Driving under adverse conditions weather conditions becomes much more difficult.
Winter has an unstable character: sometimes minus, sometimes plus temperature. Consequences of weather fluctuations: precipitation that has fallen in the form of snow turns into ice. Driving in adverse weather conditions becomes much more difficult, so the risk of getting into an accident increases. As a rule, the causes of "winter" accidents lie in the lack of experience, incorrect assessment road conditions, and most importantly, in choosing the wrong model of behavior on the road. Let's look at typical examples.
One of the most common road accidents in urban areas slippery road- This is a rear end. When the driver brakes in front of a stopped vehicle in front, the vehicle may not decelerate sufficiently with or without ABS, in which case the vehicle enters the vehicle in front of. The danger is also that instead of a car's bumper, there may just as well be a pedestrian. The cause of the accident, even if the driver reacted in time, is in non-observance of the distance and unpreparedness for the winter style. Not every driver can quickly change their habits, but braking distances, as is known, on slippery surfaces increases as a square of speed. That is why security experts traffic it is advised to adhere to one, the so-called "winter" driving style all year round.
Keeping the maximum distance in the city is problematic, since with a high probability the resulting space will be occupied by other cars. But it is necessary to increase it even in the absence of snow or ice on pavement, since the majority winter tires inferior to summer in performance on asphalt. Of course, this may not be enough to completely stop when emergency braking, but the driver will have room to maneuver - when ABS operation(or applying intermittent braking on non-ABS vehicles), the vehicle will remain under control and the reduced speed will reduce the impact of the collision.
A large number of ridiculous accidents happen on the days of the first snowfalls - some drivers postpone their shift until the last moment summer tires for the winter, not wanting to drive it on asphalt or ignoring weather forecasts. In such cases, the matter does not end with a simple collision from behind. People who like to save money in this way not only cannot drive their car into an icy slope, but also begin to slide off it, crashing into other cars.
Of course, high-quality tires are not a cheap product, but car repairs will cost more, not to mention human health. To minimize wear on winter tires and loss of studs when driving on asphalt, you should avoid sudden acceleration with slippage and try not to take corners on the edge.
Another typical scenario of a winter accident is associated with the choice of the wrong driving style - skidding and loss of control during a sharp detour of an obstacle or rebuilding. On snow or ice, the car is much less stable than on asphalt, which, apparently, many people forget. How to prevent accidents? First of all, you need to avoid sudden movements of the steering wheel, especially when braking. But if, nevertheless, a skid began to develop, you need to stabilize the car as soon as possible by turning the steering wheel in the direction of the skid, and then do not forget to return it to central position as soon as the "nose" of the car is again in the right direction.
A characteristic winter picture on the roads is ruts and snow formed between them. When overtaking or changing lanes, you have to leave the track, because of which the tread can become clogged with snow, ceasing to remove it from the contact patch. This happens especially often with worn tires. As a result, the wheels lose traction, and the car becomes poorly controlled - the same thing happens as with hydroplaning. Common Mistakes the driver in this case - panic pressing the brake pedal or inaccurate steering actions - only exacerbate the situation. The outcome is predictable - the car either makes a U-turn, or flies into a ditch or into the oncoming lane.
Snow lying on the side of the road can also cause skidding and accidents if the snowdrift is caught on the wheels of one side of the car.
In megacities, drivers are in for another misfortune - chemical reagents that are sprinkled and watered on the streets to combat icing. In most cases, they really help to get rid of ice on the roads, but under certain circumstances (usually on frozen and well-ventilated overpasses), this mixture makes the surface even more slippery. As a result, this leads to massive accidents - drivers who are accustomed to driving on asphalt do not expect such a sharp change in conditions. It is almost impossible to visually recognize such areas, so you need to “feel” the coating by briefly pressing the brake pedal when entering the bridges. If you hear the ABS kick in, slow down immediately. The blinking lamp of "traction control" or stabilization systems (if any) can also be an indicator - it works when the wheels slip.
