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A s winter arrives, it usually means it is time for some cold weather, time to take the hoses off to the house's outside faucets and to prepare winterizing everything, to include your vehicles. You may even get some snow to compliment the beauty of your Christmas. During the cold weather season, always keep your fuel tank full. This keeps a driver from running out of gas while driving in slow heavy traffic during hazardous conditions, or if waiting for help while stranded off the side of a road somewhere.

   Snow / Ice Driving Tips

• Drive below the posted speed limit
• Don't get in any hurry
• When starting off from a dead stop, take your foot off of the brake and allow your vehicle to move forward on its own idle speed, do not give your vehicle any gas until you are moving forward under control again.
• Always allow yourself plenty of distance from any vehicle in front of you for reasons like stopping, an obstacle in the roadway, a signal light or stop sign.
• When necessary to stop or slow down, lightly tap your brakes until you have dropped down to your desired speed or stop. Do not stomp on your brakes, this will only cause your vehicle to slide and that you will lose control.
• If your vehicle goes into a slide, take your foot off of your gas pedal slowly as your speed declines, and slowly turn your steering wheel in the direction that your vehicle is sliding, example, if you are sliding toward the right, turn your steering wheel right, left slide, turn it to your left. Remember to turn into the direction of your slide.

    This will allow the driver to use their heater for staying warm, knowing their gas tank is full. If having to pull over off the side of the road, try and find some level ground and to make sure that you are parked off of the roadway enough for your own safety and the safety of others. Turn your emergency flashers on and keep them on. If your vehicle is in good condition, you might turn your car off and save some fuel until it becomes cold again, then start your vehicle back up, if you fear that your car may not start again, leave the engine running, do not shut the car off.

   It is also a good idea to store these items in your vehicle before the bad weather hits, things like a cell phone with a charger cord, thick blanket, flashlight, a piece of cardboard that can be placed under a tire should one get stuck in the snow, a heavy-duty jacket, Ice scraper, winter coveralls, snow boots, a small shovel, some long-term snacks, a 'I NEED HELP SIGN', these ideas help believe me. Always remember to keep your doors locked, that you never open your door to any stranger, tell the helping motorist to get you some help from a law enforcement agency, and to wait for that police officer to show up. Right? Right. It is also true and sad, that there are fanatical idiot drivers on the road too.

   Yes, a four-way stop sign means stop to all motorists. But, when driving and approaching a four-way stop sign when ice is on the road, do not stop if possible, continue driving through the intersection slowly, because the driver behind you may not be able to stop in time. This also allows the drivers behind you to maintain their traction and from getting stuck waiting on the parked driver in front of them. This same rule applies for drivers driving uphill on ice approaching a four-way stop sign. Have some courtesy for the drivers behind you.

   Thinking smart and being a Cautious Driver during Hazardous Weather Conditions is very nice, and a safe idea too, but in the real world we all know everybody does not adhere to safety or respect for other drivers. I shook my head sadly to hear a t.v. reporter this weekend say "Mother Nature" was responsible for 6 deaths this weekend. I wanted to tell her," No, lady! It's the friggin idiots that THINK they know how to drive 55 in a snow storm!" Or how bout the idiots that think because they have FOUR WHEEL DRIVE vehicles, they can drive when and however they like on ICE.

   During this special time, People begin to hurry around shopping for Christmas gifts, visiting and or are generally preoccupied with something else on their minds or a cell phone crammed in their ear while driving. This practice while driving is dangerous enough on dry pavement than trying it on a road covered with ice.

   This season will be no different, we will have those idiot drivers who think they are expert drivers, who don't care about paying attention to their own driving, that will speed around on ice or drive crazy through road construction sites during hazardous road conditions. These people endanger their own life as well as the lives of other people when doing so.

   Hazardous road conditions are bad enough to be driving on, so when a dumb *** adds beer drinking, horse playing, showing off, cell phone conversations or looking down at the floor board for whatever reasons, they will get someone injured or killed. People need to drive safely, cautiously and to give other drivers plenty of room.

   If these crazy drivers are driving recklessly because they are in a hurry, or think it is cool, they are wrong. I suggest that they leave earlier to wherever they are going, so that they won't have to hurry. So, during this time, stay alert, keep your eyes on the road, for other drivers' driving, and especially watchful for that Rambo moron driving up behind you like a bat out of hell. This is excellent advise to be mindful of during this season. Maybe, this information will save someone's life.

Jim Heitmeyer