My scary New Year’s Day drive in Waterloo thanks to drivers with snow-covered cars! Read about the flying ice and near miss, and a plea for safer winter driving habits.

A drive that went totally wrong.
Alright, listen up, everyone. Waterloo decided to start off 2025 not with cool fireworks or bubbly drinks, but with a whole lot of snowy mess. And a special shout out to those drivers who think cleaning snow off their car is totally optional. It wasn’t a pretty “winter wonderland,” more like a “what on earth just happened?!” kind of morning.
So, happy late New Year! Hope yesterday morning was nice and chill for you. Mine? Not so much. What started as a peaceful drive quickly turned into a snowy disaster, all thanks to those Waterloo drivers who were basically driving snowbanks on wheels.
Started Out Quiet, Or So I Thought
Around 10 a.m. yesterday, I had a quick thing to do. Thought I’d take my Tesla out for a spin and enjoy the quiet roads. The city still had that wet snow from the night before, like a frosty blanket. But the highway? Nice and clear, thanks to the snowplows doing their job.
As I got on Highway 85 North heading towards Northfield Drive, it felt strangely calm. Almost no cars on the road, probably because everyone else was still sleeping after New Year’s Eve. For a second there yesterday, I even thought, “Hey, maybe 2025 won’t be so bad.”
Spoiler: I was wrong.
The Snowbank Car and Boom! Instant Snowstorm
I was driving at a normal speed, about 95 km/h. Because honestly, going the actual speed limit of 90 on that road feels like you’re just asking to cause a traffic jam! Everything was smooth, but that didn’t last.
Out of nowhere, a car pulled onto the highway from University Avenue East, and you would NOT believe it. This wasn’t a regular car – it was like a giant block of snow with turn signals. The roof, the hood, the trunk – all buried under inches of untouched snow. And the driver? They’d made a little hole in the windshield, probably thinking, “Yep, good enough to see!” Side windows? Back window? Totally covered in snow.
I just sighed. “Here we go,” I thought.
And then, like on cue, the car behind me decided I was going too slow at 95 km/h and zoomed around me to pass. They were going fast – maybe 110 km/h or even more. Who knows? But what I do know is they kicked up a cloud of snow and slush as they went by, and I had to squint to see through it.
Before I could even blink, it happened.
A huge chunk of ice flew off that snowbank car like it was shot out of a cannon. It smashed right into my windshield with a loud BANG, and I couldn’t see anything. My hands gripped the steering wheel super tight, my knuckles went white. I held my breath, and for a split second, I thought I was done for.
Somehow, I managed to pull the car over to the side of the road. Sitting there, my heart pounding like crazy, I stared at the piece of ice that had fallen off my windshield. Should I laugh? Cry? Yell at the world? All of it felt right.
A Cold Reminder
Here’s what really gets to me: driving with your car completely covered in snow isn’t just lazy – it’s dangerous. That flying ice could have caused a bad accident. It’s not just a little annoying; it’s a real problem.
And it’s all because some people can’t spend five minutes cleaning their cars. Five minutes! That’s less time than it takes to make toast. Instead, these drivers turn the roads into an obstacle course for everyone else.
Let’s Do Better, Waterloo
So, to all the drivers out there who drive around with snow piled on their cars: PLEASE CLEAN YOUR CARS. It’s not just about looking like you care; it’s about actually caring. Flying snow and ice aren’t just a pain; they’re like weapons.
And to everyone else on the road, keep your eyes open and try to be patient. 2025 is just starting, and we’ve got a lot of driving ahead of us. Let’s hope the rest of the year brings safer, snow-free drives – and maybe, just maybe, a little more common sense behind the wheel.
Happy New Year, everyone. Try not to get hit by flying ice today!