An open letter to New Englanders

"JeffFurbs" (jefffurbs)
12/05/2016 at 08:30 • Filed to: None

First, I hate you all.

Second, New England is a funny place. It tends to snow every year around the same season. That season is called Winter. This might be shocking to some, but it’s true it happens. So if you can’t get up this small incline, get some new god damn tires!!!! Your 6 year old all-season tires that you bought lightly used from NTB will not allow you to drive in a dusting. Seriously, there was less than an inch of snow on the road, and you could still make out grass from peoples lawns!! You will hear reasons like, “The news said the roads were really bad, and the roads weren’t treated in time”. While that could play a factor, it’s the people that are ill equipped to drive in the snow that are the problem. 4 snow tires and (bonus) AWD car and I had no issues. Look, I can’t convince all of you to go buy winter tires (even though you should), but please, at least have a good set of all-seasons. If you can’t manage this, stay off the road until summer because snow still happens in NE in the spring.

I wish this was the only person I saw getting stuck on a small incline this morning. It is only a 12 mile drive. 15 minutes to work in nice weather with a 10 minute stint on the highway. Today, it was 45+ mins. For my fellow NH people, I hop on Rt. 3 at exit 6 and take it to exit 2. Like an idiot I got on the highway this morning hoping for the best. Because 1 accident caused another accident due to rubbernecking, I got the hell off the highway after 1 exit. Here is where I saw two separate cars that could not make it up separate inclines and were stuck sideways with their hazards on!!!! Not to mention the lady who just decided to run a red light and take a left when she pleased. Or the other two cars side by side who, from a stop, could barely make it up a bump in the road and were sliding back and forth. That is nearly an incident every two miles. That is horrifying. Okay now that it is off my chest. Next up, get the fuck out of the left lane if you aren’t passing.

Have snowy donut day

DISCUSSION (33)

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 08:37

To the left lane comment, “hur dur u need 2 slow down!!”.

71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 08:43

WooHoo, yay snow. Just moved to CT from CA and today was my first time driving in snow, it was weird.

facw > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 08:43

I finally convinced my parents that they really should get winter tires for their wagon last year. For years they had been of the opinion that because the car had AWD, it was fine, and better than their FWD drive car, which had snow tires. Having driven it in the snow on all seasons, I’m quite sure that wasn’t the case, and am very happy I convinced them to make that upgrade.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 08:50

I was up in Vermont skiing for the weekend. You would think people heading up there would know better. Saturday after the mountain closed, the roads were a bit icy and there was the mass exodus of people leaving the mountain. This of course led to 5 or 6 cars being in the ditch on the way out. There was a Corolla ahead of us that couldnt make it up a slight incline in traffic and the passengers were pushing it along. It took 40 minutes to get to the place we were staying at normally 5 minutes away.

JeffFurbs > facw
12/05/2016 at 08:51

Good on you. My last car was a ‘10 GTI (tires were 225's on 18's, Hancook V12's). My mother asked me what I needed winter tires for. She’s just under the assumption that fwd and thinking you’re a good driver is all you need to drive in the snow.

JeffFurbs > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
12/05/2016 at 08:52

Hahah well you are in for a treat. Stay away from the highways whenever there is a dusting. Or be prepared to wait in traffic forever

JeffFurbs > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
12/05/2016 at 08:53

Hahaha accurate comment is accurate.

Question, if I am entering the highway from an on ramp, how soon is it okay to switch as many lanes as possible to slot in to the left lane? It’s like a logic puzzle for dummies.

JeffFurbs > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
12/05/2016 at 08:54

Holy shit that is terrible. Another place that should know better. Where’d you go skiing?

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 08:54

Legacy 2.5GT (5th Gen?)?

JeffFurbs > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
12/05/2016 at 08:56

‘13 Wrx

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 09:00

Sugarbush. It was better than any day last season! So much powder. I am so dead right now but it was so worth it. I spent nearly the entirety of Sat-Sun in the woods. I expected only to be able to hit man-made snow on groomers this weekend and was pleasantly surprised.

404 - User No Longer Available > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 09:00

“You just need to drive slower” seems to be the car equivalent of “ you broke the PC because you played games on it”.

Racin'Jason001 > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 09:03

Rhode Islanders are chill, bro. It’s everyone else.

JeffFurbs > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
12/05/2016 at 09:08

That’s awesome! As I’ve gotten a bit older, I enjoy woods now (as a snowboarder) especially Jay Peaks. Last season was kind of hit or miss for the few times I went. Never been to Sugar Bush. Heard good things.

damnthisburnershitsux > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 09:15

Kinja'd!!!

but I don’t need tires, I have an SUV!!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 09:23

I have heard good things about Jay and definitely want to check that out some day. It is quite a bit further for me to drive up there from Jersey but I am all about the woods stuff. Mad River Glen on a weekday powder day is certainly true paradise to me though, nothing beats that place on the East Coast!

JeffFurbs > damnthisburnershitsux
12/05/2016 at 09:24

Hahaha. Needed to be said! I just ran out of steam in my rant haha.

If we could find a happy medium between crappy Camry’s with slicks, and Escalade’s rolling on 22's, it wouldn’t be too bad to drive in the winter.

Autofixation > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 09:52

Kinja'd!!!

There are times when even the best tires won’t save you. In this case only studs would have helped. That’s not to say that people shouldn’t have appropriate tires.

I got out of my car (after throwing it in the ditch to get it stopped) and tried to walk, nope, perfectly smooth ice on the road. Immediately got back in my car and waited on the salt truck. This was up here in northern NH this past Tuesday.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 09:53

There were so many posts on one of the local Chicago FR-S/BRZ owners FB groups about people going out in the summer tires and joking about either not switching back yet, not caring, or not being able to afford them.