Another unpleasant consequence of the reagents is dirt. From the abundant amount of chemicals on the streets, cars are instantly covered with a characteristic film. Wet asphalt itself absorbs headlights, which reduces visibility on the roads, and headlights contaminated with chemical mixtures cannot be cleaned even with a washer. On many cars are also heavily polluted side windows and mirrors, which significantly impairs visibility.
Be careful when driving behind a car with tinted lights - in slushy weather they get dirty, and it becomes difficult to see brake lights or “turn signals” through dried mud.
IN winter period V major cities it is better to have a couple of spare anti-freeze canisters with you, as well as a sufficient supply of water and rags for wiping headlights, mirrors and side windows. The wiper blades should also be changed in advance - the old “wipers” will only smear the dirt, and in winter, basically, you have to go to dark time days when the eyes are more tired and it is harder to maintain concentration.
The main conclusion is that in winter you need to be extremely careful and careful, weather conditions change very quickly and unexpectedly. Slow down, increase your distance, avoid sudden movements and keep your windows and mirrors clean - these are the basic rules. safe driving V winter time of the year.
When it comes to winter, we immediately think of snow fun and skiing, completely forgetting about the other side of the coin, far from being as fun as our gardens feel under the cover of snow. Let's talk about how to protect perennials from the harmful effects of snow and frost.
Of course, under a snow blanket, the beds feel quite good. But only if the snow is fluffy and soft. If it becomes caked or covered with an ice crust, the consequences can be very unpleasant, since such a cover ceases to let air through, and the plants under it suffocate or freeze very quickly.
No less dangerous is the abundance of heavy wet snow. It accumulates on tree branches, and with the advent of thaws, it becomes covered with a thick ice crust, which can easily break off branches.
In addition, the accumulation of snow can bring down the roofs of buildings on your site, cut off a drain, or even break an electrical cable. Therefore, large deposits of snow should be disposed of as far as possible.
How to protect
With the onset of the first cold weather, do not panic. The fact is that even the most heat-loving plants calmly withstand a slight decrease in temperature - up to -7 degrees. In addition, the root system of plants suffers only when the ground freezes to a depth of more than 5 cm. It is this situation (frosts below -7 degrees and deep freezing of the soil) that is an indication for covering plants. If you do this earlier, your plantings will not suffer from cold, but from overheating.
First of all, young seedlings should be covered - they are the most susceptible to low temperatures.
The best shelter option is spruce branches - it not only protects from frost, but also retains snow. If a trip to the nearest forest plantation for necessary material impossible, as an alternative, you can use the remains of collected perennials, sawdust, peat and even burlap. The only thing you should not use is dry hay or straw: rodents often start up in them.
Video "How to cover plants for the winter"
In this video, an expert will tell and show you how to properly cover plants for the winter.
What to do when icing
But the main danger to plants is not the frost itself or snow. Most of all, they suffer from small ice crystals that form in tissues during freezing. If the temperature drops slowly, and then just as slowly rises - garden crops, as a rule, easily tolerate such situations, and are easily restored.
If the cold comes abruptly, the consequences can be irreparable.
The farmer should follow the meteorological forecasts and organize protective shelters for his plantations in time to prevent them from icing.
It is important to keep the snow in the beds as much as possible - it is he who plays the role of a kind of insulator that prevents the cold from reaching the root system or tender young shoots.
Using snow, first of all, you run the risk of getting a cold. However, this is only half the trouble, because the current environmental situation is extremely unfavorable. If we assume that you live in a remote area, and there are no industrial enterprises near you, then it is the cold that is the main side effect of eating snow.
However, now it is difficult to find ecologically clean areas on the planet, and as a result, the answer to the question - is it possible to eat snow, remains negative, only there will be much more reasons for abandoning this venture. Eating snow can not only catch a cold, but also infect more serious diseases.
