British Couple Reacts to 5 Winter Objects Only Used In America

[@melodyyoung9640]

Hi, Canadian here🇨🇦. One thing that's important to mention is that the right "winter objects" can be a matter of life and death. It can be rough.

[@maidenminnesota1]

Minnesotan here. Yeah, you bet! Winter survival kit in the trunk of the car alongside the jumper cables.

[@hume6900]

Another Canadian here and your winter survival kit would include things like smallish tinned candles and matches for heat as they could keep the inside of the car or truck warm enough that you wouldn’t get frostbite for hours, some candy or snack bars and water so you don’t starve or get dehydrated, jumper cables for your car battery, a jerrycan for gas/petrol to all my British friends and a couple of the foil blankets to preserve body heat or to be used like a stretcher if you fall and get injured and are not alone. You don’t know how long you might be caught out in one of those blizzards. This is in addition to a shovel to dig yourself out if you get stuck. I am sure other things could be added to the list above. Don’t laugh, as Melody said these things can mean the difference between life and death. The distances between 2 places or even houses can be significant. It is nothing in North America to drive 8 to 10 hours or longer in a day to get between your home and your destination. For instance my birthplace is 29 hours driving time away from where I live now. I have done it in 2 days hard driving as a passenger 15 hours one day 14 the next and I don’t recommend it, I know others who have done it in one stretch (2 drivers) again not recommended. The last time I made that trip we took 3 days averaging almost 10 hours/day. I prefer to fly it in about 3.

[@peacefulpossum2438]

@@hume6900 When I lived farther north, I also carried a snowmobile suit and snow boots in the car all winter as well as kitty litter for traction if stuck on ice or snow.

[@aloneandannoyed]

Another Canadian here, spring can also be fun - its sunny its bright.....then its winter again 2 weeks later. then 3 months of summer - 1 week of fall -then MOAR winter. yay erratic weather patterns!

[@trinafrank4714]

Northern Wisconsin here. You have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best . In the case of our below freezing temps, when it is -20F you learn to cover in many, many layers. Stay in when you can or be prepared to get stuck outside. It is a matter of life e death.

[@bambamnj]

The last Winter object - Face Shield I am from the US and have never heard anyone use the term Face Shield to describe this object. I would agree with you two that if someone said "Face Shield" I would think of the plastic shield that would be used in the Medical industry. Maybe this is another of those regional things. We would call this a "Ski Mask" as it is typically the type of head covering that people would use while Skiing. There are also versions of Ski Masks where there are just holes for the eyes and mouth (you might see these used in movies by bad guys who are robbing a bank).

[@Og-Judy]

Yeah face shield makes me think of ice hockey 😛 I grew up in the 1950s and 1960s. Only thing I saw were the large knit caps with the eye and mouth holes. They are referred to as 3 hole knit face cover.. the more common gaiter came along with snow mobiles as a more open face shield allows for better peripheral vision.

[@brendawallgren8354]

I think the “face shield” is somewhat regional. I’ve heard and used this term where I live in the USA

[@LadyVineXIII]

Canadian here and we call them Balaclavas. At least that's the term I grew up with.

[@brians48now]

@@brendawallgren8354 And what region would that be Brenda? In my 63 years in Iowa I've always know it to be called a ski-mask. Just to be sure, I googled face shield and guess what? No ski masks listed on the images at all.

[@trinut3760]

@@brians48now That one guy who doesn't understand what regional means despite using it correctly. KEKW

[@mcuz2164]

Growing up in Michigan we call those ski masks. And I love shoveling snow at night. Just something about the calm quiet after a snowfall is so peaceful. Snow blowers are loud and make snow removal more complicated to me. I have a small driveway though.

[@sandrafazio6906]

I agree. I've lived in Michigan.im U.P. and born.in Ohio ,in snow belt ,Lake Erie five mis walk out the front door, going straight North. Love cold ,brisk weather. Not icy wind though. Love the peace and quiet of winter. The brisk air. The beautiful bare tree silhouette s against the dark winter night skies. There are great things about all four seasons. Now with climate change ,our falls are short of almost non existent. Our summers are hot and humid as hell from the start. Use to be early summer was great. Warm, not humid ,lovely. Dog days if summer were hell. Now most of summer is awful. Spring was rain, gree things growing up fresh after a rain storm.air smell. Now it winter into summer. Very little of the typical spring or fall of my youth and adult years up.to age 35-45. We use to rotate our four seasons of clothing. Now you can't. It can be in high 90's and humid as hell.ome week ,the next you are wearing long pants/ jeans and sweaters again Rotate through all four seasons clothing and outerwear throughout same month.or so called seasons. Can.put severe winter outerwear ,snow boots away ,but not seasonal clothing. Never know what each week or day will bring anymore. It's crazy. Climate warming has ruined our four distinct seasons. I miss them. Esp fall. My fav season .

[@agdtec]

My drive way is 110 ft by 18 ft wide I can not shovel all of that and still clean the front walk way which are only 5 ft by 63ft and in Chicago If you don't clear the pubil walk in front of your house you can be fined.

[@detectivel5460]

In PA we also call them ski mask

[@jefftitterington7600]

We get frequent snowfalls, but usually not more than 2 cm (not counting drifting, which one must do.) Leaf blowers are very common for our snow. -30 C is a real thing, but my office never closed for it. Northern areas laugh at -30 as they cope with -45 (not including windchill)

[@SandyD2022]

I'm with you, I loved going out at night and shoveling. My Dad would get made because we had a snow blower. I still loved the quiet, and now at 62 I let the machine do it. And look out from inside at the snow.

[@lauraweiss7875]

I live in Chicago, and I rarely see anyone wearing Wellies for snow, occasionally for spring rain, but not in snow. We require boots with insulation and good sole tread.

[@ItsJustLisa]

Definitely! Wellies aren’t warm at all. Even with thick socks, you wouldn’t be warm enough.

[@wouldntyouliketoknow3811]

I think you're referring to those rubber boots that we call muckers I don't know where the word muckers come from but mostly used for rain or shoveling out stalls because you step in nasty muck but they are not designed to keep you warm in snow it's a good snow boot is somewhat like a mucker that has grip on the bottom for ice and snow and insulation and should say somewhere on the boot what temperatures they will protect you from when properly worn 30 to 60 below is a good boot and expect to pay over a hundred bucks or more

[@ameliaweights]

@@wouldntyouliketoknow3811 they're called "muckers" cuz you wear them to muck stalls. We always called them gum boots because in our area the company that made them stamped their logo on the bottom G.U.M.

[@ameliaweights]

We wore rubber boots as snow boots when we were kids. The truck is to go up a size and wear your slippers with them. Mind you these were actual farm boots purchased from the feed store so they had decent traction. We just added insulation and if we went.

[@donnagoring250]

@@ameliaweights This statement, and the statements reflect how practical people were, and it seems may be! We also did the same, till high school, then of course, had to buck the common sense, and purchase something more stylish. That was, untill started walking on that oh so cold bare sidewalk. Never knew that cold could travel through a less then adequate snow but oh so high school fashionable snow boot, and it was only a few degrees below freezing. Ego lost out to comfortable (and warm) practicality.

[@joelellis7035]

"Snow Shoes" that were referenced are actually called Galoshes. Actual snow shoes are the tennis racket looking items for the feet that are meant to distribute your weight over a wider area so that you don't sink deeper in the snow as you walk through it.

[@leiatyndall8648]

Yes & no. Galoshes (here, anyway), are primarily a term used for walking through water of the liquid state. They aren't usually lined or designed to keep feet warm. Snow boot is lined for warmth. Agree abt the snowshoe term, although many modern snowshoes don't quite look as much like a tennis racket, like they used to.

[@sandylester9710]

I definitely think of the tennis racket type things when I hear Snow Shoes, but Snow Boots for me are waterproof warm footwear for walking through/shoveling snow.

[@leahrindlesbach9697]

Or snow boots

[@wordsculpt]

@@sandylester9710 Or the furry footwear you put on after skiing. Snowbunny boots !

[@sandylester9710]

Or even Moon Boots for those puffy ones in the 80s. Those were so awesome

[@ArloKnox]

My wife and I were in the UK a couple years ago and kept hearing reports on the radio about the heat wave they were having and how people should check on their cattle and other animals. The heat was expected to be in the mid-80's Fahrenheit (roughly 30° C). That's a pretty normal temperature for us. Just this last summer, Anaheim, CA (where we live) hit a record high of 114° F (45.5° C).

[@evanbecraft8201]

Wait… 80 degrees is seriously that concerning for the uk? Oh my god, even here in Maryland the summers are just in the 90s and in heat waves 100

[@2008rmartin]

Floridian cousins had to have winter coats when it dipped in the 50's and a friend from Mexico was seriously sick and bundled when we would just have a hoodie on. But MI friends ran around in shorts at 32. Whatever you're used to sets what the body can handle I guess

[@jacobgreen0915]

@@evanbecraft8201 yeah we hit 50C (122F) here in Canada last summer lol, 30C is a normal day.

