Snow in Portland

[thebarber]

Originally Posted by DefStarYaris

I'm heading to Oregon for a week next month, and hearing about all those accidents in Portland because of the snow (although I bet it had more to do with people not knowing how to drive properly) kinda scared me.

Anyway, I'll be around Newport and then in Portland, and I'm betting it is less snowy near the coastline. I'm a very cautious driver even in dry California, but if any of you from up in that area have any words of advice for snow driving I'd greatly appreciate it.

on OEM all seasons?

[DefStarYaris]

Sadly yes.

[thebarber]

then just take it easy on snow and ice...

bascially, if you drive like youre driving on ice all the time, youll be safe...

granted, i was out at dinner time doing ebrakes slides in the couple inches of snow we had today....so what do i know (after 9pm out here, btw, lol)

[DefStarYaris]

Yeah, I've driven in some mildly icy roads before, but never in actual snow. I've got some tire cables handy and my plan was if I hit snow, to just drive like my grandma, nice and slow.

One more thing, I was kinda debating taking either I-5 up or highway 101. Is one quicker or safer than the other or is there much of a difference? Sorry I'm asking so much, haha, I just don't want this trip to be my last.

[thebarber]

Originally Posted by DefStarYaris

Yeah, I've driven in some mildly icy roads before, but never in actual snow. I've got some tire cables handy and my plan was if I hit snow, to just drive like my grandma, nice and slow.

One more thing, I was kinda debating taking either I-5 up or highway 101. Is one quicker or safer than the other or is there much of a difference? Sorry I'm asking so much, haha, I just don't want this trip to be my last.

lol, i have no idea on the route....i live on the other side of the continent....

[DefStarYaris]

Oh haha. Didn't notice that.

[thebarber]

Originally Posted by DefStarYaris

Oh haha. Didn't notice that.

no worries

[Thirty-Nine]

The I-5 is MUCH quicker than the 101. The 101 is beautiful, but very curvy. You'll also have to cut over he mountains, which can very treacherous, especially on all-season tires w/o chains.

You will have to drive over a pass down there, I believe, and it can be tricky.

[DefStarYaris]

Oh wow. I don't mind hills and windy roads (I kinda have fun driving them actually), but that doesn't sound fun with ice and snow, haha. I-5 it will be.

Thanks guys.

[Spades]

yeah, i second the I-5 idea...least this time of year. keep in mind though there are still some pretty steep hills on I-5 once you get into oregon if i remember right...take it slow. i went down to california a couple months ago to pick up a datsun 510 project car, was raining really bad on the way back, we had to take it easy cause the hills going down were pretty steep with some good corners.

i would think that pass would be a bit rough in ice and snow, so just be careful!

oh, and on the subject of staying in...not the roads to worry about...its the jackasses in sloppy chains running 50mph in a 40mph...dont wanna be near those idiots when the chains fly apart.

[Thirty-Nine]

Just got back from the airport. I can't believe people are still running chains on the interstate.

[bzinn 1]

The bad part of the NW is not the snow......anyone can drive in snow......our problem is the ice......if you stop you cannot start....if you turn too fast you do not turn......if you brake you keep going........ice sucks.

Took me 2.5 hours tonight to get my wife from work and back home...9 mile trip......I was exhausted.....but the little guy did awsome....even on my bald summer tires....gears are great in this car.

[Spades]

well, i drove from my work in newberg to mcminville tonight, and ended up having to take the back way instead of hwy 99 to get back again...there was a pile up on 99 outside lafyette so the cop said, he took one look at my yaris and turned me around saying he didnt want me to slip up that hill...instead he told me to go around on backroads and i would have better luck there...mac to carlton on those nice roads. it was a solid sheet of ice till i got to hwy240...

the cop turned me around from one hill and made me go over a dozen or more worse hills...the kicker was, they had a snow plow and gravel truck pulling up as he made me turn around. a$$hole.

on the plus side, yaris +manual trans + hancook snow tires w/ studs + 100lbs of stereo junk in the trunk = great traction on ice!

[Thirty-Nine]

I have to drive from SW Portland to Tualatin for a meeting at 10:00; I'm thinking it should be okay, though.

Looks like a whopper of a storm Saturday and Sunday, too. The news said up to 6-10 inches on Saturday then ice Sunday.

[Spades]

yeah, i been hearing that all day too. where i am at we are gonna get 4-6 inches...everywhere else in the valley here should get up to 10.

doesnt bother me, i have all my christmas shopping done, stockpiled on groceries, all errands run. i dont have to go anywhere till monday.

besides, if i have to go somewhere, i found out last night that the car doesn ok in 3 to 4 inches of snow without chains as long as i take it easy.

[talnlnky]

Eugene had fun the past week too. Basically all school districts in Lane County were closed mon,tues, and friday. Its interesting, because the snow/ice isn't THAT bad... The city just doesn't have the services built into their budget so when there is snow, so getting 1" of snow here is like if you were to get 6" in a city that did have plows & de-icer trucks.

can't really blame the city tho... prolly saves them $50,000 a year in labor & material costs, and is only a concern a few days a year.

[Spades]

yeah, our city schools were closed the whole week, and now they are on winter break,lol.

[Thirty-Nine]

Be safe guys. Looks like the freezing rain is starting to move in.