Snow has the ability to perfectly absorb dust, which contains almost any chemical compound, most of which are toxic. In addition, many chemicals are poorly excreted from the body and tend to accumulate. Do not forget that animals are running in the snow, pedestrians are walking and cars are passing by. It is quite clear that snow in such conditions cannot be clean and safe.
Similarly, the situation is with icicles, which also attract the attention of children, causing them to want to lick them. Today, experts say that snow can only be consumed in high mountainous areas. If it is melted, then you can drink melted water. However, it will not contain all the mineral salts necessary for the body and therefore you should not use it for a long time. However, if you do not have such a need, then it is better to drink plain water, and not melt.
Scientists understand what a difficult time we live in, and are trying to improve ecological situation. However, it is quite difficult to do this, but now we will not talk about it, but we will find out only what scientists have found out when studying snow. In 2015, the results of laboratory studies of snow were published. As a result, already freshened snowflakes contain a large number of exhaust gases cars.
Scientists from the University of Washington conducted a larger study on the question of whether it is possible to eat snow. They chose as the subject of study the newly fallen snow in the United States and Canada in various areas. Even in those regions that are located far from large cities, the snow contained a large amount of coal dust and various pollutants. Scientists have found that snow becomes unusable even before it touches the ground.
Why can't you eat snow?
Let's summarize all of the above and note the most important reasons why snow should not be eaten. Let's focus on the main ones, because in fact there are a lot of them.
- High risk of getting sick. Children are active on the street, and this leads to overheating of the body. To cool off, the easiest way is to eat a handful of snow. However, such an act can cause the development of tonsillitis, pneumonia and other diseases. In addition, the temperature difference can break the enamel of the teeth, which is very fragile in children. Do not forget to take a bottle of water or a thermos of tea with you for a walk so that the child can calmly quench his thirst.
- Heavy snow pollution. Today, the atmosphere of the planet contains a huge amount of toxins that are emitted by plants and factories. It doesn't make sense to list everything. chemical compounds that are in the air today, but just look at the periodic table. Be sure that any of its elements is in the air. Snow very quickly absorbs various substances and even before it touches the ground, it cannot be eaten due to the high risk of poisoning.
- Animals. Now a large number of stray cats and dogs live on the street, which leave their excrement in the snow. All these traces of their vital activity will be hidden from view by freshly fallen snow. However, picking up a handful of snow, you never know what kind of "surprise" there may be.
Can you eat yellow snow?
If white snow attracts children who want to eat it with the illusion of purity, then yellow snow definitely cannot evoke such feelings. We have already found out that even white snow cannot be consumed, not to mention yellow.
At the beginning of the article, we said that, theoretically, snow can only be consumed if you live in areas remote from megacities. However, in practice, in any case, this should be avoided. When the snow melts, then not all harmful substances contained in it go into the ground. Some of the toxins rise again into the air and can be carried by the wind over long distances.
After that, all these chemical compounds will again be on the surface of the earth thanks to snow and rain. Now, only high-mountainous regions can be attributed to relatively clean regions of the planets from an ecological point of view. This is due to the fact that many chemical elements cannot rise high into the atmosphere. However, once again it is worth repeating that we live in conditions of extremely poor ecology.
Let's see why the snow turns yellow. This fact can be explained by various factors, but we will focus on the main ones. First of all, it is the urine of animals living on the street. It contains a huge amount of toxins that were removed from the body with the help of the kidneys. In addition, the amount of toxins in the urine of sick animals is rapidly increasing.
The second most common acquisition option by snow yellow color- synthetic lubricants cars. Every car or motorcycle uses oil, which often ends up on the ground, and in winter on the snow. These materials are most often based on high molecular weight hydrocarbon compounds to which other substances are added. On this moment Most artificial lubricants are made from propylene or ethylene using heavy synthesis technologies.
Surely you have already understood what threatens the human body when all these compounds are ingested. Poisoning can be extremely serious, even fatal. Literally an hour or two after eating the snow, which has got lubricants, your temperature will rise sharply and dizziness will begin. Further development events are difficult to predict and various troubles are possible.
