silverpig
Lifer
[cliff's]
Some guy's ill-equipped minivan was stuck on a snowy road
Wife and I helped push the guy's car out and onto flat road
Guy has bald summer tires, doesn't know FWD from RWD, terrible driver
Wants to drive down very steep snowy hill into intersection with busy road
I feel a little guilty for helping him possibly kill someone later on because he can't drive
[/cliff's]
I live in Vancouver. We get snow every year, but not much. The past week we've had snow and cold temperatures very consistently, and while the main roads are fine, the side streets are skating rinks. Some people here know how to drive in those conditions (or are smart enough to know their limitations), some people have good tires, some people have chains. Some do not.
My wife and I were out for a walk and saw a minivan spinning its tires so we thought we'd go give the guy a hand. He obviously didn't know how to drive in the snow and was stuck trying to back up a very slight hill that was covered in compact snow. We went over and tried to push the car up the road while he drove... no dice. The tires were bald summer tires so he wasn't going anywhere. He said he had a chunk of carpet in the back of the minivan so we thought we'd try that. I grabbed the carpet and went to put it under the front tires.
"Uh, it's a rear wheel drive... back tires."
"Uh, no, it's not. Front wheel drive."
"I don't think so..."
"Yeah, it is. Those were the ones spinning. Trust me."
At this point I didn't have much confidence in the guy, but managed to convince him to let me put the carpet under the front tires. After several tries and getting snow shot all over me and my wife, we took a break and asked him which way he planned on going. He pointed north, down a street which ended with a very steep hill dead-ending in a T-intersection with a fairly busy road. I could just envision him flying down that hill, unable to stop, and slamming into someone.
I suggested that he not go that way as he'd end up flying right into traffic, or that he at least take a cab to a store to buy some tire chains. He didn't seem to like either suggestion and wanted us to keep helping him. We sighed and continued, and struggled.
Another passerby, dressed in a really nice Hugo Boss suit, jacket, scarf and some very expensive looking shoes came and helped us push this guy's minivan out of the snow. He too strongly urged some chains, but the guy was in a rush apparently.
After finally pushing him up on to a flat piece of road, my wife and I left, covered in snow, sweating, and wondering if we should have even helped the guy. He obviously was not prepared nor equipped to drive in those conditions and I can't help but think that perhaps the roads would have been a safer place without him on them.
We walked around a corner and saw the guy drive by on said busy road, so he made the hill okay, but he was sliding around a bit even on the slightly slushy but almost bare road.
Some guy's ill-equipped minivan was stuck on a snowy road
Wife and I helped push the guy's car out and onto flat road
Guy has bald summer tires, doesn't know FWD from RWD, terrible driver
Wants to drive down very steep snowy hill into intersection with busy road
I feel a little guilty for helping him possibly kill someone later on because he can't drive
[/cliff's]
I live in Vancouver. We get snow every year, but not much. The past week we've had snow and cold temperatures very consistently, and while the main roads are fine, the side streets are skating rinks. Some people here know how to drive in those conditions (or are smart enough to know their limitations), some people have good tires, some people have chains. Some do not.
My wife and I were out for a walk and saw a minivan spinning its tires so we thought we'd go give the guy a hand. He obviously didn't know how to drive in the snow and was stuck trying to back up a very slight hill that was covered in compact snow. We went over and tried to push the car up the road while he drove... no dice. The tires were bald summer tires so he wasn't going anywhere. He said he had a chunk of carpet in the back of the minivan so we thought we'd try that. I grabbed the carpet and went to put it under the front tires.
"Uh, it's a rear wheel drive... back tires."
"Uh, no, it's not. Front wheel drive."
"I don't think so..."
"Yeah, it is. Those were the ones spinning. Trust me."
At this point I didn't have much confidence in the guy, but managed to convince him to let me put the carpet under the front tires. After several tries and getting snow shot all over me and my wife, we took a break and asked him which way he planned on going. He pointed north, down a street which ended with a very steep hill dead-ending in a T-intersection with a fairly busy road. I could just envision him flying down that hill, unable to stop, and slamming into someone.
I suggested that he not go that way as he'd end up flying right into traffic, or that he at least take a cab to a store to buy some tire chains. He didn't seem to like either suggestion and wanted us to keep helping him. We sighed and continued, and struggled.
Another passerby, dressed in a really nice Hugo Boss suit, jacket, scarf and some very expensive looking shoes came and helped us push this guy's minivan out of the snow. He too strongly urged some chains, but the guy was in a rush apparently.
After finally pushing him up on to a flat piece of road, my wife and I left, covered in snow, sweating, and wondering if we should have even helped the guy. He obviously was not prepared nor equipped to drive in those conditions and I can't help but think that perhaps the roads would have been a safer place without him on them.
We walked around a corner and saw the guy drive by on said busy road, so he made the hill okay, but he was sliding around a bit even on the slightly slushy but almost bare road.