[@67amiga]

@@evanbecraft8201 Part of it is what you get used to. But most importantly here in the US is that if you live in an area that routinely gets in the 80s or more, you have some kind of air conditioning. That's extremely rare in England.

[@hume6900]

@@evanbecraft8201, yes Evan, that is concerning in the U.K. When my family were over to meet and visit with relatives I hadn’t seen since I was 6 months old and my sister had never met we were there basically for the month of July. During that month the weather reached and/or exceeded 65 F precisely 3 times. Btw, those 3 days were days when we spent several hours in the car touring the countryside. The distances travelled over there come nowhere near what we North Americans are used to doing by car or in a day. For instance, a British person would never consider driving from London to Edinburgh in a day if they even drove at all. They would be far more likely to take the train. Daddy had accused my aunt of over fertilizing the lawn as it was burnt. Apparently, 6 weeks before we got there they had a heat wave of about 80/85F.

[@patrickseidel8625]

I grew up in Indiana and grew up calling the face shield a ski mask.

[@justjasyn292]

Same here in Ohio

[@creinicke1000]

Me too.. in WI.. they are great when skiing too.. 😁

[@RelaireTatsu]

Same in Utah and Washington state

[@SherriLyle80s]

Same in VA

[@spaceshiplewis]

Same in Colorado, Massachusetts and California. I think Americans just associate the word balaclava with terrorists.

[@s.aliciajordan9079]

US resident here. I've only ever heard that called a ski mask or balaclava, never face shield. I'd call it a ski mask or balaclava (or baklava if I've mixed up the mask and the dessert again). Face shield definitely makes me think of those plastic things dentists and surgeons wear that started to be more common in public due to the global contagion.

[@marisameans9859]

Raised in Kansas...it was always a ski mask...learned "balaclava" as an adult. Also, -60F wind chill is a thing. Stay inside .

[@yvettescheiman4991]

So glad I'm not the only one who's accidentally said "baklava!" 🤣

[@2008rmartin]

Same

[@louisegogel7973]

Exactly!

[@randirae4894]

Colorado here never even heard that term til right now. Always a ski mask here. These Mountain snows get treacherous with avalanches. Do yall have emergency buttons and stuff when in the snow in case of that?

[@beefrick9957]

Northern Wisconsin USA - love your comment about how your work will tell you it’s ok if you can’t make it into work in the bad weather. Whereas here, even if you have to drive 30 miles to work going 20 mph, after digging out your car and driveway, you best not be late to work! It’s usually not acceptable to be late due to the weather, especially if you work at a factory or retail type job.

[@valeryhasselbrink5171]

Very true.

[@pattysheldon656]

Yes, same in southeastern Wisconsin.

[@just1hobbit661]

True! I live in northern MN!

[@CorwynCelesil]

Admittedly, in the areas of the States that get snow quite commonly, if you didn't go to work or school any time it snowed, even any time it snowed a couple of feet, you'd never go to work or school all winter long. Our lives are built to accommodate it. It's a pain, but it's a normal pain, like having to wash the dishes. In other areas, life isn't built to accommodate the rare snow and ice, so when it happens stuff has to shut down.

[@yvettescheiman4991]

Hospital worker here. Live 2 hours north of NYC, don't have an all- wheel drive vehicle, and have left hours ahead of my scheduled time so that I don't call out due to snow. I've slept in my car in the hospital parking lot after shoveling out the driveway behind my car and sometimes the street so I can get to the main road which is always plowed (as opposed to my street..thank God I'm near the corner).The only time I've missed work is ice storms, when there is literally NO WAY I can even get to the highway. Those are rare, thank God, and the most dangerous cold weather condition to drive in.

[@yugioht42]

It’s also called a ski mask. As skiers use them to keep cold off their face.

[@Texican91]

Ski masks have individual eye holes and a small mouth hole, that is a balaclava.

[@blakenokomis1573]

@@Texican91 It is a balaclava, but also referred to as a ski mask because ski goggles will fit in the hole. The masks with the individual eye holes are referred to as ski masks sometimes, but that is a misnomer.

[@armadillotoe]

They are also popular when robbing convenience stores.

[@w.hewitt559]

And for snowmobilers

[@david2869]

@@armadillotoe Of course, since 2020, it's no problem to go around in a mask

[@Dark1Wonder]

Speaking of snow shoveling being "hard labor," Outside the Midwest, there are probably very few references to "heart attack snow" Heart Attack Snow is a kind of heavy, wet snow that pikes up quickly and there are always reports of people having heart attacks and dying while shoveling it. The local weather forecasters in Wisconsin actually use the phrase "heart attack snow" to describe the type of snow we are expecting to get.

[@captainz9]

When I was 20 it didn't bother me, but at 57 now I'm a lot more cautious, take frequent rest/warmup breaks... I'm no spring chicken anymore. Luckily I can also work from home these days, so even if it takes me all day it's NBD.

[@Dark1Wonder]

@@captainz9 at 39 and partially disabled, I pay a ridiculously amount of money for my lawn guy to come plow me out. I don't work so it's not urgent that I get out unless I have to see a dr or something. But the guys get it done quick and do a good job. We used to have neighbors that helped out but they can sometimes be about as reliable as my joints.

[@wendy645]

Wow!!

[@JC-lk3oy]

This is why I live in Colorado and not the Midwest. Our snow is light and fluffy... your snow is heavy dense back breaking snow. Also our snow melts rather quickly.

[@adventuresinlaurenland]

New England gets this snow, especially Maine. I find the winters in the Midwest tamer than the winters in New England. The only thing I don't like about Midwest winters is that there is nothing to slow down the wind so the wind chill is worse. But I also encountered -50°F in Maine (actual temperature, not wind chill).

[@diannewest8896]

I'm from Southern California, and when we moved to the midwest, I saw snow fall for the first time and was amazed that my hair did not get wet. My winter coat was as useless as a t shirt, and my sneakers were always soaked. I had to buy a wool coat and boots. I also saw a nice sort of red hood that extended into a scarf. Cross the ends in the front and your neck and head stay fairly warm, even in the iciest weather. Oh, and ice storms! In the morning, the sun shone through the bare trees that looked like they were made of glass! So beautiful--I guess that's why they call it a winter wonderland.

[@ronfox5519]

Those hats you talked about are super warm. I wear one at dinner when we have the mother in law over.

[@llamasugar5478]

Another thing that’s indispensable on a Midwestern farm is Yak-Trax. They’re coiled spiky things that stretch over boots to add extra grip on the ice. Our pasture has a steep slope, and I can’t stay on my feet without using Yak-Trax and coarse grit for traction.

[@loisavci3382]

Yes! I used to walk my dog in a park that tended to turn into a field of slick ice in the spring. Yak-Trax were the only way to stay on my feet.

[@hume6900]

You can now get winter boots with the spikes built in. When not needed they can be flipped around so you just have a regular sole one the bottom. They come with a key, but, if you lose it just use a flat head screwdriver. I am on my second pair.

[@llamasugar5478]

@@hume6900 Those sound fantastic!

[@evercuriousmichelle]

I came to the comments to say the exact same thing! I keep a pair in my car in case I find myself needing to walk across a bunch of icy sidewalks to get somewhere!

[@Suuegrl]

Crampons never leave the house with out them from NH

[@samieltheinfamous]

Thing about the States is, it's really big. We have numerous climates, so where you are dictates the gear you use. For example, where I live in Wyoming regularly gets to -20° Fahrenheit during the winter and twelve-foot snow drifts are not uncommon, so I'm very familiar with everything in the video. Someone from Southern California, on the other hand (as demonstrated by the numerous transplants in recent years), has likely never seen snow and certainly never learned to drive in it, let alone experienced the joys of black ice.

[@Ouchiness]

Yea! As a native Californian I’ve heard of but never ever used any of these tools aahaaa…

[@flowerdalejewel]

We get black ice here in the part of Australia I live. Although we don't get snow like the states, we do get killer frosts, it's a different kind of cold. My husband is from Kentucky and he's always complaining about the cold here

[@johnny5fingers0966]

I am from salt lake but I go to park city and heber often. There is an abundance of rich California people that come for the winter. The second they hit black ice their instinct is to wildly jerk the steering wheel back and forth. Obviously this ensures that they lose control completely. I call it the california jerk and slide. I wish they would just uber or something instead of renting some massive SUV. We have one saving grace though. Salt on our roads. We have lots of salt. It rusts the hell out of vehicles but it melts the ice. Assuming the road crews get the road salted before its heavily traveled. I've driven Wyoming back country roads and it is a beast. Going over the sisters in shitty weather will definitely pucker the butthole right up. Wyoming folk dont bat an eye. Sometimes they stop and get out and do that hank hill thing. Just stare at it and say "yep" then throw the chains on and get it. A whole different breed of humble bad assery Out there.

