Admittedly, being from Vancouver, my winter driving skills are yet to be as honed as those of many of my fellow Canadians. I am, however, exceptional at driving in the rain... LOL! Now that I live on the Eastern side of Canada, I am quickly learning that I need to get over any fears or trepidation I may have regarding driving on roads that have been painted perpetual white by the hands of Mother Nature.
Growing up in a place like Vancouver has not been good preparation for said skills-- it is a Rainforest after all! In Vancouver, people get into a panic over the slightest skiff. It doesn't help that the city is truly not prepared to deal with heavy snowfall or icy slick roads. Last year was perfect proof of this. The Greater Vancouver Area received a record-breaking 48cm of snow in December of 2008 and the city all but completely shut down! Of course the city only being equipped with a few snow removal machines and most motorists only being equipped with all-season tires is undoubtedly a dangerous combination.
Other Canadian cities boast extremely efficient snow-removal crews and I would like to take a moment to commend their hard work. I am blown away by how quickly they react. They are an integral part in keeping our roads safe. Thank you! I tip my hat to you all!
On the note of winter driving, there is something else I would like to comment on that I confess baffles me. What is the deal with the 'Car Sliding' icon on dashes? I simply do not understand how the warning light aids drivers at all! “Ok, I'm sliding!” Ummm... If you can't tell that your car is sliding without the little light coming on, your car sliding is likely the least of your concerns! I am being slightly facetious, but seriously it must be the least useful light on your dash-- a flat tire, transmission trouble, engine problems-- these are things I need an indicator for! Sliding? That should be pretty obvious! Who's with me?
Growing up in a place like Vancouver has not been good preparation for said skills-- it is a Rainforest after all! In Vancouver, people get into a panic over the slightest skiff. It doesn't help that the city is truly not prepared to deal with heavy snowfall or icy slick roads. Last year was perfect proof of this. The Greater Vancouver Area received a record-breaking 48cm of snow in December of 2008 and the city all but completely shut down! Of course the city only being equipped with a few snow removal machines and most motorists only being equipped with all-season tires is undoubtedly a dangerous combination.
Other Canadian cities boast extremely efficient snow-removal crews and I would like to take a moment to commend their hard work. I am blown away by how quickly they react. They are an integral part in keeping our roads safe. Thank you! I tip my hat to you all!
On the note of winter driving, there is something else I would like to comment on that I confess baffles me. What is the deal with the 'Car Sliding' icon on dashes? I simply do not understand how the warning light aids drivers at all! “Ok, I'm sliding!” Ummm... If you can't tell that your car is sliding without the little light coming on, your car sliding is likely the least of your concerns! I am being slightly facetious, but seriously it must be the least useful light on your dash-- a flat tire, transmission trouble, engine problems-- these are things I need an indicator for! Sliding? That should be pretty obvious! Who's with me?