I have a question... Why do people leave their cars parked at the curb when the roads are so dangerous? (most have driveways to park in) Sometimes a car on each side of the road...narrowing the road to one lane in the center...geez...I just don't understand it.

angelwings - you had a legit reason for being on those bad roads Saturday night. Although the Gazette's policy is that drivers do not risk their health/lives, they are still expected to try if at all possible, unless called off the road by management. There are people though, that need to realize that they DON'T have to be on the road in bad weather conditons, and when they go out they actually endanger those who have to be out there. It's that type of person that scares the begeebers out of me.

In case anyone is curious,It took me 3 1/2 hours to do a 1 1/2 hour route....driving was slow going !

Why would people got out in an ice storm ? Is money really worth it ? Well,I would go out and yes, paying the bills IS worth it ! Trust me, I would have loved to have stayed home this last Saturday night,but bills still have to be paid. To answer another question,the Gazette is to be delivered by 5:30 pm weekdays and 7 am sat. and sun.

SarahB, I thought you would like that one :0)

Hey, if anyone needs salt to put on their driveway or sidewalks, I think the city is giving away free salt at the corner of South Hawthorne Park Drive and East Luther Road as the city crew dumped at least 100 gallons of it in the intersection! They then plowed it to the curb! And we all thought the city had budget problems! I wonder what the DNR would think of all of that salt going into the sewer.

I have a driveway that is on a hill and people who are driving by don't realize I can't stop at the bottom of the hill. People need to be aware that even if I try to stop I'm not always able to and slide right out into Racine St. I'm thankful that no one has broadsided me yet but come on people use your brains...when you see a car backing out of a driveway, don't always assume they can stop. I had to go out to buy more ice melt and cat litter and put it at the bottom of my driveway. It has helped but I still slide and have no control. Please be aware of potential hazards and slow down!
I inch my way down the driveway and it doesn't help I can slide 30 feet on ice even when I started braking at more than 50 feet.

Bellgio_Bound: LOL!!

Yes everyone, drive safely and SarahB has a thought and prayer going out to all the drivers out there.

This is all because of the "Curse of Interstate 90". You can read all about this so-called curse on that Wiki "encyclopedia" web site. Anyway, Tuesday (01-06-09) is the first anniversary of the 98-car pileup on I-90 that occurred just outside of Madison. I hear they are predicting two more big collisions in Southern Wisconsin between now and the end of that day. Everybody, drive extra carefully please.

Well. I was actually involved in this. We were returning movies. The cop blocked the road at the bottom of the hill, by the time we saw the cop we were already sliding, We were able to stop but the cars behind us did not and we got hit twice, The SUV that hit us ended up flipping over. Then there was accidents that happened behind us. The cops need to block the road at the top of hills so we know before its to late. We were lucky enough to drive away with a missing headlight and a few good dents.

Now there is an Ice conspiracy, i think Bush had something to do with this storm .

localboy: Then I absolutely agree with you, and apologize for reading too much into your remarks. Drivers certainly drive too quickly for conditions, and the conditions still (I discovered) bad on side roads.

Spring is right around the corner aaarrrgggghhh!

One of the biggest problems with last nights freezing rain event was the scattered nature of the rain. It was very scatter and 2 or 3 miles could have received a good dose a freezing rain while the next few miles were dry. I had to drive from Whitewater to Janesville last night to care for an ill relative and the icy spots were very spotty. Knowing 26 was closed I took Hwy 89 to County A, and 89 was icy from the first few miles outside of WW then completely dry from about Territorial road all the way to A, and A was dry for the first 6 or 7 miles until I was just outside Janesville, then it was really icy again. The freezing rain didn't start until about 8 pm, so anyone out before that who had to get home was SOL. By the time I was out the roads had been thoroughly salted and sanded which helped, but many spots were still quite slippery.

whybesad: What time is the Sunday paper supposed to be delivered?

I received my Sunday Wisconsin State Journal, Messenger and Chicago Tribune at 6:30 am this morning!

biggirl - I am not sure where you got the drunken driver part from my post. I was insinuating driver skill. I have driven rear wheel drive cars for many, many years without any trouble. A bag of heavy rock salt ( e.g. from Farm & Fleet) placed in the truck as close to possible over the rear axles, and some decent tires will help greatly. I prefer rear wheel drive vehicles as they are predictable to countersteer based on their balance. Make sure to get the rock salt placement properly or you will have even more trouble. Also, make sure it is in a plastic bag, as paper will soak as the salt attracts moisture.

