Portlands first snow
 

Man its pretty crazy right now, I live up in Clackamas area and theres a lot of snow every where. Looks like, its time for my 8 to rest

i'm just glad I live less than 1/4 mile from work...looks like it'll be pretty crappy if it keeps this up til 8pm when i go home. I live out in hillsboro and it doesn't look too bad yet but at the rate it's going it may just get that way.

i think it might melt away, the news online isnt even accurate. It says that its raining right now, and im like..right...sure it is. Rain is white and fluffy and it sticks to the ground

I live in Clackamas as well, all I care is that it thaws in time for the U2 concert tomorrow.

thats real hard to say, cus theres going to be freezing rain tomm covering or making a sheet of ice over the current blanket of snow that we have.

I saw that happen a couple of times during the 3 years I lived in Hillsboro.

Funniest parts of the 'Snow Show':
1) The mad rush of all the parents to pick up their kids at school instead of letting them take the bus home like they would every other day - Result: uber traffic jam in the worst driving conditions at an unexpected time of day.
2) The tendancies of numerous morons to abandon their cars in the middle of traffic lanes because it slipped a little or they couldn't get going for a second or two. Really - who decides to just get out and walk and not try to get the car off the road somehow?

I remember watching such a show out my window on the Sequent (sp? it's been years) campus and listening to radio reports of all the major arteries in Hillsboro and Beaverton being clogged by abandoned vehicles. The snow stopped by 4:30 and the roads were pretty clear by the time I left ~6:30. By then most of the abandoned cars had been towed or retrieved.

However, I thought the ice-storms were dangerous enough to warrant caution. Heh heh, the caution of calling into work, staying in my warm house drinking hot coffee and watching TV.

What do you do for tires around Portland? Aquatreds mostly? Do any of you 12-monthers bother with snow tires?

What do you do for tires around Portland? Aquatreds mostly? Do any of you 12-monthers bother with snow tires?

I used to do snow tires, even studs. Now, like you, when things get slick I stay in until it thaws out. Usually that logic is pretty strong. Two years ago I was iced in for 5 days, that got a littlle old.

drove today (12/19) at 6 AM from lake oswego to vancouver, only skiddes twice, but the car handled pretty welll, oh and by the way now I have 238 new rock chips from all that gravel. :banghead:

I got snow tires today and I noticed an immediate difference in driving. Of course, I got them because I'm driving up through Wenatchee tomorrow and plan to be in an area where they're expecting a bit of snow this week. But it was nice feeling more confident driving around today after the tires were put on.

why would you purchase snow tires when the snow has melted already ? Dont you think that it was a lil too late ?

Man that does suck...well take care and time to get a new aftermarket bumper or some thing lol.

This is why I never post to these boards...

Here you go. Here's a picture since you obviously can't read:
Blewett Pass

Good call RXAnna and picture is worth more than 1,000 words to the illiterate.

When I lived in Hillsboro there were two kinds of cars. Cars that went up to Mt. Hood (or through some 'chains required mountain pass) and car that did not. People that drive where angels fear to tread need protection. Chains vs. all-seasons vs. snow tires is a personal choice.

Ignore the savages, enjoy the board. :)

We had snow up here in the beginning of December, and I couldn't barely get my car out of the driveway....it made me so angry! I tried traction control on, tranction control off, starting in first, second, third gears...just too light and powerful to get going on iced over snow.

So I decided to take my wife's 325i and viola! It drove through the snow/ice with no problems what-so-ever...now that really pissed me off, becuase I always give my wife a hard time about my car being better than hers, and getting more attention!

Dude, ease off on the anger and go read the tires. Your sig says "Bone Stock" so I'd bet $5 you still have your summer performance tires on your RX-8. Snow is a no-no, that simple fact is discussed every week on the forum. If you're not parking your RX-8 for the winter you should swap to winters or all-seasons or only be angry at yourself.

You wife's 325i probably has all-season tires, plus more weight, plus less torque. Don't envy her car - envy her tires. In fact, don't even envy her tires, just get some for your RX-8.

One more note on winter performance - I have a 60-foot unpaved driveway with about a 15 to 20 degree down-slope to the street. Monday morning I found the snow had melted and then refroze so my driveway was literally a solid sheet of ice. I use Blizzak LM-22s on 17" rims, but they're not magic. As I eased down the driveway I could feel the wheels slip, but the car was stable. It wasn't a random, out-of-control, spinning slide - the car just got a little crooked and held there and I was able to slide into the street (which was sanded and salted) and proceed to work with no worries.

I never had much trouble in Portland or Seattle, but I've put all kinds of cars into ditches here in upstate NY (including a Subaru wearing snow tires). I really have to credit the balance of the RX-8 for making it about as good as it can be to control even when you're slipping.

Now I just need to learn to drift so I can take her to Watkin's Glen in the spring. ;)

Please don't tell me tell me to go read the forum, or what is posted on this forum, I've been a member here for years longer than you, and more than likely an 8 owner for longer than you (July '03) I know exactly what is on the forum, and all about my tires.

Actually her car has more torque than mine, and I was simply telling what I thought was a whimsical and funny story about my experience in the snow and ice that we got this year. I wasn't truly pissed, I just was pointing out the irony of having to use my wifes car after giving her so much grief in the past.