Sat Oct 18, 2014 3:00 pm by nikkinutshop
The colder weather is not that far away and the city folks are lining up for their all-season tires. All-season tires are only legal in the city. The law in British Columbia says that snow rated tires, with the three peak mountain side marking, must be installed on a vehicle, on a highway, outside of the Lower Mainland between October1 and April1. Snow rated tires are required for a trip to MERRITT to visit MAGIHC MIKE. Mike lives near the middle of the Coquihalla Highway 5. Highway 5 is the location for the TV reality show HIGHWAY THROUGH HELL staring Jamie Davis and his towing company. The may be the only reality TV that is real. I mentioned this before, the saying, You cannot get there from here must have been coined in British Columbia because some of the BC winter roads become impassable every year. BC is a mountainous province and 80 percent of the land stands on end.
The Coquihalla may well be the most threatening and dangerous of all our highways, in the winter. I can leave the lower mainland on a sunny winter day with the temperature about 10c and in about three hours I can be stuck on the HIGHWAY THROUGH HELL and the temperature has dropped to minus 10c. The road surface of the Coquihalla will be a sheet of ice and suitable for a hockey game. I had a truck driver friend and I remember one of his big truck rules was, "Do not descend a hill any faster than your truck can climb that hill". I suspect that rule could include something about slowing down when the road has iced over. I have had highway trains pass me like I was chained to a tree. I would estimate their speed to be near 150km when I was going about 100km down a steep section, in my Dodge 2500. The posted speed is 120km. Tire chains are required and only a few comply with that rule.
One of the neighbours, with his teenage son in tow came for a visit. the Father and Son were having a difference of opinion about snow tire installation on the son's Honda Civic. The kid wanted the tires on the front and his father was adamant about installing the snow tires on the back axle. They wanted my Mechanic's opinion to settle the argument. Thankfully, they were both incorrect so I did not have to appear to take sides. A front wheel drive vehicle owner is encouraged to have the same season tires on all four wheels and this becomes the rule outside of the Lower Mainland.
Cold weather changes everything. When I drove a PORSCHE 911, I happened to be in Calgary late in the year when the temperature dropped to minus 15c. The Porsche started easily, with the clutch depressed and stalled instantly, in neutral, when the clutch was let out. After some warming and teasing, the engine was able to idle in neutral and turn the transmission. This was only the beginning of getting going. The steering was very heavy, but manageable but the car would not steer. The grease in the front wheel bearings was very stiff and was like dragging brakes, holding the wheels from turning at road speed. Turning was nearly impossible.
The milder West Coast suits me so much better. Many people move here for the milder weather and in a year or two return to the Prairies because of our climate. I has become a game with us to see if we can mow our lawn on Christmas Day. 7 out of ten times, we can.
Outside of the Lower Mainland the meaning of "Plug It In" refers to and electric engine heater. Here in the city, I think it refers to a Chevy Volt or the New BMW electric car.
- Attachments
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- three Diamond T pickups
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- we mowed our lawn under sunny skies. SCOUT PLUSS in Hope was buried
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Artificial intelligence is no match for real stupidity....