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Author	Topic: Winter still shocking Canadian drivers	Post a Reply Back to Topics

Nicoalbum Champion Author Ottawa Posts:6,032 Points:1,191,125 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 11:37:16 AM Ignore Nicoalbum Report Abuse ...winter driving has already come to many parts of the country, but in Canada’s soft underbelly, we’ve only experienced a whisper of what’s to come. According to data collected by Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance, daily emergency dispatches in the Greater Toronto Area jump significantly on the first day that feels like winter. Why? Drivers are not prepared. “Canadian drivers should be experts in anticipating winter,” says Graham Jeffery, category business manager, Tires, Wheels and Accessories, with Canadian Tire. “They aren’t. Winter comes like clockwork year after year and it still seems to come as a big shock to them.” This year’s kit features first aid supplies, an electric tire inflater, gloves, tools, a blanket, a poncho, jumper cables, a reflector kit, a flashlight, polyprop Visit National Post for full article

Nicoalbum

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Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 11:37:16 AM

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...winter driving has already come to many parts of the country, but in Canada’s soft underbelly, we’ve only experienced a whisper of what’s to come. According to data collected by Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance, daily emergency dispatches in the Greater Toronto Area jump significantly on the first day that feels like winter. Why? Drivers are not prepared.

“Canadian drivers should be experts in anticipating winter,” says Graham Jeffery, category business manager, Tires, Wheels and Accessories, with Canadian Tire. “They aren’t. Winter comes like clockwork year after year and it still seems to come as a big shock to them.”

This year’s kit features first aid supplies, an electric tire inflater, gloves, tools, a blanket, a poncho, jumper cables, a reflector kit, a flashlight, polyprop
Visit National Post for full article

