Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: Traction
I would rather drive on snow and ice rather than salt. When you add up the damage salt causes collectively to all the cars, trucks, roads, bridges, etc. I think it costs more in the long run, plus all the vehicles coming at you with brake lines, leaky wheels, and suspension parts ready to fail from corrosion at the worst time. Winter tires and slow down. If everyone was careful, which I know will never happen, you could drive on ice all winter and not crash. If anything, just treat problem areas, not every square in. of road 2 days before it even snows like they do here. Plus it seems when they spray all the roads before hand it causes more ice, because instead of the snow blowing off the road when windy and cold, it hits the salt turns to ice immediately.
Amen.
Back in the 90s I read a study on road salt shown to me by a friend working at the State DOT. They had tested a non corrosive replacement, which worked slightly better than the salt; but they decided not to use it since its cost was 3x as much. The study also mentioned that the cost of all the corrosion to vehicles, bridges and other road structures and damage to the environment far outweighed the increased cost, but that budgetary restrictions required the use of the less expensive road treatment.
If everyone spent $400 on a set of snow tires every 4 years, then we wouldn't have to spend $20000 every 8 years on a completely new vehicle.
But, because people won't spend money on tires,they have to spread a highly corrosive mateiral on the road.
Hate it