<p>Always let someone know when to expect you at your destination. Don’t travel if the roads are icy, or if weather is extreme (freezing sleet, blowing snow). Like sjmom says, tell someone your precise itinerary–what roads you will be taking, in case you drive off the road and someone needs to look for you – It is very easy to drive off the road if there is a lot of blowing snow and you can’t see the road, or if the road is icy. Always have blankets and food in the car. Don’t leave the car unless you can see your destination – a house or something. So easy to get lost when out walking in blizzard conditions. A girl in my high school almost froze to death walking from the barn to her house – couldn’t see where she was going and got lost. Don’t travel on roads that are remote/have no traffic.</p>
<p>zoosermom, I do think that schools discuss safety issues with the kids. My d went to a summer program at Cornell, and they went over the safety issues involving the gorges (don’t swim there, don’t walk there late or you could fall in, fog rolling in over the gorges first, etc.). And don’t forget, at a school like Plattsburgh there will be many, many kids from upstate New York who will keep an eye on the “newbies”.</p>
<p>Cornell talks about the gorges because of the awful publicity that occurs every time a student dies in one of them (usually because of a drunken fall; less commonly as a result of suicide).</p>
<p>I went to Cornell, and we were never briefed on winter-related safety hazards. Never.</p>
<p>That may be true, Marian, but this bad publicity near Plattsburgh will also heighten the school’s awareness. And in a litigious society like ours (depending on how long ago you went to Cornell), more and more safety announcements and seminars are being made. I remember not long ago (last winter?) there were articles in the Boston Globe about Harvard and MIT telling their students not to walk on the frozen Charles River because the ice isn’t strong enough. If schools in urban Boston do it, I think that a rural school like Plattsburgh would too.</p>
<p>Zoosermom, I was afraid I would hurt your feelings, that you didn’t mean it to be a bit funny. Truly, it was really cold (and I’ve been to Chicago in the winter, and Montreal) about -5, but with a damp 30 mile per hour breeze (coldest weather in NYC in 20 years, the cabs weren’t even out, streets only half plowed because it was going into a long weekend, subways partially running). When I flew into LaGuardia it was dark, close to -10, with blowing snow - it looked like the pictures of the Air FOrce Base in Gander, Newfoundland, I swear.
Anyway, I don’t think your concerns are at all unfounded, although maybe a bit exaggerated for effect. I encouraged D to ask around to find a “native”, and she soon made friends with someone from NH, it helped to have someone to consult. I agree with the others about her major hazards, and if she won’t be driving, then that is probably the most significant danger avoided.</p>
<p>I also agree that there is more to the car off the road story, a certain amount of common sense seems to be missing there. You claim to be “city people”, but you are at least concerned about the cold and snow, and asking about potential dangers, these folks didn’t see anything wrong with driving down a rural interstate at 2am??</p>
<p>I didn’t have time to read the article ealier, but now that I have, I have to say it really is a question of time, place and weather. Having lived in a climate where a bad decision could be dangerous, I question the fact that the couple was driving in below-zero weather at 2:00 am. We would never have done that when we lived in MN. In harsh climates, you need to plan when you will be traveling and know what’s on your route. The problem is that there is little forgiveness for mistakes – if you develop car trouble or have an accident, there may not be a way to get help, or it may arrive too late. This really is a sad story.</p>
<p>I grew up in NYC, used to live in Burlington (across the lake from Plattsburgh) and now live in another part of Vermont. While it can get cold up here, it is not the North Pole – if you dress properly (and by this I mean a warm coat and long pants as opposed to pantyhose and skirts), the weather here is manageable. Usually once or twice a winter it gets below zero for a few days, so you have to bundle up (not that my daughter believes that, of course). I have been colder in NYC than I have been in Vermont – seriously, 25 in NYC can feel much much colder than 5 degrees here.</p>
<p>Everyone here has given you good advice, and it makes sense to be safe, but honestly – the weather here really isn’t as bad as you think. Plus, your daughter will be on a college campus, and won’t be driving around all the time. </p>
<p>The accident this weekend was a tragedy, but I believe they were on a major highway and had a freak accident. I’ve been out past midnight when it’s been below zero – when you live up here, sometimes you have to (heck, I do it several times a week).</p>
<p>“You claim to be “city people”, but you are at least concerned about the cold and snow, and asking about potential dangers, these folks didn’t see anything wrong with driving down a rural interstate at 2am??”</p>
<p>Speaking for myself, I can tell you that this sad story is front page news here and the Hassidic community is mobilizing, so it would be tough for even someone as clueless as me to not be concerned. I’m very much a city person, so much so that I rarely drive and wouldn’t consider myself someone who would know anything about road safely in rural areas. I do think that one has to be aware of one’s limitations and seek information, which is what I meant to do. I definitely exaggerated my concern for effect, but not so much as one might think because, again, I rarely drive and have never driven on a highway.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>A lot of people who live in parts of the country with milder weather would think nothing of driving down a rural interstate at 2 am. Being aware that this is risky behavior during the winter in truly cold climates is something we need to learn.</p>
<p>I can understand your concern, zoosermom, especially when it comes to NYC kids and driving. Though kids raised in NYC may be street smart/sophisticated , driving is one area where they are frequently less experienced when it is time to head off to college as compared to kids from other areas of the country. I don’t think one is even allowed to drive on the streets within the five boroughs until one is 17 (with drivers ed) or 18 (without). Many leave for college without much experience behind a wheel, let alone in harsh winter driving conditions. </p>
