# I pit Chicago for NOT salting! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 11, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659 "2008-12-11T02:05:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OhFace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecccb3/32.png) [@OhFace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OhFace)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/1 "2008-12-11T02:05:29Z")
Since there is no pit forum under the Chicago forms I’ll put it here. How could Chicago seriously decide not to salt the side streets this winter? On my way home today I rear-ended someone. I literally slid a half a block and, while I was only going maybe 10 mph before I started to brake, I gained momentum as I slid and hit an SUV stopped at a stop sign. My front bumper, hood, and side panel are all going to have to be replaced. My insurance is going to go up because I rear-ended someone. But it is Chicago’s fault!!! :mad: There was nothing I could have done to prevent hitting that car. The dry cleaners on the corner said they saw at least 30 cars get rear-ended there today. The whole block was completely ice! The cop that came actually got salt from a dentist on the corner to put on the road. Oh and another car got rear-ended as we were waiting for the cop to do the report. WTF Chicago?! ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/2 "2008-12-11T02:27:51Z")
deleted. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/3 "2008-12-11T02:46:40Z")
Which road? ---
**Author:** ![OhFace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecccb3/32.png) [@OhFace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OhFace)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/4 "2008-12-11T02:48:32Z")
It happened on Barry at Southport. ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/5 "2008-12-11T02:59:38Z")
Exactly the reason I took the train today! ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/6 "2008-12-11T03:03:30Z")
I know the city said they were cutting down, but the roads were shit here in the 'burbs too. I drive like a puss in icy conditions and even I lost control at a stoplight this morning. Nothing came of it thankfully but considering how little snow we actually got it was horrible out there today. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/7 "2008-12-11T03:28:51Z")
> [@ASAKMOTSD](#): > > Exactly the reason I took the train today! There’s a train in Rochester? ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/8 "2008-12-11T03:33:54Z")
There was not one when I left for Chicago yesterday, but who knows? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/9 "2008-12-11T04:01:19Z")
The governor will probably sell you some bags of salt. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![OhFace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecccb3/32.png) [@OhFace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OhFace)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/10 "2008-12-11T04:02:33Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The governor will probably sell you some bags of salt. 😛 LOL yeah, but what does he want in exchange? ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/11 "2008-12-11T05:33:50Z")
> [@OhFace](#): > > LOL yeah, but what does he want in exchange? He wants to be appointed cheif of the plow trucks and to have one of the salt domes converted into an apartment for his wife. ---
**Author:** ![Henrichek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5daacb/32.png) [@Henrichek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henrichek)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/12 "2008-12-11T06:44:55Z")
I hate road salt. It reduces a nice winter road into a car devouring slush with no mercy. Here they do it for trucks and buses I think, who are not required to have winter tires. Just let them use winter tires and stop dumping tons of salt every year on the roads. The cars rust into oblivion and it’s bad for the environment around the roads. ---
**Author:** ![Finally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/67e7ee/32.png) [@Finally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finally)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/13 "2008-12-11T14:59:18Z")
I feel your pain, **OhFace** , my normally 30 minute commute in the Chicago 'burbs yesterday took 1 hour and 40 minutes. No accidents to be seen, no reason, just everyone crawling along because of unsalted roads. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/14 "2008-12-11T15:18:23Z")
They could have sanded even if they want to cut down on salt. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/15 "2008-12-11T15:30:31Z")
> [@OhFace](#): > > But it is Chicago’s fault!!! Is there any way to make Chicago pay? Years ago, the potholes in Boston got so bad that drivers were snapping axles, due to a combination of extreme cold and extreme plowing. If you sent a repair bill to the city, they wouldn’t contest it at all, they’d just pay up. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/16 "2008-12-11T15:32:52Z")
> [@Henrichek](#): > > I hate road salt. It reduces a nice winter road into a car devouring slush with no mercy. Here they do it for trucks and buses I think, who are not required to have winter tires. Just let them use winter tires and stop dumping tons of salt every year on the roads. The cars rust into oblivion and it’s bad for the environment around the roads. There are limits to what winterized tires can successfully do. ---
**Author:** ![Henrichek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5daacb/32.png) [@Henrichek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henrichek)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/17 "2008-12-11T15:45:37Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > There are limits to what winterized tires can successfully do. Hm? Studded tires have never failed me on icy roads. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/18 "2008-12-11T16:50:56Z")
Drive for the conditions. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/19 "2008-12-11T19:45:40Z")
> [@Henrichek](#): > > Hm? Studded tires have never failed me on icy roads. Let me rephrase: there are limits to what wintereized tires (which are not the same as studded, neccessarily) can do without damaging a roadway. Of course, salt hurts things, too, just slower. ---
**Author:** ![TheFifthYear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@TheFifthYear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFifthYear)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659/20 "2008-12-11T20:21:44Z")
> [@OhFace](#): > > I literally slid a half a block and, while I was only going maybe 10 mph before I started to brake, I gained momentum as I slid and hit an SUV stopped at a stop sign. I know it’s hyperbole, but this cracked me up. Stupid hilly Chicago! You hit the brakes and just keep speeding up! It’s too bad there was never a glacier or anything that would have flattened this place out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-chicago-for-not-salting/476659.md?page=2)