So, the nightmare scenario is here. They are spreading something called "brine" onto every major road here.
Of course, my car has not touched the public roads since this act was perpetrated.
My question is, how long do I need to stay parked? Until the Winter storm passes? Until it rains? March? April?
I've got no problem taking the train. I'm not doing the salt thing.
that stuff stays there until washed off … multiple dry days later, and you'll still be kicking that stuff up and coating the underside (and the outside for that matter) of your car
Yeah, I drove on it yesterday here in NC. I can't wait to go to the powerwash and spray the undercarriage. 
wbjones wrote: that stuff stays there until washed off … multiple dry days later, and you'll still be kicking that stuff up and coating the underside (and the outside for that matter) of your car
Yeah, that's what I figured. It really pisses me off that the government here would do that. It's not at all what I signed up for when I came here.
Anyhow, I'm thinking I'll wait until after the next rainy warm front comes through. That will be a nice warm storm after a couple of weeks (or more) without any new salting. This could certainly be as far away as April, I guess.
that crap is horrible, keep it off your cars.
If you think it's bad in ATL, you should take a trip up to Saltsylvannia! Many of our highways have so much dried up brine on them that you can taste it when you drive down the road, and when the sunlight hits it just right, you can see a cloud of fine salt dust lingering above the road for as far as you can see.
Honestly one or two salt coatings wont hurt much...I know from driving my now 8 year old Ranger to CT from ATL on many winters through all the nasty up there and i've been over every inch of the underside and the only rust is some minor stuff on the galvanized bolt heads...just clean it off...
In reply to Raze:
Fords do have pretty good corrosion protection, in my experience. I'm driving an '09 Impreza and I'd rate it about 4/10 on that front. Maybe I'm wrong... I like the car overall.
HappyAndy wrote: If you think it's bad in ATL, you should take a trip up to Saltsylvannia! Many of our highways have so much dried up brine on them that you can taste it when you drive down the road, and when the sunlight hits it just right, you can see a cloud of fine salt dust lingering above the road for as far as you can see.
Yeah, but this is Atlanta. I thought it was paradise until they started throwing weird salt cocktails onto the roads.
b13990 wrote:wbjones wrote: that stuff stays there until washed off … multiple dry days later, and you'll still be kicking that stuff up and coating the underside (and the outside for that matter) of your carYeah, that's what I figured. It really pisses me off that the government here would do that. It's not at all what I signed up for when I came here. Anyhow, I'm thinking I'll wait until after the next rainy warm front comes through. That will be a nice warm storm after a couple of weeks (or more) without any new salting. This could certainly be as far away as April, I guess.
It seems like you're new to the area or have forgotten the debacle of the Jan 2014 snow/ice episode. You've seen how drivers around here behave on dry and wet roads; do you really want those imbeciles left to their own devices (again) when the roads are covered with ice? The good thing is that you shouldn't have to endure brining more than a couple of times a year. If you can keep you car off the roads until after the next good dousing of rain, you're on the right track.
BTW, you're not dealing with a singular governmental entity; in addition to the state you've got numerous county and city governments in the mix. None of them have a great track record when it comes co-ordinating and making good decisions.
It won't instantly calcify your car into rust. Most Northern cars that see salt for months and months each year take at least 5 years to rust. We can't even fathom what it's like to live somewhere were there ISN'T rust on cars. If you have to drive it take it to a good carwash and spray the hell out of the under body with soap and rinse it off.
That brine stuff is worse than rock salt. It seems to rust the cars faster due to its ability to stay on the road and get into areas of your car you didn't think was possible. Wash your car frequently... You have been warned by a PA/New England guy.
Contradiction wrote: We can't even fathom what it's like to live somewhere were there ISN'T rust on cars.
Speak for yourself. I have lived in South Carolina and Washington State.... Rust free is possible...
From what I remember from chemistry class years ago, salt(s) will dissolve in water; to a specific concentration.
What I take from that; the more rain, the less salt/brine that is left on the roads, the sadder the fish.
Normally up here in the spring after a few showers we have a lot of gravel/cinders left which is gritty, but not much apparently left over salt.
I would say after a good rain has passed you are good to go. Or; if it stays cold and you get no moisture, it shouldn't really be spread on your car.
