Massive Pile Up In Fort Worth

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Pohemi

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2004
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I've driven in pure ice/snow via rental car when traveling for work. Didn't seem that difficult. don't gas too much, don't steer too ridiculous, etc...
This is true in some if not most circumstances, but black ice is an entirely different beast in my experience.
I've driven on ice, including frozen lakes in the winter to go out ice fishing. But black ice is like gliding on nothing, there's so much less friction than normal ice, you just 'float' on it. It's scary shit to be honest.
 

StinkyPinky

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2002
6,884
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Bizarrely cold here in northern Austin. Like, weirdly so. Monday is forecasted for a max of 18 which is just ridiculous this far south and would be a record by a good margin if that holds. 25 on Tuesday. And it's been 30s for a few days now.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
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Man before that FJ Cruiser was nailed by the truck, I even thought to myself... what would I do in that situation if I had my family with me. Have some time to get out, but humans are fragile. Stay and know a truck is coming...?
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,125
30,076
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which is why you're supposed to drive SLOWER and keep more distance from the guy in front of you.
too many people dont know that even though its stated repeatedly in every drivers ed.

I think there should be mandatory training every 10 years after you get your license. this shit is tiresome.

robot cars. it's the only way. humans will never tolerate personal responsibility behind the wheel, and especially not the needs of others on the road.
 

Spacehead

Lifer
Jun 2, 2002
13,067
9,858
136
Bizarrely cold here in northern Austin. Like, weirdly so. Monday is forecasted for a max of 18 which is just ridiculous this far south and would be a record by a good margin if that holds. 25 on Tuesday. And it's been 30s for a few days now.
Dang, it's supposed to be warmer than that here in NW PA :eek: (saying 21F on Monday here)
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
68,413
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www.anyf.ca
Man before that FJ Cruiser was nailed by the truck, I even thought to myself... what would I do in that situation if I had my family with me. Have some time to get out, but humans are fragile. Stay and know a truck is coming...?


Yeah I was thinking the same, I think it's normally safer to stay in, but if I was stuck and knew there might be more vehicles coming I have to admit I would be tempted to get out. The issue is if you did not dress for the cold then being outside the vehicle is not ideal in that sense either. You kind of hope any vehicle coming are actually going to be slowing down but none of them were in this case, they were going full speed trying to beat a NASCAR lap record or something lol.
 

mxnerd

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2007
6,799
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o_O In the metro area every one is speeding like there is no tomorrow. Can't stop.
 

Wreckem

Diamond Member
Sep 23, 2006
9,461
996
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Possible snow and 9 degrees in DFW for Monday.
The forecast is now saying -2 with -25 windchills with 6-10 inches with heavier amounts locally. Between Sunday/Monday and Wednesday/Thursday most of DFW is going to be looking at a foot of snow with some places getting 18” or more. Add into the wind there are going to be some massive drifts.

At this point it’s not if we get snow it’s how much snow are we going to get. The projections will get more and more accurate the closer we get but right now they only keep going up. Schools in DFW are preping to go 100% remote next week.

Texas isn’t equipped for this. Hell the freezing rain/ice line is forecasted to be well past San Antonio. Some parts of south Texas are looking at 3” of ice. I’m glad DFW will have artic temps because it should make for some dry powdery snow. Anything but ice please. They are already expecting brown outs next week. Ice will just take down power lines and that could be life threatening with the prolonged single record low temps. The first event will for sure be snow. The Wednesday/Thursday will probably be snow but at times 3” of ice has been projected. If Sunday/Monday is snow and Wednesday/Thursday is ice this will be a repeat of 2014’s icemaggedon.
 
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Nov 8, 2012
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Supposed to reach as low as 16 here in Houston area. Going to be interesting how many car pile-ups and busted pipes we see here in the next 3 days....
 
