[dpg]

Originally Posted by Diver1111

As a diver here’s my perspective for what it’s worth, on a vehicle going through the ice and what you can expect if you’re in the vehicle and don’t get out; I’ve dived in the winter so I speak from experience of water temps, visibility, silt and the effect of ice cold water etc.; I’m no expert but I’ve seen cars and trucks on the bottom up close and personal-wow. Every time I see one I of course wonder what happened and how ugly it probably was. Consider:

- Windows are up, vehicle lands on bottom upright; Water pressure prevents you from opening the doors; You drown slowly in 36 degree water; Hypothermia sets in as you die. Slowly. In dark water at best or total blackness depending on depth-just imagine that; If you’re lucky you can wait until the pressure inside equals the pressure outside due to water coming in (visualize how that would work while you’re in the vehicle) at which point opening a door may be possible;

- Vehicle lands upside down; Chances are really good there is enough mud or silt to prevent you from opening the doors at all, even with window(s) down; If the mud/silt is deep enough even with windows down you can’t get out because it sank into the bottom; You die slowly. In dark water or total blackness. Upside down;

- You have a tool to smash the window resulting in an explosion of 36 degree water and glass fragments entering the vehicle-basicly a bomb went off; Now you make your move, assuming you’re not 100% freaked out and paralyzed with shock-pain-fear and you don’t have mud, silt or glass in your eyes; I carry a sheet metal punch with a spring-loaded point that is pressed against the glass and cracks it no problem;

- You beat the odds and get out; So which way is up as you a) deal with screaming mind-bending ear pain due to water pressure b) deal with a screaming “ice-cream headache” so bad you’re probably paralyzed c) deal with shaking un-controllably from being in ice water d) deal with finding the other person in the vehicle and get them out also before swimming to the surface-you’ll try to save them, right? e) Deal with having no air to breath the entire time;

- You head for the surface assuming you even know which way is up and you’re not dead yet-and it would be remarkable if you were not; Where is the hole? How well can you swim with boots, jacket, gloves etc.. Answer: Not well at all; You hit the bottom of the ice and are terrified trying to find the hole-ponder that; Happened at night? You're done;

As to having an animal on board-for God’s sake leave them at home-don’t kill your pet too-please limit the death just to yours and whoever else is with you. Seriously.

As to planes landing on ice, the typical private plane such as a Cessna Cardinal or Skyhawk might weight half that of a truck, and the weight is dispersed due to skis and their overall lightness, and the wings would stop you from going through anything other than an open water hole-not a good situation by any means but if I had a choice, planes win every time;

I understand really well why people want to take any vehicle on to ice. Doesn’t make it a good idea.

What I don’t understand is why Insurers typically pay for these events, considering there are usually ‘off-road” clauses excluding coverage in the an Auto Insurance policy meaning taking the vehicle say, on a logging road for a workout isn’t covered. You can’t get anymore off-road than taking a ride on ice. What Insurers should do is Rider out this coverage-buy a Rider/Option to cover “ice-related” events and don’t send the bill to the rest of us who own coverage, don’t ever drive on ice, but have to share in the cost your ice-driving risk as the insured public does now. And if you don’t have the Rider and drive on ice (you know many will do this-that’s just a fact) then you pay for the whole event from your own pocket. Assuming you’re not dead of course and your family gets the bill.

Think people, think. Is it worth it? Many will say flatly-yes.

Geez a little morbid but we get the point.