How to wean a child to eat snow?
We have already answered the question - is it possible to eat snow? Now it’s worth figuring out how to wean your baby from this harmful activity. Let's first find out why snow is so attractive for children:
- Sometimes with the help of snow the child is just trying to quench his thirst and you should take a thermos of hot tea for a walk with your baby.
- Perhaps the child wants to attract the attention of parents and you should inspire him with other activities.
- Children want to explore the world and they are just wondering what snow tastes like. You should explain to your child that this is ordinary frozen water, which, among other things, is not clean and can be dangerous.
- If the child is dressed too warmly, then with the help of snow he only tries to cool down.
It is necessary to tell the children that the snow is very cold and can cause colds. Do not forget to add that the use of snow can harm your teeth, because the enamel cracks from a sharp fluctuation in temperature. It is also worth talking about the reasons for the appearance of yellow, using the example of an animal. Such a visual demonstration will definitely discourage the baby from eating snow.
You can arrange a joint viewing of a cartoon called "Winter's Tale". In it, the main character, a bear cub, after drinking snow, became very ill, and the hedgehog was worried and tried to help with all his might. But there is absolutely no need to scare the child with doctors. This approach to education is completely ineffective and can only lead to the development of children's fears, increased nervousness and other mental problems. However, some children, even realizing that it is impossible to eat snow, stealthily try to lick an icicle or sit down on a small handful of snow.
If you notice that your child does this, then offer him ice cream, in a small amount. Let him compare the taste of this delicacy with snow and draw conclusions for himself. In conclusion, it is worth giving two recipes for making healthy and edible snow.
- "Colored Snow" First you need to boil water, and then add juice or jam to it. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. After that, you just have to put ice cubes in a blender and make snow out of it.
- "Yogurt lozenges". Fill the syringe with yogurt that your child loves, then make small "cakes" and freeze them. The lollipops are ready to eat and you can give them to your little one and his friends.
"Moving Without Danger"
Why snow and ice are dangerous: an overview emergencies
Winter in the capital has regained the status of a full-fledged mistress of the season: the average daily air temperature has finally settled below zero degrees. However, the consequences of recent weather fluctuations are still reminiscent of themselves: large quantities precipitation in the form of snow turned into ice, which is not going to melt yet. And the driver does not triumph over such a winter: it becomes much more difficult to drive a car in adverse weather conditions, so the risks of getting into an accident increase. As a rule, the causes of "winter" accidents lie in a lack of experience, an incorrect assessment of the road situation, and most importantly, in choosing the wrong model of behavior on the road. Let's look at typical examples.
One of the most common urban accidents on slippery roads is a rear-end collision. When the driver brakes in front of a stopped vehicle in front, the vehicle may not decelerate sufficiently with or without ABS, in which case the vehicle enters the vehicle in front of it. The danger is also that instead of a car's bumper, there may just as well be a pedestrian. The cause of the accident, even if the driver reacted in time, is in non-observance of the distance and unpreparedness for the winter style. Not every driver can quickly change their habits, and the braking distance, as you know, on slippery surfaces increases in the square of the speed. That is why experts in the field of road safety advise to adhere to one, the so-called "winter" driving style all year round.
Keeping the maximum distance in the city is problematic, since with a high probability the resulting space will be occupied by other cars. But it is necessary to increase it even in the absence of snow or ice on the road surface, since most winter tires are inferior to summer tires in performance on asphalt. Of course, this may not be enough for a complete stop during emergency braking, but the driver will have room to maneuver - with ABS (or intermittent braking on cars without ABS), the car will maintain controllability, and reduced speed will reduce the consequences of a collision.
A large number of ridiculous accidents happen on the days of the first snowfalls - some drivers postpone changing summer tires to winter tires until the last moment, not wanting to drive on asphalt or ignoring weather forecasts. In such cases, the matter does not end with a simple collision from behind. People who like to save money in this way not only cannot drive their car into an icy slope, but also begin to slide off it, crashing into other cars.
