A bridge in Connecticut, January 2004: Having left New York at 4:30 am, I settled into my Honda hoping to reach Maine before nightfall. The first couple hours were uneventful until… suddenly the wheel locked, the brakes failed and my car spun haphazardly across three lanes to face oncoming traffic. Yet somehow, we didn’t suffer a scratch between us.
I was lucky, and I want to encourage readers in the northeast to keep black ice in mind as you brave the roads this morning. And since this is Discover blogs, what causes the slippery stuff anyway?
Black ice is ice that forms without many air bubbles inside, commonly occurring on roads as moisture from car exhaust condenses. Because it’s transparent, it takes on the color of whatever surface it forms on–and if you can detect black ice at all, it generally looks like wet asphalt. It can also form when temperatures are above freezing meaning it’s hard to be prepared. Unfortunately, four-wheel drive vehicles do not protect you from losing control and salt is also not as effective at freezing temperatures. And finally–as I observed firsthand–bridges and overpasses are often most dangerous because cold air circulates above and below elevated surfaces, making them freeze fastest.
I hope those driving on wintry roads today remember to be extra cautious.
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Given the winter storm blanketing the northeast, this is a re-post from March. Please drive carefully today.
December 20th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
I am glad your journey was safe, and hope it continues to be.
I feel compelled to point out that black often is associated with negative and perjorative and inaccurate connotations such darkness, secrecy, and mystery; silence and concealment; death (including execution) and bereavement; (with orange) Halloween; end, chaos, and lack; evil, bad luck, and crime.
As you note, “Black Ice” is more properly termed “Transparent Ice.”
December 21st, 2009 at 7:38 am
I’m not entirely certain what caution is supposed to accomplish w.r.t. black ice. If I drive over a bridge cautiously, and I hit black ice, I’ll spin out of control just as if I were oblivious, wouldn’t I? Perhaps I’d spin a bit slower, but not significantly so. I’ll still be going highway speeds.
Anyway, thanks for the warning and well wishes.
December 21st, 2009 at 12:18 pm
@William Furr:
I have personally witnessed a driver spinning out because of ice and oblivious driving: ice was on a bridge in the middle of a gentle curve. When the car drove onto the ice, it started to go straight; the driver, “oblivously,” increased steering input. When the front wheels drove off the ice, the increased angle coupled with rear wheels still on ice caused the car to spin out. That was avoidable — with caution.
I’ve seen this at every level of driving from every day commuters to amateur race car drivers.