Happens all the time in WA and OR.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rpdQvuAnqM

There isn't really enough information here to answer, but...

In general, no. If you have AWD/4WD and are staying in the Champlain Valley, you definitely do not need snow tires, unless there is a large storm and you plan on driving before the streets have been plowed.

If you are venturing outside of Chittenden County, they would be good to have, but buying and installing winter tires for a few day trip is not worth it to me.

I went years in AWD cars w/out snow tires, and I didn't stay in Chittenden County. No accidents. Drive accordingly and you'll be fine.

If you have a license you should know all the rules

Kindness has no place in traffic.

But yes, the speeding and road rage I’ve encountered in VT pales to anything I ever saw in Boston. It’s truly bizarre.

Extra politeness also kills pedestrians. No, I won't cross the street while the light is green so I can get hit by the car coming the opposite direction. But thanks for waving me out.

I thought the person heading North had the right a-way, then clockwise?

Actually, (speaking in the know here...) It's because VT has a "Investor Owned Utility (IOU)" that runs the electricity (a public good). (i.e. GMP exec compensation packages, a rotating door on the Public Utility Commission for past industry execs, and public officials, a subsidized "efficiency fund"... it goes on an on) Anyways, there are plenty of research papers on the performance of state IoU electricity models. And it becomes clear very quickly how the small state has blurred the lines on private vs public, and is one of the last IoUs standing. One result is "un-burried power lines" because, "it is too expensive" (we'd have to cut our CEO compensation and earnings per share).

You know, when we are all on foot walking around we seem to understand being polite is a good thing. We hold doors for people. We say lovely things like “after you” and then willingly walk a little slower behind the elderly person. For some reason when some of you get into a vehicle you lose all sense of humanity. You tailgate grandma, pass her at dangerous times, and curse and her name when she waves you through the four-way. Listen bros, I want to be doing ten over the limit as well, but grandma is out for a drive and I have enough respect to not terrorize her. She’s been through enough.

I even see it reflected in the comments on this thread. Here’s the thing, you all need to slow the hell down and take some deep breaths on the road. Our roads are getting more dangerous nationwide. No matter how much you vent about it on Reddit, people still aren’t going to know all of the rules. And many people who do know all of the rules will still choose to be kind and say “after you” at the four-way, or they may go the other way and tear through without stopping. So the rest of us need to expect that. Lead with kindness. Show the person showing you kindness some back, and if someone’s kindness annoys you because “the rules” then maybe reflect on that.

The issue on our roads is the assholes not stopping at the stop sign, not the friendly neighbor who waved you through even though it was technically wasn’t their turn. And if you’re behind the the person that skipped their turn, you’ll survive. Let’s all pull up our big kid britches and lead with kindness, even when we feel someone else has dropped the kindness ball.

My favorite is people stopping on main roads to let traffic in, especially when there was no initial stop in traffic flow

I TAPPED my horn so, so gently once when someone was stopped at a green light, and I swear to you every single person on the street turned to stare at who the rude person was (me, it was me).

This can't be stated enough. Drive predictably so everyone else can respond predictably. If you have the right of way, TAKE IT.

not a person of color, but a new salon is scheduled to open in Rutland later this year figured I'd share. https://mountaintimes.info/new-hair-salon-comes-to-rutland-for-bipoc-clients/

You turned their correct three-word answer...into a four sentence paragraph saying the same thing.

Truck bro on 91 last Sunday had chunks of snow and ice flying off the back. I flashed him thinking he might look out the back and see it. He proceeded to slow down, get behind me, and follow me while occasionally flashing his lights for about 45 minutes before he got bored and got off the highway.

Anyway, we need better mental health resources in Vt 🤷‍♂️

Rule 1 is pretty easy to follow - everyone understands that.

Rules 2-4 are a balance. It's better (defensive driving) to not assume that other people 1) know all the rules, or 2) have the same interpretation of "which of us was first" that you do, or 3) are using their turn signals appropriately.

An early and highly visible wave ceding the right of way is safer and can even end up faster than the start/stop hiccup of both people assuming they had the ROW.

But people who stop in the middle of the road for no reason other than to let someone turn into traffic 10 seconds before there would have been an opening anyway.... get outta here.

I also hate when I'm trying to cross a street with no crosswalk and the ONE car coming slows down and stops for me, like bro, we both would have been on our way faster if you maintained speed and kept driving.

I am from MA and my husband is a Vermonter (we are now living in VT) and I get annoyed with him for this all the time. There is a point where you are being too nice and it causes confusion. The worst is being in a line of a cars sitting through a green light because the first car isn’t paying attention and everyone is “too nice” to honk. 🤯

Underrated comment right here

It's true!!

But whatever you do, only scrape off enough ice from your windshield to have a peep hole. Oh and def don’t remove snow from your headlights either..

You should take a tour of the facilities of some of these providers. Most are very small operations and enjoy giving tours. There is nothing left to cut that would not impact worker or customer safety. Most are also non profits so just where do you expect them to find the money to subsidize you?

Amazing how much of a general lack there is here in how shit works in the real world. If you owned a gas station and your distributor raises your prices would you keep yours the same and take a loss? Of course not. Think about it.

Friend from Boston says she absolutely hates Vermont drivers because the friendliness can actually create dangerous situations. I see it all the time now

Edit: also, fuck anyone who stops in the middle of a roundabout to let folks in. Absolutely unhinges me every time... Perfect example of my above comment

Don't be nice, be predictable!

In that case why doesn't EVERY state bury its power lines? In Manhattan they do this, and they suffer much less power outages during weather patterns.

>Even if you use existing underground utility trenches like where the plumbing and water lines are running, it is still expensive.

Minimum trench separation of water from electrical is 12in, sewer to electrical is 24in.

Yea, it's less than a bucket width. But the difference between a 6in trench and a 24in trench is a hell of a lot harder to bypass ledge.