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skyking

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
22,376
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My wife and I have been in the midst of two multi car/truck pileups and escaped unscathed on Snoqualmie Pass. It is some scary shit. The time I was driving, there were just enough gaps and I kept moving as cars slid out of control behind me. The front wreck was a jackknifed semi that was crossways across the multi-lane highway, with a 7' gap to get by it. After we all cleared our underwear, those of us that could move filtered on by.
 
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FelixDeCat

Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
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The forecast is now saying -2 with -25 windchills with 6-10 inches with heavier amounts locally. Between Sunday/Monday and Wednesday/Thursday most of DFW is going to be looking at a foot of snow with some places getting 18” or more. Add into the wind there are going to be some massive drifts.

At this point it’s not if we get snow it’s how much snow are we going to get. The projections will get more and more accurate the closer we get but right now they only keep going up. Schools in DFW are preping to go 100% remote next week.

Texas isn’t equipped for this. Hell the freezing rain/ice line is forecasted to be well past San Antonio. Some parts of south Texas are looking at 3” of ice. I’m glad DFW will have artic temps because it should make for some dry powdery snow. Anything but ice please. They are already expecting brown outs next week. Ice will just take down power lines and that could be life threatening with the prolonged single record low temps. The first event will for sure be snow. The Wednesday/Thursday will probably be snow but at times 3” of ice has been projected. If Sunday/Monday is snow and Wednesday/Thursday is ice this will be a repeat of 2014’s icemaggedon.

I've lived in DFW all my life. The last time I remember a multi-inch snowpack was 2009 with 10 inches of snow!

In 2013 we had something called "cobblestone ice", where we had consecutive winter storms bringing a couple of inches of ice that made travel very difficult. During the day, temps would go just above freezing, then at night it would refreeze compact into waves which were basically dips and crests....ie...cobblestones:

250079155.jpg

Crossing bridges was the worst and I had to get over the Hulen St. bridge back and forth daily. I was driving an SUV at the time with a roof rack that had packed ice and snow. Driving down the bumpy cobblestones on the long bridge caused the ice sheet on the roof to work itself loose and COVER THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I had to roll down the window and stick my head out to drive, Ace Ventura sytle!

giphy.gif
 
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Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,479
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The forecast is now saying -2 with -25 windchills with 6-10 inches with heavier amounts locally. Between Sunday/Monday and Wednesday/Thursday most of DFW is going to be looking at a foot of snow with some places getting 18” or more. Add into the wind there are going to be some massive drifts.

Man that's colder than it's supposed to be in Michigan

Some parts of south Texas are looking at 3” of ice.
If that happens that is going to fuck some shit up
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
70,165
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Supposed to reach as low as 16 here in Houston area. Going to be interesting how many car pile-ups and busted pipes we see here in the next 3 days....
Be ready for the massive veg die off. That’s cold enough to kill most citrus and other tropical plants.
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,479
3,597
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My wife and I have been in the midst of two multi car/truck pileups and escaped unscathed on Snoqualmie Pass. It is some scary shit. The time I was driving, there were just enough gaps and I kept moving as cars slid out of control behind me. The front wreck was a jackknifed semi that was crossways across the multi-lane highway, with a 7' gap to get by it. After we all cleared our underwear, those of us that could move filtered on by.

The worst from me was not too far from where I lived. It's a terrible setup to start: Long on ramp to an expressway shortly after a change in counties so neither county does a great job of keeping it clear. You're on an overpass that is kinda messed up. The bridge is slightly lower than the road on grade immediately after it so there is a large bump up. That road on grade right after the bridge is a curve. So you hit the unsalted bridge, lose some traction, hit the bump, lose even more and then immediately need to start turning. It's almost impossible to judge how bad this area is - everything around it can be fine but this onramp still be totally fucked. The hill and trees block your view so you can't see that much ahead of you until you are almost across the overpass. And its the only onramp for miles around.

