Driving in snowy weather is challenging to say the least. Winter is the time of year where we hear stories of people getting stuck in snowbanks. It is also a time of year when we see a lot of ads on devices to help us get out of snow. We don’t plan to get sick or have a flat tire. And we don’t plan to get stuck in a snowbank with no way to get ourselves out.
There are a lot of opinions on the best way to be prepared for winter weather. Having something like kitty litter or some kind of traction mat is better than nothing. However, having a heavy bag of kitty litter is somewhat impractical as the bags are heavy, especially for the elderly. Let’s leave kitty litter where it belongs: in the cat litter box.
As the inventor of TruckClaws, I want to pass along a personal story. TruckClaws was born out of an emergency situation that I found myself in. My own truck got stuck in the mountains of West Virginia in over 30″ of snow with little hope of a tow truck reaching me any time soon. This situation got me thinking that I couldn’t be the only one feeling panic by not being prepared to deal with it. I didn’t have kitty litter, and I didn’t think having a 30 inch traction board was worth carrying around. What I did think is, I’m going to create a solution: a high quality device that people could keep in their vehicles so they won’t have to panic or feel the despair that I did in that moment.
If you’re reading this and haven’t bought a set of TruckClaws, you’re probably saying, “but Mike, what do I do if I don’t have a set in my vehicle and I’m already stuck?” Tip number one: stay calm.
I repeat: STAY. CALM. The first response in these situations, again, is typically panic. Take a breath. Assess the situation. If you’re operating in panic, you are more likely to get into a deeper mess.
If you are on a busy highway, make sure to turn on your emergency flashers and make sure other motorists aren’t also losing control. Obviously if you’re in your driveway (yes this happens. If that’s you, you’re not alone, read on), this doesn’t apply to you.
Apart from a set of TruckClaws, it is well to have an emergency roadside kit. Some of the basics that should be in this kit are a car blanket, a flashlight, flares, a spare tire, a vehicle jack, and a spare set of warm clothes.
I get calls all the time from people asking if I can overnight them a set of TruckClaws. The answer is yes; and often I get these calls from people who have been told that their tow bill will be $700 or more. The good news is, there are a few things you can do to get yourself loose before having to call the tow company.
If you are wearing a long sleeve shirt: cut off one of the sleeves and fill the arm with anything you can: gravel, dirt, even crushed soda cans will work. Tie both ends of the arm like a tootsie roll, and then tie the arm to the tire, avoiding the brake caliper. A belt will accomplish the same, but like your shirt, you’ll probably have to replace your belt after using it in this manner.
Again, I can’t stress the importance of having an emergency roadside kit if you plan on driving in snowy weather. The one featured below from triple A can be purchased at safetykitsplus.com
I sincerely hope you’ve found this article informative. TruckClaws was born out of a desire to help people be prepared and reduce the panic factor. Not to mention avoiding expensive tow bills. Ready to get a set? Click the button below to shop our kits!