Commuting during snow weather

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pocket-medicine

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So...this may be a ridiculous question for some, but I lived in the South all my life where an inch of snow would cause the entire city to shut down. I recently matched to a program in Chicago and now I'm worried about having to commute during snow season, especially so early in the morning.
I've seen pictures where snow does get plowed, but by creating a barricade against the cars parked along the street. I don't have a four wheel drive and no experience driving in the snow/cold.
I would hate to find my car buried in snow at 5 am when I'm leaving for work. Any advice?
Thanks!
 
Plan ahead, buy a snow scrapper and maybe a shovel. It might take 10-60 minutes to warm up your car and dig out depending on the amount of snow.

Unlike the south the north actually has snow removal crews that will try to keep major roadways somewhat passable.

When driving in the snow you should slow down but most important don't make abrupt turns or accelerations/braking. That is how you end up in a ditch. It's not that difficult and it doesn't snow 1 foot every night in the winter. Most days are snow free.
 
I haven't lived in Chicago specifically but I've lived in the Midwest. With your car:

Start your car running like at least 10 mins before you normally would.

Make two copies of your car keys.

Buy one of those single dual key chains (like this one). This way you can start your car 10 mins earlier, turn on the heater and defroster in your car, lock your car while it's still running, run back inside to your apartment, and wait until the car is warm enough to drive it.

Buy an ice scraper for your windshields.

Also scrape or clear off the top of your car so the snow doesn't fall onto someone behind you.

Carry extra antifreeze in your car. Also like flashlights, gloves, blanket, etc. Just in case.

Make sure to get regular check-ups, tune-ups, etc.

Google how to winterize your car.

Watch out for black ice.

Personally I'd prefer driving in snow than freezing rain!
 
Last edited:
I'd leave yourself 10-20 extra minutes in the morning if it's snowed the night before as you never know when your car will be particularly stuck or difficult to defrost. Get up, peek out the window and assess, and if it looks fine you have extra time for showering or breakfast.

As above, ice scraper is an absolute necessity that you'd never think to buy if you haven't dealt with snow on your car.
 
The above advice regarding clearing some snow off the top of your car is insane. Your car should be completely cleared of snow before driving especially the lights and all windows.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk
 
doc05 said:
If you matched in Chicago, just rent an apartment within walking distance, or take the El.
Click to expand...
How is this not the first and only response to this thread? You're moving to the city in the US with the 2nd or 3rd (depending on how you rank that stuff) public transit system in the country. Either live within walking distance or choose a place with a direct transit link to the hospital.
 
It's not always possible. When I interviewed there at a certain program, residents had to cover multiple hospitals and get between them fairly quickly during the day. The transit system was very inconvenient between those parts of town and it almost mandated car commuting. Plus those parts of town were considered very unsafe for mass transit. They thought I was nuts taking the el to near there and walking 20 minutes.
 
I live near Chicago and I agree with what everyone else said. I would also suggest getting some lock de-icer. I've had my car locks freeze on multiple occasions.
 
After major blizzards it's just easier to leave your car buried and hop on the bus/train.

Problem is you're in Chicago, so you have to constantly deal with these dinguses.

Dibs.jpg


...which is honestly a bigger pain than the snow itself.
 
shoal said:
The above advice regarding clearing some snow off the top of your car is insane. Your car should be completely cleared of snow before driving especially the lights and all windows.
Click to expand...
Not sure if this is referring to what I said? If it is, all I said was, "Also scrape or clear off the top of your car so the snow doesn't fall onto someone behind you." Not sure why my advice is "insane" advice. In fact I think my advice actually agrees with yours.
 
Neuronix said:
It's not always possible. When I interviewed there at a certain program, residents had to cover multiple hospitals and get between them fairly quickly during the day. The transit system was very inconvenient between those parts of town and it almost mandated car commuting. Plus those parts of town were considered very unsafe for mass transit. They thought I was nuts taking the el to near there and walking 20 minutes.
Click to expand...

I'm curious as to which hospitals people are referring to? I'd assume UofC, but the few people I know there who survive without cars use other forms of non-el transit.
 
metalgirl14 said:
I live near Chicago and I agree with what everyone else said. I would also suggest getting some lock de-icer. I've had my car locks freeze on multiple occasions.
Click to expand...
Or carry a lighter with you and heat your key up before you insert in the door. Had to do that when I lived in Erie.
 
bashwell said:
I haven't lived in Chicago specifically but I've lived in the Midwest. With your car:

Buy one of those single dual key chains (like this one). This way you can start your car 10 mins earlier, turn on the heater and defroster in your car, lock your car while it's still running, run back inside to your apartment, and wait until the car is warm enough to drive it.

Buy an ice scraper for your windshields.

Also scrape or clear off the top of your car so the snow doesn't fall onto someone behind you.
Click to expand...

All excellent suggestions.

My car will not let me lock the door when the key is in the ignition.

