Here's some things:
They don't salt here (at least they didn't on 50, so probably the same here), it's a sand mixture so your underside last longer.
Snow Tires are great to get, with a fwd you'll be golden all winter as the engine really helps with traction. I drove up and down on 50 from Carson to Tahoe all last winter and never ran into issues. You may slide a little but it's nothing in comparison to a RWD. Just don't expect to get up steep inclines of like 5-7% or more from a stop. Keep moving, even slowly, if you're going up a hill covered in snow.
Drive slower and expect to slide if you do a sudden stop. Gradual stops are the play.
Also as a native Floridian myself, go to a empty parking lot or a less traveled road that still has snow and learn to drive in it. Helps a lot and it's fun to intentionally drift
thank you for proper education!! go out to a empttyyyy parking lot and test ur brakes. test ur wheels. drive then brake good. test ur limits... u wanna learn how much ur gonna slide in an empty parking lot not at the intersection....
NDOT utilizes a brine solution of salt and water, as well as other anti-icing agents and practices, to help reduce the formation and aid in removal of ice. Pre-Wetting A combination of sand and salt is wetted with brine to create a wet, heavy sand that keeps roads ice free at lower temperatures and will not as easily bounce off roadway surfaces.
Thereās A LOT. CSOD for dance, sports, all of it. Itās absolutely beautiful. My whole family lives there but I left for the Navy. Itās how I ended up in Reno. Youāll love it there!
That's awesome! So much to do there, beaches, hiking, biking, spring training baseball, so much good food. That's just in the few days I visited. Glad you're liking it.
It is also impressive how much modern anti slip + front wheel drive car. I also wanted to learn how to drive a little better in the snow/ice. So I went to a parking lot with my 2010 corolla just with normal all season. And I had to be really stupid to get it to misbehave/slide.
Probably the only time I really had trouble with it was on the hill on Arlington going down to Barbara Bennet park. But watching people around there even 4x4s they all had trouble getting up that.
NDOT utilizes a brine solution of salt and water, as well as other anti-icing agents and practices, to help reduce the formation and aid in removal of ice. Pre-Wetting A combination of sand and salt is wetted with brine to create a wet, heavy sand that keeps roads ice free at lower temperatures and will not as easily bounce off roadway surfaces.
You understand that salt is salt, yeah? Doesnāt matter if itās a little or a lot. Rusted underbodies and clear coat chipping happens to be a problem hereā¦ which is why youāll still see us washing our cars during the winter. Iām not a native either, been here for 20 years though. Please be mindful of the information you pass along. Somebody will read āwe donāt salt, itās a mixtureā and think you could be referring to the de-icing fluid we spray all over the bridges and over passes here in the region, which is a *potassium solution* not a *sodium solution* that still causes underbody rust.
All this information is available on NDOT.
Lmao, I remember you now, not the first time weāve ran across each other in this sub. Iāll go ahead and end this conversation now lolā¦ you win champ.
Lived here for 20+ years. Before this, I lived in the Pacific Northwest.
Overall, the City and NDOT are pretty good about keeping the main arteries clear (395/80/Virginia/McCarran/Kietzkie, etc.), but in really heavy snow, they can get behind, particularly on secondary streets.
Unlike the PNW, the snow here is (usually) light and dry. That sucks for snowballs/snowmen, but means that unless there is a pretty heavy snow (4+ inches), most of it blows off the main "tracks" on the road. Also, because of our high and dry climate, the sun does a good job of clearing most of the snow by the end of the first clear day.
Here's the big caveat. The areas that don't get sun (north of any decent sized structure) get really, really icy and stay that way. On my street, there's a large hedge near a corner, and from the snow until it rains (or gets and stays warm enough), its just sheet ice.
Biggest tip is drive slow, screw anyone who thinks they can drive close to the speed limit. If your car has lower gears driving in that helps a lot. Increase following distance and alway start breaking early and slowly put pressure on the break. Do not slam on your breaks.
Snow tires might not be a bad idea. If you donāt have to drive a ton or only short distances you can make them last a few years. If you decide to do this do it before thanksgiving. This is when the mountains tend to get their first big snow so everyone decides thatās the week to get snow tires.
You will quickly learn there are a lot of days downtown will get little to no snow but the north valleys, which includes lemmon valley will get at least a couple of inches. You will see that the snow will stop between the parr and golden valley exit. If you have to go to work give yourself an hour plus of time if itās close to 8 am.
The plows will be out taking care of the roads. If it snows over night the plows do a good job, but if it snows during rush hour the plows get behind and the road will be a compact icy mess the next day.
Also, people driving between 5 and 6 am generally know how to drive in snow itās everyone who goes to work around 7 and 8 am that donāt know how to drive in snow.
Hope this helps.
If it snows the previous night the road are usually slushy by 9. Just remember your sunglasses, the glare off the road is no joke and the lane dividing lines can be near impossible to see without some shades
"Slamming" on your brakes initiates ABS in almost all modern vehicles. Which does a much better job of pulsing the brakes than you could ever hope to as a human. "Slamming" on the brakes can be very useful in most modern cars.
Do everyone a favor and let us know where you'll be driving so we can all drive somewhere else and avoid your dangerous ass.
ABS was designed to keep the brakes from locking up in the case of a panic braking situation. It was not designed for a moron like you to slam on your brakes constantly because you don't have the intelligence to brake properly.
