CA chain control

[Viva]

OK. I thought he was talkin' 'bout taking 97 straight through to Tahoe. Can't be done.

Man, I haven't done 97 in 25 years. A friend owns a ranch along that rout...McDoule...something like that, and I spent a summer there banging her silly. Now, she has a girlfriend, err, I mean, a "partner". Bitches, whatever.

[P_McPoser]

And on the other side you have I-80 east of reno with zero controls at all. LOL.

One time too, the round between Hawthorne, NV and 395, man, I almost got stuck in my 4WD pickup on that one...

[char]

No way am I putting les Schwab quick fits on a Subaru. It would require a sawzall if I ever wanted to turn.

In Sacramento for work. 97 was no issue. Sounds like no need to buy chains to go from sac to Tahoe.

Thank s.

[Hugh Conway]

If anyones really worried just pick up a couple broken ones on the roadside and throw them in a bag

[spook]

or you could wait in the chain up area and offer to put some nice lady's chains on for her.

[Hugh Conway]

or you could wait in the chain up area and offer to put some nice lady's chains on for her.

or you could cut someones chain off their axle for $20

[SterlingSpikeDancer]

If anyones really worried just pick up a couple broken ones on the roadside and throw them in a bag

This if you worry. My 3 seasons in Reno , with a yearly trip to Mammoth that was usually on a bad weather 395, never stopped once. Made it over Donner a few times when the interstate and the old pass were both closed, just not THAT closed. Never stopped, never questioned. I drove a Chevy Tahoe with good tires. I had chains that I wish I hadn't wasted money on. But the random chains in a bag would work fine too.

[XavierD]

Who doesn't carry chains in their car for winter driving? Do you also forgo jumper cables and a spare tire?

Think about it
$20,000+ car - why not
$400 snow tires - sure
$100/$800 day/season pass - ok
$40 for chains - fuck that

Just get the chains at a Wallmart. Definatly one of those things you don't want to need (and not because the CHP made you) and not have.
4WD is great until all four wheels slide off the road.

[char]

Because the $40 chains will cause $1000 dollars in body work on a Subaru? Even ice build up in the wheel wells will cause rubbing turning into a parking lot. It explicitly states in the owners manual to never put them on the car.

If I don't need to carry them, why buy them?

If I go off the road I am calling a tow truck or getting someone to pull me out (with the tow strap I carry).

[El Chupacabra]

Who doesn't carry chains in their car for winter driving? Do you also forgo jumper cables and a spare tire?

Think about it
$20,000+ car - why not
$400 snow tires - sure
$100/$800 day/season pass - ok
$40 for chains - fuck that

Just get the chains at a Wallmart. Definatly one of those things you don't want to need (and not because the CHP made you) and not have.
4WD is great until all four wheels slide off the road.

Because the reason I bought the fulltime 4WD vehicle with 4 snow tires is so that I never have to put on chains, because putting on chains sucks.

[char]

Because the reason I bought the fulltime 4WD vehicle with 4 snow tires is so that I never have to put on chains, because putting on chains sucks.

Oh yeah, forgot about that. Putting chains on is scary. I remember watching my dad almost get hit putting on chains in a situation like the one that ended up with the smashed Lexus in the bachelor/hood thread.

[4matic]

I had to show chains at Picketts Junction once and also had to prove my car was awd to CHP manning the gate. Because they can.

[BigHerm]

With stock ride height on a Subie I'd be surprised if you could damage your vehicle with cable or quick chain style chains. Sure ice build up can rub on the tire when turning sharply. What do I know, I only drive a lowly VW with a few fingers of gap and have never had a chain/wheel well problem.

Sounds like you've made up your mind to not ever use chains. Cool. Buy a used set (doesn't have to fit) and keep them in your car to show CHP. Or, be prepared to be turned around.

[boarddad]

Grew up along the 80 corridor and never had to even show the cop the box for the chains if I was driving a AWD 4WD car. I have been stopped every time on the 395 if it is snowing anywhere near Bishop however. The cynic in me says this is because most of the CHP guys live in Bishop and like to support the local businesses by making people without chains stay the night. The realist in me has seen the snowdrifts after a big storm at the top of the grade - unreal.15-20 feet on roads that were dry the day before is not uncommon and not something you'll ever see on I-80.

