The Conservative Cave
Interests => Around the House & In the Garage => Topic started by: franksolich on November 30, 2010, 08:00:57 AM
-
I had to drive to the big city early this morning--actually more like "middle of the night" when I took off--and as luck would have it, immediately upon turning onto the highway, a state highway truck smearing ice remover passed by. And so it took me about an hour and a half to go 42 miles, but that was okay; I was perfectly happy following about a city-block's length behind him.
Much blowing snow, "white-outs," ice on the roads.
So much white-out that at times the only thing one could see were the three large blinking blue lights of the truck in front.
Anyway.
I dunno what they use in the other parts of Nebraska where the terrain is different--Nebraska has seven distinctive sorts of terrain--but up here on the roof of Nebraska, they use an ice-remover made from.....corn.
It was apparently invented at the University of Michigan some years ago.
It's liquid, and it seems to work really good.
Of course, road conditions are much different here, than they are in most of the rest of the country (and even in much of Nebraska). Good smooth roads; the two-lane highways here would be four lanes anywhere else, and little to nil traffic; sometimes one can go 10-12 miles before seeing another motor vehicle on the highway.
I suppose most agencies in charge of keeping highways clear of snow and ice use what's best for the place.
This corn-made ice remover is great; it works instantly, and causes no damage to the surface of the road, or the nearby flora, or by automobiles slushing through it. It's just corn, after all.
But everything, all things, have a down-side to them.
Is anyone aware of any down-side to corn-made ice-remover?
Like, is it maybe a lot more expensive than other methods of ice removal?
-
Looks like it's blended with either magnesium chloride, calcium chloride or sodium chloride. Without knowing what particular brand they use, it's really difficult to say much about it. The only up side is that it's a renewable resource.
-
The only up side is that it's a renewable resource.
No, it's got lots of upsides.
Easy to apply, works immediately, doesn't harm soil, flora, or automobiles, and as you sir said, it's renewable.
But nothing in life is 100% all good; everything has its bad points too.
And I'm curious what the bad points of this might be.
-
No, it's got lots of upsides.
Easy to apply, works immediately, doesn't harm soil, flora, or automobiles, and as you sir said, it's renewable.
But nothing in life is 100% all good; everything has its bad points too.
And I'm curious what the bad points of this might be.
Well, if it's mixed with sodium chloride (salt), you've got potential for corrosion in motor vehicles. Though, I have to say, seeing rusted out cars on the roadways isn't as common as it used to be.
-
Well, if it's mixed with sodium chloride (salt), you've got potential for corrosion in motor vehicles. Though, I have to say, seeing rusted out cars on the roadways isn't as common as it used to be.
You haven't been to Ohio :-)
-
You haven't been to Ohio :-)
Or Michigan! :-)
-
Toasted/Chris:
Wrong on both counts. :-)
I was born and raised in SE Michigan, the hellhole that it is, until the mid-Seventies.
In 2004, my wife and I moved to Ohio where we lived until 2007.
My point is, rustbucket cars aren't as common as they used to be - and that is due largely to better automaking.
-
Toasted/Chris:
Wrong on both counts. :-)
I was born and raised in SE Michigan, the hellhole that it is, until the mid-Seventies.
In 2004, my wife and I moved to Ohio where we lived until 2007.
My point is, rustbucket cars aren't as common as they used to be - and that is due largely to better automaking.
Plastic doesn't rust.
-
Plastic doesn't rust.
But of course. :-)
-
Plastic doesn't rust.
Hi5.
And, to add, ain't that a damn shame.
-
Nobody loves bashing Detroit's automakers more than I do (I saw it, lived it, and breathed it, which explains a lot of shit today :evil: ), but let's not forget our Japanese brethren AND our Korean brethren AND our German brethren, all of whom have adopted plastic as the schmeckhaftiges Ding des Jahrhunderts.
:-)
-
I don't wanna derail Frank's thread any more than I already have...... :whistling:
-
It is a thread about ice remover. People here still bitch about the state switching from sand to salt over a decade ago. I guess they're afraid of their cars disintegrating over the winter.
-
It is a thread about ice remover. People here still bitch about the state switching from sand to salt over a decade ago.
Which state? NE?
Let's not forget that Detroit and a huge chunk of Lake Erie sits on TOP of a salt mine. Guess where all that icemelting stuff in MI and OH comes from?
-
Which state? NE?
Let's not forget that Detroit and a huge chunk of Lake Erie sits on TOP of a salt mine. Guess where all that icemelting stuff in MI and OH comes from?
here=Tennessee
-
Yeah, I guess TN gets some snow now and again - enough to shut the area down for 3 days, close schools, etc. Salt is likely cheaper than sand, which probably explains it.
-
Our biggest problem is ice which happens a lot more often than the snow we might get once or twice a year.
-
Or Michigan! :-)
Or New England.
-
Our biggest problem is ice which happens a lot more often than the snow we might get once or twice a year.
Here in the eastern part of the state, it's a combination of treated sand - with an ice melter chemical, and salt. Makes a nasty mess, and used predominately on interstate, primary roads, and some secondary roads. Not in subdivisions at all.
Like Chris, we get more ice - particularly black ice - than we do snow. Today should be interesting, supposed to be in the upper 60's. We are having buckets of rain, possible thunderstorms and tornadoes.....preceding rapid drop in temperatures. Snow flurries are coming in tonight...for sure in the mountains....which I can see from my office window. :o
-
Snow flurries are coming in tonight...for sure in the mountains....which I can see from my office window. :o
I can see Oklahoma from my house !! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
-
I can see Oklahoma from my house !! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it. *sigh*
-
Or New England.
Tell me about it. :banghead: :banghead:
-
I can see Oklahoma from my house !! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
I know, I have been to DFW and also to the airport in Witchita...I swear you could see one from the other!! :tongue: I always forget how flat it is out there until I go back and then it's like wow!!
I would just like to say that after temps of almost 70 yesterday, we woke up to snow covered rooftops and decks!!!
According to the local news this morning, several people also found black ice on their way to work this morning. There were accidents all over the place. :( We had almost 2.5" of rain yesterday, and flooding. The wind was so cold, that instead of drying stuff out, it froze it. The flurries have now stopped and we're getting some sun and coooold winds. Brrrrr. This is not a good sign of what winter may be like!
-
Actually, I have to go up the hill to see Oklahoma.... I'm down in the Red River Valley.