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Topic: stupid snow (Read 18532 times)
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Trippy
Administrator
Posts: 23657
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RX-8s have better weight balance, almost 50/50 F/R.
Yeah, it must still suck though. :-D
That's bad, though, for snow. The GTI is front wheel heavy because it's front wheel drive and the engine is over and in front of the front axle which is good for traction. The RX-8 is rear wheel drive and the engine is set back behind the front axle (technically it's a mid-engine car) to get that 50/50 balance, which is great for handling in the dry but bad for traction in slippery conditions. |
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Strazos
Greetings from the Slave Coast
Posts: 15542
The World's Worst Game: Curry or Covid
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Well, at least you don't have a Front-Engine RWD Mustang. Spin those tires, Wheeee.
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Fear the Backstab!
"Plato said the virtuous man is at all times ready for a grammar snake attack." - we are lesion
"Hell is other people." -Sartre
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Viin
Terracotta Army
Posts: 6159
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Well, at least you don't have a Front-Engine RWD Mustang. Spin those tires, Wheeee.
Yes, driving a Mustang in the snow was great fun. Experiencing the non-traction that occurs while trying to go up hill on icy roads was one of the primary reasons I have a 4x4 truck now. My wife's Subaru Outback does awesome in the snow too. |
- Viin
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Strazos
Greetings from the Slave Coast
Posts: 15542
The World's Worst Game: Curry or Covid
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A manual transmission makes that slightly easier. Slightly.
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Fear the Backstab!
"Plato said the virtuous man is at all times ready for a grammar snake attack." - we are lesion
"Hell is other people." -Sartre
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bhodi
Moderator
Posts: 6817
No lie.
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So am I the only GTI owner here that immediately turns off the "traction control" -- aka the "stop making my car suck" button -- whenever there's inclement weather? I wish to god there was a way to have it turned off all the time. I don't need a lovely triangle to know that I'm slipping or oversteering, and I do not want you to compensate, I know what I'm doing, thanks. I'll keep the anti-lock breaks, those are lovely. Everything else must go.
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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Had a 73 Sebring Satellite for about a year, took it off the road and put my trusty old 66 Ford Falcon wagon back on. The Sebring sucked wind in the winter. Also, I flew off an off-ramp into a field when hotrodding with my guitarist + groupies and decided big engine cars just weren't for me. The thing was a total monster though, fun to drive.  Now I drive a shitty pickup that is the worst thing I've ever driven in the snow, except maybe the aforementioned Sebring. I like a little front-wheel drive jobbie or a 4WD like my old Cherokee. Last time the truck was in the shop I decided I was going to test drive a Toyota FJ Trooper if the repair bill was too high. It wasn't but the FJ is a cool looking little truck imo, once you properly upgrade it with rock plates and whatnot. |
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Signe
Terracotta Army
Posts: 18942
Muse.
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Our Mustang isn't great in the snow but that big lardy arsed thingy above me must have been all over the place. Having said that, old cars like that are good fun to have. There's no doubt in your mind that there's a big old engine in there and not a bunch of mice running on treadmills. I don't like our Mustang. They're just not my sort of car. We'll probably never buy another car like it, thank God. This was our first automatic car and I know for sure that Righ will never buy another. He really dislikes them.
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My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
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Daeven
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1210
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We haven't had any real lasting snow up here in Canadia (Toronto at least). Which is a shame. I really wanted the pond near my house to freeze over before I moved. This makes me sad :(
I can send you a box full if it'll make you feel better. We're expecting another footish Thursday night... |
"There is a technical term for someone who confuses the opinions of a character in a book with those of the author. That term is idiot." -SMStirling
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shakes, the shakes become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion
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Daeven
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1210
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So am I the only GTI owner here that immediately turns off the "traction control" -- aka the "stop making my car suck" button -- whenever there's inclement weather? I wish to god there was a way to have it turned off all the time. I don't need a lovely triangle to know that I'm slipping or oversteering, and I do not want you to compensate, I know what I'm doing, thanks. I'll keep the anti-lock breaks, those are lovely. Everything else must go.
Favorite feature in my RX - the 'You are slipping!" idiot light on the dashboard. As I said, driving in conditions like this is a perpetual fishtail. You just sort of keep a general vector of 'thataway' and stay on top of things. To have the idiot light go off under those conditions is rather.... useless? Silly? 'whatthefuckwere theythinking'? *shrug* Luckily it doesn't come with 'traction control' to try to 'help'. Just the DANGER! light. Now if there were a klaxon or a 'Danger Will Robinson' voice over, that might at least be amusing. |
"There is a technical term for someone who confuses the opinions of a character in a book with those of the author. That term is idiot." -SMStirling
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shakes, the shakes become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion
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Strazos
Greetings from the Slave Coast
Posts: 15542
The World's Worst Game: Curry or Covid
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More snow in the Rockies? I might have to move my ski trip out thataway.  |
Fear the Backstab!