There are really big ice scrapers with almost broom brushes to them, 2 in 1, they clear more off the care with every swipe

And my very favorite suggestion!!!!:::::

Install a remote ignition system. Not all cars can have them, but they have them at Best Buy for like $300 which includes installation. You have to figure out the range on the remote controller. There's different qualities and prices but that's an example.
You have to leave your car's heater on when you park it. What that means is that without stepping foot outside or even looking at your car, you can start it! You can time it so's toasty warm inside by the time you go out to your car. This goes a long way for helping get snow/ice off since the warmth will start the melt process. You could also do this when you head out to your car after work! the bar, etc.
I always promised myself this little luxury if I moved somewhere with snow
Or hell, just if it was cold somewhere. Med school present to myself yesssss......
You can do this
 
I've been in Chicago or the Midwest since 2009 now. Definitely go for public transit if you can. Parking in the city is ridiculous (cost and availability) and it's more hassle than it's worth. Public transit/walking should be your first choice--it'll save you so much money and hassle. No scraping the windshield, no shoveling your car out, no shoveling snow (if you have a duplex or apartment that requires you to clear the driveways), etc.

If you do need a car:

A remote starter is nice, but honestly not required if you can just walk to your car and start it--this assumes you're renting a house/duplex with a private garage or driveway where'd it'd be safe to leave it running with the keys in it. Obviously the remote starter would help on your way home from work, but honestly I just get in my car and start driving. If I'm running late I do that in the AM too--it's no big deal. Half of Midwesterners don't warm up their cars, and half of mechanics say that's a bad thing to not warm up your car and half say it's what they do and it doesn't matter (you get your car up to operating temperature fairly quickly).

You do not need a 4x4 (they're usually really just meant for off-road and deep snow--you can actually wreck most 4x4 systems in light snow/rain because they often don't have a differential between the front and rear axles). Still, that doesn't stop my sister from using her Jeep in 4x4 in rain in CA--her Jeep seems fine so far and it doesn't have the differential...

FWD with snow tires is far better than AWD or 4x4 with all-season tires. AWD and 4x4's are expensive. An extra set of rims (look on Craigslist) and snow tires should be around $400-$800. Even in a place like Chicago where it's rare that you'll be driving on top of snow except during the storm itself (they clear the snow up fast), it's still frigid, and snow tires don't turn to rock in cold weather like all-season tires. I have snow tires for winter with a RWD pick-up and it's done wonders, even when I lived in a smaller town where the side streets seemed to never get plowed until 2-3 days later... Remember, all-season tires really mean all seasons you'd encounter in Los Angeles or Phoenix.

Leave for work early if a storm is expected--a bad storm in the middle of commute can easily triple the commute. So pay attention to weather reports, which will often be wrong anyway, but it's better than nothing (and usually when the big stuff is coming they're fairly accurate). And as someone mentioned, consider just staying at the hospital overnight. I never had to in my 6 years so far of living in the midwest, and I think I've only had a total of three bad snow commutes.

It's really not that bad. I lived in CA all my life, and in SoCal they shut down route 5 (the biggest freeway connecting Northern/Southern CA) for half an inch (or any really) of snow. You really learn to toughen up with the winters here (shorts and t-shirts in March when it's back in the 30's). It's a blast--the people are great here, and Chicago really is a great city.
 
My greatest hate of living in the midwest was not the snow.... it was the icy ass wind
You just get layers! Sweater, snowjacket, gloves, and a scarf wrapped so it covers your face like a Ninja ski-mask
You will be wearing slacks and even in jeans, need a full length coat

You can basically have every square inch of your body except around your eyes (can get glasses/goggles for the painful gusts of wind blinding you)
And you will need to, especially if you're walking/standing around in that wind for Public Transport or walking to parking

Depends where you go, Loyola parking is easy but commute not so much unless you live close by, or further away and use public transport which most do
There is plenty of parking and space to live near the hospital... because it's not prime real estate, in fact, I stayed at a cheap hotel that was as close as possible 0.3 m, and saw not one, but two drug deals go down in the hotel parking lot just carrying in my Popeye's Chicken from down the street (that was an adventure)
Anyhoo, I loved Loyola anyway. Not that that is where you are going, but just reminiscing about public transport, real estate, parking

I love the Midwest winters. Dry and cold feels better that NW wet and cold, no matter what the thermometer says. Although you'll have lake effect and grey sky and gusts. The pizza is SOOOOO good. Like a pie made out of cheese. Cheese pie. I like Giordano's over Gino's, but that's me

Snow is scary at first but you'll see, these guys do it like pros.
 
RangerBob said:
I've been in Chicago or the Midwest since 2009 now. Definitely go for public transit if you can. Parking in the city is ridiculous (cost and availability) and it's more hassle than it's worth. Public transit/walking should be your first choice--it'll save you so much money and hassle. No scraping the windshield, no shoveling your car out, no shoveling snow (if you have a duplex or apartment that requires you to clear the driveways), etc.