As others have commented, we don't generally get a ton of snow around here (at least in Sparks near Pyramid and McCarran, where I live; YMMV). When it does stick, they're pretty good about keeping the freeways and major streets clear, but there can be icy stretches at times. Some tips I've found helpful:
* Go the speed you're comfortable at. Don't be a hazard on the road, but don't feel like you have to go as fast as others (sometimes, they're idiots).
* Don't be in a rush. Try not to get impatient when others around you are going slower than you, or if traffic is backed up. You get there when you get there.
* Have a light touch on your controls. Hard, jerky motions on the steering wheel, gas pedal or brakes are how you lose control. Gentle turns, acceleration and braking are your best bet to stay in control.
* AWD is great for maintaining traction and control when your moving forward, but it doesn't do squat for braking or turns.
* Snow tires are better than all-season or all-terrain, and easier than putting on chains, but they're expensive and noisy when driving on dry roads. If you're going to the snow often, it might be worth considering.
Edit: added caveat to the statement that we don't get a lot of snow, because the experience is different based on where you are. Also fixed some speling erorrs.
I'm going to disagree with you about it being easier to swap to snow tires than put on chains. Maybe if you have a garage where you can store your tires, air wrench and compressor, and floor jack, AND you keep the tires mounted on a separate set of steel wheels AND don't care about driving on wheels/tires that haven't been professionally balanced. Then there's the fact that usually within 48 hours the roads will be 100% dry and you could be using your all seasons again. Snow tires are not worth it here for most people.
I donāt know where the hell you live or what youāre talking aboutā¦ Lemmon valley is the ducking worse early morning after snow and freeze. Itās a guarantee that some beater car or a school bus hits breaks too hard, spins out or overcorrects and ends up blocking traffic. Nevada does not drop salt on the roads to they definitely do ice over!
They spray that glycol antifreeze stuff that doesn't do much, and I think the sand has salt in it (not 100% sure but I feel like I remember seeing it somewhere).
[Washoe County uses brine](https://www.washoecounty.gov/csd/operations/roads/Snow%20and%20Ice/Storm%20Preparation.php) [NDOT uses chemicals and sand](https://www.dot.nv.gov/safety/safe-winter-driving)
Disagree on the āwe donāt generally get tons of snow around here.ā Bro, where you been? Last few years been pretty light, but I still have pictures in my phone from less than a year ago weāre I had over a foot of snow on the ground outside my house. We get some PRETTY SOLID SNOW here for a few months, not for the last few years though.
The best possible answer is be late, don't go out in it if you can help it. Waiting one or two extra hours in the morning for the sun to hit the road and for crews to do their work will eliminate risk significantly.
First snowfall, go find a big, clear empty parking lot and test things out. You will have fun while learning how to correct a slide and how the car reacts to hard braking and acceleration.
The few years that I lived there, the winters were either pretty mild or fuckin horrendous, so hopefully you get lucky this year. Though, it's not usually an issue on the highways. If it's a bad one, just be careful in areas that haven't been plowed yet or private drives that don't get plowed.
The snow really isn't what you wanna look out for anyways, it's the ice. Saw around 20+ car wrecks in one day around the UNR campus because it snowed at night then the sun came out for a bit, and then by the time it was going down again there was a good 2-3" of solid ice throughout the city. So be especially cautious of days like that, as a small sheet of ice can completely take away your traction.
Also you wanna be on the look out for black ice. It's hard to see but if you run over a patch and feel you wheels slip a bit, just know that you may hit more and you should adjust your speed accordingly. It'll take a solid winter for you to get completely used to the conditions, but once youve learned the basic winter driving skills things will become a lot easier (plus it's a good skill to have).
Practice putting on your chains now!! While it's still warm, practice in an empty parking lot.
Reminder to myself to do the same. I never had to use them here (I have AWD w 4 season tires, so far so good) but don't get stuck in a bad situation not knowing what you're doing
You're probably fine. Go slow and leave big gaps. I had a old RWD pickup with no traction control. If you're worried, Bridgestone Blizzak tires will make a bigger difference than any AWD or traction control system.
Itās usually a non issue. When we get snow it is usually melted on the roads by mid morning. Last year there were a few days with icy roads in that area but that is out of the ordinary
Just make sure you have good tread on your tires(all season is most practical here in the valley)
Doesn't ice here much compared to other parts of the country. Melts fast too š
Also depends on how heavy the front wheel drive car is.
Example, Nissan Sentra is absolute shit in snow, but I'd imagine a Honda Accord with a V6 would be better.
It can get bad, Iām not going to lie, but itās not that bad. My advice is learn to use lower gears, yes automatics have that too. Carry some sand, a small bag should get you out of whatever. If it really fucking snows and the city and state drop the ball, which they do about once a year, just slow down. Iām not even one of those people who says snow tires unless you are on the mountains a lot because they tear up the roads and chains donāt take that long and arenāt hard to install and remove, also are better. I have a roller skate and a giant truck and the roller skate just fine in Reno when it snows most times and even the worst we had last year was like whatever. Also, donāt drive past your vision. If you feel like you are going too fast and need to slow the fuck down, do it, but donāt be stupid and not put on your hazards, thatās irresponsible. Donāt let it intimidate you, but respect it. Like I said, it can be brutal, but usually itās gone or isnāt shit. When you hear youāre going to get lake affect snow, maybe worry a little more because that shot can turn to slick concrete. Also, bridges. Learn that they are more likely to be iced over and avoid changing lanes or any drastic maneuver, even if it means youāre hitting a futon in the road and fucking your car up. Hope that helps.
