Just Dodged the Big Bullett on Interstate 75
 

Man you had to be there. Barrelling along at 60 (which was fast for a white out) and out of the blue comes a 25 car pile up. Well I have a few seconds to react and I can see the highway is plugged with cars in a pile so I head for the median. The snow was about a foot deep and i just went between to reflectors and was home free. The median was also full of smashed cars and I just drove around them. I was in a Suburban towing an enclosed trailer and I just drove around the smashed cars and back on the highway. Two trucks followed me and we stopped to clean our pants and they said that if they had not followed me they would be in the pile up also. There was a nice F350 with a smashed front and I wondered why he didn't bail out and avoid this. Thank God for being alert and being able to think ahead. That brings up another subject, most people just don't think ahead and after the crash think, man I should have done this or that, well after the fact is too late. It also helps to just coast with very little braking and drive thru it. I think the final count would be more than 50 cars...and that was just one pile up, there were 3 today.

We had just closed up the house up north and was coming home.. We ran into the same this yesterday south of saginaw, solid snow and ice, cars were all over. We managed to sneek our way through the mess and make it home. Man it is scary some people can not drive at all.

Mitch were you up riding this weekend?




Travis

I guess the first question I will ask is why the hell were you doing 60 in a whiteout?

well thats how michiganders drive :D


hell I set the cruise at 88 last weekend on the way home :D

If we get a little snow in Texas we could give lessons in bad driveing. They forget 4wds don't stop any better than 2wds.

Hell, I'm sure Mitch thought he was crawlin at 60 on that road. Most folks know to get the hell outta the way of snowmobilers.
You just got done going 100 mph all weekend w/ trees 3 feet to either side and people coming at you, one way roads 40 feet wide are no big deal.:D :D :D

I have traveled 75 up to Gaylord many many times. A few years ago there was a 75-100 car (can't remember exact number) pileup by Grayling, nasty stuff. Glad you made it thru.


Last winter I was following a lady who was drving a Ranger. It was getting icy on the overpasses but it was hard to tell, and we were clipping along 65-70ish, it was a black ice type of freeze over. Anyway, she goes over the bridge which curves to the right and I am about 3 car lengths back and all of a sudden she starts fishtailing, winds up going nose first into the outside guard rail. Meanwhile...........I am pulling a Tony Stewart behind her trying to figure out which way she is going and which way I am going to go. She was losing it all over the highway. You can say think ahead and all, but for me it happened quick enough that it was just insticnt at that point. Luckily the instinct was right. I was in the ice as well, managed to keep it straight (2 wheel drive single cab Chevy dually=no traction even in a drought!!) and somehow whoaaaed it down enough not to hit her then I bolted to the inside when she made the last big fishtail toward the outside guard rail she drilled. I actually hit the gas whne I went by her, at that point I had cleard the icy bridge. I was worried I would get collected up when she bounced off the wall back into traffic. I knew once I was by her I would be okay, sort of the same thing you said. The biggest thing is don't lock up the brakes and aim and shoot. Just keep going if you can, it will help you keep straight if you have to be evasive and steer hard to the right or left.

Nice job on the median, she was hitting the wall right as I went by her and I was headed to the median, that was my thought, but I got by her before she bounced back off into traffic, so I did not have to go into the median. I was pretty happy about that. I may ahve been screwed if I had to go to the grass. Yours seemed a little more feces producing, but I was a little dirty in the drawers as well. Makes you appreciate 200 mph raceing accidents!! OFcourse 70 on ice in a 2WD dually ain't exactly a picnic either.....Glad you did not wreck;)

I pulled over and ran back to check on her and she crawled right out and she seemed less shaken up than me!! Kinda one of those..."slow down, slow down, slow down....oh hell.....right, right, wait left, staight, left, no right, ri ri ri ri right.......oh s***speed up speed up speed up"......:D :D :D

Oh yeah, you guys are right about the way you all drive, man if you go less than 80 you are getting passed. Last year I remember coming home at 85-90 all the way to 23S. No snow though. Gotta love it. 69N outta Fort Wayne is the same deal.