REPLIES (newest first)Ignore Short Messages

LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,615 Points:1,207,430 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Dec 11, 2012 10:33:36 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse This is an interesting Opinion Piece, too bad it is Verboten under GB Guidelines.
mattpolska Veteran Author Winnipeg Posts:299 Points:82,840 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 10:31:39 PM Ignore mattpolska Report Abuse theres a foot of snow in my yard winter started 1 month ago...
Moumoom Veteran Author Toronto Posts:320 Points:400,100 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 5:32:12 PM Ignore Moumoom Report Abuse Duh... yes, why are people so surprised? Yet, note this - people also want a "White Christmas!" The further north in Canada, people know snow tires are the best defence. They simply do it automatically, whereas in the southern parts, people still wait until the last minute to put on winter tires, or think if they drive very slowly, they'll be safe.
mike56MI Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,230 Points:310,290 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 5:22:45 PM Ignore mike56MI Report Abuse What do they expect, look at the calendar.
07skydriver Champion Author Ohio Posts:3,270 Points:985,035 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 3:44:41 PM Ignore 07skydriver Report Abuse Just stay home.
doeslayersr Champion Author Illinois Posts:9,127 Points:873,955 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 2:59:03 PM Ignore doeslayersr Report Abuse An inconvenient truth is that winter comes every year.
ObieDog Champion Author Maryland Posts:1,976 Points:853,845 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 2:57:05 PM Ignore ObieDog Report Abuse When I sold services to churches they would call with emergencies every December and tell me that Christmas was coming, why wasn't I ready?????
doggod Champion Author Anchorage Posts:2,858 Points:743,310 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 2:24:32 PM Ignore doggod Report Abuse You wouldn't think so, but it's that way in Anchorage too. Things get dicey after the first big snow while people who waited on switching to their winter tires rediscover the amazing facts about inertia and friction. Once they've crashed their cars it's safe to go out again.
hornet17 Champion Author Vancouver Posts:1,323 Points:440,865 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 1:39:45 PM Ignore hornet17 Report Abuse Maybe they should move over here to Vancouver, it's never really winter here in the city, and we have a world class mountain resort just over an hour away.
Taxrefugee Champion Author Arizona Posts:1,412 Points:388,945 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 1:35:01 PM Ignore Taxrefugee Report Abuse I lived in Minneapolis for many years. The first snow of every year showed how many drivers quickly forget how to drive in the stuff over the summer months.
Yooperheart Champion Author Michigan Posts:3,430 Points:528,975 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 1:30:36 PM Ignore Yooperheart Report Abuse Imports to the area, persons that don't know what to do. Just plain stupid. You live in an area of the planet that gets bad weather, plan for it to be BAD!
fedupMN Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:2,964 Points:575,405 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 1:03:29 PM Ignore fedupMN Report Abuse What you say? Winter is coming? This time of year? Who would have thought that was going to happen.
Dr Gas Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:3,271 Points:358,600 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 12:46:46 PM Ignore Dr Gas Report Abuse SAmwe old story every year. People are getting more stupid every year. Unprepared, more like extremely lazy! Yep winter always hits, and then we have on the news reports of how many people's cars were towed and how they "didn't know" they had to move their car, so the raod could be plowed, or it would be towed. And the best part - it costs $200 to get their car out of impound!!!! Everytime this comes on the news I turn the channel! Don't car to hear about the STUPID AND THEIR STUPID PROBLEMS! [Edited by: Dr Gas at 12/10/2012 12:47:48 PM EST]
Spankster85 Champion Author Chicago Posts:1,739 Points:359,015 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 12:37:18 PM Ignore Spankster85 Report Abuse There's always a few stragglers.
SandeeC Champion Author Ontario Posts:3,003 Points:461,905 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 12:36:27 PM Ignore SandeeC Report Abuse I grew up in a snow belt area and learned much from watching my father drive and listening to what he said. I put this knowledge into practice and never had problems - plus it got me out of lot of scrapes! Then I moved to Toronto and I just couldn't believe people. It seemed like no one listens or pays any attention to anything sensible. Totally unprepared too. Toronto is one place in the province where you really DO need snow tires (more so than in the country). I've watched people "shovel" their car out with their bare hands! I've watched a guy rock his car back and forth for 1/2 hr until he finally made it out of his parking space behind a snow bank - only to back right back in there (I guess to make a path?!) - and get stuck all over again. It took him another 1/2 hr or more of rocking back and forth to work his way out again!!! I've watched vehicles on a snow-packed hill (traffic light at the top), put their foot to the floor to get up the hill. Result - they went sideways and backwards DOWN the hill. It's a comedy of errors out there! As for safety kits? They probably won't know what they are! And as hard as I'm laughing at Canadian drivers, I'll bet the same goes for a lot of you American's too!
Grismer Champion Author Kitchener-Waterloo Posts:8,544 Points:1,725,995 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 12:32:51 PM Ignore Grismer Report Abuse Canada is a northern country; get out a do some winter activities and make the best of it.
pilotmass Champion Author Boston Posts:1,836 Points:504,560 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 12:15:59 PM Ignore pilotmass Report Abuse Drivers Ed. Comes in $500 insurance deductibles....
sciotosix Champion Author Dayton Posts:2,759 Points:668,075 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 11:52:06 AM Ignore sciotosix Report Abuse Must be newer drivers....I would think most Canadians would be used to it.
Suzzoom Champion Author Nevada Posts:2,378 Points:508,090 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 11:49:42 AM Ignore Suzzoom Report Abuse In the US, unprepared drivers have an excuse--they move north & expect their Florida or southern California weather to move with them. As winter approaches northern Nevada, I always have an emergency box in my car with warm clothes, a shovel, kitty litter & various tools.
Zuegma All-Star Author Nova Scotia Posts:998 Points:259,855 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 11:44:31 AM Ignore Zuegma Report Abuse We've already had a couple of inches in Cape Breton (now long gone) and much to my surprise people actually slowed down for the bad visibility. Who knows, there still hope they'll continue to heed the warnings.
1momsunshine Champion Author Ottawa Posts:5,505 Points:1,003,505 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 11:43:50 AM Ignore 1momsunshine Report Abuse Im never ready for winter,,,I hate it
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,304 Points:2,373,320 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 11:39:45 AM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse not to worry, if all the eco nutz are right it will be 70 and sunny in toronto
Nicoalbum Champion Author Ottawa Posts:6,032 Points:1,191,125 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 11:38:02 AM Ignore Nicoalbum Report Abuse Driver comes first in the winter equation