ICE & SNOW REVISITED

[11Charlie]

I love the crisp fresh air after a snow and how serene it is. Would almost make a good Christmas card.

 

[jbett98]

D

 

[mkwerx]

I never understood the need for AAA.

AAA is a weird organization if you delve into it - most folks know about it as an auto club (they're not even the largest in the US) - towing and stuff. But they offer everything from trip planning services, they serve as a broker for insurance, they have an auto broker, to the discount programs. For people who travel a lot, and actually use the crap out of the discount program - they save more money per year than their dues, especially the entry level membership (same discounts, just less coverage on the roadside assistance benefit) - the book you get at sign up that lists all the places you get a discount is about an inch thick, and is written in size 8 or 10 font in much of it

But essentially people get it because of the roadside assistance, which is pretty steeply discounted compared to the average out of pocket costs. For people who drive older cars, it's a big savings. For newer cars, maybe not. But then again, you get two flat tires, you need a tow truck. Or in some new cars - you get one flat, and need a tow truck because the cheap bastard auto makers aren't including spares - even the sad little temporary types - and give you fix a flat & a crappy air compressor, which does absolutely dick if you get more than a small nail in your tire...

As a tower, we had a ton of repeat, regular customers. I knew lots of folks who used every one of their 4 tows per year, and then some. As a AAA basic member you are entitled to 4 tows per year in which the hook up and first 3 towed miles are covered. Kind of crappy, unless you break down 3 miles from a shop - you're on the hook currently, for $3.75 per mile after that. Not horrible for an in town tow.

If you are a Plus member, however, you are saving a bunch of cash - as plus members get 100 miles per tow (remember you get 4 per year) covered. After 100 miles you pay whatever the retail rate is for the tow company. Typically though, you can go Portland to Eugene or Springfield with nothing, or next to nothing out of pocket. IF you use all four of those, you get $1200 in benefits for your $100 and change. There is also an RV Plus level membership - so if your motorhome, truck & travel trailer, boat trailer, or ATV hauler breaks down they cover that service as well. That's really worth some cash because it seems like most folks wind up having problems with their RV's at some point - the average RV owner is pretty terrible at maintaining them, they don't use them often enough, don't check wheel bearings, etc. I towed a LOT of boat trailers with missing wheels because the bearings were neglected. Or the axle fell off. Lots of travel trailers where the pickup towing them blew motors, trannies, etc. Usually because the owners were using too little truck to pull too much weight.

Then the real cash saver if you have to use it is the Premier membership - one 200 mile tow per year and three more upto 100 miles. That 200 mile tow is $800 alone, add 3 more hundred milers and you're talking $1700 potential benefit for $150 a year. Premier members also get "trip interruption" benefits - reimbursement for 1 night of a hotel stay and 1 day of a rental car - if your vehicle breaks down 150 miles or more from home and you elect to have it repaired locally, vs using your premier 200 mile tow. Premier members also get home unlock services covered, besides automotive unlocks. Oregon has a Premier RV membership too.

There are a couple other differences, but those are the biggies. It's a good service for older folks to have, or ladies who can't or won't do things themselves like tire changes. You could get roadside assistance through your insurance, but I had AAA customers who were insurance brokers, who told me that the insurance companies *could* raise your rates for making roadside assistance claims. Could - not would necessarily - but they could use that to raise your rates.

Of course you can always pay out of pocket as well - and save the annual dues of a AAA membership when most folks go years at a time without needing it. Lots look at it as a form of insurance - pay for it, hope you don't need it, glad you have it when you do. Those are the ones who never use the "show your card and save" program. Most places that participate give anywhere from 5-10% off for AAA members. I use my membership when the wife & I go someplace and get a hotel, Napa auto parts gives 7% off. There are eateries that give a discount. Granted - most places that do discounts give better discounts if you're military/prior military, LEO, senior citizen etc.

For years I seemed to use most of my services as well - I've driven some real POS beaters - old chevies, jeeps - and done stupid crap to them. I am hoping I don't need to use it with the new car any time soon

As far as what I do for AAA now - we do unlocks, tire changes, jump starts and gas delivery calls, but we also do "free" battery and charging system tests for members as a benefit, and we sell & do on-site installation of replacement AAA branded batteries (currently they're supplied by East Penn, which makes factory batteries for about 8 or 10 auto makers, and sells their batteries under the brand name of Deka.)

It's all about convenience, in the end. One of the other little known facts that AAA doesn't make readily known as they are a not-for-profit enterprise. One way to look at it - good or bad - is that they're kind of like the NRA, but for drivers/car owners.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

We have Geico insurance. Free towing, jump starts and the like! They have been swell too! Several tows in the years we've had a Geico policy. Always before or at the time stated, usually before.
In our area, they work with a top notch body shop, provide a loner and get the job done fast and right! I'm a fan!

 

[Sgt Nambu]

BTW, we are still snowed in, there has been almost no melt off. We're getting low on bird food!