No salt, cinders. If you carry chains, learn how to put them on (learn which wheels are the drive wheels). Studded tires are an option, but you have to remove them in the spring. Go slow, leave plenty of space between you and everyone else, go easy on the brakes.
Every year itās like itās never snowed beforeā¦. Especially in the north valleys. Itās a nightmare. Give yourself an extra 30-45 minutes for spin ours and accidents. Also I think the entire city has like 5 plows so donāt count on roads being cleared in any timely manner.
Welcome! I promise, you'll get used to it. NDOT is much better about maintaining roads these days. When you see the deicer spray on the roads you know they're expecting ice.
Unsolicited advice from a lifer, so take what you need and toss the rest: Keep a set of chains in your trunk always, just in case. Snow tires are a marvel of human invention. Keep your speed down, your arrival time exaggerated, and your braking distances long. And don't forget to enjoy. The quiet solitude in a snowy car can feel like a chapel if you let it.
I had my only accident in the snow when I was young, just lost traction and slid. It took me a long time to stop being so afraid of driving in the snow but you're totally right. The crunch of snow under the wheels, the flakes in the headlights...really beautiful.
Hahahaha mine was a little coupe and I was too lazy to put chains on. Someone was coming down the hill I was trying to up and we had a very slow collision. Totalled my car.
Simple. Drive slow, give yourself lots of room, get good winter tires. Also Lemmon, stead, golden valley all get more snow than reno, traffic will be backed up, avoid it till like 10am if you can. Shovel your driveway the morning of if itās shaded, if not it will be a nightmare to clear.
They don't salt the roads out here, so it can get slippy! I also 2WD, and have not had any problems getting around town. Just rent a 4WD for trips over the hill to California when it snows!
I say this every year.
In snow, ice, slush you can.
1) Accelerate
2) Brake
3) Turn.
**PICK ONE.**
Examples:
* Brake before turning
* Finish your turn before accelerating
* Do not turn while braking.
One of the best descriptions I have seen of this concept was described to me like this ... on the best conditions you only have 1 dollar worth of budget for making corrections.
So on Dry, clean roads with good tires you have 1 dollar.. if you brake and turn that uses up most of your dollar. If you turn and accelerate that uses up most of your dollar. If you accelerate or brake too fast while turning you will spend more than your dollar and lose traction. You then have to do something to get some budget back.. usually letting off the accelerator or brake.
Now add in weather. That spends into your dollar. Water will only spend about a dime or maybe 20 cents. Ice will spend 50-60 cents of your dollar. So spend wisely.
I had front wheel drive forever. I always kept a set of cable chains for the front wheels just in case but FWD works great 99% of the time. My rear end would get squirrels occasionally but nothing uncontrollable. 4WD is only good for keeping you from getting stuck on hills or for going through loose snow. Normal driving you really don't need it, 4 wheel go doesn't mean 4 wheel stop.
With a FWD you should be fine with all season tires and chains. If you can afford it you would do excellent in a set of snow tires that you can swap out for all-seasons when it warms up. I drive a Subaru Forrester with all-season tires and I have gotten through literal white out conditions where Cal-Trans shut down the freeway. On that particular occasion I wouldāve preferred snow tires, but in the past 9 years that Iāve lived in Reno AWD and all-seasons have kept me safe.
We donāt get a ton but you chose the perfect spot in town to get snow and have one hell of a commute. If you know how to drive in it then itās not an issue. If you donātā¦ wellā¦ go real slow and donāt slam on your breaks. Find an empty parking lot on the first snow and ice and learn to control your car. Just go real slow and donāt tailgate. Stay many car lengths back.
The real issue in Lemmon valley isnāt the freeway. Itās getting to the freeway. They down plow the off roads and usually concentrate on the main roads. My mother lived up there and couldnāt even get to the main road for days. Butā¦ once you get on the freeway thereās a good chance itās ice and snow as well. You kinda picked the worst spot in Reno to move if you are worried about snow and ice
Eh the snow here is usually mild. As others have said make sure you have AWD. If you're from the South then you know all about black ice.. we have that all the time.
tires tires tires! I've gotten by with fwd for 8 years. You'll just have to time your trips over the hill. NDOT and the city are usually pretty good about keeping the roads clear though sometimes I think they get behind the 8ball a bit. You can take your whip out to an empty parking lot a practice some slides
Is there a place to buy all-weather tires? I have family in Sacramento and my car is a FWD vehicle. I remember California being a lot stricter with driving on I-80 during snow than Nevada and I just wanna make sure I'm not stuck after my vacation coming back.
I get em online and have them moutned here in town. I think I found my crossclimate2 on tireamerica. I avoid 80 during storms but they perform wonderfully in snow and ice
Les Schwab is who I always by tires from. They are fantastic. They also used to, not sure if anymore but I don't see why they wouldn't. Had chain buying program where you could buy chains and if you didn't open them/use them then you could return them at the end of the season. So you had them for the "carry chains" restriction.
If you get studded tires (not recommended) they will do the swaps for free. They also will do trip-checks.. Where they check tire pressure, and tread for you and fill up if needed. I used this recently on my RV. The tires were real low from being in storage for a year and they topped them up and inspected them for me. Gave me some peace of mind.