[ak_powder_monkey]

its funny that I've never seen chains for sale here in Alaska... Never heard of anyone carrying them either.

[P_McPoser]

It's pretty much a California thing as far as I can tell. Except for semi trucks.

[LegoSkier]

Have been driving 80, 50, and 88 to Tahoe for 26 years in all manner of blizzards and have never even been asked to show chains. I don't have them in either my subie or pickup and don't plan to ever buy any.
(watch now that I posted this I will get asked next time I drive up)

[TahoeJ]

Heh. Seriously, does ANYONE around Tahoe (or the bay area for that matter) with 4WD / AWD and M/S tires ever carry chains? I don't even have any. At the point that they'd want those cars to put chains/cables on they'd just shut down the highway.

[jfost]

...At the point that they'd want those cars to put chains/cables on they'd just shut down the highway.

and you head off to the access road to get around the chain check/closure...

and yes, I have a set of chains...






















somewhere in my garage!

[char]

With stock ride height on a Subie I'd be surprised if you could damage your vehicle with cable or quick chain style chains. Sure ice build up can rub on the tire when turning sharply. What do I know, I only drive a lowly VW with a few fingers of gap and have never had a chain/wheel well problem.

Sounds like you've made up your mind to not ever use chains. Cool. Buy a used set (doesn't have to fit) and keep them in your car to show CHP. Or, be prepared to be turned around.

I would put chains on my Tacoma no problem. The suby manual says ''do not install tire chains on this vehicle. If you do extreme vehicle damage may result.''

[Viva]

Seeing Lego's post above reminded me of an "incident" from about five years ago. I was driving up to Baldy with Divegirl, Steve Dallas and Mrs Dallas (all stuffed into my 4X4 Tacoma) when we came upon a line of cars stopped. Apparently there was a little accident up the road a bit. This accident was "Caused" by a patch of icy roadway, and as we all know IT'S ALWAYS THE ICE'S FAULT!!! Anywho, CHP were forcing everyone to mount chains as a condition for continuing up the mountain. Totally unnecessary! What probably happened earlier was some dumbfuck drove over the ice, slipped a little and braked. Braked hard, no doubt.

I really believe that the problem lies with Calif. having too many gaperific drivers causing too many accidents whenever it starts drizzling. LE may have to enforce traction devices solely to make these idiots drive slowly as well as to absolve the state of responsibility when the morans eventually skid off the road and commence with litigation.

[Hugh Conway]

I think it's just california has too many people, period. Seattle in the snow has the same level of fuck nuggetry and the gong show up to hood or on I-90 aren't that much better -> and it's not just the california transplants fucking things up up there.

Oddly, 395 covered in snow was the one time I was able to roll through the checkpoint without chains on in a 2wd.

[TahoeJ]

Not saying CA doesn't have a bunch of shitty drivers who have no clue what they're doing in the snow, but every time I drive up the I-70 in Colorado I see a bunch of cars that slid off the road - so I think it's safe to say there are shitty snow drivers just about anywhere there is snow.

[leroy jenkins]

With a subaru with studless snows, i have found visibility, both air and road surface, will make you seek shelter before you ever wish you had chains.

Seeing Lego's post above reminded me of an "incident" from about five years ago. I was driving up to Baldy with Divegirl, Steve Dallas and Mrs Dallas (all stuffed into my 4X4 Tacoma) when we came upon a line of cars stopped. Apparently there was a little accident up the road a bit. This accident was "Caused" by a patch of icy roadway, and as we all know IT'S ALWAYS THE ICE'S FAULT!!! Anywho, CHP were forcing everyone to mount chains as a condition for continuing up the mountain. Totally unnecessary! What probably happened earlier was some dumbfuck drove over the ice, slipped a little and braked. Braked hard, no doubt.

I really believe that the problem lies with Calif. having too many gaperific drivers causing too many accidents whenever it starts drizzling. LE may have to enforce traction devices solely to make these idiots drive slowly as well as to absolve the state of responsibility when the morans eventually skid off the road and commence with litigation.

I think this is most likely an accurate assessment.

[4matic]

Oddly, 395 covered in snow was the one time I was able to roll through the checkpoint without chains on in a 2wd.

Nevada section?