I have to ask - what is the problem with driving a Prius in four inches of snow? And chains? Seriously?
The Prius’s wheels are driven by electric motors. As part of the traction system, if a wheel begins to slip power is shut down to it. You can see the problem. I tried to drive it in the snow a couple of years ago. I was able to back out of the driveway (because there was no snow accumulation under the car), but when I tried to turn it up the street a wheel started slipping. Power was shut down to it. The other wheel started slipping. Power was shut down to it. So I’m stepping on the accelerator pedal, and the car isn’t making a sound. Straightening the wheels allowed me to pull back into the driveway.
I can, but I have what is probably a dumb question: is there any way to override that “shutdown on slippage”? It seems a silly feature to have on a car that will be used in cold climes; I wonder why the Prius engineers would include something like that if they expected sales in places that experienced winter.
I don’t know.
About an inch or so at my house, more due tomorrow, but that’s barely a dusting really. However, I have no idea what the big ski mountain got, I couldn’t see it for most of the day. Hopefully it got a good bit more, and will get yet more.
Yay! Snow! We got some flurries a couple of weeks ago but this is the first thing resembling real snow. Now if we weren’t getting frigid air from Canada behind it…honestly guys, you are awesome, but overnight temps below 0F before Thanksgiving are a bit much, ya know?
No but by God I’m gonna move there ASAP. Best laugh in a long time.
I’m not getting it. I see plenty of Priuses around here in winter. I’m a bit mystified about how they keep the cabin warm, but I don’t see why traction control should prevent you from moving. And can’t you override it anyways?
I always laugh about Sanibel, FL. Sounds like a toilet cleaning product. 
The cabin is kept warm with the heater. I’ve asked in GQ whether there is a way of overriding the traction control. But I can tell you that I’ve stepped on the accelerator pedal and it wouldn’t move because the power was shut down to the slipping wheels. And I tried stepping very lightly. I’m sure they go well enough once they’re moving. But I could not get it moving.
Well yes, but where does the heat come from if the internal combustion engine isn’t running? Is it just an electrical element?
Since there’s no ‘instant heat’, I assume the heat comes from the engine. Though I could be mistaken. The engine warms up pretty quickly.
I drive a front wheel drive Toyota Sienna with all around Hercules Avalanche studded tires. I get around fine and its great on gas.
Course, I do live in Alaska. I used to live in Valdez where they count the average snowfall in feet rather than inches. Winter of '89 got 50ft but normal is around 30. Spring skiing on Thompsom Pass is fantastic! I’m in the whee! snow catagory.
Now I’m in Anchorage and I had my studs on a month ago. Old Valdez mindset as Anch has had only one wicked snowfall so far this season. And that was a week ago. Where Valdez is usually a balmy 32 and snowing, Anchorage hovers slightly above zero. I’m acclamating tho. And glad I’m not driving the 1971 vw camper bus I drove up here and spent my first 2 winters scraping the inside of the windshield as I was driving.
Enjoy your snow. And get out there and xcountry ski! For me its harder than it looks.
Okay. I’ll be at Dallas Road at 7:00 p.m. Should I just aim at the lights of Port Angeles and hope for the best?
Hear, hear! I love seasonal change, and I love the hush of a soft, thick, nighttime snowfall. I could walk forever on those nights. And the way the snow lights up the landscape, I feel safe and comforted.
(Compared to a nightly November walk without snow, when everything is so dark, when there is snow on the ground I can see what’s lurking between the bushes.)
I wish we had even more snow on the ground–with tonight’s full moon, it would be so bright out!
I’d like the storm that appears to be blowing in tonight to wait until we make our flight out of here tomorrow for 2 weeks in the South Pacific. When I get back, it can be all snowy and that’ll be fine. Just… don’t make me miss that flight, snow!
Sn…ow? I think I’ve read about that once.
But yeah, winter’s finally coming to Santa Barbara. Today it was only 65 so I’m having to pull out my sweaters.
Four seasons (That’s how many there are supposed to be, right?) does sound nice sometimes.
65F? That’s shorts weather! Wimp! (Just kidding. There’s a time I’d have agreed with you.)
Having four seasons is totally awesome. My favorite is still winter, at least until late March when I’ve started to have enough of it, though summer follows by a nose, and the brief time in fall when the leaves are at their best is just behind summer. The spring day when all the trees leaf out at once is pretty damned awesome, though, I admit. Mostly until it turns green spring is all brown and muddy and summer comes right on its heels anyway.
But damn if snow isn’t still something awesome and pretty and fun. I love it. And I haaaaaaate heat, which by my standards doesn’t exist up here. I’ll take snow for a bit longer than I’d really like in exchange for heat and humidity any day.
I had to spend a week in Saskatchewan for work; we had less than -30°C weather, and lots of snow. I think I am going to love Toronto because right now, if I choose to, I could scandalize the neighbours by taking my coffee on the balcony while wearing my undies.
Bugger, I made it start snowing. At least it won’t stay.
Supposed to snow in Portland on Monday. It’ll probably be the only snow we get since we typically only get one snowfall a year.