I'm not going to read this while I'm speeding around in the snow, sorry.

Next time find a spot to pull over a bit and let traffic go by. If four cars needed to pass you, you we’re probably going too far under the limit. It sounds like the road you were on had plenty of packed snow to make a good base- this isn’t as unsafe as light/fresh snow or ice.

The four cars that passed me were over the course of 30 miles- I was going less than ten under. It had just started to snow so no plow or sand trucks had come through yet.

Do you really think your PSA is going to change anything?

Don’t like it? Stay off the roads.

[deleted]

I’m probably just going to drive the way I usually do in the snow. If you had 1 car that wanted to get by, then I could probably understand they were going too fast for the conditions, but when you have 4 cars trying to get by, you gotta start thinking, “maybe it’s me?”

I got 4 wheel drive snow is not a problem…..
Oh S#it my steering and brakes don’t work any better than those on a 2 wheel drive!

It changed me. I'm currently typing this as I go 20 over, speeding towards the ocean to chuck a car battery in there

>It had just started to snow...

IOW, no snow had actually accumulated on the road. You are doing 40, have a huge line of cars behind you, and are holding up traffic.

News flash: you do not need to slow to a crawl at the sight of the first snowflake.

If you are that scared to drive on snow, do the motoring public a favor and stay off the road.

It had been snowing for about 15 minutes so there was accumulation. I was going slow because there was enough accumulation that the lines were covered and I couldn’t tell where the edge of the road was. There were no cars behind me. The only cars that came behind me over the course of 30 miles are the ones that passed me. I wasn’t holding anyone up.

Exactly. They aint no pig. Drive how i want.

So you're the fucking asshole I have to pass in an inopportune spot because you are not capable of piloting your vehicle properly? Please do everyone a favour and let someone else drive you around. If that's not an option you should be pulling off to let traffic pass you so you don't cause road rage to others. I know my limitations and they far surpass our outdated speed limits Karen.

Bless the eels

Right how fucking dense is this joker?!

Did you make a reddit just to bitch about this? Oh honey, wrong state and wrong place. No post history? Dafuq?

Just want to mention that the Redditors here may not be the best cross-section of safe drivers. I’m with you, OP. It’s best to slow down in the snow. People can go around (as they did) if they’re in a hurry.

My account is three years old…

And this is your first interaction?! Please stay off the roads and reddit.

I have a different account but I don’t reference my location on it

Why??? Legit who cares?

Guess you’re not from here. Sorry you don’t like our driving. Not sorry. We know how to drive in the snow.

Learn how to drive or get off the road then. You could always move to Florida.

Let there be light

Truck/Subaru drivers have entered the chat

Argumentum ad populum fallacy. Just because there are a ton of idiots on the road doesn't mean driving like an idiot is okay.

I actually do care how good your snow tires are.

I am curious how fast you were going?

[deleted]

[deleted]

I understand your apprehension, but going significantly below the speed of your fellow drivers can be dangerous too.

If you’re genuinely worried about your speed in weather like this, please take side roads or pull to the side when there are a bunch of cars behind you and then get back on the road when it’s clear for you to do so.

I, and many other Mainers, not only learned to drive in these conditions, but have a lot of experience in them. We know how to drive safely in snow. If you do not, you should not be on frequently travelled roads in these conditions.

Username checks out

If this level of accumulation and not being able to see the lines is a problem for you, I have really bad news for you regarding the rest of the winter.

Someone is from away

Maybe you shouldn’t be so impatient. Where the fuck do you have to get to do fast? If you’re passing at an i opportune spot that is YOU making a decision that could impact multiple people by not driving safely. This person driving at a speed they feel comfortable doesn’t make them a Karen, what makes you a Karen is being an impatient dick driver because you’re mildly inconvenienced for a minute of your drive. Wait five minutes for a good spot to go by, don’t drive like an asshole.

As dense as the other jokers up voting them.

Especially when the road has hills. I've been behind traffic on a couple occasions where 1 car going too slow up a hill in the snow loses momentum and traction and causes an entire line of traffic to have to stop. This then compromises the safety of others in multiple ways.

If you feel you are in an unsafe environment, the only option you have is to remove yourself... Don't mean to come off harsh but it is the reality. Sure, they could cause an accident and you may be involved as a result but you cannot control another's behaviors so all you can do is remove yourself from situations that you don't feel good about. How you feel is no one's problem but your own.