Good luck.

FYI, our trucks are rear wheel drive so are the county police cursers. Some people use sand or salt bags in the trunk for weight. That doesn’t stop you from spinning out it only gives your more ballast for traction. Slowing down keeping good distance and hanging up the cell phone will go far on your safe travels. Drivers Ed is fished for today class. Be safe!!!

localboy: Instead of making insinuations that people are drunk, why don't we actually investigate the answer. As someone with rear-wheel drive (I know how quaint), I can tell you that my car is more likely to slide off. Is there anything else I could do to make my car less likely to slide off? What could I look for in a vehicle that might make it safer? I honestly don't know the answer and would appreciate a discussion of it. But, perhaps, I'm the only one.

lol at ronburgandy. talkin about drunken idiots and common sense in the same post. lmao;)

How is it the Sheriff's dept., and police dept., don't have any trouble driving in this weather? How come county workers are able to navigate this weather? I think everybody knows the answer.

What time is the Sunday paper supposed to be delivered?

Now there is an Ice conspiracy? The govt. intentionally let the ice form and waited to salt roads to bring in revenue? Holy god, people have nothing better to do but blame the city, county or federal gov. for not holding your hand and taking care of your every inconvenience.

It's more than what some have suggested. The people out in those conditions just plain think that they are too good to have bad things happen. i feel bad for those that choose money over their life.

who is they,

there ws a warning there was going to be ice.other than absolutely having to be on the roads, why were they? i see it in janesville all the time. they come out when the weather is the worst.they drive to fast for conditions. why isnt the salt trucks out sooner and preparing for this? the more accidents the more tickets, the more money the city and county make. whomever said is right idiot tickets. never learn their tactics do you. i do hope no one was seriously hurt tonight because they had to go out.

yep, there is no way everyone out there was on there way to work or from work. Some people have no common sense and think they need to go get grocerys, shop, go to grandma's , go out to eat.. No frickin common sense at all.

Well, let's hope your headstone doesn't say:
Here lies Bellagio Bound
NEVER missed a day of work.
R I P

pat, get a clue. some people HAVE to go out in this weather to go to work. Believe it or not, not everyone works a 9-5 and can call in whenever they feel like it.

Perhaps if the roads were treated in anticipation of the forcasted freezing rain, a long with some common sense driving, mass mayhem could be avoided?

the one thing i have never understood about local drivers and local i mean janesvillians is they think they can defeat mother nature i always hate driving around here in the winter people think they know how to drive and they end up in the ditch! its not just how you drive you have to watch out for the other idiots on the road that dont care!!!

The sad part is that some drunk idots will still try and drive, greatly increasing the chance that something tragic will happen. COMMON SENSE people

"I can not imagine what is that important that people think they need to be out in this."
It wasn't "THIS" to long ago. I left dinner at 10:30 and all was fine. 5 minutes later ice. 2 more blocks, fine. Stopped at store ice everywhere. It just happens all of the sudden due to winds picking up and rapid change of temp. I did not try to be in ice. Nothing was that important yet I didn't lock myself in the house and glue myself to the computer either.

It sounds like we lucked out tonight. We left Janesville to spend the weekend in the Dells. It's pouring rain up here right now. Returning to town tomorrow and I hope Rock County has enough money in the budget to salt the streets before roads get bad.

I can not imagine what is that important that people think they need to be out in this.

The bridge going towards the exit onto the interstate by palmar park is really bad me and my husband just came through there and there is a pile up and we spun 2 times and landed about a inch from the bridge being up against my passengers door. Pls be safe and drive slow. We were not going fast but nothing does well against this ice.

We were right in the middle of this. People were driving WAY too fast for conditions as it was like glare ice.. There were cars flying by us at 55+ MPH and then spinning out . Slow Down people!!

Speaking of Gazette delivery we didn't get a paper today. Was there a problem?

omg....I hope the Gazette understands! or my customers for that matter! This night will be fun ! (sarcasm) I deliver on a few steep hills.

Wow! I am glad that I decided to skip my trip out of town this evening. Be safe, everybody!

$180 fines for everybody!

thought I'd turn on the scanner, sounds like there are tons of runoffs, in town, hwy 26 and I90!