Shooter Grrl Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 Okay people, lay it on me - just how bad are these suckers???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman33_99 Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 Oh their not that bad. It is usually just several days or weeks w/o power due to downed power lines from build up of ice, and broken tree branches. The roads are like skating rinks with cars sliding every where, but then if your lucky, the ice is thick enough you can't unlock your car or open the doors, so you aren't in the sliding kaos. At least when the power goes out, you can put everything in your fridge outside to keep it from spoiling. See there are plenty of bright sides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 bad, bad, bad...don't drive if possible. powerlines can get iced up and break due to the weight. then it's hotel time. lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 Check out the movie, The Ice Storm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted December 22, 2004 Author Share Posted December 22, 2004 Hey Lynn - you live here.... should I be worried *right now* about the coming storm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 SG - Go and buy a 7500KW generator and the proper switch panel to hook it up to your breaker panel.... NOW! Yes, it's going to cost money. It will still cost less than two weeks of living in a motel. I say this after my parent's home was nearly destroyed in an ice storm about 7 years ago. I'm *still* cleaning up the mess from it. Fortunately they had a gas fireplace so they didn't lose heat and have the pipes freeze. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 I used to live there and ice storms suck. Driving is an event to be skipped. Electricity can and will go out for days at a time and everyone hordes food so the grocery stores are packed with people but not with stuff to buy. It isn't the end of the world but it is a royal pain in the ass. -ld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted December 22, 2004 Author Share Posted December 22, 2004 SG - Go and buy a 7500KW generator and the proper switch panel to hook it up to your breaker panel....NOW! Yes, it's going to cost money. It will still cost less than two weeks of living in a motel. I say this after my parent's home was nearly destroyed in an ice storm about 7 years ago. I'm *still* cleaning up the mess from it. Fortunately they had a gas fireplace so they didn't lose heat and have the pipes freeze. Um, well, huh.... yeah! That's actually on my to do list... but it didn't get truly crappy weatherwise until February so I thought I had a few months for the budget to get over Christmas. Dammit! This is so sucky timing. Oh and I don't have any HEAT if there is no electricity. Will the roads be drivable tomorrow or do they ice up for a long time? If it's bad here, I can drive to my Dad's house (in Pittsburgh, PA!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 sg, it's supposed to warm up to 41 deg tomorrow. it will all go away by noonish. lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 Kathy, If you don't have any heat, why would you want to leave your house so that your pipes will freeze, thaw, then flood your house? At the very least you'll need to invest in some indoor-safe catalytic heaters just to keep the temp up, and you can't do that safely if you're gone. Driving on ice, unless you HAVE to go to work or tend to an emergency is always a bad idea. Get stocked up now and relax if things get bad. You'll always be able to eat the extra food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 I was out of school for 43 days in 1991 because of one. They generally blow in rural areas for the unprepared. There were many families who were still without power after 43 days for a few weeks. I told my wife that if we ever have a house in the "country", one of the first things we'll get is a whole house generator that is permanently installed. This is especially important if you have a well and are not on municipal water. You can heat a home without electricity (read: portable kerosene heater), but being without water is nearly un-doable. It is generally a good thing to keep a good stock of dry and canned goods on hand, and some bottled water. At this time of the year, much of your refrigerated goods can stay outdoors in a cooler. Some of the frozen stuff won't make it. Driving can be hazardous if you're not used to it. But, the only way you get used to it is go out and get experience. I learned to control my vehicle in the winter by blowing doughnuts in the high school parking lot on weekends when the weather was crappy. Just remember to drive slowly, break before you turn, and drive slowly. Hang in there, you'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted December 22, 2004 Author Share Posted December 22, 2004 They generally blow in rural areas for the unprepared. Guess what - that's me exactly. Big City Grrl - panic well but unprepared! Thanks Lynn! That's what I needed to hear. So far, so good here. Just rain and wind and cold, but our temps are still around 35 so we're not even freezing yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Getting a layer of ice off the car for Southerners: If you find your car left outside overnight covered in ice, get in (remote door locks are