I have never really had a problem driving in snow, in fact, I’d venture as far as to say that I enjoy the challenge. That said, I didn’t really have a good car for it. My first car growing up was a 98 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS. Loved it, and would buy another one if I ever found a decent one.
The problem was it had sport tires on it, and those types of tires don’t even like water, let alone snow. I adapted though, and that made me pretty good at driving in snow. I learned the tricks necessary to get from A to B without getting stuck.
Except one year. One year I hated every moment of snow driving. I want to say it was either 2008 or 2009, the year Pennsylvania got 3 feet of snow. Now I do love snow, so I was having a blast. But due to where I live, my road, and the roads nearby, are absolute garbage to drive on the first day of a big storm.
For whatever reason, my college just full blown didn’t care about the students. No classes were canceled over the three days of constant snow, so I was forced to attempt my 45 minute drive to class every day. One day just to arrive and find my class was canceled with a paper on the door. Then I’d check on my other classes and they would be good. Until I went to the classroom, just to find another note.
It was infuriating. Driving back and forth I couldn’t even see the road. If it weren’t for the fact I’d driven it 100 times I wouldn’t have a clue where to turn. One night I even asked a friend with beefier tires if he would take me home. My car was long since buried by the plow truck pushing the snow right up to my car, because I was one of the few commuters dedicated enough to try and make it to class.
But I didn’t mind that, honestly, it made me mad, but I could get over it. I’m not ashamed to say that when I was in college I was working at McDonalds. I had been there since I was first starting to work, so I was reliable. In times when weather would be terrible, they knew for the most part that they could count on me.
However, in the midst of this snowstorm mess, I was the only worker never called off. It could be 4 people in the building, and I be one of them. I remember calling into McDonalds the second day of this snow storm, and explaining how the roads were really bad, and I didn’t think I could make it in. I got the biggest guilt talk, so I told them I would try to get in there.
Fast forward about forty five minutes later, I’m stuck in a ditch along the side of the road. Now I didn’t have to go in this ditch exactly, but it was go in the ditch, or get clobbered by the plow truck. I chose the former. I felt like crap, my poor car was sideways, I was definitely not going into work. I called and explained I was in a ditch, and if I managed to get out, I would be returning home.
Thankfully, someone was able to help me get out. I had to figure out a way home quickly, because the snow was really coming down again. Thankfully, a plow truck just happened to drive passed me. I got behind it, and followed it just outside of salt pelting range. It was a challenge keeping the car going forwards, but I did. I followed that plow the whole way home. I managed to get my car just inside my driveway, before it got helplessly stuck. I decided that was as good a place as any, and I hopped out and walked back into the house.
With a sigh I was glad it was over. It was the first time the snow got me. The next year I got some heavy duty remolded tires for winter, and I was unstoppable. Its incredible how much different it is when you have a nice set of tires. Now I drive a Subaru, and I fear nothing. However, we really haven’t had a winter quite like that since. I wish we would though, I do enjoy a challenge.
EK Creates 