Drive as slowly or as quickly as you feel comfortable with. BUT! Get the fuck out of the way for others. It’s not your job to be the traffic police.

Also, for anyone who needs to be told, get out of the left lane!

I love slowing down when people tailgate me.

How about, it’s none of your business as to the reason for my haste? I could be heading to the hospital to see a dying relative, rushing a child to the hospital or even about to shit my pants.

Regardless of the situation, if someone is in that much of a hurry, let them by. You going slowly is not a moral/ethical win.

You can still wait for a safe place to pass, regardless of the reason.

100%.

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They're upvoting him because they agree with him

I'm upvoting because its a hilarious thread

These posts are so weird. Are all of you guys new to driving in snow and ice?

If it’s a nice straight stretch on a level road, I hate when people are driving slower than necessary. Or worse brake for no reason. I never understood why some people brake to slow down when there is no obvious reason to slow down like an upcoming intersection, a turn, or an obstacle. They just brake because they feel they are going too fast. It’s safer if they just ease off the gas and let the engine slow the car down gently and safely. Even with an automatic this slows the vehicle nicely.

“it’s not your job to be the traffic police”… while simultaneously being the traffic police. Heh

Thank you.

A lot of real assholes on this thread. I just made a long road trip. I was taking it easy because I definitely wasn’t comfortable. But the level of assholery out there by the dimwits being in such a big hurry that they actually created worse conditions than I was by going a little slow was ridiculous. And don’t even get me started on the 18 wheelers. I couldn’t even believe what I was seeing at times.

Reading this thread clarifies it glaringly. People are crazy. This world needs help

Sorry but all four of my tires are studded and I’m in 4wd so let me go cause your scared to drive

Yes and no. I work hard to make sure I've got proper equipment for winter which includes an AWD vehicle with studded snow tires with lots of tread. I also remove all the snow from my vehicle before I drive. I have lots of experience and know how to drive for the conditions. I'm also cautious. Too often I get behind people that haven't cleared the snow off their windows and have a two-wheel drive vehicle with worn tires. I feel like they are unprepared to be driving in those conditions and should be going slower than I am or not on the road at all. I don't think I should have to go slower just because you are inexperienced or didn't prepare for the driving conditions.

hahahaha! That's one way to look at it! Have an upvote of your own! :)

I agree with the content of your comment, but in the context of this thread it comes off more as a "naw, fuck you op, I hate when people actually drive slow", so imho it should be downvoted to shit.

If you make it noticeable I will get in front of you and hit the brakes 10x as hard

Deal, unless you're one of those cwords that's does 67mph in the fast lane on 95.

Or get the fuck out of my way. It's great that you're a vapid waste of human space but I am not and have places to be. So kindly fucking move

Nah its actually smart depending on how fucked up their main account is.

I don't really try to hide my actual identity all that much, not like I do fucked up shit on reddit but I'm pretty politically opinionated and I sure wouldn't want anyone in Meatspace to know this is my account either.

All jokes aside, I'm going the speed limit if I feel like the road sucks.

I've also never had a line of traffic up my ass in those conditions either- I'd pull over if I did.

But OP is still being cringe so I'm here for that.

If you're not proud of what you do online and don't want it tied to you, maybe you need to look deeper and ask why that is? People are too afraid to tell others, "that's stupid and so are you."

yeah alright socrates

No. Between my $1500 tires and 4wd on my truck and more, it can handle snowy roads perfectly. I'm going to pass you if you're driving slow. I'm not going to blame you for driving slow or road rage at you but expect to be passed

You know grandmas we’re passing this hag

Your response tells me all I need to know!

Yeah, I mean, I guess it’s a little cringey to tell other people how to drive, but the people here saying you have to go fast are doing the same thing.

I’ve lived here almost 50 years and I’ve totaled two cars due to driving too fast on sketchy winter roads and my neck is permanently jacked. I’m not interested in the insurance hike or the chance that I might hurt myself or someone else in another crash.

I personally drive as fast as I feel safe driving. Sometimes that’s the speed limit, sometimes it’s less, sometimes it’s more. If there’s a big line of cars behind me and no place for them to pass I will pull over, but I’m not going to put my own safety at risk because people have a hot foot either.

