Winter Sucks But Be Ready

Here it is late November and so far the only signs of the approaching winter weather we’ve had here are the bare trees, cooler nights and one day with some ice pellets and a couple of flurries. No doubt the worst is yet to come and if this winter is anything like the past several, we can expect lots of snow and some nights of extreme cold.

Any Canadian or anyone who lives in a place where we spend close to half the year dealing with these bloody awful conditions, knows it’s best to prepare ahead of time then to be caught off guard.

Already I’ve planned where I’ll be putting the snow to keep the driveway clean, I’ve filled up the gas tank in the snow blower and had it running once to make sure it’s in tip top shape to save my back some pain. The shovels will be next to come out for those light dustings and for clearing the deck and the bags of ice melt will be purchased soon.

Most people plan for their homes but what about your vehicle? There are plenty of things you could and should do to make your mode of transportation as winter ready as possible.

Not everyone can afford two sets of tires for their car or truck, myself included, so I’ll be gingerly making my way around on All-season tires instead of the much better Winter tires. Quebec is the only province where Winter tires are mandatory from mid November to mid April. I believe in B.C. it’s mandatory to have the tires or chains when travelling on mountain highways.

While purchasing winter tires is an expense I just can’t afford right now (I just bought 4-new All-season tires this past summer) I do think it’s the smart thing to have on your car when the snow flies. They may not be perfect but they do make a difference and could save lives. I’ll be chancing it for now like I have been since I started driving. If you drive accordingly and avoid bad road conditions whenever possible, you can do just fine.

Tires are the main safety item but there are other things you should think about as well.

I just had my rear window defroster fixed so I won’t have icing on my windows. Make sure your heater, blower and defrosters are working. If your windshield wipers are getting old, have them replaced to make sure your visibility remains as clear as possible. There’s nothing worse then looking through dirty, streaky windows and then ploughing into a snow bank.

Some people like to store a “Survival Kit” in their cars. While I don’t have all of the suggested items in mine, I do keep a few things in there, especially the ones I’ve used in the past. At the top of my list is a shovel. It doesn’t need to be a big one as long as it will do the job clearing away snow from the tires or to clear a path. Many times I’ve been snowed in while at work or the plough has gone by and created an ice and snow wall in my path. The shovel is nice to have to get out of those situations.

I think everyone has an ice scrapper or snow brush in their cars…that’s a no brainer. Extra windshield washer fluid is always a smart thing to have on hand along with gloves, hats, a blanket and a flashlight. I think that’s the bare minimum but you can be even more prepared with booster cables, sand, tow rope, first-aid kit, candle, matches and food but if you’re not venturing into the wilderness, you can probably mange without most of that. Just don’t plan any day trips into the Northwest Territories.

One other thing I always do, even in the summer time, is never let the gas in my car drop below half a tank. It’s just a habit I’ve gotten myself into and I think it’s a good one. If you get stuck somewhere, you can at least keep warm by running the car if you have the gas to do so.

Just a couple more things I would suggest and these are things that drive me nuts. I always clean my car off before I hit the road. I’ll clear the windshield, side windows, rear window, hood, roof and trunk along with my lights and license plate. How many times have you watched a car go by and someone has only turned their wipers on to get a view but their mirrors, side windows, headlights, back window and plate are still covered. These people need to be fined. In all my years I can’t recall ever seeing a cop pull someone over for this. I’m not saying they don’t, just that I’ve never seen it. They’re endangering others on the road and pedestrians as well.

Along the same lines are the people who don’t let their windows defrost before taking off. There they are hunched over to the right, peering though the only small clear spot on the windshield trying to get where they’re going. This is an accident waiting to happen. Plan ahead and give yourself time to properly prepare your car for the trip.

Finally, the best advice I can give is this…if you don’t have to absolutely travel in bad weather…DON’T. Stay off the roads. Going to work or emergencies are one thing but traveling in horrible weather conditions to pick up a loaf of bread is crazy. It can wait. Of course if you’re beer supply is running low, then I suppose that could be classed as an emergency situation.

Have a safe winter!