[at-l] Well, Gee . . .OT

[bcalkins at disaster-relief.net (Bruce Calkins)]

> I know that, once the slide begins, you're
> in it until something else stops you."

I respectfully disagree.  I've been sideways on black ice.  To the right,
to the left and to the right, within 75 yards.  I hit the wet pavement
front first and had no more problems that night.  (A pickup rested
on its side there on my return trip.)  In the morning I had a pulled muscle
in my left arm that took me a while to figure out.  (That time was not a
gentle turn into the skid, it happened fast and required aggressive action.)

I've driven on ice and/or snow with bicycles, Motorcycles,(That's the worst
one.), tractors, cars light trucks and up to 18 wheels and 80,000 pounds.
If and when I slide, skid or otherwise have a loss of traction, I'll be
trying to regain control up to and beyond the end.  I was tempted to say I'd
fight to the end, but often it's the gentle touch that wins out.  (AND, if I
see somebody else slipping and/or sliding, I slow down.)

One of my favorite posters shows a stork attempting to swallow a frog.  The
frog has it's "arms" reaching out the sides of the stork's bill in a choke
hold on the stork.  the caption is "Never Give Up."

> > I laughed when someone here talked about doing donuts in
> > the snow cause that's exactly what I taught the kids to do -
> > and how to be safe doing it.  <G>

Advantage to the north.  We live in the ice and snow every year for months.