Am I lucky? (Winter driving "accident")

[Sweersa]

On my way home from school today I lost it on an overpass that was icy. (I didn't feel my truck get loose the previous 50 or so miles I drove that day so perhaps I should have been going slower.) I fishtailed a few times between a semi trailer and a guard rail (not fun) before ending up in the middle of the median. Thankfully I was the only one involved, and none of the infamous Michigan cable fences were present int hat area that would have probabily totaled my Ranger.

There was absolutely no damage, and a tow trucked happened to see me just minutes after the incident, and winched me out for a much appreciated fee of $40 dollars. A police officer also came, and gave me a warning. Which I highly appreciate. I was on my way after that and realized how lucky I was.

I have somewhat new snow tires on all 4 of my tires, and only have 2WD. I was going to put weight in the back of my bed but the snow came earlier than expected. My dad and I just put approx. 300 pounds of weight over the rear axle hoping to improve traction, and of course I will drive a lot slower than normal, as I already am fairly smooth, which you have to be in a Ranger for the winter months.

Does anyone feel the 300 pounds in the back is appropriate, or is that too much? Also, if you have any other Winter driving tips they are appreciated, like tire PSI, etc.

 

[ozziemo27]

On my way home from school today I lost it on an overpass that was icy. (I didn't feel my truck get loose the previous 50 or so miles I drove that day so perhaps I should have been going slower.) I fishtailed a few times between a semi trailer and a guard rail (not fun) before ending up in the middle of the median. Thankfully I was the only one involved, and none of the infamous Michigan cable fences were present int hat area that would have probabily totaled my Ranger.

There was absolutely no damage, and a tow trucked happened to see me just minutes after the incident, and winched me out for a much appreciated fee of $40 dollars. A police officer also came, and gave me a warning. Which I highly appreciate. I was on my way after that and realized how lucky I was.

I have somewhat new snow tires on all 4 of my tires, and only have 2WD. I was going to put weight in the back of my bed but the snow came earlier than expected. My dad and I just put approx. 300 pounds of weight over the rear axle hoping to improve traction, and of course I will drive a lot slower than normal, as I already am fairly smooth, which you have to be in a Ranger for the winter months.

Does anyone feel the 300 pounds in the back is appropriate, or is that too much? Also, if you have any other Winter driving tips they are appreciated, like tire PSI, etc.

4x4 won't save you on ice, 300 wouldn't be too much. Speed is key, especially on overpasses. Where in michigan are ya?

 

[robertc1024]

Glad you and the Ranger weren't hurt. I've had a couple of black ice incidents and I'm not sure you can do much other than to take it easy.

 

[wahlstrom1]

300 is about right, and overpass's and bridges are always tricky. You wanna be in 'float' going over them, not on or off the throttle causing a spin.

 

[Sweersa]

300 is about right, and overpass's and bridges are always tricky. You wanna be in 'float' going over them, not on or off the throttle causing a spin.

That makes sense, I am usually very careful over bridges but I suppose I need to do as the previous poster said and just take it more easy.

4x4 won't save you on ice, 300 wouldn't be too much. Speed is key, especially on overpasses. Where in michigan are ya?

I live in Marne which is by Grand Rapids.

 

[Legend]

Pretend you're driving a flat bottomed boat. There aren't any brakes that will stop you. It's going to continue going whatever direction it's going, regardless of what you do with the steering wheel. Just start out easy, turn gently in plenty of time and coast gently to a stop without using the brakes and you'll do just fine.

 

[Bennybooster]

Overpasses freeze before any other road will, my dad is a firefighter, and one time when all of the roads were clear and dry the overpass was completely frozen and there was like a 15 car pile up. And we have snow days like twice a year on the coldest years

 

[ozziemo27]

I live in Wayland, South of GR.

 

[gribly]

The cop gave you a warning? For WHAT!? Losing control in a slippery situation isn't wreckless.