<p>There are driving schools that have special classes on winter driving, how to handle emergencies etc. so you might want to look into something like that if your D has had little or no previous experience with this kind of driving. But since you say that she will most likely not be bringing a car up to school right away, keep in mind that here will be other kids up at her school who <em>will</em> have them. So my biggest concern would be to discuss making intelligent decisions when it comes to when and whether to accept rides from others - all the time, but particularly in bad weather. If the weather is bad, tell her to use her common sense as to whether or not to go off campus or on a road trip - even if others are going. </p>
<p>One time I was travelling from my home in NY to college in the Boston area - and got stuck in a blinding blizzard. A four hour trip took over thirteen hours. Cars were sliding off the roads and parked on the side for long periods of time when you couldn’t even see in front of you. We were stupid and continued on, feeling that we HAD to get back to school that day. As it turned out, lots of kids were delayed by the storm and classes were cancelled the next day anyway. We should have just pulled over and spent the night at a motel somewhere. I tell my kids that story to remind them that there is no place they ever HAVE to be that is more important than their safety.</p>
<p>Roshke, that’s exactly right. Kids in NYC are much less sophisticated in terms of driving. There have also been changes in licensing laws in recent years which state that people under 17 can only drive in a vehicle with dual brakes. Which means that they can’t drive with parents after they get their permits. I think it’s actually a terrible idea because they can be and are taught to pass the road test in driver’s ed, but they have no other driving experience outside of the weekly 20 minutes in class, so they end up licensed and unsafe. Unless of course you can pay for expensive private lessons. Which we’re doing, but most are not. The road test here is about five mintues long (I’m a new driver, so this isn’t too far off for me), involves making two right-hand turns, one broken U turn and one parallel park. It’s also on a marked route, so traffic and dealing with other drivers isn’t an issue. Most kids pass the road test and are licensed without ever having to change lanes or drive in traffic. Zoosergirl will have no frame of reference as to highway or rural driving unless we seek out good information for her.</p>
<p>Cell phone coverage on the Northway (I-87) in the Adirondacks is a huge issue and the legislators are up in arms over what to do. The couple did not have service and were not able to call for help. </p>
<p>While cell phone towers rarely enhance the landscape, even “Franken trees” (towers with fake branches to blend into the forests) are not acceptable to the purists.
D works in Saranac in the summer and is roaming most of the time when she finally finds service in that part of the state. </p>
<p>I’m not sure who has the best service in Plattsburgh but it is one thing you should probably check out before the start of school next fall. (I know that we were glad there is a Sprint tower on Ds campus and many parents were going crazy during move-in when their phones wouldn’t work unless they were in the middle of a street!)<br>
Check the school’s website to see if they rate coverage for the different companies or call the res life office to see if they can help. </p>
<p>As far as driving in the snow goes: as a teen, I had to go to the shopping center lot with a parent every year to practice in the first snowfall. Drive, turn, brake at different speeds. Nothing to hit and got the “feel” of driving. We did the same with our kids and they appreciated it.</p>
<p>I haven’t read all this thread, so forgive me if it has already been mentioned. When my mother became a widow and was going to be traveling by car alone, I purchased an emergency CB radio for her. She could keep it under the seat and just attach antennae to roof if she needed it. It only broadcast on the emergency channel. She only had to use it one time when she had a flat on a rural road with no cell reception–but was glad she had it then.</p>
<p>I’ve heard ads on the radio for GPS (?) systems where you can summon help or directions. I don’t know if they work through a monitor or if the people in the ads were using their cell phones. Also have no idea what they cost. Just a thought–</p>
<p>I would limit the late-night driving whenever possible. My sister is on the road constantly (trains and ships harness horses) and our biggest worry is that she’s driving late into the night, after starting her day at 6 am or so. Aside from drunk drivers, drowsiness can be a real danger.</p>
<p>Oh - just saw the emergency cb radio mentioned above. Good idea-</p>
<p>If she is driving consider having the following:</p>
<p>winter windshield wipers- they last probablly a season, but work much better in the snow (thank you car guys)</p>
<p>a poncho- one of those plastic ones to keep dry, and to hold in body heat</p>
<p>a map book- some times those road get confusing in the snow</p>
<p>BEFORE she goes out and if she is going to anyplace off the beaten path- DOUBLECHECK that the road are open (we had a family who got lost because road signage and instructions were wrong- roads had closed because it was winter but the maps online didn’t relfect that)- I suggest calling destiniation to confirm directions- assume nothing</p>
<p>Don’t take shortcuts, if lost, go back the way you came, don’t think, that road might work</p>
<p>If you have to leave your car, leave a note with all relevent information-direction headed, phone #, etc, but best not to leave</p>
<p>Carry a whistle- yelling can drain energy, but blowing a whistle especailly in bad weather, the sound will carry better and is out of character with the surroundings and will stand out</p>
<p>Just be smart, plan well, take it easy, and double check everything</p>
<p>Oh yeah, never leave on a winter trip that takes you from civilization without a full tank of gas and fill it up if possible on the return trip</p>
<p>Another biggie, if you run car to keep warm, don’t do it much at all, and if you have to, be sure exhaust is clear of snow- fumes could back up</p>
<p>Also, carry some cardboard in the car to slide under tires to get traction if stuck in snow</p>