Worst storm you ever drove in?

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Early March 2004, was driving back from watching a Syracuse Bball game (think it was Hakeem warrick’s last home game). Drove through WNY And the snow belt in Ohio. The snow was falling so fast that the highway had continuously 2-3 inches on it. Was driving at like 10 MPH for most of it. Can’t even believe I drove in that. 
 

In college, drove with a somewhat random fellow student back to WNY through Erie. The thruway was closed and yet we still got on it. Same deal— inches of snow on the road. We couldn’t see more than 10 feet in front of us. But this knucklehead was flying through it at like 40+ MPH. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

8 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Early March 2004, was driving back from watching a Syracuse Bball game (think it was Hakeem warrick’s last home game). Drove through WNY And the snow belt in Ohio. The snow was falling so fast that the highway had continuously 2-3 inches on it. Was driving at like 10 MPH for most of it. Can’t even believe I drove in that. 
 

In college, drove with a somewhat random fellow student back to WNY through Erie. The thruway was closed and yet we still got on it. Same deal— inches of snow on the road. We couldn’t see more than 10 feet in front of us. But this knucklehead was flying through it at like 40+ MPH. 

I have driven that stretch from Ashtabula to the NYS line probably 100s of times... A good handful was straight down middle getting pummeled with snow.  

 

The Snovember trip... Tacked around the snow in the Southern Tier.  Came just in time to see my father's street cleared with the endloader.  Had snowshoes ready in case we had to park on main road...

[Augie]

I was in college driving home from Cincinnati to Buffalo with a buddy for Thanksgiving one night. For some reason I was in my parents Cadillac with all kinds of crazy features I was unfamiliar with. We get to Cleveland and veer right to go along the lake and the snow starts. Then it gets worse, then  it gets REALLY BAD. Nobody on the roads but trucks. A night you just don’t go out. 

 

One feature I was unfamiliar with was a high beam setting where if no headlights are coming at you it automatically turns on the high beams. That annoyed the trucks ahead of me. I learned that the truckers did NOT like that, and they had spotlights they could shine back at me, blinding me like I was blinding them. This would turn my high beams off, until a few seconds after they turned the spotlights off. Then they flip back on. 

 

It’s snowing HARD, and there is nowhere to pull over. I can’t figure out how to change the settings in the dark while white knuckling just to stay on the road. I keep pissing off trucker after trucker. I slow down to get way behind them so as not to annoy, but along comes another truck. They must have been on the radio with each other, because eventually my buddy says “OK, now I think they are trying to kill us!” 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

31 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

I have driven that stretch from Ashtabula to the NYS line probably 100s of times... A good handful was straight down middle getting pummeled with snow.  

 

The Snovember trip... Tacked around the snow in the Southern Tier.  Came just in time to see my father's street cleared with the endloader.  Had snowshoes ready in case we had to park on main road...

Yeah, that Ashtabula stretch is absolutely brutal!! I vowed I would never drive that again! 

[Behindenemylines]

I was on duty for both Hurricanes Irene and Sandy as I’m in the healthcare field. Had to drive throughout each of these storms several times transporting staff and supplies.  If I didn’t have my Jeep I never would have made it on a single trip. Deep water, trees, general debris everywhere and the winds were wicked. 
 

 

[BruceVilanch]

I was stationed in Montana and got stuck in a whiteout blizzard in a humvee, those things heaters suck and it is like being stuck in a freezer

[WhoTom]

14 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

I have driven that stretch from Ashtabula to the NYS line

 

The year we moved to Illinois, we went back to WNY for Christmas. The snow started right around Cleveland and got heavier as we went. Just past Ashtabula and Conneaut, right across the PA state line, we skidded off the road and into the median. Good thing there was enough snow in the median ditch, because without it, we had enough momentum to carry us into the oncoming traffic. This was before cell phones, but luckily, there was a rest area about 1/2 mile from where we were. Wife stayed in the car with the pets while I hiked up the road to use a payphone to call AAA. It took him an hour to get there and another hour to dig us out, but we made it and managed to drive the rest of the way - slowly - without further incident.

 

 

[Big Turk]

Drove through a whiteout from Cheektowaga through Mile Strip road exit where you literally couldn't see anything in front of you other than faint tail lights when you were right up on them.  Thought I was going to be in an accident for sure.

[TheCockSportif]

18 hours ago, Ice bowl 67 said:

I remember 96 being horrible up here too. We had snowballs that lasted well into May up here.

Correct!  And we had that horrible storm in April 1997 as well.  Good times.  Now my wife and I live in Maine; it's got the small town vibe of WNY, and at times we get hammered with... ocean effect snow.  You can taste the salt as it hits you in the face.  That sounds lewd.  Oops!

[boater]

March In the Bering Sea. A 915 millibar low pressure system. Basically, a hurricane. The waves were 50 footers. When the ship was in the trough it was like being in a canyon of water. I'd tell you the wind speed, but the anemometers were torn away.

