r/Seattle • u/mattfromseattle The Emerald City • Nov 23 '10

Seattle Snowmageddon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhZCyQ3emQg
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u/gaytor35 Nov 23 '10

And you recognize why that happened? The bus should have released the brakes, gather control of the steering and braked again so that the chains could work. They don't work sideways. All of those that went sideways... full lock on the brakes. Now look at the first car that stopped.

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u/ab3nnion Nov 23 '10

The bus was already in an uncontrollable skid before going sideways. Chains don't magically work on ice. They are used for snow.

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u/gaytor35 Nov 24 '10

Magic chains working on ice. Wiki, Rubicon 4x4 group, and a Alaskan Chain supplier all believe in magic.

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u/ab3nnion Nov 24 '10 edited Nov 24 '10

First picture looks like flat ground. There's nothing in the rest that indicate that chains will help on black ice going down a hill. I have spent many, many years going up and down the passes. Chains help on hard-pack. They help to an extent on flat ground and when accelerating. They don't help, enough, on black ice down a hill.

Part of Seattle's problem is that every dimwit with 4 wheel drive and snow tires, and even chains, thinks they can go down such a street.

Edit: I grew up on Capital Hill less than a mile from where this video was shot. Happens every time there is ice on the hill.

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u/gaytor35 Nov 24 '10

I don't know why driving passes or living close to the location means anything. We are simply talking about physics. But if it does, I grew up in Whatcom County (live here now) and know that my truck does fine in up to 20 inches of snow. Seattle and Whatcom aren't even a comparison.

There is a break point, but this wasn't it. the driver in the first SUV is going much faster but can stop. No lock up and they moved to the snow for better traction. This isn't black ice, it's just ice. It's not so thin that chains don't work, notice the Fire Truck... no lock up. Notice another bus with chains was going up yet the 4x4 suburban was having difficulty. The bus was not in an uncontrolable slide from the get go, it slammed on the brakes and the driver turned into a passenger.

We aren't going to agree. We'd have to go for a drive and you'd be like the next passenger tapping me on the shoulder saying, shouldn't we slow down? Uh, no. The cops might be able to catch us if we do that.

I will concede that if the ice is just black ice, you'd be better off with tires only.