[@Amoryl]

I'm from chicago, but lived several years in the SF Bay Area, I bought a cheap car and the heater core went out. I never bothered to fix it. when I sold it to a co-worker they were shocked I never replaced it. I was like "I'm not going to spend $1400 on a heater core of a car I paid $2000 for for something I only need like 3 days a year!"

[@leiatyndall8648]

Yes, the salt is hard on the cars, but once it melts, it dries, & then the roads are clear & safe until the next storm!! Better than the thick sheets of ice found elsewhere for days/weeks!

[@pookoos]

Well! It never actually occurred to me that not everyone knows what these things are. I live in Maine and they're just so normal I never gave them a second thought. Another item that you didn't mention- and maybe this is mostly something that rural people do- but a winter emergency kit in your car in case you break down on a remote country road in minus 20 degree temperatures, or get stranded in a blizzard. Also, a lot of folks around here have snow mobiles. It's a hefty purchase, but again a very normal thing to have next to your snow blower and your wood pile...Oh, also studded snow tires are a normal thing, and sometimes tire chains if you live down an icy dirt road

[@1jamesnigh]

Canadian here! I've never heard of that being called a face shield before and also associate that term with covid gear. I think balaclava is probably most common, though some might also call it a ski mask.

[@valg.3270]

I think most people in North America would call the face shield a ski mask.

[@sassygrammy1258]

We call it a ski mask in Alabama.

[@kdrapertrucker]

Another winter weather phenomenon in the Midwest is "Lake effect snow" where the great lakes, being warmer then the air temp discharge water vapor into the air that falls out as snow downwind. You can be completely clear 1 minute, and then suddenly blizzard.

[@TerriF124]

Yes!!! I had that in Rochester, NY

[@TimEssDub]

I grew up in MI and have been at the end of a lake effect zone. One year, I drove through the very early stage of a Buffalo snowstorm.

[@robspore5046]

YES! South of Lake Erie here, and we hear the dreaded phrase "lake effect snow" all the time, and you can see the weather bands forming up on the radar and you know just how much you'll be hit.

[@jacquiemarykay2494]

I live in Northern Indiana. We can get 2 feet of snow and 20 miles away, just a dusting. Thanks Lake Michigan😃

[@pamelqtaylor8335]

@@TerriF124 Ex-Rochesterian confirming Terri! Lake effect snow is common and forget getting a day off just get up early to clear a path and hope the snow plow doesnt erase your work

[@ferrofeles2063]

Minnesotan here (usa) I've dealt with some pretty chilly winters (-70 f with wind chill its about -56.66 c) and the few things ive heard of people using is pretty crazy one lady survived on candies she'd had in her glove box point is a survival kit is a must anywhere in this country (usa) some things that should be in your survival kit water thermal blankets or at minimum a warm blanket preferably both candles + matches a knife for those emergencies requiring such like needing to cut seatbelts etc you never know when it might come in handy bandages / gauze a sewing kit (needle + thread+ scissors) jumper cables to give your battery a jolt if you can find a willing passerby tow cable atleast 12 feet long a handy in my opinion battery charger and air pump with the optional outlet plug in (for in your car) you can fix a nearly flat tire and give yourself just enough boost to start your vehicle food now this one is a pretty loose definition but something that will last a while and still be good hard candy works but anything that wont have issues with temperature fluctuations tire chains - this one is generally more useful for suv's trucks and the like a compass a pot anything from a quart to 3 quarts is plenty sufficient for boiling water or making soups if you have that type of food my self i also carry an axe in the event that i get stranded out in the woods somewhere id rather ask forgiveness than not have one should i need a fire to help me stay warm or to boil water that about covers it though there are always things you can add for your specific situation one that comes to mind is water purification tabs or a camp stove regardless pack your kit for the widest possible set of circumstances and you will never be without some measure of safety and survival

[@ΒΞΔΝ]

So happy for Laurence! He has been grinding for years with a very small sub count and viewership, and everything turned around for him in the last year with all his hard work paying off. He does so much research, writing of scripts, and editing....he deserves his recent success.

[@shantereed]

Yes, I have came across his channel on a couple KZbin videos. I have been watching for about 2 years and I think I found his channel through another KZbinr. I want to say it was Shaun from Ireland.

[@badguy1481]

Ah..HE doesn't write those scripts. I'd bet he has a whole HOST of writers locked in one of his two bedrooms. They don't get fed unless they produce.

[@lever0811]

I agree. The first video I saw had me in stitches, he does not disappoint. Charming person/personality.

[@lever0811]

Badguy, that’s funny.

[@wolfe6220]

KZbin Sensation Laurence Brown got me hooked the first time I saw him!

[@brianh6]

Based on the comments Laurence may be the only person in the US calling it a face shield. I'm in South Dakota and use balaclava (ski mask also works).

[@kenbrown2808]

in proper usage, a balaclava is a one piece hat and mask. what lawrence was modeling was a separate hat and mask.

[@daddyrabbit835]

Yes, a face shield to me in on the front of your snowmoblie helmet

[@mythdefied9070]

Missouri - ski mask

[@Ottawajames]

Belaclava here in Canada, the True North, too.

[@roosterqmoney]

Ive never heard it called a face shield. Balaclava or ski mask

[@tenekokoneko6508]

US citizen here, reporting in. I lived in the UK from 1982 to 1985. I recall it snowing one winter, and it was quite the rare occasion. I was familiar with layering for the weather so was able to bundle up and go make anatomically correct snow families in our front yard. Our neighbours stayed indoors for the most part, and I don't think much was open. I also remember nice weather being so rare that school would sometimes close for SUN days, whereas in the US, schools will close for SNOW days. 🤣 US businesses, however, stay open. One year in Pennsylvania, there was a massive blizzard and the turnpike were shut down. They had declared a state of emergency, but I still had to drive the 1 hour (on a good day) commute into work. You can be fired for not driving in on a day like that. I eventually decided my life was worth more, and got a job closer to home. Regarding the "face shield", I have never heard them called that. When I was a kid, we had ski masks. These were knitted and had eye holes "cut out" and a button at the nose so you could undo that and pull it down to eat or whatever. The chap in that video is clearly wearing a balaclava. I suspect he isn't familiar with motorcycle gear. A balaclava is fairly standard to have under your helmet on both sides of the pond.

[@hawkmoon419]

One of the best tools is an ice scraper/snow broom combo: a 2-foot wooden stick with a plastic ice-scraper at one end and a nylon? broom at the other.

[@drewdederer8965]

some back the brush with a rubber squeegee. Really handy for pushing wet snow off the car's roof. Especially if it telescopes.

[@hawkmoon419]

@@drewdederer8965 HAHA! Got one of those.

[@CortexNewsService]

I love mine.

[@tomconner2326]

Put mine in the garbage when I moved from Chicago to Las Vegas; what a happy day that was.

[@_R-R]

Yep. Also, (with gloves) using hands is an option.

[@kellypedersen9896]

Honorary mention to lock de-icer. For those who don't know, this is a small cannister about the size of a can of breath spray. Where I live (Chicago, like the narrator) it can get cold enough for ice crystals to collect in the tumbler mechanisms of car or door locks so your keys can't work properly (or they can just freeze over completely); I've actually seen people break their keys off in their locks trying to force them when they're frozen. I've also seen people pour hot water on their car doors, which a) actually creates more ice to contend with, and b) ruins your car's paint job. What the lock de-icer does is spray a tiny bit of alcohol into the lock to dissolve all the ice in or surrounding the tumbler. I make sure I always have a can of this stuff in my jacket when winter comes.

[@junewilliams4752]

Check out what the de-icer is made of. You might be surprised that most of us have the active ingredient in our houses. I use alcohol that is at least 91%. It works faster and is cheaper. Look at what it’s made of. You’d be surprised.

[@bcase5328]

Never use hot water, use cold water. Hot water can crack your wind shield.

[@kellypedersen9896]

@@bcase5328 : I've seen this happen many times. Little old ladies bring out tea kettles to their car and . . .well, you know what happens next.

[@norahellhund9404]

I use the atni icer in the spray bottle that you can get from autozone or any car shop or gas station

[@j.r.cilliangreen4083]

The amount of times I got locked out of my back alley entrance and had to walk around the front in the ice cold and shuffling over the hidden black ice was enough to keep one in my car and in my coat pocket…

[@sandeepayne3469]

Y’all are so cute with your reactions to everything. I appreciate how respectful to America, I’ve seen some things that are disrespectful, it hurts my heart. I am proud to be an American. I like how the fella says wind screen, we say wind shield, he cracks me up. If you ever come to Georgia, I’d love to know how you liked it. I’d recommend you go to a Georgia Football game with the tailgating food & beer… It’s one experience you would never forget. Thank you for your kind videos..

[@jenniferrittall404]

Go Dawgs!