[ExiledInIllinois]

1 hour ago, WhoTom said:

 

The year we moved to Illinois, we went back to WNY for Christmas. The snow started right around Cleveland and got heavier as we went. Just past Ashtabula and Conneaut, right across the PA state line, we skidded off the road and into the median. Good thing there was enough snow in the median ditch, because without it, we had enough momentum to carry us into the oncoming traffic. This was before cell phones, but luckily, there was a rest area about 1/2 mile from where we were. Wife stayed in the car with the pets while I hiked up the road to use a payphone to call AAA. It took him an hour to get there and another hour to dig us out, but we made it and managed to drive the rest of the way - slowly - without further incident.

 

 

Sorry to hear!

 

Yup the two snowbelts alee of the Lakes... Ashtabula up through Erie, Southern Tier... And other one off of Lake Michigan, Indiana Dunes  on through South Bend.

 

If it's ever rough sledding... You can head up I94 at the split where Indiana Turnpike begins, I80/I90... Head through Detroit/Windsor or Port Huron/Sarnia and head through Southern Ontario/Niagara Peninsula and avoid weather-side of especially Lake Erie.  NOT that much slower, customs,  etc... Further miles (if you opt QEW over King's Highway for speed)... And bring passports... We've done that a few times to avoid lake effect! Avoid the ~$20-$30 tolls, pick up customs, bridge/tunnel toll... But cheaper than turnpikes/Thruway...

Edited March 16, 2022 by ExiledInIllinois

[LewPort71]

We lived in Ashtabula for 10 years and the number of bad driving adventures is a large number.

Christmas '83 we were planning to go to Lewiston to see mother-in-law.

When I woke up  the snow was not coming down, it was coming sideways.
Needless to say, we did not make it to WNY. 

Our house looked like the Siberian house in Dr. Zhivago.

I shoveled a LOT of snow in those ten years.

[ExiledInIllinois]

7 hours ago, LewPort71 said:

We lived in Ashtabula for 10 years and the number of bad driving adventures is a large number.

Christmas '83 we were planning to go to Lewiston to see mother-in-law.

When I woke up  the snow was not coming down, it was coming sideways.
Needless to say, we did not make it to WNY. 

Our house looked like the Siberian house in Dr. Zhivago.

I shoveled a LOT of snow in those ten years.

Late 1980s, early 1990s... We'd work Ashtabula and Conneaut Harbors.  Survey/sound them.  Spring build land baseline and establish our guage boards that winter didn't destroy. Summer take the soundings.  Come back in fall to sound again and blouse up stations, etc... 

 

Conneaut I remember well, for what had to be the world's smallest diner.  Johnson's Drive-In. We'd eat breakfast there before heading out to survey. 

 

U-shaped counter that sat about a dozen people.  Cook worked right in front of you... If it was full, have to wait till someone else finished. Fond memories... Pretty old-school...

 

They don't build them like this anymore. I guess they'd just have a food truck now...

 

 

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by ExiledInIllinois

[Nextmanup]

Some time around 1997 (I think) it was a random winter day/evening living in Buffalo, NY.

 

I had to drive to Rochester to see my girlfriend and set out at like 6pm, in the dark.

 

I wasn't on the NYS thruway for more than 5 minutes heading east when I realized visibility was seriously dropping and the snow was coming down harder and harder.

 

Eventually, I had to drive around 5mph (along with all other cars on the road; there weren't many) and ACTUALLY LOOK TO THE SIDES to see where I was going, b/c the snow just reflected off the light projecting from the headlights and caused a sort of fog you couldn't see through.  I was frequently turning my headlights OFF for better visibility and then looking SIDEWAYS trying to figure out if I was still on the road...

 

Eventually made it to Rochester with no incidents.  The funny thing is this wasn't even a "storm".  It was just a random winter night in WNY with some "snow flurries".

 

One of the scariest driving experiences I've ever had.  Will always remember that one.

 

[aristocrat]

Back in December towed my rv from Eugene Or to North Carolina.  Drove over the the Santiam pass during a snowstorm so had to chain up the tires...giant pain in the ass and took me like 2 hours going like 10 miles per hour to get through and was sliding all over.  Then a couple days later I was on 80 east in Rawlins Wy where there was steady 45 mph winds and gusts above 60 and again with the rv it was like a giant sail.  Saw a bunch of empty 18 wheelers that attempted to drive that route but ended up rolling. When I stopped for gas a truck driver called that area their bermuda triangle.  I had a blowout right in the middle of that route as well so i sat on the side of the road waiting for a tire change with that wind. That wind was wild. 

[muppy]

I have always been kind of chickenpoop when it comes to driving in bad weather. Im more of a wait it out inside or crash where I am kind of person. Ive been stranded and stuck a few times due to WNY weather but as far as driving.....Ive been in rainstorms that literally made road travel impossible at least for a short time......Im talking full stop rain soooo big and fastly furiously falling that visibility through the windshield is/was ZERO and the hammering sound on the roof was loud too.

