What is Reddit's opinion of Amazon Basics Snow Brush & Ice Scraper?

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I moved here from Madison a very long time ago and still keep in touch with a few folks from there. This is true. The vibe is similar -- kinda liberal, kinda weird, seat of the state government, seat of the main university campus... but the winters are fucking brutal. It gets into your bones and there are weeks where you just can't get warm. People starting their cars and letting them idle for 10 minutes in the driveway just to get the heater going is a thing. You will learn the many uses for this thing and how fucked you are if it ever gets misplaced or breaks: https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Snow-Brush-Ice-Scraper/dp/B071F6W896/

The worst part, though -- at least back in the day when I was there -- the only Mexican restaurant around was a pathetic chain called Chi-Chis.

If it sounds like I'm ragging on the place, seriously, I'm not and I do miss it. Never again for a place with that much winter, though.

Regarding winter, make sure you go out and buy a nice thick warm coat, as well as hat and gloves. Get an ice scraper with a brush for your windshield. Make sure you have a snow shovel even if you're just renting an apartment, as it's not uncommon to have to dig your car out once the snow plows block your vehicle in.

Do you have any more specific questions about the area?

Previous reply is right, but just to add to that: it's a snow/ice brush, they look like this: https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Snow-Brush-Ice-Scraper/dp/B071F6W896 and are pretty much required for drivers who live far enough North to regularly get snow.

I live in Wisconsin (a state in the north US) and everyone I know with a car has one of these in their backseat or trunk during the winter. It doesn't damage the glass at all, they're designed to remove snow and ice from windshields and mirrors before driving so you can see properly.

You'll want to get a snow brush. Make sure you get one with the ice scraper on the back there.

AWD will absolutely help you, that's a good start. You can probably wait on the snow tires if you don't want to cough up the money for them just yet.

Pepe's in New Haven is the classic spot along with Modern and Sally's (also in New Haven). I know absolutely nothing about the New London area but I'm sure someone who does will chime in. Connecticuters (yes, that's one of our demonyms) are all very opinionated about pizza.

>Never seen the snow till now.

OP get something like this The brush is for any part with paint or snow on glass, the scraper is for ice on glass. Also make sure you've got a blanket and some road flares in your trunk in case you break down. You can also toss some cheap over-shoe crampons in there if you're worried about walking around on ice, though I never use the ones that live in my trunk. Some gloves with grip (running gloves with textured fingers/palms or leather gloves) also make driving when the car is still cold much more bearable. And don't gun the car when the engine is still cold, it's bad for it. I think people covered most other general winter driving tips in this thread.

Snow tires help because in states where snow is apart of life. Don't expect the city/streets to shut down unless there is over a foot on the ground. some places are better than others, but often times you will probably get stuck driving over snow, and while snow tires don't allow you to drive normally over snow, they help make it safer by giving more grip.

You can google "snow tire dealerships near me" and you should be able to find a place that will sell them to you. You probably don't need to put them on til it snows though, and you should do this sooner than later. Don't wait til winter because chances are they will be all gone.

>Do I need to salt my driveway?

You should absolutely salt your driveway if you know its going to rain and be very cold the next day, or after you shovel your driveway/paths. Ice sucks and often times you can't even tell there is ice, you won't notice until you actually step on it. One big advice about salt: If it is too cold out salt does not work!just lowers the so don't trust it entirely if its too cold. Usually when you get in the negative temperatures is when it starts to get too cold for it to work.

>Do I need to get the snow off my roof somehow?

In many states yes, this is the law. You will get pulled over and you will get ticketed. Buy a snow brush. This will help you clear the snow off your windshield, back window, roof, and the sides of your car

A few other pieces of advice

get a nice coat. A hoodie for instance will not help you when there is snow on the ground. It will get soaked and you will still get cold, and definitely wear multiple layers. Its okay to wear a hoodie with a heavier jacket on top of it.

buy snow shovels BEFORE a snow storm. I've lived in Massachusetts for almost 10 years. As soon as the first snow storm is in the news, the shelves are empty and you're going to have a hard time finding one.

Good quality snow boots will help keep your feet dry and warm in the snow and also provide a fair bit of grip if you ever accidentally walk across a patch of ice. Sneakers don't help much.

If you have a big driveway, get a snowblower or a snow plow. And don't wait to shovel snow. There are mainly two types of snow, powdery and wet. If its powerder snow its easy to shovel when there is a lot of it. Powdery snow becomes wet snow after the sun comes out and the top layer starts to melt though. Wet snow is a lot more difficult to shovel, and if you know the snow is going to be wet you should try to shovel whenever more than an inch of snow starts accumulating.

I'm originally from the Syracuse area, which gets a lot more snow than Delaware. This may be overkill, but it's pared down from what I grew up with. In short - you need supplies.

You need a good hat, scarf, gloves, coat, and boots for each family member. Wool, wool blend, or fleece for the hat and scarf, leather gloves lined with fleece or Thinsulate, and (preferably) a knee-length coat. A wool coat with a Thinsulate lining is good enough for Delaware (all-purpose coat for the adults), but you could also get down puffer coats. You don't need heavy-duty boots here, the traction is key.

If you have a garage and can possibly park all of your cars there, do it. Each car should have a good snow brush and preferably a hard plastic container of cat litter in it from November through March. The cat litter is in case you (or more likely someone in front of you blocking traffic) gets stuck. You should also have at least two shovels, preferably ones with an ergonomic bend. Keep one in your trunk if you know you may be parked somewhere that needs to be dug out. Personally, I don't clear snow off the driveway unless it's at least 5" because most cars can drive over that and typically snow melts quickly. If it doesn't look like it's going to melt quickly, you should dig out the end of the driveway once a day at a minimum.

If you are moving to NCC, plan on leaving at least 5-10 minutes early to get anywhere. Drive slowly, don't brake or accelerate quickly and use your car's momentum to keep from getting stuck. Roll down hills when you can, get to a max speed before the incline and keep steady pressure on the gas.

That I can recall, I've only completely fallen on my ass on the ice 4-5 times and never while living here. Most of these times, I've been carrying something and carrying it above the waist. Center of mass is key, if you're carrying something heavy, try to put it in a bag and let it hang closer to the ground. That, walking slowly, and wearing reasonable shoes (no heels on the ice) should be fine.

I am happy in the winter here because it gets cold enough and snows enough to be enjoyable, but you probably only need to shovel 1-3 times per year. However, other drivers can be problematic and you may need to use your cat litter and/or muscle to help someone get unstuck so you can get around.