[@SherriLyle80s]

When I was a kid, to keep our feet extra dry and warm, we would stick 2 pairs of socks and put them in plastic grocery bags, then stick them in boots. The plastic bag keeps your feet dry if you dont have the best waterproof boots and warm and keeps the wind chill out.

[@anniebalsbaugh735]

Still do this! As a kid in Walkerville, Michigan this was nessesary, I'm the only 12th of 13 kids, plenty of bread bags

[@anniebalsbaugh735]

"Git Yer Wellies" by The Celtic band "Gaelic Storm"😀

[@norahellhund9404]

I still do that to this day

[@davidhaaland2809]

We used bread bags

[@hume6900]

@@davidhaaland2809, so did we!

[@briewong379]

In some mountainous areas of the US houses have a snow door on the 2nd floor for when you have like 10+ feet of snow (3 meters) you still have a way to get out of your house.

[@sallythekolcat]

we had 4 levels of doors at an A-frame cabin in the cascades (same freeway exit as Alpental ski resort. ) The basement doors into the lower hill side of the cabin. The main entrance was over a grated bridge in the summer (into the mud room). The floor above had a plain door out from the ski storage room, with an extra baby gate inside, because 2nd floor door, and The top floor bedroom had a balcony we hoped we never had to use as an exit. We were usually digging down to the main entry mud room, or building up to the second floor ski storage, but some year we were walking into the ski room level.

[@briewong379]

@@sallythekolcat there's cabins like that up in Mammoth. They get a Lot of snow

[@cehghanzi6477]

Upstate New York, too

[@charsiu_808]

I lived in Montana for 20 years and have never heard of or seen a snow dooe

[@BALLOON-CATS]

Wintertime in northern Wisconsin, all of these are absolutely necessary. The two part boot is not a favorite as the liner sometimes bunches funny around thick socks. North face makes a great sub zero boot. I’ve had the same pair for 6+ years. Also in our winter box, which comes out of storage mid November to sometimes April, thick wool socks, snow pants, ice chipper (for ice dams on the end of the driveway). Instead of a balaclava, I make a thick winter buff which doubles as a scarf and face shield used with a hat.

[@lesleeherschfus707]

2 things Before scrapping your windshields, turn both the defroster and rear defogger on high nab then start scrapping. The melt the ice just enough to make the removal easier. Secondly we in Michigan call them balaclavas

[@WendyHopper]

I'm in Detroit and we used to use facemask... Before Covid lol

[@oliviapearsall9788]

I’ve always know them as ski masks I’ve never heard balaclavas at least where I am in Michigan

[@kateburcroff5209]

I'm not sure where in Michigan you're from, but I've never heard that term. It's a ski mask.

[@WendyHopper]

@@kateburcroff5209 ugh you are completely right. It's ski mask. Not sure where my head was that day!

[@mjordan812]

"Face Shield" is the clear plastic bit on a motorcycle helmet. What Laurence had is either a balaclava or a ski mask. I grew up in New England and we didn't consider anything less than about 18" "real" snow.

[@barbhayes5613]

I was in the UK in December 1982 (or ‘83?) for record a breaking snowfall. People were on the sidewalks with brooms trying to clear the snow. Coming from Chicago, it seemed so odd that the Brits had never had to deal with ‘real’ snow before. It was fun.

[@theallseeingoracle]

One thing you also need in winter is kitty litter. It's invaluable if you are stuck in snow and having problems getting out.

[@ameliaweights]

Yup. Especially if you have a rear wheel drive vehicle. Use it as weight over your back tires unless you get stuck then you use it to get unstuck.

[@RaptorTroll360]

Ash, sand or fine sawdust can also be used to gain traction on ice or frozen/compacted snow, ash being the messier of options as it rises in the air if you try to throw it, so if you have a bucket of ash, which is a normal thing for people with wood stoves, slowly cant the bucket sideways and carefully shake the ash out the smaller the distance the ash falls the smaller the mess it makes. And when the ash is on the ground in small piles you can use an outdoor broom to evenly spread the ash. Salt is another option for dealing with ice on walkways and roads, but that costs money and people like me already have different options.

[@ikesquirrel]

Kitty litter is slippery when wet. Better off using ashes or sand. Ashes are messy, but can get you out of some crazy stuff.

[@RaptorTroll360]

In addition sand, sawdust and ash have minimal environmental impact, while salt can be bad for plant growth, as for cat litter I don't know.

[@emilys3638]

Kitty litter has changed recently -- the gritty kind from former years is surprisingly hard to find in stores, and quite expensive for what it is. Most kitty litter now is the "clumping" kind which actually gets soggy and sticky when wet. Completely useless for aiding in getting a vehicle unstuck. Just wanted to put this out there in case anyone has the new kind of kitty litter stashed in their car for emergencies. It won't help! May make things worse! Either get the gritty kind, or just a regular bag of sand! Hoping this will save someone from trouble!

[@richardjones4662]

The best snow shovels are those with a bend in the actual handle (about midway from top of shovel to actual shovel blade). This allows you to move snow easily without a lot of back bending. The eventual arm pain is nothing compared to the back pain... unless you have a good snow shovel.

[@leiatyndall8648]

Sometimes referred to as a chiropractor shovel.

[@msmaj4895]

Real snow shovel- SEE COSTCO SNOW SHOVEL. Amiright?!

[@barkybarker2592]

Ergonomic handle.

[@louisegogel7973]

The very best snow shovel depends on the type of snow you have. ❄️🛷⛷⛸🏂🍙 ❄️☃️🌨🌧. I have a variety for different conditions and use each one at some point through the winter in Vermont. I always hope not to have to use the metal ones, or the ice chopper as I did a lot this winter. My favorite type of shovel has a unique three dimensional handle design - it’s the snow pushing TRUE TEMPER shovel. The handle on the True Temper can be grasped with both hands on each side to help push the snow past the side of the driveway so there is no lifting. With heavy snow, you can push using both hands and your belly comfortably, putting to use your whole body strength instead of only your arm strength. If you have never tried using one, find one to try it out. It changed my shoveling days from really hard work to a lot more fun and made shoveling so much easier. If you check it out, let me know what you think.

[@randirae4894]

Those and with the sharper edge on the front!!!

[@emilycurtis4398]

The face shield is definitely a ski mask. I remember reading "balaclava" in Harry Potter and confusing it with "baklava" and was wondering why there was pastry on faces.

[@johndurrett3573]

Growing up in Kansas - ski masks were a one piece head cover down over chin with holes for eyes and mouth. Having a lower half that can be pulled down I would call Balaklava

[@lyllydd]

The boots he's showing are specifically LL Bean's duck boots. Rubber outside, (sometimes part rubber, part leather) and lined. The lining is important in the Midwest and the Northeast because blizzards are a thing. I'm just amazed he didn't mention Yaktrax.

[@shelleyfitzpatrick8910]

I'm 61 yrs old and from Indiana . I have never heard them called face shields. I've always known them as ski mask.

[@ItsJustLisa]

I was looking to see if they might be Sorels, but there was no label, so I knew they weren’t. LL Bean is definitely the next logical brand. I wonder if maybe Lawrence doesn’t wear YakTrax because he’s in the city. I have a pair of ice grips from LL Bean that I put on my boots or Lands’ End all weather mocs if the snow has been compressed into ice.

[@krysd8594]

@@ItsJustLisa I was gonna say crampons or ice-grips. Used them a lot in Maine.

[@helenryan5217]

When you don't know what to get your relative for Christmas, YaxTrax.😄

[@golfr-kg9ss]

The cold in the Midwest is no joke. I remember quite a few years ago for 3 weeks the temperature never got above -18C. I'll take the snow, if you have a good vehicle and are careful you can drive in it. Freezing rain on the other is a nightmare.

[@wargalley5925]

That is -0.5F btw. Of which, coming from the U.P. of MI, my reaction was; that's not so bad.

[@TheNeonParadox]

Sounds like the polar vortex year. That was rough. My heat went out twice that winter, both times in the middle of the night.

[@NathanMN]

@@wargalley5925 No kidding. I remember January 2013 in Minneapolis, when the high temperature didn't get above -15ºF for three weeks.

[@SnowmanTF2]

Freezing rain it helps if you have the latitude to work from home or take off a couple days, which covid has really expanded how many can work from home. Forecasters generally get at least a few days notice to do any last minute stocking up and in my region it will be gone in one or two days (which given it is more likely in warmer areas that seems likely common).

[@markskonecki2050]

Yeah it got really bad in Wisconsin that year it was friggin insane!

[@jtoland2333]

Interestingly, the Pacific Northwest weather is nearly identical. Having lived in the snowier parts of the U.S., I find it a little weird that 3inches of snow constitutes a blizzard in Seattle.

[@janach1305]

Yes, we Northwesterners are pretty hopeless when it snows in our cities. Anyone who skis, however, learns to drive on snow in the mountains. As for Seattle, one must remember its infamous hills. When I lived in Yakima, which is flat as a pancake, I could drive anywhere on a set of studded tires.