"Plato said the virtuous man is at all times ready for a grammar snake attack." - we are lesion
"Hell is other people." -Sartre
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Daeven
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1210
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More snow in the Rockies? I might have to move my ski trip out thataway. Sure! Just don't spend all of your cash in Vail or some goddamned place like that. We need your tax dollars for another freaking snow plow or two. |
"There is a technical term for someone who confuses the opinions of a character in a book with those of the author. That term is idiot." -SMStirling
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shakes, the shakes become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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As I said, driving in conditions like this is a perpetual fishtail. You just sort of keep a general vector of 'thataway' and stay on top of things.
It amazes me that people can spend their entire lives driving in winter conditions and not learn the difference between good slide and bad slide. I love breaking the ass end and sliding around corners, doing the old 45º slide down a side street, etc, but it always freaks passengers out. I'll add that I'm extremely cautious when doing the fun stuff, never when there are other vehicles around (unless it's needed for safe maneuvering), and that I have years of practice driving like that. At least until I got this crappy truck... |
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Engels
Terracotta Army
Posts: 9029
inflicts shingles.
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I hate that anti-skid crud. My BMW has it. Instead of breaking like its meant to, its makes sure you break without skidding, but letting your wheels continue to roll when I want them stopped dead, and to hell if it skids.
2 months ago I managed to 'not skid' right into non-yeilding car. My car is still in the body shop.
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I should get back to nature, too. You know, like going to a shop for groceries instead of the computer. Maybe a condo in the woods that doesn't even have a health club or restaurant attached. Buy a car with only two cup holders or something. -Signe
I LIKE being bounced around by Tonkors. - Lantyssa
Babies shooting themselves in the head is the state bird of West Virginia. - schild
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Strazos
Greetings from the Slave Coast
Posts: 15542
The World's Worst Game: Curry or Covid
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Did you pull that e-brake?
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Fear the Backstab!
"Plato said the virtuous man is at all times ready for a grammar snake attack." - we are lesion
"Hell is other people." -Sartre
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bhodi
Moderator
Posts: 6817
No lie.
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Favorite feature in my RX - the 'You are slipping!" idiot light on the dashboard. As I said, driving in conditions like this is a perpetual fishtail. You just sort of keep a general vector of 'thataway' and stay on top of things. To have the idiot light go off under those conditions is rather.... useless? Silly? 'whatthefuckwere theythinking'? *shrug* Luckily it doesn't come with 'traction control' to try to 'help'. Just the DANGER! light. Now if there were a klaxon or a 'Danger Will Robinson' voice over, that might at least be amusing.
In the GTI, if you don't turn "traction control" off, it thoughtfully cuts power to the drivetrain when the wheels start to slip. In an effort to regain control, you know, assuming you're someone who instantly floors the gas when your wheels slip a little. It's seriously annoying. |
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Trippy
Administrator
Posts: 23657
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Favorite feature in my RX - the 'You are slipping!" idiot light on the dashboard. As I said, driving in conditions like this is a perpetual fishtail. You just sort of keep a general vector of 'thataway' and stay on top of things. To have the idiot light go off under those conditions is rather.... useless? Silly? 'whatthefuckwere theythinking'? *shrug* Luckily it doesn't come with 'traction control' to try to 'help'. Just the DANGER! light. Now if there were a klaxon or a 'Danger Will Robinson' voice over, that might at least be amusing.
In the GTI, if you don't turn "traction control" off, it thoughtfully cuts power to the drivetrain when the wheels start to slip. In an effort to regain control, you know, assuming you're someone who instantly floors the gas when your wheels slip a little. It's seriously annoying. That's because that along with reducing the amount your wheels are turned is the standard procedure for correcting a slide caused by understeer and since the car can't steer for you (in non-parking conditions, yet) it does the only thing it can -- reduce the power, and sometimes activate the ABS depending on the situation. |
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Engels
Terracotta Army
Posts: 9029
inflicts shingles.
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As well-meaning as the engineers that designed it are, and can probably cite accident reports showing the utility of anti skid 'traction control' statistically and what have you, I am positive that I'd have faired better with my old '82 911 and its responsive breaks.
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I should get back to nature, too. You know, like going to a shop for groceries instead of the computer. Maybe a condo in the woods that doesn't even have a health club or restaurant attached. Buy a car with only two cup holders or something. -Signe
I LIKE being bounced around by Tonkors. - Lantyssa
Babies shooting themselves in the head is the state bird of West Virginia. - schild
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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Sometimes you need to power into a slide. I'd sue a car manufacturer who built in a feature like that, if I got in a wreck. But really, I won't buy a car like that. Unfortunately, it looks like the trend in autos is to help shitty drivers. Having never been in an accident, despite heavy winter driving for much of my life, I really despise the trend (probably safe to say I despise most trends...). I mean...a car that parallel parks itself? Now shitty drivers will get parking spots normally reserved for good drivers.
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Strazos
Greetings from the Slave Coast
Posts: 15542
The World's Worst Game: Curry or Covid
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You need an obscene amount of space to use the auto-parallel park feature.
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Fear the Backstab!