Youre only wasting your own time, you know that right

I'm home sick with the flu. I've got days to waste friend

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> the people here saying you have to go fast are doing the same thing.

Oh agreed. A certain someone down below is fucken TURNT lol

Eastbound and down

😂 I knew this comment section would be a gold mine

If you're going under the speed limit let people pass or don't complain that they passed you. If they did it safely they apparently knew how to handle the conditions they were driving in. Just because you can't handle the conditions doesn't mean someone else can't and being forced to go ten or twenty miles below the speed limit is obnoxious when it isn't necessary.

[deleted]

Like where, hmm? Anywhere, oh, you know, important? Like the hospital? A nursing home? The police station?

If not, then perhaps you are the projectionist of the "vapid waste of human space" insult. There's no excuse to be ripping 30 over besides the reasons above.

There are so many accidents and pileups on the highway caused by idiots who want to get absolutely fucking nowhere fast (and certainly nowhere important). Usually by speeding and doing zoom-zooms in the snow. Snow tires and AWD tires be damned, there are signs that say "slow down in inclement weather" for a reason.

That being said...I see the idiots have come out to play for this r/Maine Top Thread of the Day. Consider that an accomplishment, OP, not a detriment.

I think you mean tiny dicks and boys with mommy issues?

You gotta let people make their own mistakes, PSA posts like this will never convince them.

If you leave earlier, then you won't have to rush so much. Plan better

Yes, of course, because everyone can afford to have all the nice things that you do. So, fuck ‘em if they can’t, right? They deserve to be passed. And most of the time, you assholes do it very unsafely, creating a terrible deadly situation for all, including my child in my back seat. Jesus Christ you people are entitled assholes on this thread.

Maine mountain “rover”. Yep, that sums it up nicely.

So 100% of the drivers who came up behind you on the road thought you were going slow enough to pass, but they’re the problem??

4 cars is nothing. There are occasionally people who drive super slow (25 is a 55) down the most common way to come into town. It's typically too busy to pass. Last week I was stuck in a line of at least 20 cars with no chance to pass. The idiot in the front should have pulled over, there are plenty of spots to do so and allow people to pass without disrupting or endangering anyone.

Everyone should know in the winter the roads typically suck. You should leave a little earlier and expect the drive to take a little more time. Just because you can't plan accordingly, doesn't mean that everyone has to move out of your way so you're not held up.

This is my BIGGEST pet peeve when driving in snowy conditions.

It’s weird how managing your time and planning your commute wisely helps you not drive like a total asshole

Ikr?? Such a simple thing to do too!

Was the snow really that bad? There was a light dusting on the ground in Freeport but you live in Maine, if this weather was too severe to drive then you might want to move.

I solidly believe that driving super slow is just as dangerous as going too fast. If you are a cautious driver in snow or rain, please check your rear view mirror and if someone is creeping up on you, pull over.

Stating my opinion so you all know that my opinion needed to be stated in public forum so people know that my opinion is fact. I drive in snow!

I don’t care anymore because I work from home full time now, but my god the worst thing about driving in the snow wasn’t the snow, it was the 20 minute commute turning into a 90 minute commute because people can’t handle driving at a reasonable speed in even a little bit of snow.

Oh well. You don't think you should have to go slower. That makes all the difference. Thanks for explaining.

It... snowed?

Narrow, curvy roads are what slow me down. Particularly if they have a bad/ aggressive crown trying to slide me into the ditch.

Give me a straight two lane highway, that I'm alone on, with wide shoulders, and telegraph poles set way back, and I can recover from anything.

Just drive with your knees while reading.You’ll be fine.

Hypothetical and tooootally not me, but what if you have both of those and drive a Prius?

Thanks. I’ll now drive slower.

How about: Drive within your ability in the snow.

Not that you should drive fast, but some cars can go faster and still be safe in the snow

Honestly yeah, if you don't have 4wd/AWD please have snow tires for the rest of everyone

Edited to just say "snow tires" instead of "good snow tires" and 4wd to 4wd/AWD

The speed limit on 95 is 95 right, lots of signs say 95? Plenty high enough for me

sure, just let me know when 'The rest of everyone' is willing to pay for those nice snow tires and I'll get right on it

Slowing down is technically easier on a 4wd vehicle and they handle better objectively in adverse conditions. A two second google search could teach you how they work and what that means. Not saying to drive dangerously but uhh that's the point of 4wd.. to drive better offroad or in adverse conditions (not just getting unstuck).