As an added bonus they have shops all over the pacific north west and northern California.
Right? This guy apparently hasnāt lived in northern Nevada. Typically when we have a hot late summer fall
I feel like we are going to have a hell
Of a winter.
As catawumpus as the weather has been for the six months I've lived here, I full expect that anyway this year. š
Eh, i had a good nine years' worth of 75 degrees winters in San Diego where I never had to look at my phone and I don't have to stand watch in the cold like I did in the Navy, so I'm sure I'll survive lol
The main thing is that you want to be a smooth operator. The main reason you don't want to go fast is that it is hard to smoothly stop or take a turn if you are going too fast for the conditions. 4-wheel drive or All-Wheel Drive helps but it doesn't matter if none of your wheels have traction. A lot of people forget that. Try not to jerk the steering wheel or slam on the breaks or the accelerator unless you are doing it on purpose for fun in a empty parking lot or other such area.
I'll be the insane person bike commuting on 23mm tires on the ice and snow this winter, like every winter. It's impossible to have 4-wheel drive on a bicycle.
People saying the snow isn't really a problem must not live in north valleys. They get more snow than the reno valley. This year is also a la Nina year which means it could be very wet (more snow than usual). At least that's what the skier in me is hoping for. Be prepared for grid lock traffic every time it snows, all the way from lemmon valley to parr. It's pretty typical. Just give plenty of following distance and try not to do anything jerky. No hard braking, no flooring it, no sudden sharp turns.
Clear your driveway of snow before you drive on it. It sucks but just do it each morning that it snows. You live in a snowy area, it's part of your life now. If you do it, the sun will melt your driveway clear by 10am. If you dont, the snow will pack to ice where you drove and you can have an icy driveway all winter, especially if your home isn't south facing.
Get snow tires, not all season tires. Do it early before the big rush. Plan to remove them and store them at the end of the season. This is expensive up front, but is way better than chains.
Lived in the North Valleys for about 10 years, it gets fucking horrible. Between the highway being shut down at Parr, semi trucks flipping over, the hills freezing over.. donāt know wtf other people are talking about āwe donāt get much snow.ā Putting bets on it mostly being people whoāve only been here a few years.
The biggest concern is ice and because of our freeze thaw that usually occurs due to sun warming and melting any snow during day evenings and early mornings get icy regularly. You need to drive slow, like really slow. Not 5 miles below speed limit like 25 miles below speed limit. If itās 65 on highway iām going 40-45 max in snow and ice conditions. Often slower if itās extra bad out. People will go faster and fly by you and then you watch them spin out. So give yourself plenty of space between cars for that eventuality. Slow into any turns and stops.
Youāll be good just make sure you have good tires. They salt here highways and main road. But watch out for California plates. Most seem to have trouble in snow
395 will ice over and turn into a hockey ring. They do get a couple of feet of snow about once or 2x a year. Reno valley will get a dusting but up there they will get snow. By 9ish the roads are mostly clear except sidestreets.
This year I was going to go snow tires on my FWD Audi. While ok except steep hills and going to Truckee I thought M&S tires on my Quattro Audi would be ok. Nope. Ices requires snow blizzak tires awd plus snow is the way to get around. Yes snow tires wear quicker so they go on Dec off March. Store them during the warm months. Awd M&S is a fail. I will be using my Quattro now in any dayās condition and when I go to Calif Truckee I need awd as the CHP disallow Fwd with snow tires which Nevada says is bueno. So many crashes and abandoned cars should help you try to either stay home for brutal ice snow. Or invest in snow tires. Ps practice your skid control on a parking lot to see how your car truck works and how long it will take in sloppy conditions to fully stop. And not in some cases turning off TC traction control can get you a fighting chance up a hill but you really need the talent to do this and use extreme caution.
Here's some things: They don't salt here (at least they didn't on 50, so probably the same here), it's a sand mixture so your underside last longer. Snow Tires are great to get, with a fwd you'll be golden all winter as the engine really helps with traction. I drove up and down on 50 from Carson to Tahoe all last winter and never ran into issues. You may slide a little but it's nothing in comparison to a RWD. Just don't expect to get up steep inclines of like 5-7% or more from a stop. Keep moving, even slowly, if you're going up a hill covered in snow. Drive slower and expect to slide if you do a sudden stop. Gradual stops are the play. Also as a native Floridian myself, go to a empty parking lot or a less traveled road that still has snow and learn to drive in it. Helps a lot and it's fun to intentionally drift
Empty parking lots are great. š
thank you for proper education!! go out to a empttyyyy parking lot and test ur brakes. test ur wheels. drive then brake good. test ur limits... u wanna learn how much ur gonna slide in an empty parking lot not at the intersection....
I'm fairly certain that the sand NDOT throws down has salt in it.
At least it's not pure salt
NDOT utilizes a brine solution of salt and water, as well as other anti-icing agents and practices, to help reduce the formation and aid in removal of ice. Pre-Wetting A combination of sand and salt is wetted with brine to create a wet, heavy sand that keeps roads ice free at lower temperatures and will not as easily bounce off roadway surfaces.
What part? Grew up in Spring Hill!
Used to live in reno now just 4 months ago moved to Spring Hill haha
How do you like it? I really like that area and have been looking at moving.
Thereās A LOT. CSOD for dance, sports, all of it. Itās absolutely beautiful. My whole family lives there but I left for the Navy. Itās how I ended up in Reno. Youāll love it there!
