Frazz by Jef Mallett for December 09, 2022

Around here when the roads are bad with ice and snow it seems to me that most of the vehicles that lose control and slide off the road are 4-wheel drive.

My theory is that many of the people (not all of them) that drive 4-wheel drive vehicles think they can still go just as fast as they do when the roads are good.

That “upended turtle” effect looks pretty funny, but it’s DOWN right annoying for the turtle.

Just like Randy from A Christmas Story.

It’s not necessarily winter that does it. The same guy who lost control of his mini-tank in the winter would probably have figured that “94” was the speed limit in the summer.

Chellie!??

I was driving slowly in whiteout conditions in my Correla when a Dodge Ram blew past me .I hope he was higher up and could see where he was going.

The places where I see the most evidence of excessive speed is the on and off ramps of expressways where the road has a big, sweeping curve. They usually decorate the roadway with swirling loops, littered with car parts.

Generally all a 4×4 does is allow you to end up farther out in the field before you are stuck.

The other fun thing to watch is a 4×4 pickup with an empty bed slip sliding away.

That’s why I bought a four by four that will slide, rather than roll. The Dodge Challenger is long and low; and much easier for this old man to load a canoe on the roof.

4-wheel DRIVE is an advantage to get going in bad terrain.

We all drive 4-wheel BRAKING so stopping is no better.

Based on a true story from 3-4 weeks ago, right here in West Michigan.

Robbers give excellent advice for driving in the snow: “Don’t do anything sudden, and you won’t get hurt!”

Sudden changes in direction or speed are usually what causes havoc in the snow.

I have posted this before. It’s one of this YouTuber’s excellent parodies of the Pure Michigan tourism commercials. It’s called “Winter Virgins.” Caution – it contains mild profanity.

https://youtube.com/XsR0DeY7f1g

5-pointed star snowsuit like Maggie Simpson?

Why was there ice in Chellie’s snowsuit?

As a Semi Driver for over 35 years, I noticed that WHEREVER I was in the country when the first snow or Ice hit the roads, over 75% of the vehicles in the ditches or the median were 4X4 trucks or SUVs. Just because you have 4 wheels driving, that DOES NOT mean squat if you break traction! 4 Wheel drive can help you get going in low traction conditions, but it rarely helps you STOP in those same conditions. Once you start to slide, you are gonna keep sliding until friction finally stops you. Or a tree or another vehicle, or a bridge abutment does…

I once saw one SUV on TOP of another. Doing the naughty on the highway, I guess!! How this was accomplished is beyond me. Besides “SMART” people KNOW that snow and ice are NOT slippery!! The rest of us just don’t know how to drive in it. /S

I’m surprised no one else noticed. A whole strip where Caulfield appears and keeps his mouth shut. I wonder how many times that happened in the history of Frazz.

Frazz is fretting about technology while Nature is talking down to earth practicalities.

I was driving on a crowded, snowy highway when a 4-wheel drive Jeep blew past me going at least 30 mph faster than anyone else and weaving through traffic. Less than an eighth of a mile ahead, the Jeep did a 270 and slammed into a retaining wall. Fortunately, he wrecked only his own car and did not hurt anyone else. I waved at the idiot as I drove by.

The Car Talk guys once pointed out that all cars have brakes on all four wheels so 4-wheel drive only helps cars go faster, not stop.

Context and location… it’s always personal.

I-94 So we are somewhere between Michigan and Montana?

Technology isn’t the problem, it’s not taking the time to understand it that is the problem

Vehicles have had 4 wheel BRAKES forever. Jeep owners take note.

4WD just lets you get stuck in more ridiculous places than 2WD. The problem is idiots who forget over the summer that ice and snow are slick.

There’s always a big pile-up on I-94…

Is it just me who is seeing 2016 strips since December 5?

I looked up the name “Chellie” and got only U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree.

Living up in Denver a Jeep on I-225 tried to beat snow going traffic by driving fast on the shoulder and couldn’t stop before running up on a bridge railing. All the slow going traffic honked and waved as it creeped past.

I remember years ago driving home at 1 AM after my stupid 2nd shift phone job, during a snowstorm, and all 3 vehicles that were off the road were SUVs. M and my Taurus were just fine.

I love the reference to “A Christmas Story”! That scene was hysterical.

There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.

Or so I’ve heard.

4WD allows you to get stuck in more inaccessible places

Driving about 35 mph on a local interstate one snowy evening, another car passed me doing about 45 mph BACKWARDS! That one soon ended up bashing into the median barrier.