Moneywise24 Personal Finance

Yes, I know… I wrote an article one or two weeks ago about why it makes sense to spend Christmas at home, yet I am planning a trip around this time of the year; I live in Frankfurt, and my family lives in a smaller town in The Netherlands, so I decided to visit my family for Christmas. So I though. Just as I was about to get on a delayed flight at 13h10, the flight crew anounced that Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has cancelled all flights and is closing its doors for the rest of the day. The reason? Snow.

So, I went down to get back my luggage… I thought. As I am writing this article from home, I am still waiting for my luggage. The Frankfurt luggage transportation system does not seem to have all that capacity for such large amount of delays and cancellations, so I am affraid I will have to wait until tomorrow. Nevertheless, I am thinking. It really doesn’t snow that much in The Netherlands. How come Schiphol is closing down for the an entire day due to a bit of snow, whereas things seem to work out just fine in much tougher environments, such as Greenland or Canada. The same happened in my hometown last friday when it started snowing: the bus company, in charge for all bus routes throughout the city, has decided not to let any busses on the roads. Mind you, that city does not have trams or a subway system; all public transportation takes place via bus.

It is a bit hard for me to actually make such a harsh statement, but I can’t let go of this feeling that many companies nowadays would rather reduce risk and save money, and as a result let hundreds of thousands of people get stranded, in stead of assuring business continuity. Actually, corporations such as public transport, airlines, or airports, have an obligation to the community and general public. And I am really wondering: is it really all that dangerous to let flights take place, or have busses driving with snowy weather, or is it simply a cover up for their monetary decisions?

I would be very anxious to hear about your experiences. Perhaps you live in Canada, Greenland, or any other region with harsh weather environment. How are things organized over there?

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The winter period can be quite romantic, with frozen lakes, frosty trees and landscapes, and the cold inviting for a short refreshing stroll alongside the river, after which the cozy home invites for a warm bath or a night at the fireplace. However, if you intend to drive your car during winter, especially snowfall and ice on the road can be quite tricky. Especially around Christmas and New Year’s Eve, where so many people are traveling and on the road, it takes only a small misfortune to become involved into an accident.

Although we all tend to think of ourselves that we are good and safe drivers, there are a few things you may want to consider, especially if you hit the road when there is snow and ice. The first important thing to consider is to have the right type of tire. Tires usually come in three variants: summer tires, all-year tires, and winter tires. The profile of winter tires is a bit different than that of summer tires, and the rubber of the tires consists of a different mixture than summer tires, making them maintain their grip at very cold temperatures. Some people believe that all-year tires can be used all year round, which in a sense is true. However, when its snows or when it is very icy, all-year tires will not do you any good.

The distance needed when breaking greatly depends on the weather. In rainy weather, it takes twice as long to stop a car than when it’s dry, and when it is icy it takes again much longer to bring a vehicle to a full stop than when it is raining. Therefore, be sure to keep your distance in winter when it is raining, snowing, or when the road looks especially shiny; this is an indication that the road is very icy. Furthermore, adjust your speed to the weather. Driving in snowy or icy weather will usually take you longer to get to where you want to go, but this is still much better than getting involved into an accident.

Furthermore, you may want to think to drive on the right side of the highway as much as you can. Should need to break suddenly, you will have the possibility to quickly guide the car to the emergency lane if you are unable to timely bring the card to a full stop. Also try to avoid sudden moves of the stearing wheel; drive as smooth as you can, since sudden and fast actions may cause your vehicle to loose the grip on the road. Should you need to break suddenly, it will very much help if you have a car with ABS; ABS will cause the breaks to control the breaks, so that the chance of the vehicle losing its grip is minimal. ABS is a very important safety feature nowadays.

In some countries, it is forbidden for most trucks to travel on a sunday. Therefore, it might well be worth it to plan your travel on a sunday; the roads will not be that crowded, and the chance of huge traffic jams is reduced.

Whichever driving method or journey you prefer, have a good and safe trip!

This article is brought to you by The Man Experience.

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