Wasn't supposed to be in the rotation for a shift but the phone rang just after 7 AM and the voice on the other end said "Can you come in?" Tuesday Night's weather started as rain, changed to freezing rain, turned cold, and changed to blowing snow overnight and into Wednesday. That converted most of area's roads into skating rinks with lots of black ice and NO traction. The city had a lot of fender benders and all the highways were closed at one point or another due to wrecks or get offs into the bush. And my boss was wondering if I was willing to drive a route in all this SH**. ?????
Got to the Transit yard fairly easily cause the roads weren't totally frozen at that point; by the time we had sorted and loaded, the temps had dropped more and the roads were screwed. Everyone waxes ecstatic about front wheel drives; My Nissan Fuggly was a pig on a skating rink. Low ground clearance and no traction; perfect recipe for a wreck, and I have the lyrics for Paul Simon's "Slip-Sliding Away" running in the back of my mind. Go to turn a corner, off the acc pedal a half block ago, foot no where near the brake pedal, wheel is so far to the left that I am at full lock, and I am headed for a snow bank!!! Tread finally caught enough grip to cut the turn. City won't equip the Fugglies with proper snow tires; budget BS and some supervisor looking to save $$$ and look good.
Did manage to pull the run and get back to the shop in one piece. Blowing snow is ending but the temp is still dropping. Ran the situation past my super and she is cool with either cancelling the PM drive or short lunching and running hot and fast before things get worse, On board with that as the faster i get done, the sooner I get home and off the roads before the charge of the 3 O'clock Squirrels begins.
Bagged lunch, reloaded, and went back out to play. Hour and a half later, done. Head for the wash point because the front suspension and wheel wells are crammed with snow, steering sucks and the tires are squeaking as they push past the build up. Took the better part of a half hour more to delouse the front end using a water hose. Could have gone with its high pressure cousin but that line is a wrestling match to use and dangerous to all if gets free.
Back in the mechanic's bay, but can't park, The South Run Fuggly has a service truck parked in front of it and the tech is doing a tire change. South mentioned having a low tire issue during morning sort but wasn't aware that he had called for a tire change. More waiting; he's gone home already, and the tech wants the vehicle KM because the City wants it logged on the work sheet. South's keys go home with him, tech is unhappy, Okay, okay, fast shuffle into the mail room to get the spare keys and boot the Fuggly up just far enough that the dash comes alive so I can feed the tech the numbers he needs. Shut the Fuggly down and return the keys to the hook. He leaves, I park, submit the paperwork for the swap by slipping it under the boss's door while she is on the phone, and I am outta there.
Getting home was kind of anti-climactic. Picked the curb land and stayed in it, even though the road surface by itself is pot hole central. Wiill likely need new shocks and stabillzer end links this spring. Ate half my late lunch, fell asleep until supper and ate the rest, then fell asleep again. Adrenaline is handy for a lot of things but coming off the high it can generate sucks.
Nick
PS About that "FUGGLY" tag, A sales rep that I used to do business with coined the term. It is a contraction of the words "F*****g Ugly" and it is sort of unfair in one respect. Yeah, they are not the world's most esthetically pleasing looking vehicles, but hey, I did manage to put 1500 pounds of cargo in what is technically a vehicle with a cap of circa 1000 pounds and didn't kill the motor or suspension so.....it has its virtues.
