I moved to Minnesota nine years ago, and every winter it never ceases to amaze me how many born-and-raised Minnesotans have no idea how to drive in the snowy weather. It seems as if the high schoolers that have just gotten their licenses can drive better than those who have been driving for over twenty years.
I come from a town of over 80,000 people, and have had to drive to the Twin Cities numerous times for different events, so I’d say I’m pretty skilled when it comes to driving in areas of high commuters. Moving to Winona made me realize how bad its drivers were at navigating the wintry roads. As told by GIFs, here is a list of three obstacles Winonan drivers just have not seemed to master quite yet.
Roundabouts
My rival high school back home had about six roundabouts in their parking lot and there were a few others sprinkled around town. A whole day was dedicated to becoming comfortable with these things in driver’s ed, so I’m actually a pro at them. It drives me bonkers when people stop at the roundabout next to Taco Bell here in Winona and wait for a car that’s across the street from Hyvee to enter it. I’ve also had to slam on my breaks because some guy decided that he didn’t feel like obeying the Yield sign. Winonans are so bad at these things that the Winona Police shared a how-to diagram on their Facebook page.
Snowy Roads
As I said before, I’m pretty much a pro in the winter: I know how to control my fishtails and I know how far back I need to start braking so I don’t cause an accident. However, that only gets me so far because not only do I not have winter tires, but also I only have two-wheel drive. Do you know how terrifying it is to drive in white-out weather when a yeehaw truck goes zooming past you going 50 in a 30? It also really boils my blood when the driver behind me decides to slow down at the last minute. It’s called four-wheel-drive, not four-wheel-stop.
Slow Drivers
We’ve all been behind a Taurus that drives 10 below the speed limit when they see just one snowflake in the air. It’s even worse on a two-lane road with no opportunities to pass. It’s different during really rainy or snowy weather, but it’s absolutely ridiculous when the only way you can tell it’s snowing is if you really squint.
Winter is the season to really practice safe driving. If you happen to drive a hick truck, please slow down to ensure the safety of other drivers around you. And if you don’t feel comfortable driving in any weather besides the sunny kind, consider staying home or staying off the highway.
Have a safe winter!
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