Understanding Winter Driving Conditions

Alberta has once again gone back to a warm winter condition while eastern Canada is battling with frigid temperatures. While I'm sitting here at 7 ℃  (~ 44.6 ℉), many in provinces of 

and Manitoba are having temperatures ranging from -13 ℃ (~ 8.6 ℉) to -21 ℃ (~ -5.8 ℉). 

It was the same just a few days ago in Calgary and as a result of that driving was a major issue for many. It resulted in many accidents. I was heading home the Fri. before and I was tempted for a minute to take the company's pick up truck as I had done it before but didn't want anyone to say something. I drove my old sedan.

All sorts of vehicles were either in the ditch or involved in incident. Here's what many don't understand and what I mean by many, I mean many drivers of different vehicles. People think if they're driving a shitty SUV or a big ass pick up truck, they're immune to incidents and speed up and down the roads and highways. That is not the case. I was driving northbound Deerfoot Trial and at a curve I slowed down because it was extremely slippery. I could easily feel the vehicle dancing on the ice. An SUV sped off my left and then at the curve span and hardly stopped! I slowly passed him while looking at a van and couple of other vehicles who had hit the guard rail and had been damaged. I continued slowly until I reached home safely, without any issue, just a little later than usual. 

Two vehicles, both SUVs are sitting at the side of a road, beautifully(!) waiting for a tow truck to come and save them from their misery! That is the beauty of Alberta winter which proves SUVs worth shit!

The thing about winter driving here in Alberta is these sort of incidents happen every year and caused by the people who either were born and raised in the country but also have been driving for years! Still don't understand that winter driving is different from normal driving! 

This makes both the body shops and insurance companies happy. Not to mention the law enforcement agencies and tow truck companies. I don't know if it has any affects on tire sellers because most of the people are under the impression that the so-called All Season Tires would be good enough for driving in winter, because winter is a season of the all seasons! 

The only reason I've been able to drive safely in the past 3 winters is I bought 2 sets of winter tires back in early 2020 when it was the pick of Covid-19. I probably have to replace them next year.

(Photo, top: I actually stopped at the side of the highway and put my hazards on to take this picture!)