"Plato said the virtuous man is at all times ready for a grammar snake attack." - we are lesion
"Hell is other people." -Sartre
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Trippy
Administrator
Posts: 23657
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Sometimes you need to power into a slide. I'd sue a car manufacturer who built in a feature like that, if I got in a wreck. But really, I won't buy a car like that. Unfortunately, it looks like the trend in autos is to help shitty drivers.
Just like ABS is now pretty much a standard feature on passenger cars at some point in the future traction control systems will be as well since they are just a more sophisticated form of ABS (able to brake wheels independently) plus a throttle management controller. |
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MrHat
Terracotta Army
Posts: 7432
Out of the frying pan, into the fire.
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Made it back from Colorado still alive, although I threw out my back shovling snow premtively during the second wave of the Thursday storm.
How many fucking f13's live in CO?
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Daeven
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1210
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*raises his hand*
In case any of you were wondering, those two storms? More snow in Denver than all of LAST GODDAMNED YEAR.
Oh. Yeah. It's supposed to snow tomorrow.
Goddamned global warming dumping Greenland on my ass. QUIT IT.
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"There is a technical term for someone who confuses the opinions of a character in a book with those of the author. That term is idiot." -SMStirling
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shakes, the shakes become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion
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Nebu
Terracotta Army
Posts: 17613
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I live 23 miles north of the CO border. Do I count?
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"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."
- Mark Twain
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MuffinMan
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1789
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I've seen one day of snow here so far this winter in SE Michigan and it melted as soon as it hit the ground. No snow predicted in the next 10 days either.
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I'm very mysterious when I'm inside you.
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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I wish it would snow in NY already. We've had a half dozen stabbings already in the new year. With warm weather, people hang out, get drunk, and stab each other, apparently. One right by where I work, another by where I live. I love this place...
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Signe
Terracotta Army
Posts: 18942
Muse.
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It's way too warm. We will have no honey bees and bajillion more mosquitoes this summer. LAME!
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My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
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WayAbvPar
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Bumping this to curse the wretched snow that has been infesting Western Washington for a week now. My poor non-4WD car has been out of the garage ONCE since Wednesday due to icy roads. And it is fucking snowing again as I speak. It is supposed to warm and turn to rain eventually, but the weather douchebags aren't overly accurate.
I can't wait to see my gas bill for this month. Trying to keep my barn of a house at 65 degrees when it is in the teens outside is like setting benjamins on fire.
Old Man Winter can tongue my starfish.
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When speaking of the MMOG industry, the glass may be half full, but it's full of urine. HaemishM
Always wear clean underwear because you never know when a Tory Government is going to fuck you.- Ironwood
Libertarians make fun of everyone because they can't see beyond the event horizons of their own assholes Surlyboi
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Daeven
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1210
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Lovely. So we're moving from Denver to Seattle to be greeted by... more snow.
One thing's for certain, the bit between Cheyenne an Ogden should be entertaining.
That's it. I'm rolling my 401(k) into a villa in Costa Rica.
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"There is a technical term for someone who confuses the opinions of a character in a book with those of the author. That term is idiot." -SMStirling
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shakes, the shakes become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion
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Kenrick
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1401
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Nebu
Terracotta Army
Posts: 17613
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Look dear, the ground is covered with a layer of ice. I bet driving will be just fine... I have 4WD. The gene for common sense must have been bred out of humans. |
"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."
- Mark Twain
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WayAbvPar
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Look dear, the ground is covered with a layer of ice. I bet driving will be just fine... I have 4WD. The gene for common sense must have been bred out of humans. I have decided that if it is frozen over AGAIN tomorrow morning I am barrelling down my hill at 100 MPH. I will stop when I get to work or when I die a fiery yet icy death. |
When speaking of the MMOG industry, the glass may be half full, but it's full of urine. HaemishM
Always wear clean underwear because you never know when a Tory Government is going to fuck you.- Ironwood
Libertarians make fun of everyone because they can't see beyond the event horizons of their own assholes Surlyboi
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Samwise
Moderator
Posts: 19324
sentient yeast infection
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I'm very glad the Bay Area doesn't get ice. I can't even fathom having ice like that on the SF hills. You'd pull out of your driveway on Nob Hill and end up hitting the bay at 60 MPH sideways.
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voodoolily
Contributor
Posts: 5348
Finnuh, munnuh, muhfuh, I enjoy creating new written vernacular, s'all.
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It snowed here today. 4" is a lot for Portland. I already talked about it in Useless Conversation.
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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I love this weather. I don't think I ever grew out of my love for cold as a kid. I used to pretend it was Hoth. Power of positive thinking, maybe.
I do know I prefer cold to mosquitos, blackflies, and random jackasses hanging out on the corner knifing people. People move with a purpose. Good times.
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Lantyssa
Terracotta Army
Posts: 20848
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This is why I do not drive during the rare instances we have ice here. If people in climates that should be used to dealing with cold weather are complete morons, imagine those in areas that have ice once a decade.
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Hahahaha! I'm really good at this!
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