Rant: Your Personal Garmin, Not

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  • #597097

    GenHillOne
    Participant

    Look folks, if you’re too lazy – or too unaware – to read through the provided updates, you may not be ready to get on the road yet. Plenty of good neighbors are reporting about driving conditions on specific streets in the home page (top article) comment section. Read them and maybe the street you wonder about has just been mentioned.

    Beyond that, seriously…”I want to take A) to B) and then connect with C) D) and E) – how does that look?” C’mon, you might need to paste the info together a bit rather than asking someone else to do it for you.

    There is a good chance this is my own personal problem :) but it really bugs me and when I see it, I just think, please, please, don’t drive. Managing out in this weather requires a bit of self-reliance and common sense (those kidnapped by Metro buses for hours on end get a sympathetic pass for sure – you tried!). To that point, I’m not leaving the house ;)

    #709031

    moxilot
    Member

    People need to understand a few basic concepts: 1) Assume all the roads are icy. 2)If you don’t have a 4wd, then you need to carry chains. 3)Chains or 4wd does not mean you can conquer hills. 4) If you have the slightest trepidation about attempting an incline, then don’t. Don’t take the fastest route just because it’s your normal route. Take the flatest route and use arterials. If you live on a hill, park your car on the closest street and walk. 5) Do not stop on an incline. 6) If you cannot go any further, try your best to move your car to the side of the road. Do not just leave it in the middle of the street.

    Seriously.

    #709032

    JanS
    Participant

    and if you’re at home, and want to know about conditions, turn on the TeeVee, if you have one. KIRO has been on all morning with coverage.

    #709033

    charlabob
    Participant

    and (sorry) if you don’t know how to drive, please admit it and stay home. i’ve been watching the pictures of people sliding into each other last night and they were obviously going much too fast to begin with. then they slammed on the brakes and then …. wheeeeeeee!

    #709034

    johnnyblegs
    Member

    and if there is caution tape strung across the road, or orange cones; it’s there for a reason – like because it’s icy and to warn other drivers. Don’t rip it down and drive right through; especially when there are other cars sideways stuck on the hill. Take the extra block to go around. Be safe. If you don’t care, think about the other people around you.

    #709035

    GenHillOne
    Participant

    In general, I agree with the good intentions of warning others, johnnyblegs. Unfortunately, some of those unofficial methods are backfiring on hills near us. Especially when the bottom does not stay “closed” and people come up the hill fine, only to encounter tape or cones at the top, hesitate just a little too long in their surprise, lose momentum, and start sliding backwards. There are other problems, but that’s the biggie.

    And per my original rant, if one uses “find on this page” function to check for the answer first, maybe we won’t have to slog through 500+ comments tonight :) Thank you to WSB and everyone who takes the time to provide road updates!

    #709036

    DP
    Member

    Two years ago in Seattle, somewhere in Queen Anne (I think):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL6xzJUlNvo&feature=related

    You can imagine scenes exactly like this one playing out again this year.

    And next year.

    And the year after that . . .

    #709037

    Kimberley
    Participant

    Perhaps some people at home are without t.v. and internet, our comcast has been down since Monday evening – so perhaps questions on the blog are the only way to go.

    #709038

    flowerpetal
    Member

    Wondering how someone can ask questions on the blog if they are without internet.

    #709039

    WSB
    Keymaster

    And might I say, TV does *not* provide neighborhood-specific info. You might get lucky and happen into one of those “we’re broadcasting live while driving and we happen to be in WS” (or wherever) moments. And I’m glad that TV traffic people generally mention the WS Bridge these days (at least one TV traffic person lives over here so that helps). But otherwise – that’s what this is all about. And I am amazed, having taken a moment to breathe early this morning and looking around, how much WS people have helped each other this way. There are other fine neighborhood-news sites run by people we love and respect in other parts of town … but none had anywhere near the volume of P2P comments/road reports. Sure, WS was hit hardest, but still.

    And to Kimberley’s point – back on Monday, there were countless people who mentioned being stuck on buses (or in gridlock traffic) with only the smartphone. Which – as technology stands now – makes me glad we are kind of low-tech and text-reliant … easier to access, even if it takes a while to read.

    #709040

    JanS
    Participant

    good point about the TeeVee thing :)

    #709041

    Kimberley
    Participant

    @flowerpetal I’m at work today, but Monday night I emailed TR from my blackberry when I was stuck at the foot of the Spokane Street bridge and saw a jackknifed bus coming over the crest. Last night I left a comment on the blog using my other half’s iPhones. So there is a way to do it without internet service at home. Also, the information that’s been shared via the blog and twitter (I had both twitter and the blog open on the way home Monday night – I wasn’t driving) was invaluable and better than that of any other news source.

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