Get ready: Fall, winter are right around the corner Published Oct. 1, 2009 By Master Sgt. Kelley J. Stewart 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- With daytime temperatures still hitting the low to mid-70s, it's hard to believe fall and winter are just around the corner. However, they are, and Sabers need to prepare. Fall's arrival in the Eifel differs from year to year, but it usually arrives around mid-October. Fall brings with it a lot of rain and falling leaves, which can be hazardous to drivers. Germany is also far enough north that during the fall and winter, days get shorter and changing weather conditions make fog more frequent. A driver's visibility is reduced here during fall and winter. "There is a lot of darkness. Then, we're in a pretty humid area, and that causes a lot of fog in the fall and winter months," said Klaus Van Den Boom, 52nd Fighter Wing Safety Office safety and occupational health specialist. Speed limits are posted on German roads, but those limits are set for ideal road conditions. Ideal road conditions do not include snow, ice, heavy rain or fog. In those types of driving situations, people should slow down and allot more time to get to their final destination. Black ice can be found on the roads here mainly January through March, which is the coldest part of the year. "When the air from the humidity is freezing, you can expect it to stay on top of the street," Mr. Van Den Boom said. "You may have it everywhere there is less sunshine like forests, additional wind chill and bridges, which is 90 percent of the Eifel." Rain freezing on road surfaces also causes very slick conditions. "For me, this is the most dangerous situation you may have on the roads," Mr. Van Den Boom said. "For me, it's almost impossible to walk, let alone drive." German law prohibits people from idling their cars. So on cold winter days, Sabers cannot run their cars to defrost the windows, and German law requires all windows be completely clear of ice and snow before driving. ADAC teaches drivers to splash lukewarm water over the entire windshield to melt the ice, and then wipe the windshield off. The lukewarm water melts the ice making it easier to get off. The Associated Content Web site also suggests boiling a very small amount of water in a kettle. Once it's boiled, fill the rest of the kettle up with cold water so it feels lukewarm to the touch. Turn the defroster and windshield wipers on and pour the lukewarm water over the windshield to clear it of ice. Mr. Van Den Moom said he's been doing it for many years, and it "hasn't cracked his windshield." Sabers walking must also make sure they can be seen. This means wearing reflective gear, such as a jacket or belt, to ensure they can be seen from 360 degrees. People who wear backpacks must have a reflective gear around it as well, according to Air Force Instruction 91-207, The U.S. Air Force Traffic Safety Program. Drivers also must use their headlights during inclement weather and not depend on automatic headlights. Mr. Van Den Boom has seen a lot of people not wearing their reflective gear or turning on their headlights. "I figure people have automatic lights that turn on when its getting darker, but when you have fog, you may have a lot of light but bad visibility," he said. "In that case, be more clever than your vehicle, and turn them on yourself. I would be embarrassed if my vehicle was more intelligent than I am." Vehicles need to be prepared to drive on German roads and for German driving conditions. German regulations specify that vehicles need to have appropriate tires and fluids, Mr. Van Den Boom said. The tires can be all weather tires, but winter tires are preferred and recommended by the safety office. "As far as fluids, it's mainly the fluid in your wash canister. It can't be frozen or freeze upon your windshield," he said. Finally, wildlife is going to be more of an issue during the fall than it was earlier in the year. Mating season for deer has begun and will run through mid-November. Drivers need to pay particular attention because there is a large deer population in the Eifel. "(The deer) are blind to love. They don't care what is going on. They're focused on one thing," Mr. Van Den Boom said. There are also wild boars that can weigh up to 350 pounds in the area. They are normally hiding in corn fields, but with the harvest, they have no place to hide. Drivers may see them crossing the road looking for shelter. Drivers should avoid swerving to miss them, Mr. Van Den Boom advises. He suggests hitting the break to slow down and hitting the horn to scare them. He also recommends dimming headlights so the animal has a better chance of escaping. The hazards a driver faces swerving to miss an animal is greater than hitting it. "It's better to kill Bambi than kill yourself," he said. Fall and winter are around the corner. Sabers - are you ready?