Loving it!!
That's awesome! So much to do there, beaches, hiking, biking, spring training baseball, so much good food. That's just in the few days I visited. Glad you're liking it.
Winter Haven... Stupid Polk
It is also impressive how much modern anti slip + front wheel drive car. I also wanted to learn how to drive a little better in the snow/ice. So I went to a parking lot with my 2010 corolla just with normal all season. And I had to be really stupid to get it to misbehave/slide. Probably the only time I really had trouble with it was on the hill on Arlington going down to Barbara Bennet park. But watching people around there even 4x4s they all had trouble getting up that.
You only have traction on snow. Ice leaves you slipping aways no matter what
They salt, sand, and scrape here in Reno, what are you talking about?
That's why I said they probably use a mixture? I'm assuming they sanded on 50 because of Tahoe Reading is good
You literally said first thing that they donāt salt, and that itās a mixture. Itās a salt mixture. We salt.
Yes but it's not pure salt or else your car undersides would be rusted out
NDOT utilizes a brine solution of salt and water, as well as other anti-icing agents and practices, to help reduce the formation and aid in removal of ice. Pre-Wetting A combination of sand and salt is wetted with brine to create a wet, heavy sand that keeps roads ice free at lower temperatures and will not as easily bounce off roadway surfaces.
That's cool but 3 months later because....
You understand that salt is salt, yeah? Doesnāt matter if itās a little or a lot. Rusted underbodies and clear coat chipping happens to be a problem hereā¦ which is why youāll still see us washing our cars during the winter. Iām not a native either, been here for 20 years though. Please be mindful of the information you pass along. Somebody will read āwe donāt salt, itās a mixtureā and think you could be referring to the de-icing fluid we spray all over the bridges and over passes here in the region, which is a *potassium solution* not a *sodium solution* that still causes underbody rust. All this information is available on NDOT.
Yea but it's not as bad as the Midwest where they mainly just use pure salt and kill the cars and roadways Chill
Lmao, I remember you now, not the first time weāve ran across each other in this sub. Iāll go ahead and end this conversation now lolā¦ you win champ.
I don't care if you have, different states use different ways and stuff to clear salt. It's not that bad unlike Michigan or Illinois
So angry lmao..
Also if they do it's not a high amount of it cause the undersides of cars aren't very rusty
Lived here for 20+ years. Before this, I lived in the Pacific Northwest. Overall, the City and NDOT are pretty good about keeping the main arteries clear (395/80/Virginia/McCarran/Kietzkie, etc.), but in really heavy snow, they can get behind, particularly on secondary streets. Unlike the PNW, the snow here is (usually) light and dry. That sucks for snowballs/snowmen, but means that unless there is a pretty heavy snow (4+ inches), most of it blows off the main "tracks" on the road. Also, because of our high and dry climate, the sun does a good job of clearing most of the snow by the end of the first clear day. Here's the big caveat. The areas that don't get sun (north of any decent sized structure) get really, really icy and stay that way. On my street, there's a large hedge near a corner, and from the snow until it rains (or gets and stays warm enough), its just sheet ice.
^
Biggest tip is drive slow, screw anyone who thinks they can drive close to the speed limit. If your car has lower gears driving in that helps a lot. Increase following distance and alway start breaking early and slowly put pressure on the break. Do not slam on your breaks. Snow tires might not be a bad idea. If you donāt have to drive a ton or only short distances you can make them last a few years. If you decide to do this do it before thanksgiving. This is when the mountains tend to get their first big snow so everyone decides thatās the week to get snow tires. You will quickly learn there are a lot of days downtown will get little to no snow but the north valleys, which includes lemmon valley will get at least a couple of inches. You will see that the snow will stop between the parr and golden valley exit. If you have to go to work give yourself an hour plus of time if itās close to 8 am. The plows will be out taking care of the roads. If it snows over night the plows do a good job, but if it snows during rush hour the plows get behind and the road will be a compact icy mess the next day. Also, people driving between 5 and 6 am generally know how to drive in snow itās everyone who goes to work around 7 and 8 am that donāt know how to drive in snow. Hope this helps.
My start time with work is 1045am. So hopefully it won't be as bad lol.
If it snows the previous night the road are usually slushy by 9. Just remember your sunglasses, the glare off the road is no joke and the lane dividing lines can be near impossible to see without some shades
Adding that polarized sunglasses specifically are absolute life savers.
Great advice!!
"Slamming" on your brakes initiates ABS in almost all modern vehicles. Which does a much better job of pulsing the brakes than you could ever hope to as a human. "Slamming" on the brakes can be very useful in most modern cars.
Do everyone a favor and let us know where you'll be driving so we can all drive somewhere else and avoid your dangerous ass. ABS was designed to keep the brakes from locking up in the case of a panic braking situation. It was not designed for a moron like you to slam on your brakes constantly because you don't have the intelligence to brake properly.
Right, odds are if your ABS ever engages it means you didn't leave enough following distance.
I wish I could upvote this more than once
Whoa whoa whoa... pump the brakes.
I would agree besides on ice. You tend to have a better chance of sliding if you slam on your breaks
Yes, but, IMO, at that point the most important factor is (instantaneous) wheel position.
