2 things really:
1) i’ve been out of new england too long…there are several signs of this, but the most glaring right now is that it is snowing, and has been snowing, and i feel like i need to modify my plans as a result fo the snow. oh i won’t…this time. but i’m starting to realize that in places were snow does not fall very often, there is a self fulfulling panic that takes hold of the inhabitants. you see, the people here don’t know how to drive in the snow, which is not their fault, but to compound the problem, the city doesn’t seemt know how to take care of the roads very well, so you get people that aren’t good on the snow, on more snow than there should be–and well it makes me want to do the stock up on bread and milk head in the sand/stay at home until it all blows over thing. back when i was growing up in upstate NY, we got about an inch or so of snow everyday…EVERYDAY for like 6 months of the year. my pop always called it the suicide snow…i guess it depressed him… or me, interesting, i’ll have ot think about that. my point is that 2-4 inches of snow in a place where people know how to deal with it is not a big deal, it’s just when people don’t know how to deal with it…i get sick of dealing with them…it’s only a matter of time before i get a huge 4×4 ‘because of the snow’ like all the people down here…nevermind the fact that it snows 2 times a year. the rest of the time they just waste gas and shit.
2) I think i finally need to shut down my jefke AT jefke DOT com email account–it’s be about 5 years now, and well i’m bagging about 300-400 spam messages a day–it’s unreal. if i didn’t have outlook 2003, which does an ok job of sorting them–i just can’t take it anymore…alot of his has to do with being on the road too, the popmail reader i used to like so much so if you need me, i’m gonna try to switch over to just totally choakes up on all the spam–i’m so glad that CANSPAM or whatever was passed last year. so anyway, if you need me, then use my gmail account, if you don’t know it. well then you don’t really need me. wow, that sounded all tough and shit. if you need it, then email me for it, oh wait that won’t work. i dunno, send a carrier pigeon and we’ll figure something out. question is, do i actually shut it down for a while…? would that stop it…? anyone? anyone?
5 responses so far ↓
1 rcg // Jan 30, 2005 at 11:49 am
The thing that bugs me about the 4×4-as-the-answer-for-snow thing is that people believe SUVs are intrinsically better in the snow. And they’re not. First, SUVs still need good snow tires. Second, even so, SUVs are actually only better if your talking about going in a straight line (add to this the requisite ability to feather the gas pedal so the uber-torque of the 8.0 litre engine doesn’t slip through the snoe and spin the tires out). But when it comes to changing lanes on a highway and cornering, SUVs suck because they’re too high off the ground. A sedan with snow tires will fare much better.
Unless of course you actually go off road or have to plow through a pile of snow left by a plow. Then I s’pose you want the truck.
Done.
Send me your gmail address.
2 Don // Jan 31, 2005 at 8:51 am
SUVs are heavier and can get better traction. And the clearance also helps. Wider tires offer you more traction on the road in the snow. Smaller (skinnier) tires are better for the rain in most cases I guess because there is less surface area and less of a chance for hydroplaning.
I’ve had a manual transmission Honda with snow tires and have a SUV. I can say that both did (do) really well. The Honda only got me stuck a few times. With the truck, I’ve never been stuck or have even had any troubles at all.
I do hate spending so much $$ on gas. When we reach the day where I’m the only one making the commute to work, Jen will keep the SUV for local travel and I will use a more fuel efficient vehicle (Hopefully an Acura TL).
3 jefke // Jan 31, 2005 at 12:33 pm
whooops, forgot don had a truck..well at least you use to haul shit and stuff. i was thinking of the people that never use their’s for anything but regular car stuff. but to richard’s point, alot of time people just don’t get it…4 wheel drive doesn’t mean you’ll stop any better on ice, that has always been a problem up in CT by the compound…all the soccer moms throw their lexuseseses into 4wd and think that it’ll behave liek there’s nothing on the road. but all that said, what has been my dream car for years? the audi s4 wagon.. and it looks like when we need more space…come summer time, we’ll prolly trade in the mazdamobile for an outback..so i’m full of shit anyway…but then again..what else is new…
4 Jimmy // Jan 31, 2005 at 2:23 pm
My truck gets somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-10 miles per gallon.
I need to get new tires for it also.
5 Don // Jan 31, 2005 at 2:55 pm
Damn homie. That’s some bad MPG. Reminds me of when I had my MUSTANG 5.0 V8. It got about the same, 8-10. Man, that sucked! I’m sure a lot of it had to do with how I drove it.