Ice thickness and Safety

[Burchoid]

Why do so many ice fishermen and sportsmen/women freak out when someone is driving a vehicle on lets say, 8"-10" of clear new ice?

Many of you right now I know are thinking "heck no, not me, thats a death wish". Why would the DNR recomend 8-12" for a small truck or car if it wasn't "safe enough". 6" can hold most vehicles, if clear and solid. The 8-12" recommendation already takes into account the risk of there being variations in ice thickness. I get a little frustrated when I see my fellow ice fishing people ranting every year in the forums about how they can't believe they saw a vehicle on xx" of ice. I know ice is never completely safe and vehicle do fall through each year, but how many vehicles fell through last year? Less than 20? Out of how many thousands that went on the ice? Just something to think about, discuss, etc.

This is from the DNR HSOforum:

Recommended minimum ice thickness

4" of new clear ice is the minimum thickness for travel on foot

5" is minimum for snowmobiles and ATVs

8"- 12" for cars or small trucks

(Remember that these thicknesses are merely guidelines for new, clear, solid ice. Many factors other than thickness can cause ice to be unsafe.)

Check for known thin ice areas with a local resort or bait shop.

Test the thickness yourself using an ice chisel, ice auger or even a cordless 1/4 inch drill with a long bit.

Refrain from driving on ice whenever possible.

If you must drive a vehicle, be prepared to leave it in a hurry--keep windows down, unbuckle your seat belt and have a simple emergency plan of action you have discussed with your passengers.

Stay away from alcoholic beverages.

Even "just a couple of beers" are enough to cause a careless error in judgment that could cost you your life. And contrary to common belief, alcohol actually makes you colder rather than warming you up.

Don't "overdrive" your snowmobile's headlight.

At even 30 miles per hour, it can take a much longer distance to stop on ice than your headlight shines. Many fatal snowmobile through-the-ice accidents occur because the machine was travelling too fast for the operator to stop when the headlamp illuminated the hole in the ice.

Wear a life vest under your winter gear.

Or wear one of the new flotation snowmobile suits. And it's a good idea to carry a pair of ice picks that may be home made or purchased from most well stocked sporting goods stores that cater to winter anglers. It's amazing how difficult it can be to pull yourself back onto the surface of unbroken but wet and slippery ice while wearing a snowmobile suit weighted down with 60 lbs of water. The ice picks really help pulling yourself back onto solid ice. CAUTION: Do NOT wear a flotation device when travelling across the ice in an enclosed vehicle!

[Reynolds]

You said it best when ice is never safe. My grandfather's best friend fell through the ice and drowned a number of years ago at a time when there were vehicles driving on the ice. I think you have labeled mislabeled concern as "freaking out." I guess I don't see anything wrong with people expressing concern over a situation which they perceived to be dangerous. When it comes to being out on the ice, I feel it is better to be cautious than bold.

[Reynolds]

If it were not for other people expressing their concerns maybe we would have had 50 vehicles go through the ice instead of 20. I am sure there are many instances every winter that someone warns a would be driver to stay off of a dangerous ice that they were not aware of.

[Dances with Walleye]

Quote:

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Why do so many ice fishermen and sportsmen/women freak out when someone is driving a vehicle on lets say, 8"-10" of clear new ice?

Many of you right now I know are thinking "heck no, not me, thats a death wish". Why would the DNR recomend 8-12" for a small truck or car if it wasn't "safe enough". 6" can hold most vehicles, if clear and solid. The 8-12" recommendation already takes into account the risk of there being variations in ice thickness. I get a little frustrated when I see my fellow ice fishing people ranting every year in the forums about how they can't believe they saw a vehicle on xx" of ice. I know ice is never completely safe and vehicle do fall through each year, but how many vehicles fell through last year? Less than 20? Out of how many thousands that went on the ice? Just something to think about, discuss, etc.

This is from the DNR

HSOforum

:

Recommended minimum ice thickness

4" of new clear ice is the minimum thickness for travel on foot

5" is minimum for snowmobiles and ATVs

8"- 12" for cars or small trucks

(Remember that these thicknesses are merely guidelines for new, clear, solid ice. Many factors other than thickness can cause ice to be unsafe.)

Check for known thin ice areas with a local resort or bait shop.

Test the thickness yourself using an ice chisel, ice auger or even a cordless 1/4 inch drill with a long bit.

Refrain from driving on ice whenever possible.

If you must drive a vehicle, be prepared to leave it in a hurry--keep windows down, unbuckle your seat belt and have a simple emergency plan of action you have discussed with your passengers.

Stay away from alcoholic beverages.

Even "just a couple of beers" are enough to cause a careless error in judgment that could cost you your life. And contrary to common belief, alcohol actually makes you colder rather than warming you up.

Don't "overdrive" your snowmobile's headlight.

At even 30 miles per hour, it can take a much longer distance to stop on ice than your headlight shines. Many fatal snowmobile through-the-ice accidents occur because the machine was travelling too fast for the operator to stop when the headlamp illuminated the hole in the ice.

Wear a life vest under your winter gear.

Or wear one of the new flotation snowmobile suits. And it's a good idea to carry a pair of ice picks that may be home made or purchased from most well stocked sporting goods stores that cater to winter anglers. It's amazing how difficult it can be to pull yourself back onto the surface of unbroken but wet and slippery ice while wearing a snowmobile suit weighted down with 60 lbs of water. The ice picks really help pulling yourself back onto solid ice.

CAUTION: Do NOT wear a flotation device when travelling across the ice in an enclosed vehicle!

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See there's this thing... You may have heard your mother say... "Better safe than sorry."

Now when you mom told you this, it was probably about wearing clean underwear, a sweater, or keeping a handkercheif in your back pocket.

What we're talking about here is things that are much more important... Like an expensive vehicle... All your gear... YOUR LIFE...

These are things to be cherished, not tossed aside because I have some special man sense that it's okay, and people are over reacting because they don't have balls as big as mine...

And I mean I say this as a 265 body builder and retired defensive end who drips testosterone in his daily life...

It's not worth it to push your luck with even the smallest question about ice...

Being able to walk on a lake in ice season is a privaledge afforded to us by mother nature... It should NEVER be taken lightly to such a degree that it should always be taken heavily!