If you drive during the first precipitation the brine mixes with, you will get exposed.
oldsaw wrote:b13990 wrote:It seems like you're new to the area or have forgotten the debacle of the Jan 2014 snow/ice episode. You've seen how drivers around here behave on dry and wet roads; do you really want those imbeciles left to their own devices (again) when the roads are covered with ice? The good thing is that you shouldn't have to endure brining more than a couple of times a year. If you can keep you car off the roads until after the next good dousing of rain, you're on the right track. BTW, you're not dealing with a singular governmental entity; in addition to the state you've got numerous county and city governments in the mix. None of them have a great track record when it comes co-ordinating and making good decisions.wbjones wrote: that stuff stays there until washed off … multiple dry days later, and you'll still be kicking that stuff up and coating the underside (and the outside for that matter) of your carYeah, that's what I figured. It really pisses me off that the government here would do that. It's not at all what I signed up for when I came here. Anyhow, I'm thinking I'll wait until after the next rainy warm front comes through. That will be a nice warm storm after a couple of weeks (or more) without any new salting. This could certainly be as far away as April, I guess.
I've only been here 9 months, so I just missed the big storm. You are right about that.
I both live and work very close to MARTA train stations, so I'm probably a bit unsympathetic towards people who expect to make their usual 90 minute commute in a Camry rolling on all season tires (at best) in a blizzard. Those people should never have been on the road, and throwing salt on the road to facilitate that is no answer.
As for "the government" being an oversimplification, I hear you, but in this particular case the brine distribution was (I believe) coordinated by a single GDOT facility operating out of Clayton County and aiming to cover every "major" roadway in metro Atlanta.
Fueled by Caffeine wrote:Contradiction wrote: We can't even fathom what it's like to live somewhere were there ISN'T rust on cars.Speak for yourself. I have lived in South Carolina and Washington State.... Rust free is possible...
It is possible but us Rust Belt folks just don't know what it's like. 
My cousin is a mechanic and he said the best thing he ever did was move from Chicago to Las Vegas. He said it's a night and day difference working on a 15 yr. old car that doesn't have a spec of rust underneath it.
If it can be avoided, park it until after the next heavy rainstorm, preferably two.
b13990 wrote:wbjones wrote: that stuff stays there until washed off … multiple dry days later, and you'll still be kicking that stuff up and coating the underside (and the outside for that matter) of your carYeah, that's what I figured. It really pisses me off that the government here would do that. It's not at all what I signed up for when I came here. Anyhow, I'm thinking I'll wait until after the next rainy warm front comes through. That will be a nice warm storm after a couple of weeks (or more) without any new salting. This could certainly be as far away as April, I guess.
you might not have signed up for this, but you obviously haven't been in Atlanta when it snows / ices up the roads … what an absolute clusterberkeley
b13990 wrote: In reply to Raze: Fords do have pretty good corrosion protection, in my experience. I'm driving an '09 Impreza and I'd rate it about 4/10 on that front. Maybe I'm wrong... I like the car overall.
Ford's may now … but you should see the underside of my '97 F-150 … other that a car actually falling apart from rust, I've never seen anything like this
b13990 wrote:HappyAndy wrote: If you think it's bad in ATL, you should take a trip up to Saltsylvannia! Many of our highways have so much dried up brine on them that you can taste it when you drive down the road, and when the sunlight hits it just right, you can see a cloud of fine salt dust lingering above the road for as far as you can see.Yeah, but this is Atlanta. I thought it was paradise until they started throwing weird salt cocktails onto the roads.
I just moved from PA to Atlanta over the summer. Trust me, the stuff they're spreading here is absolutely nothing compared to what is spread in the northeast/mid-Atlantic. Childs' play... I wouldn't get too paranoid over it. If it bothers you that much, wash it off this weekend. It's supposed to be 60 on Sunday.
60° sounds great … I'm 200 miles north and the predictions for tonight and tomorrow night are -1° and -7°F… 50° for a high Sun
They put down brine before the precip starts. Afterward, they spread salt and mix mix. Like the others have said, you should have seen the clusterberkeley last year when they put down nothing.
As someone from Wisconsin, BOOOO HOOOO!
RossD wrote: As someone from Wisconsin, BOOOO HOOOO!
Well, I'm riding public transportation in 21° weather, so it's not all sunshine and roses here.
If you don't have serious rust on the car already, driving it and then washing it as soon after either the roads dry or a good rain washes it all off won't kill the car. If you already have rust developing it will quickly deteriorate with the smallest amount of salt.
b13990 wrote:RossD wrote: As someone from Wisconsin, BOOOO HOOOO!Well, I'm riding public transportation in 21° weather, so it's not all sunshine and roses here.
I remember the time before I moved to Indiana when I too thought that 21 was down right arctic. I just went and shoveled my drive and cleaned off my work van after the 1-2" we got last night. Its 10 degrees ATM and that is actually warm compared to yesterday.
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