[@delaneys4170]

That's the crazy of Washington. I live a bit outside Spokane and it gets really bad here in winter. I've been here 4 winters now, coming from the west side. We get really bad snow drifts and it snows a LOT where I live. Then it stays for weeks or months because it stays so cold, and everything is ICE. But there were days just a few months ago that I had to shovel four times in one day just so I could get to my livestock outside periodically!

[@FordsBiggestFan]

This video is so hard for me to fathom. 😂 My entire life I've lived where winter can be fatally bad. (in the upper midwest US) And all these items are as common as drinking water, and as essential as a warm shelter. I can't fathom not even knowing they exist. 😂

[@anonygent]

I'm a Floridian who moved to Rhode Island one summer and got a job at a retail store. I didn't know what any of those things were when they came in in the fall.

[@louisegogel7973]

It is hard to grasp that someone wouldn’t know about snow equipment when we have grown up and survived by living through many varying winters of deep cold and snow.

[@donnagoring250]

@@anonygent This is why the public school system needs to have resources in place. Year round. At the very least, the Howdy place where people, tourists, vacationers, locals and non, automatically get on their communication devices, a tip sheet. Plus, an upload of where they will be when seasons start. Too many people think of the holidays, not of the harsh conditions that the locals go through in the seasons in the US. It is as dangerous in the south, with the heat and humidity for heat stroke. The US needs to do better, and so do the people. We have the knowledge, and the resources, it is getting it out there. There must be some site somewhere that people going from point A to point B can access readily and that is known about, and will check on the newbys. These 2, and the comments by all of the people on this blog, from the originator of what was lost in the pond, should not be lost again. The ancestors who braved getting and staying, am sure, do not desire to see any more needless fatalities. These 2 deserve recognition for highlighting this area!

[@anonygent]

@@donnagoring250 I kind of understand what you're getting at, but a) I'm highly suspicious of the public schools these days and am not inclined to give them any more money, and b) some things you really don't need to know unless you're going to be in that area, in which case, you should do some digging yourself. For instance, the dangers of being in high heat and high humidity like in Florida are quite different from the dangers of being in extreme heat and low humidity like in Death Valley, but if you're living in Minnesota and aren't travelling, do you really need to know?

[@manfrommeeteetse3880]

Was amazed when I went to the new Cabela's store in Denver and had to talk to four different salespeople before I found anyone who knew what Gators were. Realized then they weren't a serious outdoor store and they didn't hire competent people.

[@stevepoling]

There's a term "wind chill" that explains a lot of cold weather gear. Just a simple wind break makes a world of difference when the wind is blowing and temperatures are sub-freezing.

[@DrunkenUFOPilot]

Wind chill violates the 3rd law of thermodynamics in some of the northern states!

[@melaniefarrow7152]

Vermont here, I had a new coworker from south, he thought the term was windshield. He thought it meant the point where it's cold enough to shatter windshields.

[@FuzzyElf]

I guess it depends on how much wind you're breaking.

[@louisegogel7973]

The comments in response to yours are hilarious. Wind chill, seriously though, is definitely something to take into consideration! It’s what large cardboard boxes have protected some wandering people against and helped them survive until whatever storm blew over. I think the Peace Pilgrim was one of those who survived a winter storm because she took refuge in a cardboard box under a highway bridge.

[@Kate98755]

originally from North Dakota, serious wind chill factor

[@Lateralus138]

Southern U.S. shuts completely down when they get snow, even just a little ice. The don't have salt trucks because they don't usually have that type of weather, so it takes them forever to melt street snow. Never heard it called a "face shield", we just call them "ski masks".

[@Danny-hq7ix]

The Phoenix area issues severe weather warnings for frost...

[@Lateralus138]

@@Danny-hq7ixYep. I lived all over AZ, Lake Havasu, Kingman, Florence, Peoria, and Phoenix proper.

[@trishcraig723]

Worked at a big ten university in the midwest. Always had great times listening to people from other countries describe their shock at the amount of bitter cold that lasts for months, on top of freezing rain and snow.

[@Sharon-pb7so]

Go BLUE!!!

[@randallcraft4071]

People from other countries tend to think the US is all So Cal, Texas, Florida, Chicago and New York City. And the last 2 that are cold are old dress up in cure sweaters and leggings cold. When I was in school in the smokey mountains in East TN this exchange student didn't even bring a jacket cause she thought south so like the desert in Texas. She had a rude awakening, sure it's not as cold as yall but up in the mountains, it ain't no Florida beach or a Texas desert eaither.

[@hoosier1991]

Snowmobile is what the upper U.S. people, Northerners, use to get from place to place. Plus, with winter comes a slight boredom and they will use the snowmobile as recreation. Northerners will do their best to get through winter by using the snow as a form of entertainment. Skiing. Ice hockey. Ice fishing. Oh, and drinking.

[@laynehunter1992]

Minnesota

[@num1otori143]

Basically Montana thru to at least Wisconsin.

[@Skellyrox17]

There are windshield covers that magnetically stick to the outside of your windshield and they are used to keep it from icing in the winter. Incredible time saver

[@V.Hansen.]

Got about 8 inches last night. I love shoveling snow for some reason. Its so peaceful if you do it at night and not when you are trying to get to work.

[@AnotherScribbler]

Reminds me of when I discovered that certain northern regions in North America (not just the US) have “mud rooms”: little entry rooms, where people covered in snow or mud can shed their coats and boots and so on before they head into the rest of the house. Like, a foyer serves a simile purpose but I guess is just not hard core enough.

[@ariadne0w1]

I feel like foyer is a fancier entryway, might have a hardwood floor. Mudroom should have a tile or linoleum floor, a boot rack, and somewhere to hang your coats.

[@elizabethl6187]

With kids, you need room to hang sets of soaking wet coats, hats, mittens, socks, snow pants, mufflers, etc. and try to dry the snow boots before the next trip outdoors to play. Not a mess you want in the entryway!

[@madwhitehare3635]

Foyer? Nah. Ute room!

[@AnotherScribbler]

@@madwhitehare3635 Hahaha, to be fair, I mostly know foyers even only from movies/tv and a few homes I’ve seen with tiny ones. Closest I’ve seen in everyday use are hallways from the garage with some shelves & coat hooks or teeny tiny entryways between two doors.

[@SaturnineMage]

@@AL-jb1mh Thanks for the explanation. All I could imagine was a bunch of little hellions tearing mufflers off the bottom of cars all winter and dragging them home like cats sometimes do with their prey. I knew realistically there was another meaning but I never heard that term in my brief years living in the north, we only ever called it a scarf.

[@taylorjudi]

I live in Michigan. My brother moved to Kentucky and was frustrated when his children had 14 snow days one school year. He said only 2 of the days would have been snow days in Michigan! The faceshield is called a Balaclava here in Michigan. If it pulls over the head and only has the eyes cut out, it is called a skimask.

[@lyllydd]

When it comes to scraping off the car windscreen, my family recently discovered the bottle filled with rubbing alcohol and water. It lowers the freezing temp of the ice. Essentially melts it right off the windscreen. That, or we bring jugs of warm water to the car on really bad mornings. Also, Lawrence forgot to mention the jugs of kitty litter in the trunk. It helps you get traction when you're trying to get out of a parking space. That, or bags of sand. A lot of renters even keep salt by their doors. Apartment complex maintenance people often don't arrive early enough for all the people trying to get out to work, so sometimes you have to salt the steps or walkway yourself.

[@wayneandrews1022]

Warm water on a cold windshield increases the risk of cracking, plus forms more ice where it runs. I would stick to scraping/defrosting.

[@sherylhoward4831]

@@wayneandrews1022 True! One year I warned my neighbor not to do that and he gave me the you're a stupid girl attitude and I proceeded to watch him totally shatter his windshield and crack his drivers side window. The upside was that he never spoke to me again!

[@krysd8594]

Plus having sand/kitty litter in the trunk increases the weight and can help with traction.

[@pamelabrown7204]

@@krysd8594 just don't use kitty litter for traction! Yes, it works, temporarily, but it's made of clay, which is slicker than ice when wet, heavier than wet snow to lift, and almost impossible to clean off the sidewalk! Speaking from personal experience here.

[@justjasyn292]

Gloves are definitely a must here in Ohio and other parts of the US. Same with something to cover your face. Your hands get so cold when heat hits them, it literally feels like they are on fire and a million needles are stabbing your hands and fingers

[@billhicks6449]

To me the best gloves are those .99$ gloves you get anywhere really, and then cut the finger tips off. You get warm hands and use of your fingers.

[@kokomo9764]

@@billhicks6449 You obviously do not live where it it gets -20 on a regular basis. Your fingers would be frost bitten in a few minutes.

[@billhicks6449]

@@kokomo9764 lol. I live in Minneapolis. Have my whole life. I'm not even comfortable until it gets below 50* and I breath much better when it's below 20*. -20 is when I start to actually wear things like gloves and boots.

