Black Ice Feb 2021 Texas

Thats pretty scary stuff

Just goes to show how a little thing can bring the whole show undone

Paul

I have come undone on black ice and as you say pretty scary. You can't see it particularly at night. Driving along the highway and the road is dry but go over a long culvert or bridge the surface does not have the insulation of the ground and freezes. Just dips in the road can hold air a couple of degrees lower enough to snap freeze any moisture.

If you do not touch the brakes the vehicle can normally be driven safely over the black ice section but the slightest touch of the brakes you have zero traction and zero steering. Those people had no hope of stopping.

You are probably aware prime movers were available from the factory with no front brakes. They still disconnect the front brakes in winter in the NW and Canada so the truck maintains steering.

Lang

I've b een lucky with black ice, used to come across it a lot on a monthlky drive on Friday nights from Sydney to Rocklea south of Bathurst. Very lucky I never went of the road a few times and it got that way that you learnt the spots that it happened to most frquent so you were ready for it at a snails pace.

I was surprised to read that if the same conditions occurred here Newcastle would be -19 C and further north ( I can't remember where but around Coffs Harbour) would be -14 C.That was by similar degrees south of the equator as places in Texas are north.