Sunday, January 31, 2010

I need a driver's ed review

Being from Southern Virginia, I have rarely driven in snow. Yes, there was plenty of snow in Blacksburg, but in college I never drove in it, I walked or took the bus everywhere. I could just refuse to drive, like some of the American ladies did in Italy, but that would get old really fast in Maine! Yesterday it started snowing and for some reason I got a bee in my bonnet about getting some pink fabric to back a t-shirt quilt I am working on. The little boys helped me sweep off the van windows and shovel off the driveway before I left.
My big van doesn't have four wheel drive or anything so I was plodding along at 30 miles an hour to the fabric shop and back, only to get stuck on our own road. I had slowed down going up the hill to make way for a car and some children coming down and then couldn't go forward. Luckily I had charged my phone and Tim came to my rescue. I felt foolish having to call, but am so grateful I wasn't saying, "Dear... I ran off the road and am stuck 10 miles away."

3 comments:

Renee said...

Life in Maine will be different. Roads will be cleared, salt/sand will be abundant and maybe you'll even have chains on the tires in winter.
I grew up in CT (never had 4 wheel drive or chains)... drove everywhere anytime... never had a problem
Now I live in AL and I stay home at the sight of flakes :)

Karen said...

It's just practice which I am sure you will get enough of once you get to Maine full-time. One key is to learn the fine balance between too much speed and enough speed for things like hills and just simply maintaining momentum to make it through drifts, etc.

dstb said...

I have lived in New England all my life and have never had a problem driving in the snow until I got my van.

This year, I bought my first set of snow tires, and guess what! No snow! You have had more snow where you are than we have!

My kids are blaming my purchase of the snow tires on the lack of snow. I know other people won't be happy, but I'd really like one big snowstorm this month so my kids can get out and enjoy it!

Sarah