The principal of my school sent an e-mail with bad news. One of our teachers lost control of his truck on a patch of ice on IH-84. While he survived, his seven year old son did not. Since the teacher is the head coach for our baseball program, his son was a school mascot of sorts and would often be seen in tow with other teachers during teacher work days.
I have been told that his trucks velocity was such that it not only broke the barrier and careened down to the Columbia river, but that the truck was found at a depth of 40 feet. He was not driving recklessly, by the way. He was driving the same speed as everyone around him was.
For years, i’ve heard people up here say how well they drive on ice. STOP IT. You do not drive well on ice. You have been LUCKY while driving on ice and nothing more.
As heartbreaking as this is for everyone, my message today is simple: ICE KILLS.
I do not give a fuck as to how well you believe you can drive on ice. I do not care if you spent your childhood negotiating country roads in the winter or how many times you’ve been over the same slice of gently iced pavement. By its nature, ice changes the car or truck you’re driving into nothing but a projectile.
And if you believe it doesn’t matter, it matters to someone else. Someone out there cares about you- not to mention that we are each responsible for the safety of others when we drive.