Edit: funny being downvoted. Drive safe yall but I'm just saying the comment is literally wrong. You will not find anything to say otherwise. If you want to promote safety and not have people roll their eyes at you, spit facts

Yeah it sucks, I used my winter tires in summer because I'm broke. Cars suck and are expensive but winter here is real. There's a threshold with vehicles where they are dangerous for everyone else if you don't have things it needs (brakes, lights, easy examples). Cars are just expensive to have. I'm not a fan and wish we had a less car centric society but uhh I'm not trying to die right now. There's a certain responsibility with driving to keep others safe.

Lol wth, i have a little Tacoma 4wd with a 4 banger but you're right my mom is dead. That's why I like 4wd living in the country in Maine for my peen and mother, not to safely get me to where I need to go on roads that have bad conditions often (or even my driveway). You're a smart one Karen.

Also Subaru Outbacks are like Maine mom cars (practical and safe - a good thing).

Definitely a big truck small peen macho vibe out there but you're kind of getting it all wrong if you equate anyone with 4wd/awd with that energy.

Surprise, but poverty is also real. People can only do what they can afford to do and survive. Almost like it's a factor that impacts all of society. A great argument for making the wealthy contribute their fair share. If you don't care and won't do it for others, at least hold them accountable for your own sake. If you are forced to choose between upgrading your snow tires and feeding your family for the week, what would you do?

I live under the poverty line. I had my winter tires on all summer like I said. If your vehicle isn't safe that does suck, and I have not been able to afford basics this year as well. Money sucks but you don't get a pass killing people. I'm not even saying its a moral issue either, I get it if you can't afford them and drive but yeah I'm saying generally I care and if possible make it a priority. Get chains if you can't afford them for adverse weather. This was common place before snow tires were popular. Not sure why you're arguing about snow tires making a northern climate safer.

cool, so we agree. if possible, it should be a priority. While you may verbally well be under the 'poverty line', you may not realize just how far under others are. The point is, hurting other people is not human nature, especially when it's those you care about and yourself. Any reasonable person would get the best snow tires they can afford while the rest, by nature, cannot be reasoned with. Best to worry about what you can do for others, not what they can do for you. People do the best they can. At least until they have enough money to ignore the problems they cause for everyone else, apparently. You're argument isn't wrong but you are aiming it in the wrong direction.

i'd like an explanation as to why people have devolved into such shit drivers in a year.

​

yea they were always bad but not *THAT* bad+.

6-

There's something in this state that I call snow-machismo, when certain individuals, usually men, need to prove their driving badassery in winter weather by driving way over a reasonable speed for the conditions. Correlates highly with jeeps, lifted trucks, and loud Subarus FWIW.

Don’t even get us started on telegraph poles

4wd/AWD helps you move forward in adverse conditions. In an emergency stop situation it makes no difference. Having a better grip on the road surface is great, but an all-wheel vehicle should be operated no differently than a 2wd vehicle if conditions are poor.

https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/a1690156/will-you-stop-faster-2wd-or-4wd-engaged-turns-out-it-depends/ pertaining to stopping, it has to do with the wheels being locked in a 4wd drivetrain vs free

Regarding adverse condition in roads, more traction means better handling. I've driven quite a bit being a professional driver and you can feel the difference when 4wd is engaged, it's objectively true. I can downshift and stop faster with all the wheels locked to the drivetrain. I'm not effing saying to drive too fast or dangerous. Handling is definitely affected by traction and where the vehicle is getting power from.

Get out of the way.

Your argument doesn't dispute the fact that in an emergency stop, which is the ultimate nightmare scenario in slick road conditions, power distribution to all wheels just doesn't make enough difference to justify driving any differently than if you were in a FWD vehicle. The video you linked is two vehicles in a fairly low-speed controlled situation.

I never said one should drive differently but OP said

>I got 4 wheel drive snow is not a problem…..Oh S#it my steering and brakes don’t work any better than those on a 2 wheel drive!

