If you live in Michigan...
- Thread starter NannyBeBe
- Start date
cabanafrau
DIS Legend
- Joined
- May 10, 2006
- Messages
- 15,749
If Central Michigan implies CMU, it is possible to get by not driving, but frankly there's a high percentage of the time it's going to suck. My youngest attended there for her bachelors. Heavy lake effect snow band area, frequently gets quite a bit of snow -- and very warm and humid in the summer as well. It is also the heart of the most impoverished area of Michigan and suffers many societal ills one would expect from the economic effects.
Coming in January is going to be quite the culture shock. I hope she weathers it well -- in all senses of the word.
This would be a big concern for me as a mom, and as a woman. If a town is small enough that it doesn't have transportation, is there enough in a walkable distance to get by? Grocery stores, school, work etc? We live in a small town that doesn't have public transportation. And only recently started having grocery delivery. There would be very few places here where you could live and easily walk to most places you need to go. We also don't really have uber/lyft/taxis here that would be reliable to depend on. Even the 2 college campuses here, don't have anything that is within walking distance as far as groceries. I would not want to live in a town that doesn't have public transportation and not have a car. Esp in the winter where walking could take quite some time.
NotUrsula
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2002
- Messages
- 20,038
I don't live there, but I spend a lot of time there in the winter because my daughter is in a winter sport that frequently takes her there to compete; we just got back last night, and will be heading back up in 2 weeks. Since I'm always attending these large events, I'm often walking around cities in snow and freezing weather from distant parking locations, so I have a bit of appreciation for the cold-weather pedestrian experience.
By "does not drive" do you mean she doesn't own a vehicle/never got around to learning, or does she have a medical reason for not being able to drive? (Rhetorical question; I'm not looking for you to actually tell me.) Because if it isn't the last one, the first thing she should do to prepare is learn and get a license, and preferably get her own vehicle. If she will be on a large campus there is likely to at least be a car-sharing service so that she can borrow a car for grocery runs, etc. (If she does have a medical reason, she should budget for lots of paid rides.)
The biggest issue with walking everywhere when it is cold and snowy is safety. Dealing with the cold is one aspect, and you've gotten a lot of advice about that (I'd add that silk longjohns are my very fave for comfort for all but the very coldest days), but it is also important to understand that snow in the Lake Effect belt isn't usually *removed*, rather it is moved. Into *very* large piles (some places do vacuum up excess snow and dump it in remote locations, but that's pretty rare except in affluent communities). When I say very large, I'm talking sometimes 20 feet tall. By law, the really big piles are supposed to be created well away from roads, but that doesn't always happen if it has been snowing for days on end. Sidewalks may or may not be cleared in commercial areas, but if snow is being plowed off the roads it often ends up constantly spilling over onto sidewalks and berms, so that each time you cross an intersection you may have to step through at least a foot of it, and may get drenched with chemical slush from passing cars on a major road. This means she needs not only boots, but knee-high boots, and a water-shedding coat and pants. (Most people who work indoors without having to go in and out all the time will bring regular shoes to change into so as not to wear the heavy boots all day. A pair of loose ripstop pants can be worn the same way, as a moisture-resistant 3rd top layer over regular pants and long underwear) Drivers whose cars are not properly cleared off may also have poor visibility even for days after storms because the road chemicals create a white haze on glass, so she should make it a point to wear colors other than white or gray outside in the daytime, and to wear/carry something reflective (like an armband) if walking at night, so that drivers can clearly see her.
https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/msp/ohsp/pdfs5/2020_ohsp_winterdriving_passengersandpedestrians_infographic_72.pdf?rev=f3982ca4bb7f4040bec358850c0fcde5#:~:text=Safety tips for pedestrians include,before stepping into the street.
Ice cleats for her boots are a good idea just in case, and she should also be aware that if she customarily uses a backpack, that will affect her balance walking on ice, and needs to be compensated for. Oh, and if she needs to wash puffer coats, she'll need tennis balls for the dryer to keep them from getting lumpy.
PS: One last thing: ordinary nylon or polyester fashion tights/leggings are NOT sufficient on their own to protect from sub-freezing weather. If you are outside for any appreciable period of time in the cold (except for hard exercise like cold-weather running) you need to have at least 2 layers on your legs, and the fabric of at least one layer should be insulating. This is the goof that gets most Southerners when they travel north; they will bundle up in a (short) coat, gloves and a hat, but neglect that space between the top of the boots and the bottom of the coat. If she is a dress-wearer, a full-length down coat that reaches a little past the knees is doubly important. (FWIW, Eddie Bauer has good full-length down coats, and are doing major markdowns for Black Friday. Columbia and Land's End are also good outwear sources that won't break the bank.) As other folks have said, think layers. She should primarily invest in a couple of good lightweight down coats with hoods, quality insulated boots, a good scarf or two, at least 2 prs of good thinsulate gloves (b/c gloves are easily lost), a balaclava, lined windproof pants, and bottom base layers. The tops she already has can probably be layered enough under her coat, so no need to invest in sweaters or specialty base-layer tops right away. BTW, someone upthread mentioned wool socks. Those are great -- unless, like me, you have issues tolerating wool next to your skin. If that's the case, silk or synthetic technical sockliners are also important.