Traviss, we had 10 inches in Grand Marais. Got my first 100 miles then my buddy broke his rope on his recoil and we had to start it by wraping a rope around the clutch. Yeh, 60 is slow when you are on 75 and people better watch out for us because we are under control at those speeds in any condition. When you loose control at 100 in the woods you learn fast how to pull out and it sure helps on the road also:D

just got back from Green Bay(Go Pack) roads werent that bad untill 25miles south of Marquette. Unfortunally passed a fatal accident on the way. Crew was still on the scene 4hrs after it happend. Nasty weather weekend looks like winter is here to stay this year. All lake effect snow so far though, that is bad news for water levels next spring. This fall lake superior was actually a little high in October.

Hey Velocity, I bet there were some serious injuries in the one I passed. We are in Grand Marais very often, we should try and meet some time 1/2 way. Maybe Xmas (the town)

Traviss,
Tell me you don't really use your cruise control in snowy conditions ?!?!?!

Mitch,
You already put on a 100 miles ? How were the trails up there ?

For those you that don't get to see the race up and down I75 in the winter (snowmobilers) it is quite a site. Pickups and mostly enclosed trailers in the fast lane as far as you can see ! I've seen triple digits towing ! Not in the snow though. I've been doing that journey for a little over 10 years and have noticed that most of the accidents aren't from snowmobilers traveling too fast but from the average SUV with the ski rack on top trying to pass everyone !

Yeah mitch. Howe come you didn't call me!!!...oh my sled is in 50 pieces right now. ...........sorry can't go..........

picking up the last parts tonight. you know.. the parts I broke riding with you and waterfoul last April, two weeks before the first boat ride of the season.......

I will be ready for Tuesday night. wanna ride from my house down here in the snow belt? lots closer than Grand Marais!!!!!

Check, that.... just got back from the Polaris dealer. MAYBE the parts will be in Friday....


@#$%@#^#%#@@#%!!!!!!!

guess I shoulda fixed it instead of putting it away wet last spring......

how about Saturday if the weather holds... it is supposed to.

Mitch,

Glad to hear got some miles on. I have about 62 so far, just one ride. Gonna go Friday if my back is good. Glad to hear you were able to avoid the accident as well.

THINK SNOW!

Shane:cool:

Hey 26, the trails were very good. Not enough snow yet to make big bumps. It is not too hard to put 100 miles on the the UP, it only took one day. There was about a foot of new snow over the weekend and more to come. You are right, it is the idiots who rarely travel in the snow. Most of the wrecks were cars and not trucks. I was really surprised that the trucks did not hit the median. It was like driving on your lawn, nice and smooth. Rob, this weekend will work if the snow stays. Lets keep in touch and start to plan on it. :D

No.. last weekend there was no snow :D :D but when there is snow I am on the gas pedel like foul on a little boy :eek:


I was using the cruise to be nice, dad was with me.. he would rather not go 70 to 100 then back to 65 then back to 90 LOL!


And all you SUV roof rack skiers can lick my ass :mad: you all suck :D

Hey Traviss, I use the cruise in the snow all the time. If it is in 4wd you don't have to worry about breaking the tires free when it kicks down. i have never had a problem yet:D The problem with the skiers is they only go fast for a few seconds on the slope so when they get behind the wheel they do the same. If they went fast all of the time like we do they would do fine. It never fails thet some ski bum starts the whole chain reaction. They also like to start to pass then park next to the car they were passing and not move until i bright them or tailgate them until they pull over. Also what is up with the *******s who do this on purpose? I swear if I stopped after someone did this I would get in their face big time. Why punish me for driving faster than them? This happened twice yesterday.

Mitch,

you need to add those aircraft landing lights on the 'burban like you had on the dodge, then no one will park in the left lane as they will risk a sunburn to the face and retina damage:cool:

Glad you made it through OK! I 75 here in South Georgia,North Fla really never really has a iciing problem couldnt tell ya the last time I had to drive in ice and snow, Oh yeah I got stuck in Ohio a couple of years ago.....sorry another story:D ;)

anytime mitch I live in the UP but dont have sleds dont figure? I spend all my money and time on the lake in summer. Just snow skii to get by the winter. I can always rent one :)We just got a foot of new snow one of the guys I work with has 4sleds, he races them all the time. I think he was telling me one is a 800modified ski-doo.

Roads are still clear here in Florida.

Did drop to 41 F Monday morning. Pretty cool for us.

Troutly were you on Mr. Wizzard :D:D;) ;) Interesting info however. I ussually drive slow in the snow just cuz I would hate to have to fix anything on my truck just cuz I was in a rush.

Jon

Troutly
Very good and nicely put!