Of course, high-quality tires are not a cheap product, but car repairs will cost more, not to mention human health. To minimize wear on winter tires and loss of studs when driving on asphalt, you should avoid sudden acceleration with slippage and do not try to corner on the edge.
Another typical scenario of a winter accident is associated with the choice of the wrong driving style - skidding and loss of control during a sharp detour of an obstacle or rebuilding. On snow or ice, the car is much less stable than on asphalt, which, apparently, many people forget. How to prevent accidents? First of all, you need to avoid sudden movements of the steering wheel, especially when braking. But if a skid nevertheless began to develop, you need to stabilize the car as soon as possible by turning the steering wheel in the direction of the skid, and then do not forget to return it to the center position as soon as the “nose” of the car is back in the right direction.
Typical winter scene Russian roads- these are ruts and the snow formed between them. When overtaking or changing lanes, you have to leave the track, because of which the tread can become clogged with snow, ceasing to remove it from the contact patch. This is especially true with worn tires. As a result, the wheels lose traction, and the car becomes poorly controlled - the same thing happens as with hydroplaning. Typical driver errors in this case - panicking on the brake pedal or inaccurate steering actions - only exacerbate the situation. The outcome is predictable - the car either makes a U-turn, or flies into a ditch or into the oncoming lane.
Snow lying on the side of the road can also cause skidding and accidents if the snowdrift is caught on the wheels of one side of the car. The alternating special lanes for overtaking deserve special mention. They are found, for example, on the M-10 highway (Moscow - St. Petersburg). IN heavy snowfalls they are completely overwhelmed, so it becomes difficult to overtake even freight car- the wheels fall into loose snow, the tread becomes clogged, and it is difficult to accelerate even on a machine with a drive on one axle. quality tires. This should be taken into account when calculating the distance for overtaking - the length of the strip may simply not be enough.
In megacities, drivers are in for another misfortune - chemical reagents that are sprinkled and watered on the streets to combat icing. In most cases, they really help to get rid of ice on the roads, but under certain circumstances (usually on frozen and well-ventilated overpasses), this mixture makes the surface even more slippery. As a result, this leads to massive accidents - drivers who are accustomed to driving on asphalt do not expect such a sharp change in conditions. It is almost impossible to visually recognize such areas, so you need to “feel” the coating by briefly pressing the brake pedal when entering the bridges. If you hear the ABS kick in, slow down immediately. The blinking lamp of "traction control" or stabilization systems (if any) can also be an indicator - it works when the wheels slip.
Another unpleasant consequence of the reagents is dirt. From the abundant amount of chemicals on the streets, cars are instantly covered with a characteristic film. Wet asphalt itself absorbs headlights, which reduces visibility on the roads, and headlights contaminated with chemical mixtures cannot be cleaned even with a washer. On many cars, the side windows and mirrors are also heavily soiled, which significantly impairs visibility.
Be careful when driving behind a car with tinted lights - in slushy weather they get dirty, and it becomes difficult to see brake lights or “turn signals” through dried mud.
In winter, in large cities, it is better to have a couple of spare anti-freeze canisters with you, as well as a sufficient supply of water and rags for wiping headlights, mirrors and side windows. The wiper blades should also be changed in advance - the old “wipers” will only smear the dirt, and in winter, you mainly have to drive at night, when your eyes get tired more and it’s harder to maintain concentration.
The main conclusion is that in winter you need to be extremely careful and careful, weather conditions change very quickly and unexpectedly. Slow down, increase your distance, avoid sudden movements and keep your windows and mirrors clean - these are the basic rules for safe driving in the winter season.
Recall that in order to draw the attention of drivers and pedestrians to the problems of road safety in adverse weather conditions and help them cope with their consequences, the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the Russian Union of Motor Insurers, with the information support of the Traffic Without Danger expert center, are conducting an all-Russian social campaign.