By "does not drive" do you mean she doesn't own a vehicle/never got around to learning, or does she have a medical reason for not being able to drive? (Rhetorical question; I'm not looking for you to actually tell me.) Because if it isn't the last one, the first thing she should do to prepare is learn and get a license, and preferably get her own vehicle. If she will be on a large campus there is likely to at least be a car-sharing service so that she can borrow a car for grocery runs, etc. (If she does have a medical reason, she should budget for lots of paid rides.)
The biggest issue with walking everywhere when it is cold and snowy is safety. Dealing with the cold is one aspect, and you've gotten a lot of advice about that (I'd add that silk longjohns are my very fave for comfort for all but the very coldest days), but it is also important to understand that snow in the Lake Effect belt isn't usually *removed*, rather it is moved. Into *very* large piles (some places do vacuum up excess snow and dump it in remote locations, but that's pretty rare except in affluent communities). When I say very large, I'm talking sometimes 20 feet tall. By law, the really big piles are supposed to be created well away from roads, but that doesn't always happen if it has been snowing for days on end. Sidewalks may or may not be cleared in commercial areas, but if snow is being plowed off the roads it often ends up constantly spilling over onto sidewalks and berms, so that each time you cross an intersection you may have to step through at least a foot of it, and may get drenched with chemical slush from passing cars on a major road. This means she needs not only boots, but knee-high boots, and a water-shedding coat and pants. (Most people who work indoors without having to go in and out all the time will bring regular shoes to change into so as not to wear the heavy boots all day. A pair of loose ripstop pants can be worn the same way, as a moisture-resistant 3rd top layer over regular pants and long underwear) Drivers whose cars are not properly cleared off may also have poor visibility even for days after storms because the road chemicals create a white haze on glass, so she should make it a point to wear colors other than white or gray outside in the daytime, and to wear/carry something reflective (like an armband) if walking at night, so that drivers can clearly see her.
https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/msp/ohsp/pdfs5/2020_ohsp_winterdriving_passengersandpedestrians_infographic_72.pdf?rev=f3982ca4bb7f4040bec358850c0fcde5#:~:text=Safety tips for pedestrians include,before stepping into the street.
Ice cleats for her boots are a good idea just in case, and she should also be aware that if she customarily uses a backpack, that will affect her balance walking on ice, and needs to be compensated for. Oh, and if she needs to wash puffer coats, she'll need tennis balls for the dryer to keep them from getting lumpy.
PS: One last thing: ordinary nylon or polyester fashion tights/leggings are NOT sufficient on their own to protect from sub-freezing weather. If you are outside for any appreciable period of time in the cold (except for hard exercise like cold-weather running) you need to have at least 2 layers on your legs, and the fabric of at least one layer should be insulating. This is the goof that gets most Southerners when they travel north; they will bundle up in a (short) coat, gloves and a hat, but neglect that space between the top of the boots and the bottom of the coat. If she is a dress-wearer, a full-length down coat that reaches a little past the knees is doubly important. (FWIW, Eddie Bauer has good full-length down coats, and are doing major markdowns for Black Friday. Columbia and Land's End are also good outwear sources that won't break the bank.) As other folks have said, think layers. She should primarily invest in a couple of good lightweight down coats with hoods, quality insulated boots, a good scarf or two, at least 2 prs of good thinsulate gloves (b/c gloves are easily lost), a balaclava, lined windproof pants, and bottom base layers. The tops she already has can probably be layered enough under her coat, so no need to invest in sweaters or specialty base-layer tops right away. BTW, someone upthread mentioned wool socks. Those are great -- unless, like me, you have issues tolerating wool next to your skin. If that's the case, silk or synthetic technical sockliners are also important.
Last edited:
Dan Murphy
We are family.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2000
- Messages
- 83,818
Black ice. When it is moist out and the temperature is just a bit below freezing at ground level. The moisture can freeze but not be visible. A cause for many falls and vehicle accidents every year.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_ice
https://www.google.com/search?q=bla...g&ei=p7lbZYbbI9qip84P4Y6s6AY&bih=770&biw=1536
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_ice
https://www.google.com/search?q=bla...g&ei=p7lbZYbbI9qip84P4Y6s6AY&bih=770&biw=1536
-
Disney Debate: Best Day of the Week to Visit Disney Parks
-
Disney Shares NEW Images From Little Mermaid Show at Hollywood Studios
-
New Lilo & Stitch Treats for Disneyland & Walt Disney World
-
Epic Universe's Opening Day: A Grand Entrance & Ghost Town
-
New Disney Photo Ops in Disneyland and Walt Disney World
-
Halloween Night 2025 Sold Out for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
-
New Disney x Loungefly Embroidered Woven Stitch Series
Save Up to 30% on Rooms at Walt Disney World!
Save up to 30% on rooms at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels when you stay 5 consecutive nights or longer in late summer and early fall. Plus, enjoy other savings for shorter stays.This offer is valid for stays most nights from August 1 to October 11, 2025.
CLICK HERE
New Posts
- Poll
- Poll
