wsdot snoqualmie rant

The early bird gets the worm.

And as I learned from the great Dr. Frankenstein, early birdism begins with a sleeping bag, a camp stove and some pop-tarts (to cook in the pot for pop-tart soup), even for the valley residents.

If I miss the storm for a day, it's nobody's fault but mine.

QFT   

whats wrong with tubes and sleds?
Also I think snoqualamie snow is not really
snow but more like slippery slush,I'm not sure why I even go there?
Its such a hassle

And as I learned from the great Dr. Frankenstein, early birdism begins with a sleeping bag, a camp stove and some pop-tarts (to cook in the pot for pop-tart soup), even for the valley residents.

If I miss the storm for a day, it's nobody's fault but mine.

Amen.

I love the smell of pop-tart soup in the morning. You know, one time we had a pass closure, for twelve hours. When it was all over, everyone else came up. We hadn't crossed a track, not one stinking track. The smell, you know that blueberry-filling smell, the whole morning. Smelled like ... victory.

Amen.

I love the smell of pop-tart soup in the morning. You know, one time we had a pass closure, for twelve hours. When it was all over, everyone else came up. We hadn't crossed a track, not one stinking track. The smell, you know that blueberry-filling smell, the whole morning. Smelled like ... victory.

if you have to put chains on a subaru or audi then you fit into the ass clown / bonehead category that should stay home in these types of storms.

Well, awd with crap tires doesn't do much for snow safety. Though an audi or subbie with all seasons I would trust more than any SUV with garbage stock tires. By far the shittiest vehicle I have ever driven in snow (or otherwise for that matter) was a rental dodge durango. Holy hell was that awful. From that point forward I referred to them as Deathrangos and will make sure nobody I care about ever buys one.

So yeah, the awd exclusion needs to go away. Max traction warning should mean semis and cars w/o chains or actual snow tires need to F off and wait for better weather.

Side rant: it sucks this country doesn't employ more train cargo hauling instead of armies of strung out truck drivers.

Having lived on and over Snoqualmie Pass for 25 years and often stopping to help drivers who have gotten into trouble, I really think most of them are just ignorant, not "boneheads."  Most just don't know what they are in for until they are in it.  Or they don't realize how bad their tires/car/etc are (okay, that may qualify as a bonehead).   I'm not sure, however, what to think of the low-rider Civic drivers from the city I pulled out of the 8" deep pothole at the bottom of the Chevron driveway a couple years ago.  Young and dumb city boneheads? I think Yes.  But that hole was larger than their car and completely filled with slush so it wasn't obvious.  Toss-up there for the bigger bonehead - driver or Chevron owner.

"Well, awd with crap tires doesn't do much for snow safety."

That is true, which is why the actual law reads: 

(WAC 204-24-050)
"Use of tire chains or other traction devices.
(1) Vehicles under 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.
When traffic control signs are posted by the department of transportation it will be unlawful for any vehicle to enter the controlled area without having mounted on its drive tires the traction device specified by the sign, which must also meet the requirements of WAC 204-24-040.
(a) Exception for all wheel drive vehicles. When "chains required" signs are posted, all-wheel drive vehicles will be exempt from the chain requirement when all wheels are in gear and are equipped with approved traction devices as specified in WAC 204-24-040 provided that tire chains for at least one set of drive tires are carried in the vehicle.


(WAC 204-24-040)
Traction devices.
The following equipment items are approved by the state patrol for use as traction devices wherever traction devices are required by the department of transportation:
(1) Tire chains meeting the standards in WAC 204-24-020.
(2) Studded tires meeting the standards in WAC 204-24-030.
(3) Approved traction tires. An approved traction tire must have the following tread characteristics:
(a) A minimum of 4/32 inch tread, measured in the center portion of the tire at three locations equally spaced around the circumference of the tire.
(b) A relatively aggressive tread pattern designed primarily to provide additional starting, stopping, and driving traction on snow or ice. The tread must have ribs, lugs, blocks or buttons the edges of which are at an angle greater than thirty degrees to the tire circumferential centerline.
(c) On at least one side of the tread design, the shoulder lugs protrude at least 1/2-inch in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of travel.
(d) Tires manufactured to meet these specifications must:
(i) Be permanently labeled on at least one sidewall with the words "mud and snow" or any contraction using the letters "M" and "S" (e.g. MS, M/S, M-S, M & S, etc.); or
(ii) Be permanently labeled on at least one side wall with the mountain/snowflake symbol.
(4) Alternative traction devices. Any alternative traction device approved under this chapter must be used in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations concerning proper use of the product. The list of approved devices will be maintained on the patrol's web site. Upon suspension or revocation of an approval for an alternative traction device, the device will be removed from the list of approved devices on the patrol's web site.

"Side rant: it sucks this country doesn't employ more train cargo hauling instead of armies of strung out truck drivers."

I'm totally with you on this one, too.

I like the idea (above) of having better signage and options lower down.  Also better turn-around options for those who don't need to wait on the freeway.

Boy, the skiing sure has been great!  And maybe now we'll even have a spring season, too.  Cheers!