't have the money (not at16)nor my parents but ill have to figure something out I sure wish I could get coverage though thank you for your advice. :)

`erin