Yikes!! Ice ...

[JonBoy]

I had my first and hopefully only OOPS!! of Winter Driving in Chicagoland, Yesterday (12/1) ...

I had no real reason to go out in yesterday's hellish ICE storm, other than I wanted to see how my Ridgeline would handle it ...

So I pulled out into ice covered streets of my subdivision, expecting to slip and slide around a little bit... Not the case!! As my Ridgeline felt like I had velcro tires on wool pavement!!!

So, wanting to see what the major roads were like, I ventured out of my subdivision onto the main road, which was a complete sheet of ice... but still my truck was like hooked into the pavement. Sure, the VSM kicked in here and there, but it was smooth sailing.

So, I decided to venture out more and get gas.... As I drove, way to fast for conditions mind you, changing radio stations, looking at my cell phone ... I was driving down this country road that turned at a 90 degrees to the right at the end, when I realized ... $#!%, ... theres no way I'm going to make that turn!!! I'm going WAY too fast!!

So looking at my options while the anti-lock brakes were poppin' off ... sliding closer and closer to my trucks demise, the options were:

A) Try and make the 90 degree turn on the sheet of ice that was the road. And risk sliding into a tree, mailbox, ditch etc....
B) Keep straight and plow through the farmer's fence and into his front yard and bang up the front of my truck. Not to mention piss-off the farmer!!!
C) Veer a little to the left to what look to be short slope into a corn field....

I chose option C ... While keeping my foot on the brake the whole time, I veered left, slid down this slope, that turned out to be a smooth transition and or the tractor access to the field and off into the corn field I went, then I finally stopped!!!

SWEET!!! I didn't hit anything, no curb, no ditch just a picture perfect landing into field! So, as if I meant to do what I just did, I pulled around in the ice and snow covered field, my Ridgeline still feeling as if I was running velcro tires on wool pavement, I pulled back onto the road and made my way to the gas station ...

Giggling at all the Ford's, Chevy's and Dodge 4x4's that were stuck in the ditches!!!!

[MikeT]

Originally Posted by JonBoy

I had my first and hopefully only OOPS!! of Winter Driving in Chicagoland, Yesterday (12/1) ...

I had no real reason to go out in yesterday's hellish ICE storm, other than I wanted to see how my Ridgeline would handle it ...

So I pulled out into ice covered streets of my subdivision, expecting to slip and slide around a little bit... Not the case!! As my Ridgeline felt like I had velcro tires on wool pavement!!!

So, wanting to see what the major roads were like, I ventured out of my subdivision onto the main road, which was a complete sheet of ice... but still my truck was like hooked into the pavement. Sure, the VSM kicked in here and there, but it was smooth sailing.

So, I decided to venture out more and get gas.... As I drove, way to fast for conditions mind you, changing radio stations, looking at my cell phone ... I was driving down this country road that turned at a 90 degrees to the right at the end, when I realized ... $#!%, ... theres no way I'm going to make that turn!!! I'm going WAY too fast!!

So looking at my options while the anti-lock brakes were poppin' off ... sliding closer and closer to my trucks demise, the options were:

A) Try and make the 90 degree turn on the sheet of ice that was the road. And risk sliding into a tree, mailbox, ditch etc....
B) Keep straight and plow through the farmer's fence and into his front yard and bang up the front of my truck. Not to mention piss-off the farmer!!!
C) Veer a little to the left to what look to be short slope into a corn field....

I chose option C ... While keeping my foot on the brake the whole time, I veered left, slid down this slope, that turned out to be a smooth transition and or the tractor access to the field and off into the corn field I went, then I finally stopped!!!

SWEET!!! I didn't hit anything, no curb, no ditch just a picture perfect landing into field! So, as if I meant to do what I just did, I pulled around in the ice and snow covered field, my Ridgeline still feeling as if I was running velcro tires on wool pavement, I pulled back onto the road and made my way to the gas station ...

Giggling at all the Ford's, Chevy's and Dodge 4x4's that were stuck in the ditches!!!!

Don't forget that they ended up where they were for the same reason you did You were just lucky enought to have an mulligan and get back on the road Thank goodness that you are okay and no one else got caught up in it I have done the same thing in the past as well. Just curious, did you get the "shakes" after you calmed down a bit

[JonBoy]

I don't get the shakes anymore, my body has become used to that uneasy feeling of losing control of your vehicle ...

I have spent too many years clowning around with vehicles on ice, snow, gravel roads ... When something like this happens, I tend to want to do it again!!!

[johnk1]

Yeah I live up bt 6 flags & ice was everywhere

Glad you and the ridge were ok

[zzzhondazzz]

man jonboy that weather was so ****ty i couldn't believe all those cars in the ditch on I-80 going toward joliet

[chisoxjim]

I was out in that mess on Saturday as well. We drove from Grayslake back home to Marseilles in the early afternoon. The roads up north were snow covered, and slick, however with this being my 3rd winter with the RL, I do not even worry about driving in the snow/ice. The traffic was crappy so we stopped in Wheeling(about 45 mins later), and went to Bob Chinns for lunch(mmm.. crabs and steak) and a couple of drinks to let the salt crews get out, and to let the salt get to work on the roads. It took a little over 2 hours to get home from Wheeling(it only took 1.5 hours to get to Grayslake earlier in the day), there were cars, trucks, suv's, and even a semi on I-55, and I-80 in the ditches. I just ket the truck @ around 60 mph, and stayed in the same. lane. The worse ice I encountered was on my driveway. I knew from the past it would be iced up so I approached slowly since my driveway slants downwards towards my garage. The driveway was a sheet of ice, and the RL got a little sideways before I got some traction, and manuvered into the garage.

[oldcoastie]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have an opinion regarding how the bad road situations compare with my 2007 Ridgeline and with my wife's 2003 CRV AWD?

[MikeT]

Originally Posted by oldcoastie

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have an opinion regarding how the bad road situations compare with my 2007 Ridgeline and with my wife's 2003 CRV AWD?

Why don't you tell us how the two compare for you as I have not driven the CRV AWD?

[spun07RTX]

roffle @ mulligan

this morning was my first time in real snow with the ridgeline, based on this first experience I am very impressed!

always stayed in complete control even when the idiots who drive 2wd cars in the snow with poor tires are hogging the road and forcing me further over than I would like

[oldcoastie]

Originally Posted by MikeT

Why don't you tell us how the two compare for you as I have not driven the CRV AWD?

It's HER car, and I rarely drive it. When we first got it, I ws impressed with how it took corners in 8" of snow, even when I pushed it past what I'd have done with another vehicle. It was like it was on a rail.

I haven't had the chance to compare it to the Ridge yet. I just wondered if anyone else had any experience with these 2 vehicles.

Other than 2 tire punctures, we've had no problems with her CRV.

The latest CRVs have the same AWD system as the Ridge, at least to my cursory look when I had the Ridge at the dealer one time. Hers is not as advanced. It has no vehicle stability function, and I cannot lock in or out of anything drivetrain wise.

I do know that the Ridge is much more comfortable for me than her CRV. The CRV's got 50K on it now, and I need to replace the tires before winter hits; the wear indicators are showing. I'll do that next Monday when she's off work.