Cape, my parents were both raised in Wisconsin, quite a bit of snow. Dad was the one that taught each of us 6 kids to drive in the snow. I had my learner's permit in the winter, and actually learned to do a controlled slide (can't remember what it's called) in Driver's Ed! What fun! But, Dad would NOT deal with stupid people on the snow! He tells the story of taking my older brother to college, snowy day in southern Illinois, had one long hill in Collinsville that he had to get up, along with everyone else out that day. It was a one by one trip, one car at a time, as if the car didn't make it to the top, they had to back down. My dad was one of several helping to keep the car going forward. He taught many to drive on snowy hills that day. One particular teenage boy was not learning very well. The teen thought that once he got going, if he gave the car more gas, he would go faster. We all know that just made him slip, and lose momentum. After the second failed attempt, my dad stuck his head into the car face to face with the teen and told him, "If you don't do as I tell you this next time, I will personally push your car into the ditch so the rest of us can get going!" That did it, the teen listened and went slowly. I have been in the ditch a couple of times on the snow, so I'm sure not perfect, but have learned that sometimes it helps to put the car in neutral when in a slow slide. Wish I would have thought of that when I was doing about a 2 mph sideways slide into that semi trailer last January. Hit the brake, which was first rule NOT to do. I can say that I have never NOT made it to work, though, on a snowy or icy day, except for one day that the State actually closed all their offices due to the ice storm. I like to drive where others are NOT driving, go slow, pay attention. But, there are always stupid people out there that will panic and slide every time, or simply going too fast!
Here's another story! Many years ago, I drove a rear wheel drive Astro mini van. Sucked on slick roads. Driving as many country roads to work that morning, stupid drove the highway, went too fast. Small pickup truck was tailgating me, finally zoomed past me. I thought that guy had no better traction than me. Sure enough, about 1/2 mile ahead of me I saw a huge poof of snow! That guy went nose first into a deep ditch with a hill right next to it! He wasn't going anywhere soon! Funniest part was I slowed down and asked if he needed a ride anywhere. LOL Young whippersnapper ... guess I showed him!
