Akron/Cleveland Ohio Weather

[TheClevelandSound]

Right now, I am sitting in my office looking out at 5 inches of snow. I am a first year driver and i would love to know the advantages and disatvantages or having a Versa in critical weather. Hopefully, there are more advantages...but id just like to be aware of what im handling.

[bikeman]

The Versa handles fine if your driving skills are adequate. Four snow tires would be a must for a first year driver no matter what vehicle.

David

[Great White Versa]

Also, read the comments in this post.

In summary, always drive a little bit slower than you think that you should, and leave more of a cushion around other drivers.

As the temperature changes, so will the roads. So if you drive a road twice in the same day it could be entirely different.

[Rockhound]

Good advice in this thread - but I'd like to reiterate one thought...

Definitely stay further back from the cars ahead of you when you think the roads could be slick. I try to leave a decent space between me and the car ahead - as tailgating is one of my most hated driving no-nos - but let's face it, few of us really leave a safe enough gap.

We get enough snow/ice here in Tulsa that you'd think that residents would be fully aware of how to drive in inclement conditions (just SLOW DOWN) but it always seems to catch EVERYONE off guard. A little rain and you see several cars that have somehow managed to slide off the road. A little ice, and all hell breaks loose.

Worst of all, you get some complete moron who tails you on snow/ice. Don't be that moron.

[bikeman]

We get enough snow/ice here in Tulsa that you'd think that residents would be fully aware of how to drive in inclement conditions (just SLOW DOWN) but it always seems to catch EVERYONE off guard. A little rain and you see several cars that have somehow managed to slide off the road. A little ice, and all hell breaks loose.

Had the great displeasure of driving through Tulsa in an ice storm back in 1970. That remains to this day one of the worst displays of idiotic driving I've ever encountered. You'd think folks were driving off the road on purpose. High speed followed by hard braking. Thanks for the memories.

David

[kc5f]

I lived in Tulsa for 10 years, and loved the reaction of one worker in our office when we had a decent storm. She showed up about 45 minutes late, saying, "But I always leave for work 20 minutes before starting time." Surprise!

[Ever Victorious]

Had the great displeasure of driving through Tulsa in an ice storm back in 1970. That remains to this day one of the worst displays of idiotic driving I've ever encountered. You'd think folks were driving off the road on purpose. High speed followed by hard braking. Thanks for the memories.

Throw in some hills, and make 2/3 of the vehicles in the ditch 4WD/AWD vehicles, and you've got Seattle.

Although those of us who have lived here long know that ANYONE in the ditch up here was originally from California and came up in the mass exoduses of the 80's and 90's.

[NY.AD.MAN]

My favorite thing about Seattle in the Winter was watching people hugging the rail near Pike Street Market in order not to fall down the crazy flights of stairs...

I miss Seattle...

[TheClevelandSound]

well just to update...last night i got in an accident...

No, it wasnt the Versa.

My friend was driving his dads Toyota Sequoia V8 AWD. We were going down a 2 lane road in the right lane about thirdy MPH. A Dodge Durango was pulled out sideways in the middle of the lane, and when my friend saw it we were about 100 feet away, he slammed on the breaks, but the tires skidded and we were getting closer to it. Luckily, my friend turned just in time and the car spun out. The back right corner hit the front of the durango. No one was hurt. Damage is 1K. No one was faulted.

If he didnt turn that wheel i could be dead. Now Im driving 5 MPH around town when i need too. Akron has been considered a Blizzard area now. We are supposed to get 5 inches tonight. And tomorrow, hopefully, i dont have school. And for those of you who watched the Browns game today, you know what i mean.

Never seen this before:

[Rockhound]

Thanks for the memories.

No problem.

I lived in Tulsa for 10 years, and loved the reaction of one worker in our office when we had a decent storm. She showed up about 45 minutes late, saying, "But I always leave for work 20 minutes before starting time." Surprise!

Beat me to it. That's the main issue, right there. Not everyone around here is completely ignorant about how to drive in such conditions, but very few give it any thought to prepare for such weather. Even if it's simply raining in warm weather, I get up about 15 minutes early to avoid all the idiots. Snow/ice - make it 30+. We all have that morning where we intend to make more time for bad road conditions and such but still somehow manage to get out the door late - but you've just got to avoid the urge to drive like a maniac, just live with the fact that you're late.

Throw in some hills, and make 2/3 of the vehicles in the ditch 4WD/AWD vehicles, and you've got Seattle.

Yeah, many of the vehicles you see in ditches around here are large SUVs/trucks. People definitely get a false sense of security from vehicle size and 4WD.

[gotak]

well just to update...last night i got in an accident...

No, it wasnt the Versa.

My friend was driving his dads Toyota Sequoia V8 AWD. We were going down a 2 lane road in the right lane about thirdy MPH. A Dodge Durango was pulled out sideways in the middle of the lane, and when my friend saw it we were about 100 feet away, he slammed on the breaks, but the tires skidded and we were getting closer to it. Luckily, my friend turned just in time and the car spun out. The back right corner hit the front of the durango. No one was hurt. Damage is 1K. No one was faulted.

If he didnt turn that wheel i could be dead. Now Im driving 5 MPH around town when i need too. Akron has been considered a Blizzard area now. We are supposed to get 5 inches tonight. And tomorrow, hopefully, i dont have school. And for those of you who watched the Browns game today, you know what i mean.

Never seen this before:

30 MPH is about 50km/h isn't it? 100 feet seems like reasonable stopping distance unless on ice. Was it more ice than snow?

[TheClevelandSound]

It was a sort of slushie mix of both.