Handling and stopping are generally better in 4wd in adverse conditions objectively. Did not scour the internet for hours looking for a video but just a quick search for a vibe. IDK I just have driven A LOT and it is different to drive 4wd but one shouldn't be reckless because of that, 4wd at least out on the road in the snow is great for safety (and serves purposes other than just being able to move foward), guess I'm more trying to argue that.

nice bud

Going too slow is also bad.

I have people riding my fucking ass while I’m driving 5 mph over the speed limit on rural rods. They will get up in my fucking grill as if I’ve personally offended them.

I used to work with paramedics. If these nutjobs don’t get squished this year, they will eventually. Of the hundreds of crashes I’ve responded to, they always thought they were right. Didn’t stop them from being paralyzed or losing their best friends.

Life is fucking short. You can think snow tires or front wheel drive will save you, and even bet on it. It will still be my friends shoveling your corpse off the road. But hey, if you think your ego is big enough to save you ¯_(ツ)_/¯ be my guest.

Every winter, without fail, 4WD/AWD vehicles are always the first vehicles I see in the ditch after/during the first snowstorm we get. Doesn’t matter how great your tires are when it comes to icy slick roads. How quickly thee forget. Slow down, save a life.

It's called people owning vehicles that can handle driving in snow without any problems.

And I'll wreck you in court with my dashcam. Have fun paying for my new car.

Four (all) wheel drive gives a false sense of security. It won’t prevent you going into the ditch; it just makes it easier to get out of the ditch once you’ve gone in.

Funny how telephone poles and Darwin have a way of solving this problem.

I don't know where you were, but we were out driving all day in the weather yesterday, from Gilead all the way up to Farmington, and down to Portland before returning to the Farmington area. Weren't even enough snow to do more than blow away when cars passed. Roads were fine.

No surprise that a “Gypsy” skimmed over the part where I said I worked hard. Also not surprising that you make assumptions. My vehicle is 16 years old and I bought it used. Also I bought used snow tires that had seen a season and had them mounted on wheels I got from a junkyard. I’m smart, safe, and thrifty, not entitled.

Run in to the back of my car and you'll be calling an ambulance, BUT NOT FOR ME

My rule of thumb for driving on snowy roads: never shift out of second gear. Keeps me from drifting above 25-30mph.

they most certainly do if you have snow tires, i live on a mountain where you have to have 4wd and snow tires. I have driven through actual blizzards where i could not see past the hood of my truck.

But for ice snow tires are useless, and i didn't have much luck with studded snows either.

For real, Maine is the only state where I consistently see cars and trucks that have slid off the road in RAINY conditions, y'all drive like maniacs and I think you maybe need different outlets for your energy lol

I drive down the middle of the road when it snows and only move over when traffic is coming, or I encounter a hill or a curve in the road. I only do this in back roads, but sometimes do this through town if the snow accumulation is too much for the plows to keep up with. I think the rule of staying within the lines goes out the window during snowstorms and the only time I follow that rule is when I encounter other vehicles.

Hampden had nothing but a few flakes yesterday, but a friend a few miles away in Jackson said there was enough to lightly cover everything.

So it seems like it depends on just exactly where you were

If you have 4WD/AWD, please don't drive as if that will actually do anything to keep you on the road during snowy or icy conditions. These are about getting your vehicle moving, not about steering, braking, or staying on the road.

You're being downvoted because you're wrong.

The point of 4WD/AWD is to help get your vehicle moving and/or get it over obstacles by powering four wheels instead of just two. These modes will not assist you with steering, braking, or staying on the road.

Edit: Everyone downvoting me doesn't understand how 4WD/AWD actually works, or what it actually does.

Physics disagrees with your anecdotal experience, for what it's worth.

Ever lived in a more urban state?

I saw worse in mass every single day

people that downvoted are the ones without 4wd. if you have it it does help steer better and brake quicker. it's not a save all but yes its a lot better that your little sedan electric vehicle or your high priced sports car. sometimes going to slow on bad roads is unsafe as well. you gotta go a steady pace so tires are always gripping. hence why 4wd does help

Well, the tone of this comment sounds a whole heck of a lot nicer than the first one. And a lot of people work hard…. And drive safely and slowly to get home to their families. I picked gypsy for my user name because I love the song by Stevie Nicks, not because I lack reading comprehension skills. I didn’t miss any part. Anyhow, be safe out there.

