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I've wondered how much annually per year in damage to people's cars is caused by salt. I've thought it might be better to just skip the salt and make everyone use snowmobiles in the winter.
I've wondered how much annually per year in damage to people's cars is caused by salt. I've thought it might be better to just skip the salt and make everyone use snowmobiles in the winter.
Could be worse. Your floors could be rotted. for some reason.
Originally Posted by tempest411
I've wondered how much annually per year in damage to people's cars is caused by salt. I've thought it might be better to just skip the salt and make everyone use snowmobiles in the winter.
Billions. Factor in everything:
contructing structure to store salt
sourcing salt
shipping the salt
salt treatment / formulation for road use
storing the salt
development of salt laying machine
maintenance of salt machine (new parts)
employing truck drivers
vehicle parts to replaced damaged ones
delivery of new parts
new paint/primer
hazardous material handling (paint, primer, cleaning chemicals)
wasted steel and aluminum
labor to fix things and misc materials/construction
detriment to ecosystem
detriment to water table
list goes on..
Snowbiles aren't the answer. Installing snow tires and learning to drive is the answer.
Regions that get a certain minimum average annual snowfall, snow tires should be required for passenger vehicles (light or medium trucks and above could probably be exempt if AWD).
Instead everyone that actually puts in the effort to drive a winter vehicle gets to suffer for the ****************************s that are too lazy to do anything other than send a tweet about how they just took a ****.
Last edited by FrenchToast; 05-07-2017 at 11:10 PM.
<rant>Nothing to do with driving in the snow, authorities are forced to do it for public safety, both drivers and pedestrians, they must be seen to do something.
There are cheaper, non corrosive, more efficient and eco friendly alternatives to salt. There is a billion dollar salt industry with powerful lobbyists.</rant>
I'm a bit confused how a person's proficiency behind the wheel of a car would prevent the need for salt on the roads. Wheeled vehicles would always be at a disadvantage on slippery surfaces compared to something like a snowmobile/snow cat kind of vehicle.
There are cheaper, non corrosive, more efficient and eco friendly alternatives to salt.
Bingo!
Originally Posted by tempest411
I'm a bit confused how a person's proficiency behind the wheel of a car would prevent the need for salt on the roads.
I apologize if I misunderstand, but you speak of 'proficiency' as though it is an ability that does not progress.
Certain conditions do of course require an anti-icing chemical of some sort. However not in the quantities used currently.
It's simple. If you live in a region where snow accumulates on the road, you should prepare your vehicle accordingly and learn to drive in such conditions. Otherwise, stay at home.
You don't need to be a Finnish rally driver to drive in the snow. The same way you don't need to be Usain Bolt to run, or Michael Phelps to swim.
To put it in different terms:
If you live on an island, you have a boat (or a seaplane). You don't whine to the government and have them spend other peoples' money to build you a footbridge to the mainland. Oh wait.....
Salt isn't an anti snow measure, it's an anti ice measure. Proficiency doesn't address a coefficient of friction challenge when you're trying to melt ice and stop people from crashing. In our northern climate, icy highway dangers are not mitigated by trying harder. They use a brine anti icing solution, but they also use salt because brine doesn't effect the ice melt temperature like salt does.
How about using anti corrosion controls (rust-proofing methods are very effective when consistently used) instead of "whining to the government" and externalizing the issue? I don't like corrosion any more than any car person, but I ere on the side of public safety?
Originally Posted by FrenchToast
Bingo!
I apologize if I misunderstand, but you speak of 'proficiency' as though it is an ability that does not progress.
Certain conditions do of course require an anti-icing chemical of some sort. However not in the quantities used currently.
It's simple. If you live in a region where snow accumulates on the road, you should prepare your vehicle accordingly and learn to drive in such conditions. Otherwise, stay at home.
You don't need to be a Finnish rally driver to drive in the snow. The same way you don't need to be Usain Bolt to run, or Michael Phelps to swim.
To put it in different terms:
If you live on an island, you have a boat (or a seaplane). You don't whine to the government and have them spend other peoples' money to build you a footbridge to the mainland. Oh wait.....
Up here in the north country where they use lots of salt, and other anti-icing measures..people oil undercoat their cars..It prevents the rust from forming, but it is a mess to work with, on a car that has had this put on it. Truck bed liner is also used on the bottoms of trucks and cars, along with fluid film..along with gobs of rubberized undercoating products. It's a constant battle, and rocker panel repair is commonplace. Especially if you own a car that's getting up in age. People also have cars just for the summertime, and store all winter..Our state requires metal replacement on anything that's likely to snag or tear clothing..Metal tape and great stuff as a filler won't cut it anymore...even if it's painted the same color as the car..rust repair is a big business up here in New Hampshire.
05-07-2017, 04:20 PM