Not switching back yet I kind of get, but everyone knew it was coming. It wasn’t a surprise.

Not caring, well you’re just an idiot/dick. Some guys are trying to justify running all-seasons, they claimed they went with it because of price, but you can easily get a set of used snows w/ wheels for the same as a brand new set of A/S.

Which leads me to the completely inept morons who claimed they can’t afford winters. If you can’t afford $300-500 on some winter tires, you shouldn’t own a car that you likely spent over $20k on. Hell, if you can’t afford those tires, you probably shouldn’t be buying any cars over $10k.

/rant

Justin Hughes > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 09:55

Ugh! Yeah, my hour drive turned into 90+ minutes because people couldn’t figure out how to go more than 20 on a wet - not snowy - highway. I went faster on back roads, despite a light snow cover. And I drive a BRZ!!! With snow tires. That’s the key. And a clue how to drive, which is more than I can say for a lot of people out there.

JeffFurbs > Autofixation
12/05/2016 at 09:56

Dear lord....where was that?

And this is a good point. You cannot beat physics

Assuming that you were ok how was the car?

JeffFurbs > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
12/05/2016 at 10:06

Ugh I hate this. I always budget snow tires in no matter what. I got caught off guard two winters ago with my last car. I had big summers on, and went out the next week and bought everything I needed. I had planned to do so, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet. I always put them on around November, no reason not too.

I don’t advocate for all seasons as the bandaid...but if you are going to at least make sure there is tread. I just don’t get why people don’t care about their safety. I understand snows don’t beat physics, but that little more peace of mind is nice.

My boss bought a new genesis end of last winter. Tried to drive around on his summers. It’s a wonder how he made it through the last few snow storms

Urambo Tauro > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 10:13

Exactly! It was less than a year ago, how hard can it be to remember how to drive in this kind of stuff?

To be fair, I guess we do get a new batch of rookies every year, but a lot of the cars I see losing control are piloted by people who should know better.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 10:18

Yeah, it’s ridiculous. If you can’t afford to buy winters (used sets are so cheap!) then you can’t afford to own the car you have. Especially if you’re young and its a sports car. -_-

Agreed on the all-seasons. I guess it’s better than nothing, but I don’t understand it when you can get a used set of snow tires w/ wheels for the same as new all-seasons.

I switched back early my first winter with the FR-S. We got a small bit of snow, maybe 1" or so, and I couldn’t get up the 15 degree incline that my apartment was on. Driving on summers is stupid, particularly when you’re bragging about having low tread summers and driving all winter on them. (That was an actual comment on the FR-S/BRZ group)

JeffFurbs > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
12/05/2016 at 11:02

Yes to all of that. I just bought a used winter package for the car I’m driving now. 2 season old blizzaks on wheels with TMPS. $340 on craigslist from a nice guy. Didn’t even quibble on the price.

Looking back, I have no idea how I survived winters when I was younger with a ‘99 base Mercury Tracer, and then a ‘00 5 spd legacy wagon. Neither had even great tires on them. I get somewhat of a pass, I was younger than 21 haha and didn’t come from a family that believed in tire maintenance.

Haha I had pretty much the same problem as you with my GTi years ago. I don’t get why people would brag about that. Seems so moronic. I’d probably rather hear about how much HP each sticker adds.

Kinja'd!!!

JeffFurbs > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
12/05/2016 at 11:20

I’ve only been once and it was -20 with the windchill that day. Coldest I have ever been. But damn the woods were still prime. That is a hike! Is Mad River still ski only?

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
12/05/2016 at 11:21

The stock Toyobaru tires are a complete disaster in the winter. My dad has been caught off guard when its simply 40F and wet. Can’t imagine trying to use them in actual snow. (And don’t get me started on when TC kicks in. I have been in the car when it got stuck on my only mildly inclined driveway. Turn off TC and it was fine)

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 11:23

Those kind of days are much less fun. Sure, I dont mind the cold much while skiing since I am dressed for it. But once it gets below like -10 the lift ride up just gets really rough. Plus that usually minds high winds to blow all the snow off the steeper stuff. Yeah Mad River is ski only, boarders like to hike it though and poach the mountain just to prove a point haha.

JeffFurbs > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
12/05/2016 at 11:25

We had booked a weekend up there so we didn’t have much choice. Paid for the lift tickets already. We made the best of it. Tree’s were protected from the wind enough that we spent most of our time there. But yea agreed on the lift rides. They are so not fun in that much cold.

Haha yea I got nothing to prove, I’ll wait until the day they open it for everyone. Then I’ll snowplow over all your fresh moguls hahaha

Noah - Now with more boost. > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 12:18

I came here to post the exact same tirade. I don’t understand why everyone around here forgets how to drive in the winter. Like you said it happens in early December every year... I blame it on the the automotive marketing departments who convince idiots in crossovers that they’re invincible because they have 4wd.

Autofixation > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 15:10

NH Route 135 in Dalton. There are two tall hills on my way to work and they are usually different weather than the rest of the commute.

There was a very bad accident later that day on this hill.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > JeffFurbs
12/05/2016 at 20:52

I hate people so god damn much. Just leave assholes “uh its cold derp derp derp” No shit dumbass.

I work with a few managers that each drive $60k+ awd/4wd vehicles. No you’re just cheap asses.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
12/05/2016 at 21:10

depends if you see that explorer in the ditch 2 miles later