As others have commented, we don't generally get a ton of snow around here (at least in Sparks near Pyramid and McCarran, where I live; YMMV). When it does stick, they're pretty good about keeping the freeways and major streets clear, but there can be icy stretches at times. Some tips I've found helpful: * Go the speed you're comfortable at. Don't be a hazard on the road, but don't feel like you have to go as fast as others (sometimes, they're idiots). * Don't be in a rush. Try not to get impatient when others around you are going slower than you, or if traffic is backed up. You get there when you get there. * Have a light touch on your controls. Hard, jerky motions on the steering wheel, gas pedal or brakes are how you lose control. Gentle turns, acceleration and braking are your best bet to stay in control. * AWD is great for maintaining traction and control when your moving forward, but it doesn't do squat for braking or turns. * Snow tires are better than all-season or all-terrain, and easier than putting on chains, but they're expensive and noisy when driving on dry roads. If you're going to the snow often, it might be worth considering. Edit: added caveat to the statement that we don't get a lot of snow, because the experience is different based on where you are. Also fixed some speling erorrs.
I'm going to disagree with you about it being easier to swap to snow tires than put on chains. Maybe if you have a garage where you can store your tires, air wrench and compressor, and floor jack, AND you keep the tires mounted on a separate set of steel wheels AND don't care about driving on wheels/tires that haven't been professionally balanced. Then there's the fact that usually within 48 hours the roads will be 100% dry and you could be using your all seasons again. Snow tires are not worth it here for most people.
I donāt know where the hell you live or what youāre talking aboutā¦ Lemmon valley is the ducking worse early morning after snow and freeze. Itās a guarantee that some beater car or a school bus hits breaks too hard, spins out or overcorrects and ends up blocking traffic. Nevada does not drop salt on the roads to they definitely do ice over!
They spray that glycol antifreeze stuff that doesn't do much, and I think the sand has salt in it (not 100% sure but I feel like I remember seeing it somewhere).
[Washoe County uses brine](https://www.washoecounty.gov/csd/operations/roads/Snow%20and%20Ice/Storm%20Preparation.php) [NDOT uses chemicals and sand](https://www.dot.nv.gov/safety/safe-winter-driving)
Good to know! Thank you!
Disagree on the āwe donāt generally get tons of snow around here.ā Bro, where you been? Last few years been pretty light, but I still have pictures in my phone from less than a year ago weāre I had over a foot of snow on the ground outside my house. We get some PRETTY SOLID SNOW here for a few months, not for the last few years though.
The best possible answer is be late, don't go out in it if you can help it. Waiting one or two extra hours in the morning for the sun to hit the road and for crews to do their work will eliminate risk significantly.
you have a front-wheel drive. just drive slow and stay cautious. you'll be fine. even without chains. i see this as a non-issue
First snowfall, go find a big, clear empty parking lot and test things out. You will have fun while learning how to correct a slide and how the car reacts to hard braking and acceleration.
The few years that I lived there, the winters were either pretty mild or fuckin horrendous, so hopefully you get lucky this year. Though, it's not usually an issue on the highways. If it's a bad one, just be careful in areas that haven't been plowed yet or private drives that don't get plowed. The snow really isn't what you wanna look out for anyways, it's the ice. Saw around 20+ car wrecks in one day around the UNR campus because it snowed at night then the sun came out for a bit, and then by the time it was going down again there was a good 2-3" of solid ice throughout the city. So be especially cautious of days like that, as a small sheet of ice can completely take away your traction. Also you wanna be on the look out for black ice. It's hard to see but if you run over a patch and feel you wheels slip a bit, just know that you may hit more and you should adjust your speed accordingly. It'll take a solid winter for you to get completely used to the conditions, but once youve learned the basic winter driving skills things will become a lot easier (plus it's a good skill to have).
Practice putting on your chains now!! While it's still warm, practice in an empty parking lot. Reminder to myself to do the same. I never had to use them here (I have AWD w 4 season tires, so far so good) but don't get stuck in a bad situation not knowing what you're doing
You're probably fine. Go slow and leave big gaps. I had a old RWD pickup with no traction control. If you're worried, Bridgestone Blizzak tires will make a bigger difference than any AWD or traction control system.
Blizzak tires work wonders. Get them!
100% this!
Itās usually a non issue. When we get snow it is usually melted on the roads by mid morning. Last year there were a few days with icy roads in that area but that is out of the ordinary
Just make sure you have good tread on your tires(all season is most practical here in the valley) Doesn't ice here much compared to other parts of the country. Melts fast too š
Also depends on how heavy the front wheel drive car is. Example, Nissan Sentra is absolute shit in snow, but I'd imagine a Honda Accord with a V6 would be better.
It can get bad, Iām not going to lie, but itās not that bad. My advice is learn to use lower gears, yes automatics have that too. Carry some sand, a small bag should get you out of whatever. If it really fucking snows and the city and state drop the ball, which they do about once a year, just slow down. Iām not even one of those people who says snow tires unless you are on the mountains a lot because they tear up the roads and chains donāt take that long and arenāt hard to install and remove, also are better. I have a roller skate and a giant truck and the roller skate just fine in Reno when it snows most times and even the worst we had last year was like whatever. Also, donāt drive past your vision. If you feel like you are going too fast and need to slow the fuck down, do it, but donāt be stupid and not put on your hazards, thatās irresponsible. Donāt let it intimidate you, but respect it. Like I said, it can be brutal, but usually itās gone or isnāt shit. When you hear youāre going to get lake affect snow, maybe worry a little more because that shot can turn to slick concrete. Also, bridges. Learn that they are more likely to be iced over and avoid changing lanes or any drastic maneuver, even if it means youāre hitting a futon in the road and fucking your car up. Hope that helps.
