Rivet Master 
2005 19' Safari
GLENDALE
, AZ
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,453
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In our near accident, we were driving in blizzard, white-out conditions near Monument Hill, between Colorado Springs and Denver. When we left the Springs headed north, we were driving about 35 mph, and the traffic was heavy since it was the evening rush hour.
As we topped Monument Hill, I noticed that the last of cars that had passed us were disappearing into the blowing snow and darkness ahead; and there was only one track in the snow where everyone was driving, even though our side of the divided highway was three-lanes wide with a big shoulder. In actuality, we could barely see the roadway at all, and we were just driving in two black tracks on a field of white and trying to stay between the reflectors (which we could barely see) that marked the left and right sides of the road.
I thought it was odd that all of the traffic had disappeared, and there were absolutely no cars passing or ahead of us. Then, a quick glance in the mirrors showed a string of lights all the way back to the Springs! The snow was so bad that everyone that wanted to go faster than 35 mph had already passed us, and the rest of the pack decided to stay behind the fool with the Airstream. I think they figured that evidently I could see ahead (which I couldn't); and if we managed to stay on the road, it was safer to just stay behind us. Besides, they'd get a little warning of ice ahead when they saw our lights spinning off into the trees.
Anyway, a pickup truck decided to make a run for it and tried passing us on the right. I was a little irritated that he was coming up on the right side, but I figured he was doing that because there were two lanes (the right lane and the shoulder) on the right, and only one on the left.
THEN, a sedan came barrelling up the entrance ramp directly into the side of the pickup. When the lady in the sedan saw the long line of lights behind us, she decided to pass the whole pack before she got stuck behind us, too.
So now, we are three abreast, our Tundra and Bambi somewhere in the middle of the road, I'm guessing in the number two lane, the pickup that's trying to pass us on the right, and the dumb lady in the sedan trying to pass both of us before the on-ramp ends.
As the on-ramp merged onto the main road, this lady pulled across the front of the pickup AND us; and right after she passed us, she lost control and started skidding sideways across our bow at 35 mph, headed for the median. The pickup was gaining and was a few feet ahead of us, enough so I could see his brake lights as he went spinning off the shoulder into the ditch. And, the lady slid past us sideways and whacked into the median barrier.
That's when I got to test the anti-lock brakes on our Tundra, our Prodigy brake controller and the Michelin XPS Rib summer highway tread tires on packed snow over ice.
I stomped on the brakes and our whole rig slowed slightly. The Tundra tires did not lock up, but we weren't stopping very fast. However, we slowed enough to avoid hitting the lady broadside. (By the way, I know it was a lady, because I got a good look at her face through her side window, as she slipped across our bow sideways, less than a car length ahead of us on the way toward the median.)
As soon as she cleared the front of our Tundra, I let off the brakes; because I was afraid that our Bambi brakes would lock, and the trailer would come around the side of us causing us to spin out. As it turned out, the Bambi stayed behind us in a straight line, and I was able to maintain steering control the whole time. It was luck and timing that prevented us from plowing into the lady, but we didn't skid or lose control. In fact, other than being a really close call, this near accident was mostly a non-event, at least for us.
I thought about stopping to make sure that the lady and the pickup driver were OK, but when we looked in the rear view mirrors, all we could see were headlights spinning around and spreading out all over the highway. So, I figured there really wasn't anything we could do; so we continued on into the blowing snow and darkness, now driving alone, as no cars made it past all the excitement.
I suppose the people farther back may have thought that we caused this pile up; but those up front who actually saw what happened, knew that we were just observers and along for the ride.
Anyway, we never intentionally drive in these conditions. However, the weather can change really fast near, or in, the mountains; and I now know if there's no place to stop, our rig can handle a little snow and ice, if it isn't too deep. It will just be slow going with lots of fools on the road.
By the way, for those wondering, our 2008 Tundra CrewMax has two-wheel-drive; and we have Michelin LTX M/S2 light truck tires on it. Also, we do NOT have a load distribution/anti-sway hitch.
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