There is No Greater Pressure Than Driving a 2-Wheel Drive Jeep in Bad Weather

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
05/02/2017 at 08:35 • Filed to: Stories

This past Saturday saw a large snowstorm hit everyone just North of Albuquerque, NM. I needed to get up to Santa Fe for work and ended up driving right as the roads were being covered. Eventually I saw that traffic was getting tight up ahead (less than half a car length between vehicles). I didn’t want to risk my motion and decided there needed to be a patsy that traces the covered lefthand lane before it was too covered to be usuable. Thus, my 4x2 WK2 Jeep Grand Cherokee took to the unbeaten path.

I ended up being that patsy for 10 miles, Oppo! I use that term because we all were coming from Albuquerque, an area that sees snow covered roads 3 days out of the year, so we drive very specially at all levels of precipitation. Now I will admit that I consider myself to be an extremely impressive highway driver. Like Randy Pobst of by the book public street driving.

**I do listen to everyone’s driving tips for inclement weather conditions (we don’t get much rain either in ABQ). So let me give you all a big thank you because I was the only one on the road with my hazards on.

Here is the titled issue, I CANNOT make a mistake because there happens to be a Jeep logo on my vehicle. Automatically all other drivers assume I can traverse any weather condition or terrain challenge. So if I slipped up then I know people would go home saying, “I even saw a Jeep get stuck!” and end up the thumbnail of local news stories and videos depicting the “severity” of 14 hour New Mexican winter driving conditions. Then of course the commenters that would be drawn to these videos and articles would make it go viral and BOOM, I’m a “Get the Kitty Litter” meme for every Christmas!

But that’s paranoia. The real issue is that everyone relies on you, and anyone with AWD or 4x4 really keeps on you in order to prove they can run with a slow moving Jeep in the light snow. That need to compete makes people a bit more aggressive than I’d like (but very attentive!), and that mentality is especially noticeable when they are in a new F-150. A lot of pressure but you know what? I freaking nailed it! I think everyone including the police officers I passed felt a lot more relaxed seeing me lead that lane.

Even in a RWD Grand Cherokee I got to be a “Jeep” to a lot of people. I wouldn’t be surprised if that image impacts many next car buying choices (because one time only storms, car accidents, or repair bills experiences seem to be the most influencial on car purchases).

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Oh! Speaking of one time experiences influencing your car desires, I still want a 2014 Mustang GT solely because one followed behind me in heavy Alabama fog at 3am. That image in the rearview mirror and the amount of light it put out made me want a Mustang for the first time in my life. But it must have the lights in the grille.

DISCUSSION (15)

TorqueToYield > Wobbles the Mind
05/02/2017 at 08:38

RWD SUVs suck in bad weather. Including most pickups.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Wobbles the Mind
05/02/2017 at 08:46

I’ve done the same, only in a Miata instead. Can’t be very deep though otherwise my car becomes a snow plow

Tripper > Wobbles the Mind
05/02/2017 at 08:46

I drove home from work on a day just like that. In an E90M3 on PSS tires...I almost made it. Had to beach the car in a lot about a mile from my house and walk home.

fhrblig > Wobbles the Mind
05/02/2017 at 08:52

Now try crossing a mountain pass during a blizzard in an empty RWD cargo van.

fhrblig > TorqueToYield
05/02/2017 at 08:55

I heard people say that my whole life. Then I bought a RWD Ranger. With sandbags in the back it was perfectly fine in snow and ice, in fact it was one of my favorite vehicles to drive in the snow.

Dusty Ventures > Wobbles the Mind
05/02/2017 at 08:56

Clearly you’ve never driven a 2WD Super Duty with an empty bed in a blizzard at night. Never have I been more awake

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Wobbles the Mind
05/02/2017 at 08:58

I have also driven a 4x2 WK2 in horrible weather. There was much fishtailing. It was terrifying at the time, but fun to look back on now.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Wobbles the Mind
05/02/2017 at 08:59

I’ve driven an empty 2wd 88 Isuzu longbed pickup in an ice storm. The balloon knot was tighter than I could remember that day.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > TorqueToYield
05/02/2017 at 09:03

My truck is 4wd, but it spends 95% of it’s time in 2wd in winter... better than any FWDer I’ve had in the snow.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > fhrblig
05/02/2017 at 09:04

Ditto. I have 4wd, and it’s nice to have the option, but 95% of the time you don’t need it. RWD gets you there just fine.

Mattbob > Dusty Ventures
05/02/2017 at 09:39

But that long wheelbase! A wrangler (what I thought he was talking about originally) in 2WD in that weather is terrifying. They are always trying to spin. I’m talking 2 door version.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > Wobbles the Mind
05/02/2017 at 10:46

I drove a 1993 Mustang GT vert from San Antonio to Dallas during the Thanksgiving 1993 blizzard (better remembered as the Leon Lett game). Turned a 4 hour drive into about 8 hours, but I made it while various 4wds were off in the ditch. Growing up in the Midwest helped.

Dusty Ventures > Mattbob
05/02/2017 at 13:34

That wheelbase does nothing. Especially when the truck is running budget “long haul” tires

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Wobbles the Mind
05/02/2017 at 14:15

I mean no insult by what I am about to say. Before this post I did not know they made Wranglers/ Cherokees/ Grand Cherokees in 2WD. Every time I see them they have “4X4" and “4WD” plastered them.

So... now I know that.

(Sidenote: Coworker has a GM truck that has some factory “OFFROAD PACKAGE” decals. Vehicle is 100% 2WD. I... wut?)

Wobbles the Mind > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/02/2017 at 14:34

Yep. I have no clue why the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee come in 4x2 but worked out for me (though I would have ended up with a RWD Durango otherwise).