 

[partsed]

We have AAA and saved some serious money when we bought tickets for Disneyland, you get discounts at NAPA and other places too!!

 

[WAYNO]

AAA...The picture in my mind is of the little old lady driving out of a pile up that she caused, unscathed, with a AAA sticker on her trunk.

I know plenty of folks that have used AAA, and as a convenience when they've needed it, it has been valuable. I don't have AAA, and never have. That's not to say I've never been broke down. But I've always been self reliant, and I've always been fortunate enough to do whatever necessary to get myself rolling. I've always had a towing rider on my car insurance, but I've also never used it.

Now that I'm less of a spring chicken, I wonder how I'd deal with a tough break down in the middle of nowhere, in the night while it's freezing. I may have to bite it and look into AAA. Actually, I don't have to look very far, as now that I'm "senior", they send me temporary credentials every month with their offers to join.

WAYNO.

 

[WAYNO]

Back to Ice and Snow...

Out West, we've had some recent weather episodes that are not normal to us.

Schedules cause me to watch the weather reports, and I've discovered if I look at 4 different weather sites, I will get four different guesses.

Let's see...There's a huge low pressure area off the coast. It will take a left turn 3 miles off shore, and it will impact Seattle at 4PM tomorrow. Why can't they ever say?... There's a low pressure area off shore, and it could go any of 360-degrees. If it turns right, it will hit California. If it goes straight, it will hit Oregon. If it turns left, it will hit Washington. 'Cuz they don't ever really know.

I think before any weather forecaster hits his SEND button, he should be required to open the window and look outside. Weather Underground could predict a high of 42, and a low of 35, while simultaneously reporting it is now 28 degrees. Or it could be a blizzard outside while their site still says zero percent chance of any precipitation. Northern Oregon and Southern Washington has been crippled for a week because of snow and ice. This huge (for us) snow storm happened in spite of the weather reports guaranteeing our weather was returning to its normal 45-degree pattern. That was a week ago, and I've seen above freezing only for a few hours total during the past week. But they still are predicting a huge warming, while my thermometer says it is still way below freezing.

A couple years ago, we had some of the densest fog I've ever seen, and it lasted for weeks. I'm out driving a lot, and I knew this fog was covering a huge area. And the talking head on the local TV station at dinner time was saying the fog was all gone. There was none left anywhere. And the rerun at 11:00 said the same thing, while I knew we were socked in all the way from Salem to Oregon City.

Back to my coffee...

WAYNO.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Wayno, I heard they are using salt on the roads because it's been pretty bad this year.... Those people need to just stay home, because you are right, they have no sense.... Wait, maybe that's why they are out there.....

I wonder how all that salt is going to affect our rivers & lakes when it melts? The PNW fish are already screwed into extinction due to mismanagement from ODFG & WDFW and now another OH SHlT is thrown into the mix....

 

[Howard1955]

I haven't used them, but know folks that use similar devices and swear by them, so I've thought of getting a pair myself.

I've been looking at another brand on Amazon though - under $20 and 1,900+ reviews at 4+ stars:

Amazon.com: Stabilicers Lite Duty Serious Traction Cleat, Black, Large: Sports & Outdoors

View attachment 334961

View attachment 334962

This guy could've used some of those.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Is it 55 and raining in Portland yet? Weatherman said it's going to warm up bigtime by Wednesday...

 

[etrain16]

Is it 55 and raining in Portland yet? Weatherman said it's going to warm up bigtime by Wednesday...

Nope, still below freezing today. Tomorrow we're possibly going to get an ice event when the rain starts in the AM before the weather warms up enough to start melting stuff. Last forecast I saw about an hour ago says we'll stay in the low to mid-30's through tomorrow night, with the warm-up really starting on Wednesday.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Thanks etrain...

 

[11Charlie]

better than our local weather forecasters!!

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Anyone prepping for some flooding toward the end of the week? I shoveled snow off the flatter sections of the roof and behind the house yesterday for 6 hours. Trenched about 3 feet from the foundation where rain water gushes sometimes when we get hammered with rain. This will allow water to run right past my house and into the city street where it will be diverted to sewer drains. I didn't want deja vu to happen and be out there shoveling through 2' of heavy snow in the rain trying to divert it away from the house!!! I hear you guys in Portland have "self serve" sang bag areas, where you can load up sandbags for free. Just bring your own shovel. I wish there was something like that here in T.D....

 

[bsa1917hunter]

better than our local weather forecasters!!

The indian weather forcasts are always better:

 

[Medic!]

Trust nothing but the weather rock.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

This guy could've used some of those.

Those are the kind we use, Howard! Ours are 10 years old and good as new, easy on and easy off and when you're wearing them, mr ice just STF's up!

 

[HuckleberryFun]

Yup, freezing rain tomorrow AM. Right at rush hour.
A layer of icy frosting on top of the snow cake.
Just keeps getting better and better.

 

[Medic!]

I was a bit skeptical.

But ice, has in fact been confirmed.