Ok so at this point I've had two people roll up to me in manual wheelchairs, well, one of them was somebody pushing somebody who was nonverbal at the time, but it still counts. They asked me why I had zip ties around my tires.

It's winter where I'm living and we have really bad snow. And the snow plow people are really bad at their jobs probably because there aren't snow plow people who clean sidewalks. As a solution I got to thinking about how I could increase the traction on my wheels. And the most redneck thing I could think of was taking a bunch of zip ties and tying them around my wheels. They last surprisingly long, and work surprisingly well. It's basically the same premise as chains for your tires during the winter.

I chose to space them out pretty evenly so there's about one for every spoke. You could probably do more or less depending on how many you want and how much traction you get but I wouldn't go more than three per spoke. I realize that it's a bit later in the winter, and I probably should have made a post about this sooner, but I came up with it about a week ago. So please share this, even if you're not disabled, because there are tons of people I know who are stuck in their houses because they can't get around in the snow. A pack of zip ties costs about $5, which compared to $200 knobby snow tires is a big save, and if you want to invest you could get colored zip ties.

Image ID:

First image: a picture of a wheelchair tire from above. The wheel has five white zip ties spread out mostly evenly. The zip ties are situated on top of the tread.

Second image: A picture of the same wheel from the side. The zip tie knobs are pointing down towards the ground. They have been trimmed down.

Third Image: A picture of the same wheel, from a top down side point of view. There are zip ties all around the edge of the wheel, and knobs of the zip ties are all positioned to be on the inside of the wheel, away from the edges.

Here are some pictures for those that are asking! You wanna make sure that the zip tie knobs are facing to the inside of the wheel otherwise you WILL cut up your hands trying to move.

@spacecripple Wanted to make sure you saw this!

@bangtansboyfieyfies I'm not sure with a power chair but depending on the kind of wheels you have, you might be able to use larger zip ties. Anything can help! If you have an extra set of wheels, I know that some bikers will install their own studs (essentially screws) into their wheels, which might be useful for you!

[video description: Video starts with an image of frozen trees and a bicycle and pedestrian crossing sign, all covered with thick frost. Text overlaid on the image reads “How my Italian greyhound survives Norwegian winter.” Tinkly Christmas-y music plays, continuing throughout the video, then the scene shifts to show a river flowing in front of trees covered in snow and ice.

Scene shifts to the inside of the person’s home. The person puts tall boots on their dog, a tan Italian greyhound. Text says “Boots to protect paws from the ice, cold, and salt. With reflex since we only get 6 hours of daylight.” An arrow overlaid on the video points to reflective strips on the dog’s boots.

Then the person puts a cream-colored puffy coat on the dog. The coat has a hood and covers all four legs, with appropriate holes to allow the dog to pee and poop. Overlaid text says “Thick puffer coat to keep her warm.” The person zips up the coat, and the overlaid text says “Ready for mischief.”

The person goes outside with the dog. The ground outside is covered with ice and snow. The dog shakes itself. We see the dog happily running around and walking with their person outside, sometimes off the leash, sometimes on.

Final scene shows the dog with its paws up on the railing of what  might be a bridge, looking out over a river at sunset. The dog turns its head to look at the viewer, and the video ends.

/end description]

Horses running in the snow

[Video Description: a video showing a forest blanketed by snow. A herd of horses gallops down a path through the trees. End video description.]

[additional video description: You can hear the snow crunching under their hooves as they run past the camera. Otherwise the video is silent. \end description].

it’s still hot out. time to romanticize the bleak mid-winter

nothing will ever love you or hunger for you like winter

Paris in Winter: Snow in Le Marais

ph. Ron Gunzburger

DISNEY + snow ❄️

Hey mother nature i love you and shit but like….what the fuck my good bitch

Goodness!

Okay. I’m Canadian so I know a shit ton about staying warm if you’re new to the cold there here are some tips!(add more if you know more!)

1. Wear grippy shoes, nothing is worse than snowmelt freezing on your skin.

2.Do not wear jeans as your outter layer. wet denim is the most body heat siphoning mother fucker known to man or god

3. Have a warm drink with you. It will help. Even just some hot soup broth or boiled water will help keep you warm.

4. Wear a moisture wicking layer close to your skin so you don’t get cold from your own sweat. You will sweat. That is fine and expected.

5. If you start feeling too warm even though you were cold and like you have to take your clothes of DO NOT. Call 911. You are suffering from hypothermia.

6. Bring a blanket and a heat source that needs no electricity with you in your vehicle. You do not want to be stranded with no heat in the case that something happens.

7. If you are struggling on ice as you’re walking, stop. Get your balance and penguin shuffle to a less slippery patch of ground. There’s usually less ice on one side of the walk and it’s better to walk in the snow next to the sidewalk than it is to eat dirt when ya slip

8. STAY THE ABSOLUTE FUCK AWAY FROM FROZEN BODIES OF WATER. Ponds are deceptive as shit even with the “solid blue tried and true” thing. Go around.

9. Keep kids warm. They run at a higher body temperature and will feel the effects of the cold worse than you.

10. Huddling is your best friend. Even if you don’t know the person, remember you’re both cold, especially if they don’t have the right clothing for the weather.

11. Pay attention to windchill. That is how cold it feels. Dress appropriately please. I know it’s tempting to dress for style, but there’s nothing stylish about losing your toes to frostbite

12. Don’t touch metal if you can avoid it. It will sap your heat and likely freeze to anything wet. Like tongues. Don’t fucking lick a pole.

13. If someone licks something metal, pour warm water over their tongue to get them free. If they yank, they will bleed. A lot.

14. Keep your ears, noes, fingers, and toes warm. You’re extremities will get cold first and are the most likely parts of your body to get frostbite.

15. If you see someone who may not have a place to be in the cold, offer to help them find a local shelter or library. The elements, especially the cold, are some of the largest threats to those who cannot avoid them.

16. If you find yourself stuck outside for a long time, sleep during the day when it is warmest, and avoid sleeping on the ground. Stay awake as much as you can at night so you have a better chance of staying warm.

Also, look out for your local animals.   Cats will sleep on car wheels where you can’t see them - it’s elevated, rubber is warmer than the ground, and it’s a little hideyhole where they feel safe.  Check your wheel wells and under your car before you go driving off, you might save a tiny life.

You can also, if you’re so inclined, make a little winter shelter for cats and small animals fairly easily and cheaply.

[Here] is a great (if lengthy) text guide to building shelters for local cats. [Here] is a video from the Ontario SPCA. [Here] is an even simpler (ad possibly cheaper) version of basically the same thing.  As long as you smooth out the opening (so the lil guys don’t injure themselves on it), insulate, and line it, and then put it somewhere where it’s not going to get flooded or the animal snowed in, you’re grand. It might not seem like much in the face of subzero temperatures, but it’s damn well better than nothing.

Everyone, look through the notes for other information too!

❄️ 🌿 Happy Solstice~ 🌿❄️

Merry Yule everyone!! I wish you the best in this end of 2018! May the celebrations bring you joy and a fantastic new year!

You are free to use it as a phone background or as a cover! 

Credits are more than welcome ♥

Imagine baking cinnamon rolls on a cold day with Raymond Massey

Thank you💖💖

Winter time at Hogwarts