 

[1990 danger ranger]

you are deffinetly lucky my dad had a simmular accident october '09 he was driving his '96 ranger and started fish tailing and he got it straitened back up then it started again and it spun all the way around and was sliding backwards and there was a semi on the other side of the highway and my dads ranger slid into the maedian sideways and when it hit the median it flip and landed on the other side of the road slid across hit the gard rail slid back and pow the semi hit him and the truck swung around and stuck under the trailer and fliped 3 more times under the trailer and then it hit the tires on the trailer and thew the truck back into the madian, tottaled the truck and my cousin who was riding with my dad shattered the knuckle on his right thumb, my dad was fine. now thats amazing. looks like someone was looking out for my dad and cousin. but it sucks the ranger was totaled

 

[feellnfroggy]

On my way home from school today I lost it on an overpass that was icy. (I didn't feel my truck get loose the previous 50 or so miles I drove that day so perhaps I should have been going slower 'if you can say this unprovoked then you knew better'.) I fishtailed a few times between a semi trailer and a guard rail (not fun) before ending up in the middle of the median. Thankfully I was the only one involved, and none of the infamous Michigan cable fences were present int hat area that would have probabily totaled my Ranger.

There was absolutely no damage, and a tow trucked happened to see me just minutes after the incident, and winched me out for a much appreciated fee of $40 dollars. A police officer also came, and gave me a warning. Which I highly appreciate. I was on my way after that and realized how lucky I was.

I have somewhat new snow tires on all 4 of my tires, and only have 2WD. I was going to put weight in the back of my bed but the snow came earlier than expected. My dad and I just put approx. 300 pounds of weight over the rear axle hoping to improve traction, and of course I will drive a lot slower than normal, as I already am fairly smooth, which you have to be in a Ranger for the winter months.

Does anyone feel the 300 pounds in the back is appropriate, or is that too much? Also, if you have any other Winter driving tips they are appreciated, like tire PSI, etc.

I dont know about michigan law or the snow states, but I know florida for a one vehicle accident with no injuries the law wont even show up on request. You have to go to the station if you want a report filled out for insurance reasons.

300 lbs is prolly about right if you have snow tires. I put my weight (im in tennessee now) behind the rear axle as close to the tailgate as i can since the motor weight will help balance it out. Keep it distributed as evenly as possible.

 

[pillen140]

I hit black ice about 2 years ago, it wasnt that i was going too fast, we had almost hurricane force winds on the top of a hill, it blew me sideways right as i hit the ice. rolled once in the air, landed on the right rear top of the bed and rolled again.... i survived without a scratch! the tow truck tipped me over and i drove out of the ditch even. i was also really lucky! still driving the truck today!

 

[Sweersa]

The cop gave you a warning? For WHAT!? Losing control in a slippery situation isn't wreckless.

He said I was driving too fast for conditions. I was passed by a semi as I lost it so maybe that caused me to move on the ice.

I hit black ice about 2 years ago, it wasn't that i was going too fast, we had almost hurricane force winds on the top of a hill, it blew me sideways right as i hit the ice. rolled once in the air, landed on the right rear top of the bed and rolled again.... i survived without a scratch! the tow truck tipped me over and i drove out of the ditch even. i was also really lucky! still driving the truck today!

Wind can definitely be a problem. When I had a topper on my truck I felt the wind a lot more. I am glad the Ranger kept you safe and is still running. It amazes me what these trucks can go through and still go.

you are deffinetly lucky my dad had a simmular accident october '09 he was driving his '96 ranger and started fish tailing and he got it straitened back up then it started again and it spun all the way around and was sliding backwards and there was a semi on the other side of the highway and my dads ranger slid into the maedian sideways and when it hit the median it flip and landed on the other side of the road slid across hit the gard rail slid back and pow the semi hit him and the truck swung around and stuck under the trailer and fliped 3 more times under the trailer and then it hit the tires on the trailer and thew the truck back into the madian, tottaled the truck and my cousin who was riding with my dad shattered the knuckle on his right thumb, my dad was fine. now thats amazing. looks like someone was looking out for my dad and cousin. but it sucks the ranger was totaled

That is a bummer for the truck, but I must say it did its job and kept your dad and cousin safe through the accident. In my state they put cable fences on both sides of the highway to prevent people from crossing into the median onto the other side. Fortunately in my case these cables were not there because they would have destroyed my truck and the median was basically a valley that kept me trapped so I couldn't go onto the other side anyway.