The article was prepared on the basis of the material
Snow brings summer residents not only harm, but also benefit. But icing is undesirable for the garden. In this article we will talk about how to protect plants from bad weather in winter months.
Snow cover is a thermal insulation material High Quality, because a special internal climate is created in its thickness. Even if the thermometer has dropped very low, the plant will be much warmer under the snow. A cover half a meter thick will keep the soil from freezing.
The more snow in the garden, the easier it is for berries, fruit crops, perennials and other ornamental plants to survive the harsh winter. Also, the snow "blanket" protects the vegetation from the burning rays of the sun. On the one hand, light and heat are good, but on the other hand, their combination with wind and hard frost can damage green spaces.
The positive effect of snow lies in the fact that during the spring thaw it will water the earth with moisture. Of course, this does not apply to the lowlands. In such places, stagnant moisture leads to decay of the root system and seeds. In this case, it is necessary to resort to geoplastics - I level the territory.
If the winter is not very snowy, then gardeners even specially collect snow from playgrounds and paths, and then insulate flower beds, near-trunk circles of fruit trees and shrubs with them.
On the white snow cover, traces of various pests that penetrate the garden or vegetable garden are clearly visible. Thus, the owner can always find out who enters the territory in his absence.
Now let's talk a little about negative factors. If the snow is very wet, and there is too much of it, it can break off tree branches. Numerous snowflakes bring particular harm to coniferous plants with a columnar crown shape. If the trees are not tied with a rope for the winter, by spring they will become completely unsightly.
Soft and fluffy snow can do little harm, and when it melts and freezes again, it forms an ice crust, under which plants do not breathe. In addition, the weight of such an ice cover increases significantly, it literally tightly fetters the branch, which soon breaks off. A lot of harm is brought by the running sleet at sub-zero temperatures.
Huge layers of snow harm not only green spaces, they can also damage the electric cable in the country. A snowfall from the roof is very dangerous for a person passing by, and can also disrupt the drainage system. To avoid these unpleasant consequences, you can purchase special snow retainers. The design is inexpensive and very easy to install.
Video "Sheltering plants for the winter"
Video about myths, mistakes and misconceptions when sheltering plants for the winter.
How to protect a plant
If frosts have come, and the snow has not yet fallen, then you need to take care of how to protect the plant. Professionals advise starting work on winter shelter when the thermometer drops below zero and the ground freezes by 5 cm. If you start warming earlier, you can destroy the plants. This time they may die from overheating. When arranging a shelter, you should think about everything and build it in such a way that it shelters not only from frost, but also retains a large amount of snow.
You need to start with the “young growth”, since it has a very weak root system, so even if you have a winter-hardy variety in front of you, it can suffer greatly from low temperatures. If the plants grow in clay soil, then they need more time to recover in the spring, as this type of soil contains a large amount of water. With the onset of cold weather, it simply freezes. In the spring, such plants are rehabilitated for a long time. Be sure to need shelter for the winter apple tree, garden strawberries, many varieties of grapes.
How to save a garden from icing
Spruce branches are very well suited for protection from frost and snow, you can pick it up in the forest. Plants are covered with them, a layer of foliage is thrown on top, which is more than enough in autumn. Fallen oak leaves are great, as they practically do not rot. The result is a kind of layer cake that can hold the snow and shelter from the wind.
You can also use sawdust, peat, cover plants and burlap. But straw and hay are not suitable, as they are an excellent refuge for rodents.
The worst thing for plants is not frost, but ice. Since plants are made of water, ice crystals form when they freeze. But if cooling occurs slowly and gradually, then in reverse order thawing occurs. Therefore, green space can survive very low temperatures.
A well-known experiment, which was carried out in the days of the USSR. Biologists were able to freeze a branch of currant to -25 ° C. It is interesting that the branch then not only came to life and recovered, it also brought excellent fruits.
