"Jonathan Ganz" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Bob Crantz wrote:
In the short term plowed roads can be more dangerous as it may expose the
packed down ice layer at the bottom. However, once the ice layer is
exposed,
it begins to melt and, over the longer term, the plowed road is much
safer.

Well, if you're an idiot, then yes. Seems to me that if you have a
4WD, it's really not an issue. I never had any problems with my old
CJ7 either on ice, thinly covered ice, plowed streets??, or fairly
deep stuff.

Your CJ7 is really 2 WD unless it has LSD (limited slip differentials) or
locking differentials. If you stop on an slick icy road going uphill and try
to take off again you never will in "4WD" or "2WD" with conventional
differentials.

Conventional differentials turn the wheel with the least resistance, they're
useless in real slick going, even if you have 4WD.

Here it is explained specifically for Jeeps:

http://www.4x4now.com/butjf.htm


While you're at it check this out:

http://bootnewt.hostingzero.com/

It's the best anti Bush song site anywhere!

Amen!




Snow tires don't work on ice. They need snow for the tread to grab. The
snow
can have some adhesion to ice. So, in some cases unplowed roads offer more
traction.

Well, I took a long slide on ice once with my Jeep... part of the road
flooded then froze over.. maybe 100 feet or so.. just put it in
reverse and gently applied some gas. Came to stop without hitting the
pole at the end of the road.

--
Capt. JG @@
www.sailnow.com