The I-95 Traffic Jam

[pwd72s]

People stuck in cars for over 11 hours? Just hope none of our board were caught.

Also, makes me wonder about those stuck in electrics with zero charge. With a regular car out of gas, fine...pour some in, maybe a battery jump and it's running.

With an electric? Probably nothing to do but a tow truck to a charging station..

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/nfl/what-its-like-to-be-stuck-in-the-i-95-traffic-jam/vi-AASqtRd

[stevej37]

^^^ you might want to edit your first sentence.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by stevej37

^^^ you might want to edit your first sentence.

Whoops! Done!

[matthewb0051]

Another reason I'm glad to have moved away from NOVA

[matthewb0051]

My kids used to drive that section to high school daily. To say it sucks is a huge understatement. Add snow and well...

[asphaltgambler]

Northern VA, 10 mins from everywhere but takes you 40 because of traffic....

[Seahawk]

The problem in NoVa is two-fold: No one knows how to drive in snow, everyone thinks they know how to drive in snow.

It is bumper cars at times. I have never seen anything like it.

When I was commuting into DC, I always carried a winter kit in the car: Food, water. clothes, tow straps, etc...and I gassed up every day.

DC has more traffic pinch points imaginable.

[vash]

that looks like absolute hell.

it happened here, but under ideal weather conditions. my friends construction project resulted in an excavator backing into one of those high voltage transmission towers, which collapsed the structure draping the high KV wires across HWY 101. i think i remember 15 hours lockdown, stuck in traffic.

the neighborhood restuarants rallied and sent coffee, food, anything to the stuck motorist. it was super humanity in action. people would walk to the bathrooms nearby. nobody freaked, nobody died.

but in frozen weather..suckage!!

[Jims5543]

Yeah dog, that's a nope from me - Jim in FloRida


I grew up on Long Island and moved away as a teen, only had to commute one winter to work.

The drive was a 10 minute drive on weekends. 30 minute drive in morning and evening rush hour traffic and a 1-1.5 hour drive in morning snow.

A couple of guys I worked with came in on Snowmobiles in the morning. The one guys wife came with a pickup truck in the afternoon, they loaded them up and drove that home.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

The problem in NoVa is two-fold: No one knows how to drive in snow, everyone thinks they know how to drive in snow.

It is bumper cars at times. I have never seen anything like it.

.

We lived just off the Mt Vernon Parkway all the way down by Mt Vernon. The Parkway has a 45mph limit on that end but a large number of drivers get close to double that and the average is about 65 mph. In the last couple of years we lived there several drivers and passengers lost their lives on that road.

I've lived in very snowy areas, Northern NY and Bavaria. Snow driving is not that hard but you gotta have some sense of what you are doing and your best bet is snow tires, regardless. They are superior in snow and rain. I even had snows on my car in NOVA, still in my garage now if anyone is interested...

When I lived in Northern NY very near Canada border, I would always see young Soldiers with southern license plates off in a ditch during the daily snow every winter. Most of them had summer tires but thought they could get by.

[911boost]

Its the first big snow that gets everyone, was that way in MN as well. All the transplants have no clue what to do.

I grew up in NOVA, my folks still live there. The traffic is BRUTAL.

[peppy]

I did hear that Senator Tim Kaine was stuck in it, so not all bad news.

[oldE]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

People stuck in cars for over 11 hours? Just hope none of our board were caught.

Also, makes me wonder about those stuck in electrics with zero charge. With a regular car out of gas, fine...pour some in, maybe a battery jump and it's running.

With an electric? Probably nothing to do but a tow truck to a charging station..

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/nfl/what-its-like-to-be-stuck-in-the-i-95-traffic-jam/vi-AASqtRd

Paul, I noticed in a couple of threads you expressed concern about electrics running out of juice in a traffic jam. If they are stopped, they're not using any energy. Maybe a heater in cold weather.
I'm guessing it's not a big deal.

Best
Les

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by oldE

Paul, I noticed in a couple of threads you expressed concern about electrics running out of juice in a traffic jam. If they are stopped, they're not using any energy. Maybe a heater in cold weather.
I'm guessing it's not a big deal.

Best
Les

And how long do the heaters last in freezing weather? 11-12 hours?

[craigster59]

I saw where some people were blaming it on Youngkin. Only problem is he doesn't get sworn in as Governor until 1/15/22.

[Tishabet]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

And how long do the heaters last in freezing weather? 11-12 hours?

In extreme cold conditions a Tesla can keep the cabin warm via "camp mode" at a cost of 14-15% of your battery every 8 hours.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

gas vs electric? wrong- In NOVA You need a Mr Fusion equipped Delorean with a hover conversion.

that's on a good day.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by craigster59

I saw where some people were blaming it on Youngkin. Only problem is he doesn't get sworn in as Governor until 1/15/22.

Does make one wonder where the national guard was...

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

People stuck in cars for over 11 hours?
With an electric? Probably nothing to do but a tow truck to a charging station..

So, in all seriousness - it's an interesting comment - if one ignores the 11 hour heater requirement (obviously not something you want to ignore when stuck in a snow storm but humor me for the thought exercise), does an EV that is not moving consume a lot ?

From my experience being stuck in traffic in my ex-E-golf (damn I miss that car), a stationary electric car was very economical on power (can't say I can measure vs an idling gas car though). The few times I got stuck (on 101) and crawled home 2 hours late (on a 40 min commute), my battery reserve was +/- identical to what it would have been had I sped home as usual. Not worse. Possibly better. Despite 2 extra hours of radio, headlights, and heat or A/C maybe - can't recall. I guess driving fast draws more juice than crawling with some accessories on, and overall the EV seems to not be too affected vs running an ICE engine to power those accessories..

So all I'm saying is I'm not sure the EV folks were worse off, as long as they were charged. If not charged then yeah, screwed for other reasons (no power, charging stations buried under snow).. Does anyone know the consumption of a gas powered car at idle with headlights and heater on ?

[Chocaholic]

Originally Posted by peppy

I did hear that Senator Tim Kaine was stuck in it, so not all bad news.

What??? No helicopter sent in to retrieve him? Blasphemy!