[@wargalley5925]

@@billhicks6449 -20 is still shorts weather for me here in the U.P.! Will have boots on, of course, to keep the snow mostly off my feet and a winter jacket but still wearing shorts.

[@billhicks6449]

@@wargalley5925 yeah, I'm not quite there. It's at about 0 that I start wearing a coat instead of a hoodie, pants instead of shorts, and shoes instead of sandals (we don't get a ton of snow until February-March). Most people don't get that if you spend your life in these conditions you're body becomes excellent at producing heat. Ya just gotta pack in the head and heart.

[@michaelmappin4425]

I grew up and lived most of my life in the south. I moved to Pittsburgh after I retired from the Navy. It was then that I owned my first ever snow shovel. I was quite excited about shoveling that first time. That got old fast. I also found out that by owning snow tires, which I changed into every winter, my Honda Civic could conquer snowy hills as adeptly as my 4x4 truck.

[@lilbluefreak]

Hey yinzer neighbor!

[@randallwhalen3239]

There's a long list of common winter gear that you will rarely, or ever see in the UK, snowmobiles, tire chains, studded snow tires, ice fishing huts, and engine block heaters, to name a few more.

[@starlightanddreams1317]

Yes people actually live on the ice and have fires etc. Drive trucks on it. I live in the north east. We get crazy weather all year long. 🤣🤣🤣

[@CedanyTheAlaskan]

* Smiles and nods in Alaskan * I feel like a firefighter getting all my items on... for snow.. Snowfighter

[@TheMoonRulesNo1]

I live in Minnesota, and these are all common objects. Many of them I have multiples of. I was a bit surprised that an ice chipper wasn't on the list, which is essentially a chisel on a 4 foot pole. Maybe that's just an upper Midwest tool, though.

[@cutelilpenguin85]

That cold wind is seriously no joke. I remember walking to my college classes one day when the wind was so cold that it was making my eyes tear up, and then my tears froze on my lashes. Made for a cool photo though, haha. I was seriously covered up everywhere else except my eyes too.

[@brianlewis5692]

we call that "face-shield" a 'ski-mask'

[@kenbrown9773]

Ooh, my dudes. You come out to the US in winter one of these years, and I will teach you to drive in the snow. It is simultaneously one of the funnest and most terrifying experiences ever. Until you find an empty parking lot, then it's nothing but fun.

[@unknownsmith1332]

The face shield is called a SKI MASK... A face shield would be some kind of plastic piece that covers your face like you might see if someone was wearing RIOT gear

[@LeannWebb61]

I live in the Deep South of the US and snow here is rare. The most I've seen at once was maybe 3-4 inches deep, and it's usually melted by noon. However, if two flakes fall, the whole place shuts down and people panic. "I'm not getting out in that!!!" Give us mud and we can drive and plow right through it, but we don't know how to drive on ice. Schools shut down, work shuts down...you name it, it shuts down!. (Last time it snowed here was 2017, and before that, I think maybe around 2009, give or take)

[@fakecubed]

I remember in college, in an area of the country known for really harsh winters, we'd get freezing ice, sometimes inches thick some days in winter, and not only were classes never canceled no matter what the weather was like, but they wouldn't even be able to de-ice the walkways in the morning, so you'd pretty much be skating to class. I was always very proud of my balance. I never once slipped and fell, though I saw many other students who did. Most of the school year was essentially winter because of how far north we were, and we had lake effect snow for most of it off the Great Lakes and cold air blowing in down from Canada. I got so good with my "ice legs" that even though I don't live there anymore, I just cannot slip and fall in any situation now. Any kind of slippery walkway, either from weather or a recent mopping indoors, or whatever, even just things on the floor indoors that want to slip out from under my foot, I never lose control, and manage to recover. My balance just shifts to the other leg and I stay standing. It's like a superpower.

[@kevingouldrup9265]

Imagine weather sooo cold that when you try and take a breath it takes it away! That is when having a mask helps...it warms the air you take in as well as keeps your face and head warm.

[@WinterWolfStarr]

I hear you about the cold. Here in Colorado it gets so cold that just breathing at all hurts and your eyelashes become icesicles.

[@rachaelb9164]

“The US” is a pretty broad area. I grew up in Southern California where a winter coat is like a sweatshirt jacket and cold is 50F. I wore short sleeves year round. We moved to the Pacific Northwest which doesn’t get a lot of snow but can get intense ice storms as well as a ton of rain. Studded tires were a new thing for me as well as the “Yak Tracks” that go over the soles of your shoes. A ice scraper is necessary for the mornings. Snow Melt or salt is important to keep your driveways clear. When it snows in Portland everyone goes crazy and abandons their cars on the freeway. Last year we had an ice storm that destroyed many trees along the roads and knocked out electricity for almost a week. 1 inch of snow creates chaos here while many areas will get several feet in one storm.

[@catherinehenry6762]

Same thing in Florida. You see people dressed up like Eskimos shivering in a 50F temperature.

[@sandrafazio6906]

Ohio ( Northern).use to.let us use studded snow tires, snow chains DECADES ago. I'd have the metal studied snow tires ( like Yak Traxs for cars) and put on in mid to.late fall take off in Spring. Not allowed now due to destroy the streets ( so they say). All Season tires don't come close to studded snow tires. Nor do plain snow tires. Really miss the stuffed snow tires. I'm from snow belt off Lake Erie Shore in Ohio. Everyone had a set of four snow tires ( studied).we put on for snow. Usually by mid Niv.wed have a couple feet of snow .Always by Thanksgiving. But that was 50.plus years ago. I was in my 20s I think when the State outlawed stuffed snow tires and snow chains. The roads haven't held up any better without those items. We are a four season, freeze and thaw area that demolishes road surfaces. Also because each city prob takes cheapest bid to do street paving yearly ,where huge pot holes ,cracked pavement ,crumbled pavement exist due to harsh weather ,semi truck weights, and severe weather changes.

[@andrew8168]

I'm from Ohio and went to a Dodgers game in September. It was 60F and I had on shorts, short-sleeves, and sandels while the Californians had on coats that we would wear when its below 0F.

[@lcflngn]

Reminds me of an old “Prairie Home Companion” long joke that Minnesotans have winter, while the folks who live in nice weather year around have to constantly go surfing, mountain climbing, sky diving, etc just to get the same thrill. Midwesterners don’t need that craziness in their lives, it’s a plentiful world of life & death already.

[@InvalidUserProfile]

1998, bad ice storm in Ontario, lasted for weeks, trees destroyed, power lines down, almost everything was closed. I remember being able to skate on the street to the corner store the ice was that thick. Our local pizza place stayed open and we would skate for a slice of pizza and to play video games. We were in the lucky part of the city that had underground wiring, our aunt and uncle and kids had to stay with us for a few weeks as we didn't lose power. We had a 40 foot birch tree on the front lawn of our house and the weight of the ice brought the top of the tree to touch the ground. When it had all defrosted and was over the tree was dead and we had to remove it.

[@mythdefied9070]

I remember one year during a bad winter storm, one of the neighbors actually had a dog team and sled they used to get around

[@m.p.2534]

As someone from Québec, I still remember that horrible winter time ! A merry holiday to all of you by the way !!! 🐧

[@candie1230]

I remember that storm. Especially the damage when I went to visit my dad and brothers in Quebec that summer. All the dead trees along the train ride was astonishing.

[@Ritercrazy]

That was a harsh year.

[@leiatyndall8648]

That might be the yr my uncle in Maine had the neighbors over to do various things (incl laundry, & cooking meals, I think) because he (owns own construction business) was the only one on his street who had a generator. He was able to be a blessing to his neighbors. It also impressed on me the importance of preparedness & having options/backups.

[@janetd4862]

I know the word balaclava…never heard it called a “face shield”, but I would probably have called it a “ski mask”. I’ve spent my life in the Midwest. I don’t mind the cold, but the older I get, the more I hate the snow and ice.

[@kevinray3229]

Great story from a co-worker. She moved from California to Chicago (she was originally from there) with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend had never been to Chicago. When they walking through downtown Chicago during the winter for the first time. He noticed that everyone was away from the street corner, basically standing next to the building. He thought that was odd and went and stood at the street corner. Then the wind hit him coming off of Lake Michigan. After that he understood why everyone stayed away from the street corner.

[@wolverine9632]

As an Indiana native, this year is the mildest autumn I have ever seen. Typically, it's just 5 months of freezing winter. And yeah, that's a ski mask.

[@BabyVapor]

I am actually worried we will get slammed.

[@niveknanorc7316]

yes, ski mask, some on here are getting fancy and calling it a balaclava~ also, i like her tommy pullmyfinger T-shirt !

[@WinterWolfStarr]

I hear you about autumn, here in Colorado it's the same. We've had 70° weather well into November when it should be 40° to 50° on a good day. I miss proper autumn! Summers too, we haven't had a good thunderstorm in several years.