I’ll remember that the next time my partner is almost dying due to pregnancy complications and someone decides to get a justice boner and go 30 in a 50 because “OH MY GOODNESS they’re going TEN OVER THE HUMANITY”.

Yes, some people have emergencies that aren’t planned. Do some thinking outside of your box.

More people need to understand this!

If your partner is dying of pregnancy complications are you going to call an ambulance or feed your hero complex by driving excessive speeds to the hospital yourself in a snowstorm?

Considering Outbacks are the official car of Maine lesbians, I'd say the small peen energy still fits.

Oh yeah, I forgot, I live in maine. So ambulances totally can’t take an hour to get to rural locations. So, two hours waiting for an ambulance? Or 45 minutes to get them to the hospital?

I’ll take my chances.

Sorry need to keep my speed up to make it up the icy hills. It’s always the flatlanders who slow down, lose their momentum, and get stuck

You let me store them at your place for the ten months out of the year I don't need em and maybe we can talk about it.

Or I can continue being a careful driver with all seasons in the snow and watch the people who think snow tires gives them the ability to travel 70 mph in blizzard conditions fishtail off into a ditch.

Well I work in an emergency room, and I can confirm that such vehicles do not exist. What does it hurt to drive slower?

Seriously. I was returning home after a 12 hour shift in snow after the last big snowstorm. Going 45 on a curvy 50 mph road. I was going slow half from snow, half from fatigue. The amount of lifted truck road rage aimed at me was scary for a 3 mile drive. I guess the world has just changed, but it makes me sad.

I grew up in the county, and I still remember how patient that other drivers were the first year I got my licence and was really nervous in snowstorms. Like I was part of a community and we cared about each other or something.

I have studded snow tires AND AWD and I still go way under the speed limit when the roads are gross. I don't understand how others go 10+ over the speed limit when the weather is bad. They are putting themselves and others in danger by doing so.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a normal car with chains in Maine, I don’t know that they’re even legal.

Their ego.

This shit is so cringe.

Years back was giving the same speech to my daughters. Driving down the turnpike, right on cue a businessmans special passed on my left. the car then turned sideways with the front towards me, and proceeded to make a semi circle in front of us ending up against the side rail on my right side, always front towards my car at all times. To this day my daughters insist it was a setup, couldn't really happen.

Let em pass. I'd rather have those types in front of me than behind me. They'll find the bad spots before I do!

The ones passing must be coming from BIW because my coworkers all seem to fly out of there like hell on wheels with a death wish.

I drive a Volvo 240. It's made of steel, not plastic, silly.

I own my shitbox of a malibu that's nearly 20 years old and have EXCELLENT insurance, try me friend

Only 20 years? Mine is a '92.

Anyway, I'm not keen on car accidents or bogans like you.

As it happens I'm not fond of idiots clogging up the roads, looks like we're at an impasse guy!

Good thing I live in Australia, mate. Can't get much further away from ya.

Praise be!

They're legal in the same time range studded tires are legal. They're not used much anymore (they are in mountain regions of the US and required at times to pass ranges) because of snow tires getting better the past 30 years.

nah always - passed a jeep gladiator this morning doing 50 on 2 lane no ice/no snow - they then proceeded to ride my rav4 ass the rest of the way as obvs they make the rules....slow or fast ;P.

He's not wrong though, Maine is on track for roughly equivalent deaths as Louisiana, which has 3 million more people.

Didn't know ER staff were experts on vehicles.

Some of us drive on frozen lakes for fun

It makes me sad, too. So many of the comments on this thread really got to me. It was so bad that I took the insensitive advice of the people on this thread and got off the road. I was afraid, not because of the weather, but because of the way they were driving in that weather. And myself and my son sat in a parking lot in the middle of nowhere as it snowed and he cried. So, that few minutes that they all think is so important that they have to drive like idiots cause “they know how to drive in snow” actually cost me hours of sitting and waiting because I didn’t want to be on the road with them. Now, that’s sad. But people just don’t care anymore….about anything…. Especially when it comes to others. So, here we are.

It’s seriously unsafe. I’ve also been on the end of a lineup on a hill where someone decided to be ~super safe~ and slid down the hill and it’s fuckin terrifying. At that point it doesn’t even matter how far back you are from the car in front of you or how defensive a driver you are, it’s fuckin dangerous.