great), fire it up with your spare key, crank the heat on max-defrost, lock it up running and go back in the house for 15 minutes. Come out and wipe off the ice sheets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robomanusa Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I just come home from doing some christmas shopping about 30 miles or so from where I live here in Southern Ohio and by the time I got home the radio antena on my durango was about 1 inch in diameter and I had to stop once to beat the ice out from under the wheel wells as I could hardly steer the thing....there expecting this freezing rain and ice on the thru the night here...I wish it would hurry up and switch to snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Getting a layer of ice off the car for Southerners:If you find your car left outside overnight covered in ice, get in (remote door locks are great), fire it up with your spare key, crank the heat on max-defrost, lock it up running and go back in the house for 15 minutes. Come out and wipe off the ice sheets. I was going to say something about a garage, but I am at work this evening, sleet and freezing rain expected to turn to snow about 1:00 AM. When I leave about 2:00 AM I will take the tarp off the windshield and head home without having to deal with the ice on the windows. SG, it really depends upon your neighborhood and car if you should lock or not lock the car if there is a freezing rain coming your way. I had one once that took considerable cussing and thawing to open if the locks were engaged before the freeze. About two hours with a hair dryer usually did the trick.... Did we welcome you to the "Sunny South"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted December 23, 2004 Author Share Posted December 23, 2004 Both cars are snug as bugs in a rug in the garage. It's warm in there, that's where I go to smoke!!!! I was about to tell y'all that the storm missed us, but I'm right now watching ice balls stick to the windows - and it's 68 in here - so it's durned cold out there! I still have shopping to do dangit - and I have to drive 55 miles to the nearest real mall - ARGH! Maybe I'll hit the after Christmas sales instead! My biggest concern, for real, is losing power tonight. We regularly lose it for no apparent reason, given a reason, who knows what will happen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Grrl! Shop online and have it wrapped and delivered!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpolans Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I remember powerlines going down, trees exploding, streets being covered with ice, pipes freezing and bursting, and all sorts of assorted fun. I remember one year, walking out to my car (a convertible) and seeing totally encased in what looked like glass. When I was finally able to open the door, I poked up on the soft top and heard the slight crunching of ice. It was at that exact moment that I decided to move to Texas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopalong Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 SG, If you have BIG trouble let me know, i will get in the green goat and come help. HOP If your power goes out, just add more Blankets to the bed and dress as warm as possible. Pickwick Electric usually has everyone back up in a day or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Getting a layer of ice off the car for Southerners:If you find your car left outside overnight covered in ice, get in (remote door locks are great), fire it up with your spare key, crank the heat on max-defrost, lock it up running and go back in the house for 15 minutes. Come out and wipe off the ice sheets. Getting a layer of ice off for northerners: Use remote start feature of car alarm to warm car up while eating breakfast. Defrosters were pre-set from the night before. Come out, get in and start driving --- air movement and wipers will take care of the rest..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman33_99 Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Use remote start feature of car alarm to warm car up Remote Starters have to be the best invention since automatic transmission. OK, maybe since electric seat warmers.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robomanusa Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 The ice isnt stopping here, this SUCKS! Its bad when your kids basketballs wont drop thru the hoop... and even worse when I know I'm gonna have to break out the air chisel to get in my durango tomorrow... LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Use remote start feature of car alarm to warm car up Remote Starters have to be the best invention since automatic transmission. OK, maybe since electric seat warmers.... Don't bring that subject up with a friend of mine. Her ass caught on fire yesterday, when the seat heater in her Passat decided to catch on fire. Fortunately it only wrecked the seat and an expensive coat..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Asses of Fire? Blame Canada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead Buff Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 What has Canada got to do with a faulty German product - and don't go knock the Germans now.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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