[@that_auntceleste5848]

I was harvesting tomatoes and squash thru most of October in Northern Indiana this year. Winter is really here now though, so buckle up.

[@jow.2450]

Enter cold weather blast. 😁

[@Ty-zi1cn]

In Canada, where I am from in Canada at least, most schools and businesses still run even if the snow is 4 feet deep, -37 C. We are just a civilization designed to work well in snow and cold. I usually wear a t-shirt and jeans when temperatures are above -10 degrees Celsius.

[@cegoble1]

Yes I think we Canadians are a tough bunch 😂 Never heard of a “snow day” until I moved to the USA! They think they have it rough but until you have experienced 5 feet of snow with -58 temps with a windchill of -72 and still are out walking around don’t tell me -20F is cold 😜

[@candie1230]

I remember having to walk to school in -37. Felt like my eyes were starting to freeze. I closed my eyes and walked about 10 steps, opened to make sure I was still going on the right path, and continued. Close eyes take 10 or so steps, open eyes, course correct, close eyes and start walking again. Didn’t take me much more time than usual to get to school either.

[@Ritercrazy]

@@cegoble1 This Canadian has never had it that bad.... you are tough!

[@cegoble1]

@@Ritercrazy you must live in BC 😂 hahahaha

[@WalkenDead]

The objects in question really just depend on what part of the U.S. you are in. It's a big country, and the fact that our mountain ranges are north to south rather than east to west makes a big difference in the weather patterns here.

[@TheNeonParadox]

I'm from Minneapolis, and seriously, you're screwed without a snowblower. There are two-handed ergonomic shovels that will prevent you from hurting your back, but when you get up to 2-3 feet of snow, that shovel isn't going to help much.

[@thorfinsky1427]

Very rare to get a dumping like that, unfortunately.

[@cosmicpariah2444]

Children in the US get snow days off from school, but the adults do still have to go into work in most cases.

[@kenbrown2808]

in about a quarter of the US, if people took off from work when there was snow, they'd only work 6-8 months a year.

[@deborahrhyne135]

Kids get the day off because most school buses are not equipped for the road conditions. Especially in rural ares. The city schools will sometimes be in session and the county or rural area schools will be out.

[@electronics-girl]

When I was growing up, we sometimes got the day off from school for windchill, even if there wasn't snow on the ground. I guess they didn't want kids to freeze waiting for the bus.

[@simbahunter8894]

Growing up in Chicago, there was no such thing as a "snow day". No matter how cold, no matter how much snow, you had to be in school, and on time, too. I remember when Obama became President and there was a snowstorm in DC (they get a lot of snow even though they're in the south}. Obama was shocked that staffers didn't show up for work, and his daughters were surprised and delighted to know that they would get the day off from school. During the Polar Vortex, the schools closed for the cold, but it's still a rarity in Chicago.

[@GeorgeBratcherIII]

In the north in January, it can stay below 20 degrees Fahrenheit / -6 degrees celsius the entire month, and if you don't have a ski mask (or fleece), you can get deathly sick from breathing in the cold air, and wind, especially in Chicago is brutal, causing wind chills that are very low. I remember in December of 1989 while working after Christmas while in college, the wind chills got down to -50 degrees Fahrenheit / -45 degrees celsius in Nashville, TN, which is significantly south of Chicago by about 9 hours drive. So you also add thermal underwear, because pants and shirts are not warm enough, and also ski goggles are great to keep the wind off your eyes and face over the ski mask, and you want a winter coat lined with down feathers (goose feathers) to keep you warm in below 20 degrees Fahrenheit / -6 degrees celsius weather especially when it is windy. As a child growing up in New England in Bennington, VT, I can remember the winds blowing so hard, you could not breathe funneling through the mountains in the fall and winter, it would suffocate you, and you had to walk backwards into the wind in order to breathe, and I could face the wind holding my breath and trying to fall forwards, and the wind would hold me up and not let me fall.

[@anchorskid]

A snow shovel is not different from a garden spade just in size, but in shape, composition and weight, as well. A snow shovel can be very light weight and of plastic. This is my preference. The heavier the shovel, the more tiring the chore. They also come in aluminum. Significantly heavier but is sturdier and may be better for a deep, heavy, wet snow. Ick. And the leading is always flat to run along the pavement and really clear your path. Some newer varieties have wheels, are for very light snows and can just be pushed to clear without having to lift with every stroke. A snow blower is best for snows deeper than say 3 inches. Less than that I prefer a plastic shovel. Never called it a face shield. It's a ski mask or balaclava.

[@elizabethl6187]

Don't forget the salt!

[@dynamicworlds1]

I prefer the older style that has a longer handle and a scoop that's basically just a section of a cylinder. There's more weight to get through heavier snow and ice, it creates a wider path per scoup (meaning less shovel loads to clear an area), and the longer handle helps with posture and leverage, allowing more of the work to be done with the legs. Also, if it's light enough, you can just slide it forward and it'll work much like a snowplow does on the streets at least for a little bit, turning some or all of the snow off to the side. The newer style with the flatish plastic scoups are cheaper and lighter, sure, but a good old style one is more effective. Those short handles can be back killers too.

[@captainz9]

I've always preferred the aluminum shovels, they last longer... Somehow the plastic ones always crack/break on me after a few years of use.

[@WendyHopper]

@@elizabethl6187 omg right!

[@timreno72]

A very useful item sold at hardware store here is called Bag-O-Sand. It's a 40-50 lb. tube shape bag of sand you put in your trunk so the weight gives you added traction and if you get stuck you can cut the bag open to spread on icy roads/drives for emergencies. Nonstick cooking spray on door seals keeps doors from freezing shut and heating up door keys with a lighter will thaw out frozen lock tumblers.

[@GUITARTIME2024]

Rear wheel drive, I guess.

[@dbackscott]

Greetings from Orlando Florida. I think it’s important to keep in mind that the United States is fairly large with a diverse range of climates. For example, here in Central Florida we don’t do any of that Winter nonsense. I have heard of, but rarely seen, any of these winter survival implements. The down side is I still have to mow my lawn year round (though far less frequently in the winter than in the summer).

[@rbowers3068]

I grew up in Seattle and they react to snow the same way you do in the UK. I now live Wisconsin now and had to learn the same lessons he did. The first time it snowed a lot and my fathers in law told me that I still had to go to work I thought he was crazy

[@yowmemperor]

Im from the midwest, missouri. i went to california several years ago and was stunned to see people walking on the beach wearing full on winter coats at 75*F (24*c). I thought they were some sort of drug addicts until a local said that is pretty normal, and those are not addicts lol. We in the midwest generally start wearing jackets or long sleeves around 50F (10c), and coats below 25F (-4c). And full on quality winter gear; gloves, masks, etc when it gets below 0F (-17c)

[@kenbrown2808]

and where I live, we get frostbite if it drops below 40 and heatstroke sets in around 80. (farenheit) but I had a day I had taken my shirt off, because I'd gotten it covered with fiberglass insulation, and my co-worker's wife (recently immigrated from Florida) arrived to pick him up from work, wearing a ski coat.

[@yowmemperor]

@@kenbrown2808 lol

[@eaglelove00]

Haha as a born and bred Californian, this is true. At 70 degrees, we are in sweaters. 65 or below, jackets 😂

[@electronics-girl]

I live in California now, but I previously lived in Kansas, Massachusetts, and Illinois. I still think it's weird to see people wearing winter coats here. I don't even have a winter coat anymore. My leather jacket is good enough for the coldest weather in Southern California.

[@GUITARTIME2024]

Trust me, they were homeless. A coat at 75 degrees F?

[@craigh.9810]

We don’t call it a “face shield.” It’s either a “ski mask “ or balaclava. If you’re outdoors working or playing when it’s really cold here you really need them.

[@jamesreilly9195]

As living in the state of Michigan USA, a six foot snow drift is common yearly and fridget below zero temp's are expected daily ...snow effect living by lake Michigan gives us extra feet of snow but I love this place !

[@youngguns1319]

I’m in the mountains of va and we get a lot of wind most winters we have only 3-4 foot drifts but if we get alot of snow we can have 5-6 foot drifts but a normal snow fall is about 6 inches to 2 foot but most of va doesn’t get that much snow

[@MySerpentine]

I was born near Lake Superior, it was pretty normal for snow to come up to the roof once or twice a winter if I remember right. But then we lived in a trailer, so yeah.

[@daddyrabbit835]

@@MySerpentine I live within an hour of Lakes Huron, Superior, and Michigan. We got lucky last year, and I only had to snow blow 3 times. This year, not so much.

[@bbchan9622]

"Can even get up to two feet of snow" lmao we got 3 feet in 2 days last winter where I am in the US, and we don't typically even come close to places like Montana and Alaska xD Great video though, thanks for sharing!

[@emily_gross1990]

The "face shield" is also called a hood. Not to be confused with a coat hood. But there's also many different names for this. Usually it's used for Skiing or other outdoor winter sports. Mainly most wintery days we can get by with a warm hat and thick scarf.