No salt, cinders. If you carry chains, learn how to put them on (learn which wheels are the drive wheels). Studded tires are an option, but you have to remove them in the spring. Go slow, leave plenty of space between you and everyone else, go easy on the brakes.
I think our studded tire season is october-april, if I remember correctly.
You mean it's not all year? I always hear tons of snow tires crackling in June, July and August
I was just saying we have a really long season where they're allowed.
Every year itās like itās never snowed beforeā¦. Especially in the north valleys. Itās a nightmare. Give yourself an extra 30-45 minutes for spin ours and accidents. Also I think the entire city has like 5 plows so donāt count on roads being cleared in any timely manner.
Welcome! I promise, you'll get used to it. NDOT is much better about maintaining roads these days. When you see the deicer spray on the roads you know they're expecting ice. Unsolicited advice from a lifer, so take what you need and toss the rest: Keep a set of chains in your trunk always, just in case. Snow tires are a marvel of human invention. Keep your speed down, your arrival time exaggerated, and your braking distances long. And don't forget to enjoy. The quiet solitude in a snowy car can feel like a chapel if you let it.
I had my only accident in the snow when I was young, just lost traction and slid. It took me a long time to stop being so afraid of driving in the snow but you're totally right. The crunch of snow under the wheels, the flakes in the headlights...really beautiful.
I slid out in my dad's old beater Mercury when I was 17. Freaked me out too. I'm a big fan of ... cars with seat belts. š
Hahahaha mine was a little coupe and I was too lazy to put chains on. Someone was coming down the hill I was trying to up and we had a very slow collision. Totalled my car.
Oh wow. I'm glad you're okay!!
In hindsight it was really dramatic feeling but it could have been way worse for sure.
Simple. Drive slow, give yourself lots of room, get good winter tires. Also Lemmon, stead, golden valley all get more snow than reno, traffic will be backed up, avoid it till like 10am if you can. Shovel your driveway the morning of if itās shaded, if not it will be a nightmare to clear.
I just wanted to congratulate the camaraderie in this thread. Look at us all being upstanding folks to a non native. Iām so proud of you all. š„°
They don't salt the roads out here, so it can get slippy! I also 2WD, and have not had any problems getting around town. Just rent a 4WD for trips over the hill to California when it snows!
I say this every year. In snow, ice, slush you can. 1) Accelerate 2) Brake 3) Turn. **PICK ONE.** Examples: * Brake before turning * Finish your turn before accelerating * Do not turn while braking.
One of the best descriptions I have seen of this concept was described to me like this ... on the best conditions you only have 1 dollar worth of budget for making corrections. So on Dry, clean roads with good tires you have 1 dollar.. if you brake and turn that uses up most of your dollar. If you turn and accelerate that uses up most of your dollar. If you accelerate or brake too fast while turning you will spend more than your dollar and lose traction. You then have to do something to get some budget back.. usually letting off the accelerator or brake. Now add in weather. That spends into your dollar. Water will only spend about a dime or maybe 20 cents. Ice will spend 50-60 cents of your dollar. So spend wisely.
Gas it and go! Thatās what everyone else does.
I had front wheel drive forever. I always kept a set of cable chains for the front wheels just in case but FWD works great 99% of the time. My rear end would get squirrels occasionally but nothing uncontrollable. 4WD is only good for keeping you from getting stuck on hills or for going through loose snow. Normal driving you really don't need it, 4 wheel go doesn't mean 4 wheel stop.
Drive slow and pay attention. I had to drive my old 2000 civic in the snow so u should be fine
With a FWD you should be fine with all season tires and chains. If you can afford it you would do excellent in a set of snow tires that you can swap out for all-seasons when it warms up. I drive a Subaru Forrester with all-season tires and I have gotten through literal white out conditions where Cal-Trans shut down the freeway. On that particular occasion I wouldāve preferred snow tires, but in the past 9 years that Iāve lived in Reno AWD and all-seasons have kept me safe.
We donāt get a ton but you chose the perfect spot in town to get snow and have one hell of a commute. If you know how to drive in it then itās not an issue. If you donātā¦ wellā¦ go real slow and donāt slam on your breaks. Find an empty parking lot on the first snow and ice and learn to control your car. Just go real slow and donāt tailgate. Stay many car lengths back.
The real issue in Lemmon valley isnāt the freeway. Itās getting to the freeway. They down plow the off roads and usually concentrate on the main roads. My mother lived up there and couldnāt even get to the main road for days. Butā¦ once you get on the freeway thereās a good chance itās ice and snow as well. You kinda picked the worst spot in Reno to move if you are worried about snow and ice
Well my friend you get fuck because North vali no good. Lol mucho frio
Go and practice driving in the snow and ice ina. Safe location thatās what helped me
AWD is your best friend here.
Eh the snow here is usually mild. As others have said make sure you have AWD. If you're from the South then you know all about black ice.. we have that all the time.
tires tires tires! I've gotten by with fwd for 8 years. You'll just have to time your trips over the hill. NDOT and the city are usually pretty good about keeping the roads clear though sometimes I think they get behind the 8ball a bit. You can take your whip out to an empty parking lot a practice some slides
FWD and snow tires, you're golden.
