| There are no secrets when it comes to winter | | | | Tip # 5 Don't follow too close. |
| driving. If there's ice on the road, it's | | | | |
| dangerous. The big truck flying past you at | | | | Traffic tends to bunch up on bad roads-the |
| 55 mph when everyone else is crawling along | | | | natural inclination is to follow other |
| at 15 or 20 mph doesn't have the inside track | | | | drivers. Stay away from four-wheelers. Often |
| on the winter roadways. You're liable to see | | | | they are under the illusion that the roads |
| him in the median a few miles up the road. | | | | are safer than they actually are. |
| | | | |
| If you're driving on ice, you won't know it | | | | Tip # 6 Watch for warning signs. |
| until you need to stop. It doesn't matter if | | | | |
| you're in a sedan, a 4-wheel drive or a big | | | | If there are four-wheelers spun out in the |
| rig: brakes are the great equalizer. | | | | median or shoulder, the roads are bad. If you |
| | | | start seeing big trucks spun out, it's time |
| Tip #1 Ice on your windshield means ice on | | | | to get off the roadway. |
| the road. | | | | |
| | | | Tip # 7 There's no load worth your life. |
| The ice doesn't have to be packed up on the | | | | |
| roadway to be dangerous- a thin sheet of ice | | | | If you are on dangerous roadways, your best |
| can develop quickly into a thick problem. | | | | bet is to find a safe spot to wait it out. |
| | | | Let your logbook gain some hours. If you |
| Tip # 2 Keep an eye on the temperature. | | | | can't find a spot in a truck stop, park on a |
| | | | ramp or anywhere out of the way. Try not to |
| Water freezes at 32 degrees. The roadways | | | | park on an incline. You're liable to get |
| tend to be slightly warmer than the air temp, | | | | yourself stuck. |
| but once you're down that low in temperature, | | | | |
| you need to be wary. | | | | Tip # 8 Carry supplies. |
| | | | |
| Tip # 3 Look for spray coming up from other | | | | In the unfortunate event that you end up |
| vehicles. | | | | stuck, spun out, wrecked, or just sitting in |
| | | | a backup, be sure you have necessities with |
| If spray is coming off the tires, it's likely | | | | you. Keep extra blankets, canned food (and a |
| that the roads are wet (as opposed to ice | | | | can opener if needed), and water. Be sure you |
| covered), but keep in mind that a short | | | | keep your diesel tanks full so you won't run |
| stretch of road with ice on it can be just as | | | | out. |
| dangerous as a ice-packed roadway. | | | | |
| | | | Tip # 9 Treat your diesel. |
| Tip # 4 Talk to people. | | | | |
| | | | Diesel gels when it gets really cold. If your |
| Make sure your CB radio is on and talk to the | | | | diesel gels, your truck won't run. If you are |
| drivers around you. If you are a new driver, | | | | facing winter weather conditions, you need to |
| try to find a seasoned driver who isn't | | | | put an anti-gel additive in your tanks (put |
| talking a lot of big talk. We're all a little | | | | it in BEFORE you fuel so it mixes). It's a |
| nervous out there if we really know what | | | | good idea to stock up ahead of time and/or |
| we're dealing with. You want to find a | | | | buy at a Wal-Mart rather than expecting the |
| seasoned driver with a healthy respect for | | | | truck stop to have it in stock. They tend to |
| physics to help talk you through it. | | | | run out right when you need it-every one else |
| | | | already bought theirs from them. |