If you do need a car:

A remote starter is nice, but honestly not required if you can just walk to your car and start it--this assumes you're renting a house/duplex with a private garage or driveway where'd it'd be safe to leave it running with the keys in it. Obviously the remote starter would help on your way home from work, but honestly I just get in my car and start driving. If I'm running late I do that in the AM too--it's no big deal. Half of Midwesterners don't warm up their cars, and half of mechanics say that's a bad thing to not warm up your car and half say it's what they do and it doesn't matter (you get your car up to operating temperature fairly quickly).

You do not need a 4x4 (they're usually really just meant for off-road and deep snow--you can actually wreck most 4x4 systems in light snow/rain because they often don't have a differential between the front and rear axles). Still, that doesn't stop my sister from using her Jeep in 4x4 in rain in CA--her Jeep seems fine so far and it doesn't have the differential...

FWD with snow tires is far better than AWD or 4x4 with all-season tires. AWD and 4x4's are expensive. An extra set of rims (look on Craigslist) and snow tires should be around $400-$800. Even in a place like Chicago where it's rare that you'll be driving on top of snow except during the storm itself (they clear the snow up fast), it's still frigid, and snow tires don't turn to rock in cold weather like all-season tires. I have snow tires for winter with a RWD pick-up and it's done wonders, even when I lived in a smaller town where the side streets seemed to never get plowed until 2-3 days later... Remember, all-season tires really mean all seasons you'd encounter in Los Angeles or Phoenix.

Leave for work early if a storm is expected--a bad storm in the middle of commute can easily triple the commute. So pay attention to weather reports, which will often be wrong anyway, but it's better than nothing (and usually when the big stuff is coming they're fairly accurate). And as someone mentioned, consider just staying at the hospital overnight. I never had to in my 6 years so far of living in the midwest, and I think I've only had a total of three bad snow commutes.

It's really not that bad. I lived in CA all my life, and in SoCal they shut down route 5 (the biggest freeway connecting Northern/Southern CA) for half an inch (or any really) of snow. You really learn to toughen up with the winters here (shorts and t-shirts in March when it's back in the 30's). It's a blast--the people are great here, and Chicago really is a great city.
Click to expand...

Parking depends on your neighborhood. The general guide I used when I was there was Halsted. West of Halsted (Wicker Park, Logan Square, North Center, Roscoe Village, Uk Village) Parking is generally fairly easy, less so most places East of it.
 
gutonc said:
How is this not the first and only response to this thread? You're moving to the city in the US with the 2nd or 3rd (depending on how you rank that stuff) public transit system in the country. Either live within walking distance or choose a place with a direct transit link to the hospital.
Click to expand...
Not always easy in Chicago. There are some hospitals that are in a neighborhood that is both not expensive and not hood, but many are in one or the other. Speaking as someone who has lived in Chicago my whole life, it truly depends on what neighborhood you live in and where you are commuting to. With a little more info I could help, but I definitely agree with the above advice of cleaning off your car and adding time to your commute, but 10-20 minutes might not always be enough. The el is good too if you want to avoid all that entirely, but it will make the commute longer, albeit less stressful.
 
Chicago2012 said:
Not always easy in Chicago. There are some hospitals that are in a neighborhood that is both not expensive and not hood, but many are in one or the other. Speaking as someone who has lived in Chicago my whole life, it truly depends on what neighborhood you live in and where you are commuting to. With a little more info I could help, but I definitely agree with the above advice of cleaning off your car and adding time to your commute, but 10-20 minutes might not always be enough. The el is good too if you want to avoid all that entirely, but it will make the commute longer, albeit less stressful.
Click to expand...

Depends on how you define stress. Trying in the AM to get on the blue line south of Logan Square during rush hour may make you want to gouge your eyes out... or more likely, someone else's.
 
I like to live as close to work as I can and drive, so I spend as little time commuting as possible and have more control coming/going, but it depends on a lot of factors if that works somewhere like Chicago.
I'm the kind of person that doesn't care if neighborhood isn't great as far as attractiveness or whatever, I don't have time for fun bars or restaurants or whatever. As long as risk of crime isn't bad.

I remember being on the interview trail and people asking about nightlife/clubbing... I thought it was pretty silly, maybe they have.more energy than I do but after 80 hrs I'm going home and sleeping, and I'd rather save the commute for that.
 
Crayola227 said:
I like to live as close to work as I can and drive, so I spend as little time commuting as possible and have more control coming/going, but it depends on a lot of factors if that works somewhere like Chicago.
I'm the kind of person that doesn't care if neighborhood isn't great as far as attractiveness or whatever, I don't have time for fun bars or restaurants or whatever. As long as risk of crime isn't bad.

I remember being on the interview trail and people asking about nightlife/clubbing... I thought it was pretty silly, maybe they have.more energy than I do but after 80 hrs I'm going home and sleeping, and I'd rather save the commute for that.
Click to expand...
By hood I meant duck and cover.
 
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