[@BravyM9]

I want to say that snow is very different in New Jersey than it is in the Midwest and here in the CA Sierra Nevada mountains. The snow is really really deep! You NEED each item he has mentioned.

[@DanielDavis1973]

8:10 that depends wildly on the part of the US.. in the southern states these events are a lot rarer and treated more similarly to England. In the northern states (especially around the great lakes), snow is so common that if you didn't deal with it you'd be home from work for weeks or months.

[@pookierose6]

At that point, we wouldn't have jobs. Lol

[@davidsiskii4796]

Here in the USA I've lived three different climates. Maine where a foot of snow might only delay school for an hour or two. The south eastern states like the Tennessee and the Carolinas where their schools start cancelling the second the first snowflake falls and now the Arizona desert where the only snow you see is on mountain tops hours away by car.

[@AnnaBanana-tx9rf]

I live in East TN and I remember one yr they cancelled school (before a single snowflake had fallen) because there was a CHANCE of snow the next day 😂

[@davidsiskii4796]

😂 I actually thought about saying "...at the slightest chance of snow." But I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt.

[@Sandman60077]

Those boots he had were kinda small. They're fine if you're just walking from your car to the house, but if you're gonna be outside for a longer period of time then you'll need some heavier and warmer boots than those.

[@anniebalsbaugh735]

Nothing worse than snow falling gently inside your boots with each step!! ARGGGG

[@suem6004]

Yep. Snow boots to the knees

[@nancykaminski8600]

Proper mukluks are the way to go! I live in Minnesota and have snow gear Way beyond this stuff.

[@david2869]

You really wouldn't be ready for heavy snow without a snow suit in addition to the snow boots.

[@sovcast8760]

We'd get so much lake effect snow in southwest Michigan that before I could use the ice scraper I'd have to clean the snow off my car with a push broom. When it was really bad you even have to broom off the top of the car. If you didn't, the first time you came to a stop the three feet of snow on top of the roof would all come crashing down onto the windshield.

[@rachelstrahan2486]

👍When I was in London during the Spring, March, everyone was wearing coats, scarves, and gloves all bundled up and I was wearing a tank top. So it is what you're acclimated to, but, the bitter winter cold and wind of the Midwest requires protection.

[@maryvalley4050]

I knew a British couple decades ago, (back in the 70s, in fact, and they were agog at how cold it got in the winter here. She sent home a news article, complete with photo, of firemen fighting a fire at a school during the winter, and the water was freezing in the high pressure hoses as they were using them. She said she couldn't believe the depth of cold to do that.

[@MrFearDubh]

I've lived my whole life in the area that Lawrence now lives, and we don't call it a face shield. We call it a ski mask, though I have heard balaclava but only in association with Northern Ireland and the Troubles and other negative situations.

[@piperbird7193]

I grew up in New England, and there are a lot of things I'd add to this list. Good snow tires or chains (not everywhere allows chains), winter kit in your car with things like blankets and a radio, storm doors and windows, in some places a genny is an absolute must. You wear your winter boots to work or school and change into your regular shoes once you are there, so everyone always has plastic bags to keep your nasty wet boots in. When I was a kid everyone wore ski pants over your jeans, and you'd take them off once you got to school. I can still hear the sound they made when you walk in them.

[@wilshade]

Gloves. Well, they're useful from right around freezing to about 0 Fahrenheit (-17C). Below that, you really should have mittens. They will keep your fingers warmer.

[@sallythekolcat]

or layered. flexible gloves for fine finger requiring work, with mittens over.

[@pauld6967]

It is true that people acclimatize to their location. Relatives who moved to, say, Florida for several years and then returned for a family event in the Fall or Winter and complained about the cold were teased about their blood having thinned out. When I was stationed in Texas, I and the people I was with had become so used to 110-120 degree days that when it was only in the 80s one morning, we went back to the barracks to get our coats before PT. Yes, we swiftly realized how silly that was since we'd be complaining about the heat on an 80 degree day "back home." It is all about what your body is used to.

[@garyhall2770]

Back in 02 I was stationed in Kuwait from April to October. My body got used to the heat of 120 degree days. One month later I had to go to the field at Ft. Riley and the average temp was 1 degree. I was wearing the issued thermal under wear, the cold weather gear and the mopp suit every day and was still freezing.

[@walterrutherford8321]

My job once sent me for training from Fairbanks Alaska to the Bay Area of California. I remember being a bit upset that it had warmed up from -20F to 20F the day before I left and I was going to miss this rare heat wave. But California was in the mid to high 60s, about the temperature inside my house! I was walking around shopping, thrilled to be in just a t-shirt, but I saw locals shivering wearing wool sweaters and windbreakers. Ha!

[@life_as_we_know_it]

I grew up in Ontario, Canada and we call the winter hats “toques” but when they also cover the face we called it a ski cap. Balaclava would be a secondary name for us. They are super important here though lots of us don’t actually wear one. They are the bomb though. Super helpful.

[@valg.3270]

When I was in 5th & 6th grades, we lived in Maine. We called the knitted caps toboggans. The knitted caps that pulled down over the face with an opening for the eyes, we called ski masks.

[@tamifaulkner4103]

I grew up in Montana, where it snows, heavily, from late October through at least April, if things closed for snow we would go no where! The only time everything closed was when we got a Canadian front and with windchill it got down to -75 f then they shut it all down. But that was once in 30 years of living there.

[@rwlewko]

I don't know what the wind chill was, but I remember a day when I had my car in the shop so I was walking and the temperature was -40F (that's -40C also) and the wind was from the north @ 25mph. Location Calgary. The coldest I have ever seen is -52C (no wind) in Edmonton.

[@susanklenke2316]

They're listed as balaclavas in camping catalogs, so that's what I call them. Or a ski mask. When he said "face shield," I thought that was the word used in England. A face shield is what welders and motorcyclists wear, lol.

[@eugenemurphy1861]

Growing up in Nebraska we called them ski masks as well. I would be happy if Nebraska Summers stayed at your 30°, or 86° here. It is not uncommon to see 100° plus in the summer and 10 to 20 below windchill in the winter

[@PerthTowne]

Depends on where you are in the US when it comes to snow. I went to college in upstate New York, where you never saw the ground between late October and April. It seemed like that anyway, because the ground was always covered with snow. In places like that, you have to just keep going regardless of the weather or you would be in your house all the time. Then again, in a place like Washington DC where they don't get a lot of snow, an inch of snow would shut down everything.

[@bcase5328]

Chicago gets a late start to winter and a late start to summer.

[@ESUSAMEX]

I grew up in near NYC; I never really wore a ski mask until I went to college near the US-Canada border in northern NY and it was -10F with a windchill of -20F at 8AM each morning during the Winter. You know you are in a cold place when the local town plows the sidewalk with a 4X4 Jeep Wrangler. Sometimes the snow didn't melt until the beginning of May.

[@cehghanzi6477]

Sad thing is, there are , at the very least, three colleges in upstate where that is true. Midwest isn’t the only place with tough winters!

[@vodriscoll]

Guessing that was either in Potsdam or Plattsburgh

[@hollyfalk1753]

Last year we discovered the hart shop blower which runs on a battery pack. We used that instead of a shovel when the snow was light. Then we got a hart leaf blower to play around with, it works good... Sends the snow flying when you use it. It doesn't help much when dealing with ice though. The blowers are definitely fun to mess with in the snow though, it's one of the ways I get my son out of the house and do something.

[@chrisrogers3787]

I’m in the southeastern US. Even a mention of snow in the forecast, grocery stores, gas stations get wild with people freaking out. Now if it really snows, it’s the end of the world.

[@lorettaross5146]

Before the pandemic I worked in retail. Anytime they mentioned a snowstorm on TV we'd have a rush on people stocking up, even if the storm in question was 2k miles away in Montana. 😆 (I'm in Missouri, south of KC.)

[@aletmartins6940]

The younger you are when emigrating, the easier it is to shed your accent. My son was 19 when we came to the US. 20 yrs later he sounds American - certain words still pop out especially when he’s tired or excited. I was 51 when we came. I still have my accent. One adapts certain words, but for the most part the accent stays.

[@GUITARTIME2024]

From where. NL?

[@smokeyangelav]

Well, you really just acquire a different accent or a mashup of the two. There are many, many accents in the US as I imagine there is any any large country.

[@jdbb3gotskills]

Driving through a blizzard with 4 inches of snow on the roads and near zero visibility is always fun.

[@matthewteague623]

where fun = not really fun

[@mermaid1717]

I live in eastern North Carolina. ANY threat of snow everything automatically shuts down.. schools & work.. anf people rush to the grocery stores to over buy everything. Then we sit around waiting to see if it actually snows. And if it does.. 75% of the time it's not much more than a dusting. To be fair we do end up with more ice then snow a lot of times.