2 accidents in 10 minutes

Yeah, I'm from California, I'll admit it, and I'm still learning to drive in the snow. We' ve had an unusual amount in the last two days, and as Heather Firefly and I went to join Gma, Gpa, and Puppy for pictures with Santa, chaos ensued.

We're driving down a small hill, barely 15 mph, baby in tow, when my brakes work but the car doesn't stop. "I'M NOT STOPPING!!" I foolishly yell, Heather thought I was refusing to stop, and we slide head first right into the big pickup that was waiting at the stop sign. Other than a dented bumper and a bruised ego, everyone was ok. Luckily we hit an 18 year old who was happy his parents gi-normously big truck was fine and not an older couple cozy in their gas efficient but dentable Prius.

So I take a right at the stop sign, thinking I'm driving slow enough down the big long hill to the main street, when suddenly the truck veers right. I don't understand it, my wheels were facing STRAIGHT! I hate the snow.

So we smack the curb, scrape up the fancy wheel rim on my truck, but survive. The tire continues to hold air so we continue on with our journey and manage to see Santa, some pretty lights, and go out for tasty Mexican. I didn't hit anyone else or run into any other immovable objects. I was so excited. I decided that sense I drove successfully (not hitting anything) on 3 of the 4 legs of the journey, I am a winner.

I probably owe that to a frustrated wife who had to talk me through all the finer points of driving in the snow. She tells me its all about shifting down to slow down, rather than depending on hard breaking, and that when breaking I should pump my breaks. I think she should have been driving. But now I know, and "Knowing is half the Battle, " as they used to say on my favorite afternoon tv show.