Many of my column topics directly reflect reader thoughts and concerns.  Those reader ideas often mirror my own, and have widespread applicability and agreement.

A phenomenon that I have not heard from readers about, but riles me, hopefully has at least a few proponents.  That phenomenon is the practically scandalous spreading of liquid ice melter at every forecast of snow or a temperature lower than 33 degrees.

Oh, how I long for the days when a smattering of sand at the intersections and on the grades was enough to create sufficient traction for drivers.  Back then, I could merrily traverse the level arterials with ease atop the snow or ice with the side benefit of maintaining a clean car.

Snowy roads and freezing temperatures always created my favorite driving condition in the past — no dirt, no dust, no mud — my car would stay clean for weeks!

Now, even on sunny days, my vehicle becomes encased in a dark, oily mix of dirt and corrosive chemicals designed to keep road surfaces clear of snow and ice.  That’s because that caustic deicing liquid has been spread virtually everywhere in voluminous quantities.

And it’s the ideal corrosive contaminant.  Since it spreads readily, clings well and hardly evaporates, it wreaks havoc on unprotected metal.  That means each tiny rock chip on vehicle body paint or clear-coated aluminum wheels provide an open “door” to attack the underlying metal surfaces.

It can be difficult or costly to wash vehicles often during the winter.  As a result, our cars and trucks may go weeks or months between thorough cleanings in snowy and icy weather.  That means the offending corrosive has plenty of time, day in and day out, to corrode the aluminum and rust the steel that it meets on our automobiles.

I know that my rant falls on deaf ears when it comes to the many drivers who insist on bare roads nowadays or those who don’t really care that much about cosmetic vehicle maintenance.  But couldn’t the use of the nasty liquid be curtailed just a little?

A couple of Fridays ago, I noted the trucks-with-dispensing-nozzles out in force with their spigots wide open soaking down every road in sight.  The forecast was for light snow on Sunday morning, turning to rain.  If it were a “work” day coming up, the rampant spread of the stuff may have been more warranted.  But since it was a weekend, it didn’t snow until Sunday, and was melting by noon, wasn’t the mass gallonage wasted?

Other times, I’ve noticed that the spread of melter is initiated by nothing more than the forecast of freezing temperatures.  Yes, I know frost can be slippery, but drivers should be able to handle occasional slickness — and, as aforementioned, hills and intersections could be addressed by road crews, leaving level streets alone for minor snow and frost.

I am definitely thankful for the crews attempting to keep our roads safer.  When the snow accumulates, plows are a valuable asset, and judicious use of sand or deicer is a welcome assist to drivers.  But when it comes to the “spread it everywhere” ice melter directive that seems prominent with the state and especially the city and county, I think scaling back a few notches is in order.

Some might say, “If it saves one life, it’s worth it.”  Though that sentiment has some merit, cause and effect is difficult to determine or quantify, and does not necessarily serve as a justification.   If we all wore helmets while driving our cars it would save countless lives, but the concept is not widely popular.  It’s easy to quantify that nearly ninety percent of automobile deaths result from head injuries (head contacting something within the car), but the inconvenience of a helmet is still deemed intolerable.

Manufacturers have created multiple air bags (as many as 10 in each vehicle) to mitigate potential head injuries, but apparently no one wants to mess their hair, so helmets are never proposed.

By the same token as those not wishing to mess their hair, I don’t wish to have my vehicles damaged by caustic chemical deicer.  Unfortunately, I have no choice.

Readers may contact Bill Love via email at precisiondriving@spokesman.com.

---

---