 

snowfall zero visibility Ive been a passenger but not driving.

Edited March 19, 2022 by muppy

[gomper]

So many to mention living in WNY. 1997 driving down the length of the 400 at 3am. No plows. Couldn't see 5 feet past the windshield. All I could do was follow the tire tracks left in front of me seconds ago. Couldn't even see his taillights. I thought " I hope he can see where he's going because if he's in a ditch, I'm joining him."

 

One I was present for but didn't know it at the time.  Grateful Dead Summer tour 1990. I drove the Louisville, Raleigh, DC, Foxboro leg. Hometown show in OP was next. I was spent. So, per agreement, it was my two friends driving us home. Last thing I remember was getting on the 590 to the 90. I woke up as we were getting close to Batavia rested and ready.  My friends in the front were glassy-eyed and looked exhausted.

 

Apparently, we entered an impenetrable fog that slowed us down to 5mph for about60 miles, cleared that and then ran out of gas. Some heads stopped and drove our driver up the 90 for gas. Slept through it all lol. Once we reached the Batavia rest stop all they said was "You drive the rest"

[Augie]

4 hours ago, muppy said:

I have always been kind of chickenpoop when it comes to driving in bad weather. Im more of a wait it out inside or crash where I am kind of person. Ive been stranded and stuck a few times due to WNY weather but as far as driving.....Ive been in rainstorms that literally made road travel impossible at least for a short time......Im talking full stop rain soooo big and fastly furiously falling that visibility through the windshield is/was ZERO and the hammering sound on the roof was loud too.

 

snowfall zero visibility Ive been a passenger but not driving.

I was married just a few years and was living in Hilton Head, SC. My wife was at Trust school at Campbell University somewhere in NC. I was driving north up I-95 to pick her up and then head somewhere on vacation. It starter raining…..HARD! I’m hating it, but slow down and keep going. 

 

After a while I look left to the southbound lanes and realize something is wrong. Lights keep flipping on and off and bouncing around. As I get closer I realize it’s a car that has hydroplaned and rolled into the median. I pull over to the left quickly, but nervously in that weather and traffic. I’m the first one there and not sure what to do! This is before cell phones. The car is upside down in the median and the drivers window has been rolled down. Her tires were right there to inspect, and almost new. A young lady is trying to crawl out of this upside down car into the swamp of the median. She wont listen to my advice to remain still and stay dry. 

 

By then, others have stopped. The lady right behind her was more freaked than I was. “She was doing just what I was doing!” It’s cold outside, so I go to my car and get my quilt I had slept with since college, Yes, I had a blankie! I wrap her in that and the crowd continues to grow. There is nothing I can add at that point, so I numbly go back to my car and drive north…..very slowly. 

[Talley56]

Not sure if it counts when we weren't the ones driving (I was 11 at the time) but the night of Christmas Day 1993, on our way home from celebrating Christmas at my grandparents (typically about a 20-30 minute drive), a sudden snow storm that I don't believe was previously in the forecast hits us.  About half way home it got really bad and we got stuck going down this pretty steep hill.  My dad, and other cars, had to pretty much crawl down this hill knowing that at any moment our car could just start sliding uncontrollably down.  We eventually got down safely but there was a lot of anxiety getting down that hill and the rest of the drive was pretty scary as well.  Then, we got to the highway, not too far from our house, and there was just stopped traffic for miles due to an accident way up ahead.  When we got about a mile from home, everyone but my dad got out and walked through the snow the rest of the way home.  Eventually, my dad was able to fight through the traffic to get the rest of the way home safely but that was one very memorable drive/ride.

[Sweet Lou]

March of 1993.  (63.8 mile trip)

Driving from Moravia, NY to Elmira, NY

In 3 feet of snow. (It was ugly)

Had a limited 1990 Chevy S-10, 4-wheel drive with a moderate lift kit and sneakers by Uni-Royal. They were Laredo’s.

 

On Route 13 South of Ithaca, at the Newfield hill I have a little momentum so I hammer it into the passing lane and with all 4 tires spinning and gripping I pass a tractor trailer on the way up the hill.  The tractor wheels were spinning but he wasn’t moving.

 

Being aggressive paid off because I made it to the top, where I appropriately and defiantly flip-off my former Driver’s Ed. teacher from high school, who always touted defensive driving and failed me because I disagreed with his full time logic.

Sooooo!
Summer School Driver’s Ed. with a different teacher at a different school, then roughly 17 years later I finally get the ultimate test.

I make it home safely, as an offensive driver, about 3 hours ahead of my closest co-worker, who were driving defensively.  Go figure!

 

Now we’re all retired and at parties the 1993 trip home becomes another memory where my former co-workers get to call me careless over and over again.  (While laughing of course) and I always get to correct them with another “C” word.  CONFIDENCE.