I had to deal with a traffic hazard you never do in south Florida...

[draggar]

Today while driving I had to deal with ice on the road.

You heard me right.

In the middle of August, in metro south Florida.

I guess a freezer truck carrying bags of ice lost their load. Traffic slowed down, a lot, but I still saw some cars sliding a bit on the highly rare occurrence.

Luckily, my years of New England driving took over.

[Cat]

A few years ago, I was looking at schools in Northern Florida. On our tour, the guide was walking about the weather. There was just a cold snap, and so we had ice on our cars (my father and I joked that we were surprised to see an ice scraper with our rental car)

The guide said, "Yeah, I got up this morning, and there was this....stuff on my car!! I had no idea what it was!"

My dad, " You mean the ice?"

heeehee it was really funny at the time.

[Food Lady]

A few years ago, I was looking at schools in Northern Florida. On our tour, the guide was walking about the weather. There was just a cold snap, and so we had ice on our cars (my father and I joked that we were surprised to see an ice scraper with our rental car) The guide said, "Yeah, I got up this morning, and there was this....stuff on my car!! I had no idea what it was!" My dad, " You mean the ice?" heeehee it was really funny at the time.

My mom grew up in Florida, and though you think of beaches & oranges, it does snow occasionally, or there is ice. I've seen snow flurries in southern California, as in, "Hey, what's that white stuff falling from the sky?"

[Rine]

The last time it "snowed" here, one of the neighbors joked that it was biological warfare. I've heard a lot of interesting things over the years, but at the time, it was very strange...

Of course, with the way everyone reacted to the "snow," you would think something terrible had happened. Everyone driving like crazy people, everyone running to the stores to buy cold weather gear, etc.

But yeah. Interesting story there, draggar. I feel sorry for the folks that don't know how to drive on ice!

[thegiraffe]

I lived/worked pretty deep in the woods this past winter, and we had some pretty crazy cold snaps. More than once, I had to scrape my windshield either leaving work or on my way to work. I don't have an ice scraper (I'm not even sure what one looks like), so I would either crank the defroster or use a credit card. Usually the defroster won because then I could stay warm

Ice ON the road though? I can't imagine it would have lasted long. Even after a torrential downpour you can still see the steam rising from the road because it's so hot...

[Jester]

Luckily, my years of New England driving took over.

Meaning what? You drove way too fast, changed lanes indiscriminately, and flipped all the other drives off?

My mom grew up in Florida, and though you think of beaches & oranges, it does snow occasionally, or there is ice.

Unless, of course, you live in the Keys. No snow. No ice (except in the drinks, of course). And by "none" I mean "none ever." Since the coldest temperature recorded in history in Key West was 41F, far too warm for the possibility of snow.

And no, I have absolutely no problem with this happy situation.

I don't have an ice scraper (I'm not even sure what one looks like)

They vary, but in essence, they look like a short backscratcher. Like this:

[Cat]

My ice scraper remains one of my best Xmas gifts I ever got

[draggar]

I lived/worked pretty deep in the woods this past winter, and we had some pretty crazy cold snaps. More than once, I had to scrape my windshield either leaving work or on my way to work. I don't have an ice scraper (I'm not even sure what one looks like), so I would either crank the defroster or use a credit card. Usually the defroster won because then I could stay warm

Ice ON the road though? I can't imagine it would have lasted long. Even after a torrential downpour you can still see the steam rising from the road because it's so hot...

This winter was great, very cool for a very long time. Our electric bill loved it, too (well, we loved our electric bill).

Meaning what? You drove way too fast, changed lanes indiscriminately, and flipped all the other drives off?

I said New England, not Massachusetts. Oh, wait.. Um... Can we force Mass and points south (except Rhode Island) to secede from New England?

Unless, of course, you live in the Keys. No snow. No ice (except in the drinks, of course). And by "none" I mean "none ever." Since the coldest temperature recorded in history in Key West was 41F, far too warm for the possibility of snow.

I've seen it show when it was over 50 out. It's not the low level temps, it's the upper level temps and the water's ability to crystallize, and then survive the fall to earth.

[AdminAssistant]

They vary, but in essence, they look like a short backscratcher.

If you live in a place where you get lots of snow, this type is more common:

[thegiraffe]

This winter was great, very cool for a very long time. Our electric bill loved it, too (well, we loved our electric bill).

Haha...YOU try loving the sub-freezing temps when you have to sleep in them!!! I was deep in the Ocala National Forest in October when it decided to get down into the 20s a couple mornings. I had to go out and buy a different sleeping bag so I wouldn't turn into a popsicle...and I was STILL cold!

The weather would have been great if we had somewhere warm we could retreat to, but we didn't really have that except for meals and showers...and that's IF the boys were under control.

Yeah...glad to be out of there!

[draggar]

One night the temperature dipped 15 degrees lower than expected - I had the windows open and the fan on full blast coming in. It went down to the mid 30's that night.

Granted - not sub freezing but close.

[Android Kaeli]

Funny how people in my city shrug at hurricanes but would freak out if they get even an inch of snow. It doesn't snow here, hell last Christmas I was in shorts.

[Food Lady]

I lived/worked pretty deep in the woods this past winter, and we had some pretty crazy cold snaps. More than once, I had to scrape my windshield either leaving work or on my way to work. I don't have an ice scraper (I'm not even sure what one looks like), so I would either crank the defroster or use a credit card.

The ice here would snap a card in two. It laughs at defrosters and salt.

[thegiraffe]

The ice here would snap a card in two. It laughs at defrosters and salt.

So how do you see to drive?

[drunkenwildmage]

So how do you see to drive?

Roll down your window and stick your head out it.

Seriously..what's fun is driving while looking out a 2 inch hole in the frost that is on the passengers side when you are late for work..