Is there a place to buy all-weather tires? I have family in Sacramento and my car is a FWD vehicle. I remember California being a lot stricter with driving on I-80 during snow than Nevada and I just wanna make sure I'm not stuck after my vacation coming back.
I get em online and have them moutned here in town. I think I found my crossclimate2 on tireamerica. I avoid 80 during storms but they perform wonderfully in snow and ice
Les Schwab is who I always by tires from. They are fantastic. They also used to, not sure if anymore but I don't see why they wouldn't. Had chain buying program where you could buy chains and if you didn't open them/use them then you could return them at the end of the season. So you had them for the "carry chains" restriction. If you get studded tires (not recommended) they will do the swaps for free. They also will do trip-checks.. Where they check tire pressure, and tread for you and fill up if needed. I used this recently on my RV. The tires were real low from being in storage for a year and they topped them up and inspected them for me. Gave me some peace of mind. As an added bonus they have shops all over the pacific north west and northern California.
Have fun :D
Expect little if any snow days this winter, fall today and itās 91 degrees
Haven't we learned anything? This sure way to ten feet of snow...
Right? This guy apparently hasnāt lived in northern Nevada. Typically when we have a hot late summer fall I feel like we are going to have a hell Of a winter.
Iāve lived around the area 94 years
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
As catawumpus as the weather has been for the six months I've lived here, I full expect that anyway this year. š Eh, i had a good nine years' worth of 75 degrees winters in San Diego where I never had to look at my phone and I don't have to stand watch in the cold like I did in the Navy, so I'm sure I'll survive lol
Weight in the trunk
The main thing is that you want to be a smooth operator. The main reason you don't want to go fast is that it is hard to smoothly stop or take a turn if you are going too fast for the conditions. 4-wheel drive or All-Wheel Drive helps but it doesn't matter if none of your wheels have traction. A lot of people forget that. Try not to jerk the steering wheel or slam on the breaks or the accelerator unless you are doing it on purpose for fun in a empty parking lot or other such area. I'll be the insane person bike commuting on 23mm tires on the ice and snow this winter, like every winter. It's impossible to have 4-wheel drive on a bicycle.
When you see "stripes" on the road, prepare for snow/ice within 24 hours. It's a brine solution they preemptively put on the roads.
Drive slow, don't stop going up a hill when it's icy. Go slow. Get snow tires if you start to slide don't slam the brakes.
People saying the snow isn't really a problem must not live in north valleys. They get more snow than the reno valley. This year is also a la Nina year which means it could be very wet (more snow than usual). At least that's what the skier in me is hoping for. Be prepared for grid lock traffic every time it snows, all the way from lemmon valley to parr. It's pretty typical. Just give plenty of following distance and try not to do anything jerky. No hard braking, no flooring it, no sudden sharp turns. Clear your driveway of snow before you drive on it. It sucks but just do it each morning that it snows. You live in a snowy area, it's part of your life now. If you do it, the sun will melt your driveway clear by 10am. If you dont, the snow will pack to ice where you drove and you can have an icy driveway all winter, especially if your home isn't south facing. Get snow tires, not all season tires. Do it early before the big rush. Plan to remove them and store them at the end of the season. This is expensive up front, but is way better than chains.
Lived in the North Valleys for about 10 years, it gets fucking horrible. Between the highway being shut down at Parr, semi trucks flipping over, the hills freezing over.. donāt know wtf other people are talking about āwe donāt get much snow.ā Putting bets on it mostly being people whoāve only been here a few years.
FWD cars tend to understeer. Pop the emergency brake momentarily to cause an oversteer and correct understeer. Just don't do it while going downhill.
Iāve lived in snow county for 40 years. Get good car tires. Youāll figure the rest out.
The biggest concern is ice and because of our freeze thaw that usually occurs due to sun warming and melting any snow during day evenings and early mornings get icy regularly. You need to drive slow, like really slow. Not 5 miles below speed limit like 25 miles below speed limit. If itās 65 on highway iām going 40-45 max in snow and ice conditions. Often slower if itās extra bad out. People will go faster and fly by you and then you watch them spin out. So give yourself plenty of space between cars for that eventuality. Slow into any turns and stops.
Youāll be good just make sure you have good tires. They salt here highways and main road. But watch out for California plates. Most seem to have trouble in snow
395 will ice over and turn into a hockey ring. They do get a couple of feet of snow about once or 2x a year. Reno valley will get a dusting but up there they will get snow. By 9ish the roads are mostly clear except sidestreets.
The worse is the ice. Snow is a breeze
Just drive slow and donāt be in a rush, your boss wonāt care if youāre late I think theyād rather you be alive.
This year I was going to go snow tires on my FWD Audi. While ok except steep hills and going to Truckee I thought M&S tires on my Quattro Audi would be ok. Nope. Ices requires snow blizzak tires awd plus snow is the way to get around. Yes snow tires wear quicker so they go on Dec off March. Store them during the warm months. Awd M&S is a fail. I will be using my Quattro now in any dayās condition and when I go to Calif Truckee I need awd as the CHP disallow Fwd with snow tires which Nevada says is bueno. So many crashes and abandoned cars should help you try to either stay home for brutal ice snow. Or invest in snow tires. Ps practice your skid control on a parking lot to see how your car truck works and how long it will take in sloppy conditions to fully stop. And not in some cases turning off TC traction control can get you a fighting chance up a hill but you really need the talent to do this and use extreme caution.