I am curious as to how various regions treat their roads for winter traction control. Here in the northwest, specifically Yakima, WA the city and county spreads crushed rock (gravel) on the county and city roadways for traction. They use deicers as well. Obviously salt is not good for any car, but do you folks in the midwest and northeast also have the rock chip creating <img border="0" alt="[soapbox]" title="" src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" /> of gravel to contend with as well?

Lance

 

Mostly salt, some gravel as well in Steelertown area.

 

They strictly dump salt in my area.

 

Lots of sand is used in the NE, as well as salt. The sand does its own excellent job of making stone-chips. <img border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" title="" src="graemlins/cussing.gif" />

 

In the greater Washington DC area they spread panic, paranoia, and incompetent drivers all over the road and then throw a layer of moronic news reporters out there desperately seeking the coveted interview with a driver who is stuck in the "Great Blizzard of 2003!!!" and is driving for his life despite the treacherous conditions to get bottled water from the grocery store in case of an invasion. This is all after the first dusting of snow hits the grass.

I mean, nah - they just really use salt here.

 

In California, they just sprinkle in idiots. Tahoe seems to use sand, but no salt. NYC used just about everything when I was living there (pre Porsche), including ground up mobsters.

TT in Yakima? You must stand out BIG time...

 

JPS,
In CA, I have seen them sprinkle "fruits and nuts" on Roads

 

Brian
ROTFLMAO <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />

Our crews use salt and/or chemicals.

 

Nice one, Brian!

Salt here in Kentucky.

 

Salt through illinois, indiana and lower michigan. Sand in parts of upper michigan.

 

Salt in Northern Ohio.

 

Not just salt, lots of salt.

so much so, that when it dries, the cars kick it up and there will be a haze over the road.

the stone chips come from the crumbling edges of all the potholes, which turn every road into IDOT's version version of a slalom.

 

Now I can feel your pain <img border="0" alt="[crying]" title="" src="graemlins/crying.gif" />
I'm in Winnipeg Manitoba and I'm freezing my butt off big time at ...-28 c presently! With the windchill it goes to minus 43!!! I have never felt this cold in my entire life! The roads are iced/snowed and my poor rental after three days of driving in this horrible mixture of salt, dirt and whatever they throw down here looks like its about to die.
One thing though...driving in these conditions are a great practice to become smooth with the car. Still I cant wait to go back to Texas

 

just salt in my area..and so much, the roads look white until the spring rains finally wash it all away.

 

Lance-

We've got gravel here too in the Mtns of VA. There's so much of it around that I go about 3mph until I get through the 2 blocks to Main St. where the gravel has been sort of pushed off the road.

I think we both will have the same rock chip problem - I notice your p-car is black too...

I really wish they wouldn't put that crap on the road.