🚀 go-pugleaf

In dc.general DPH <kgclg15@kg.hsanet.net> wrote:
> Actually, I've seen it done.

> Diamond Dave wrote:

>> You don't salt the roads ahead of time.
>>
>> On Thu, 22 Feb 2001 23:14:27 -0500, DPH <kgclg15@kg.hsanet.net> wrote:
>>
>> >>
>> >> Since the temperatures never went above 25, everything turned
>> >> to ice, quickly. The rest is history.
>> >>
>> >> (ken)
>> >
>> >But wouldn't have if the'd have salted the roads.  The roads should have been
>> >simply wet, and especially I-95.

Pre-salting is sometimes done, but because salt deteriorates the concrete,
they try to minimize it. When it happens in this area, it's usually
because some of the drivers (or possibly a supervisor) have gotten a bit
over-enthusiastic and began salting as soon as word of snow anywhere in
the area came in.

There's a couple other de-icing systems out there, usually used 
on runways, bridges, and other 'high value' surfaces that rely on
pretreating the surface before it starts icing or snowing... if
you've seen trucks doing 'presalting' in a northern state, that's
usually what's happening.

And for those of you slamming VDOT (yeah, I admit they have no real
clue when it comes to snow removal)... When, exactly, should they have had
trucks out? Presalting doesn't work particularly well, the morning rush
hour starts at 6AM, snow didn't start falling until around 9, and by the
time the morning rush hour was winding down, the rush to get home had
already started. I saw a bunch of VDOT salt trucks out on the VA side
of 495... trapped in bumper-to-bumper traffic, just like everyone else.
There was no time when the trucks could have been running their spreaders
without prompting lawsuits from the folks sitting 2 feet off their back
bumpers. ("Keep Back 100'"... that's sort of like "Speed Limit 55 MPH",
isn't it?)

My $0.02 on the accident: It's a good thing I'm not a cop... I would have
been walking through the wreckage writing every single driver involved a
ticket for driving too fast for conditions.