One day it was particularly bad so I was taking it nice and slow, probably hit the bump after the bridge at around 5-10mph (compared to 70mph on a normal day). When I could finally see down the curved road in front of me I saw a graveyard of cars at various angles to the road or off the road entirely. I tried to stop but it was too late even at those low speeds and I started sledding down the road. I was able to use what little steering was available to make my way through. The truck in front of me was able to do the same. The car in front of him not so much. No idea what happened to anyone behind me - I was too focused on trying to make it through. Spent the rest of the drive trying to figure out how I made it through

Oh and the roads on the rest of my commute? Just fine
 
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Nov 8, 2012
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Be ready for the massive veg die off. That’s cold enough to kill most citrus and other tropical plants.
Yeah I have a mango tree that I'm going to cover and put a light by.

Aside from that - I don't really care if anything else dies heh.
 

Murloc

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2008
5,382
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today another pile-up, seemingly with dead people as well, happened on an elevated section of the freeway in a large transit valley in northern Italy:
Winter or all-season tires are compulsory and they have snow every winter in that area.

Crossing bridges was the worst and I had to get over the Hulen St. bridge back and forth daily. I was driving an SUV at the time with a roof rack that had packed ice and snow. Driving down the bumpy cobblestones on the long bridge caused the ice sheet on the roof to work itself loose and COVER THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I had to roll down the window and stick my head out to drive, Ace Ventura sytle!

police here often set up roadblocks just to hand out fines to such drivers when it's the right season lol
 
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IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
70,165
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How much time do you have to count the lug nuts on the other vehicle, to compare with your own lug nuts, to determine if an on-coming crash is a good idea?
It’s an FJ, the driver could have put it in four wheel drive, climbed over the pile of vehicles in front, rappelled off the highway, and driven off into the sunset. It’s what FJs are made for.

Note that the FJ stopped without hitting the truck ahead of it and FJs suck on ice.
 

ondma

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2018
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Highways are a complete nightmare in snowy/icy weather. Way too many different driving "styles". This is absolutely on another level though.
Yea, I have lived in the Twin Cities for a long time, and am accustomed to driving on slippery roads, but freeway driving in snow/ice still makes me nervous. Fortunately, I have lived close enough to my jobs that I could take surface streets when the weather was bad, so I can usually avoid the freeways until they are cleared. We have not had much snow this year, but brutally cold temps, so black ice has been a big problem.
 

ondma

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2018
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I've driven in pure ice/snow via rental car when traveling for work. Didn't seem that difficult. don't gas too much, don't steer too ridiculous, etc...

But yeah, if you start to spin out my understanding is you should turn the wheel WITH the car, in order to try to better gain control instead of attempting to steer against it.
You have put up some pretty "controversial" let us say posts in P and N, but this one is probably a new level of absurdity.

The general advice is to steer into the direction of a skid (i.e. when the back end of the car is coming around, steer into the direction in which the car is starting to rotate). This is the correct response, but once the car starts to skid, it is very difficult to enter the proper amount of counter steering without overcorrecting and spinning the opposite direction. Modern cars with VDC will also try to apply brakes (to selective wheels) and modulate throttle to prevent a skid.
 
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DownTheSky

Senior member
Apr 7, 2013
785
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Extended live crash video:


Cars go: pwiu pwiu
SUVs go: Bang Bang,
Lorrys go: DOUBLE DAMAGE! TRIPLE DAMAGE! FATALITY!

77jTE1r.gif
 
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ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
38,156
18,647
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You have put up some pretty "controversial" let us say posts in P and N, but this one is probably a new level of absurdity.

The general advice is to steer into the direction of a skid (i.e. when the back end of the car is coming around, steer into the direction in which the car is starting to rotate). This is the correct response, but once the car starts to skid, it is very difficult to enter the proper amount of counter steering without overcorrecting and spinning the opposite direction. Modern cars with VDC will also try to apply brakes (to selective wheels) and modulate throttle to prevent a skid.

It's not as ez and some people think. I've been in New England winters for almost all of my life and am one of the "better" drivers out there. I can say that you think you're awesome until ma nature puts you in your place. And your advise it dead on.

The type of car, drive train, tires, and driver all factor into something that can change on a moment's notice. And that black ice is tough to see, especially with no moon to light it up.
 
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