Winter driving in the Hudson Valley is a test of patience, skill, and your car's ability to shed snow at high speeds.

While some folks spend their mornings meticulously clearing every last flake off their vehicles, others know the secret: a little joyride down Route 9 or the Taconic does the job just fine.

Why fight with a snowbrush when you can let Mother Nature—and your gas pedal—handle it?

Why spend 15 minutes freezing your fingers off when the laws of physics will take care of it for you?

Hitting 55 on the Taconic or cruising down Route 9 with a solid tailwind clears your car and keeps things interesting for the drivers behind you.

Sure, they might honk or flash their lights, but isn’t that just part of the winter driving experience? They're just mad they didn't think of it. 

Local lames will tell you it’s dangerous, irresponsible, and inconsiderate. But let’s not pretend their fully-cleared car isn’t the same one cutting you off near the Poughkeepsie Galleria.

Also, let’s talk about priorities—getting to your destination on time trumps catering to someone else’s paranoia about a stray snowflake.

Snow flying off cars is a regional sport. Route 9, especially near Wappingers Falls, doubles as a snow-clearing strip. Long and Straight and perfect for revving up. If you’ve never seen a snow missile launched from the roof of an SUV, have you even lived through a Hudson Valley winter?

At the end of the day, clearing your car is for the faint of heart. Real drivers know snow is temporary, but the satisfaction of letting it blow off as you cruise down the road?

That’s forever. So crank the defroster, hit the gas, and let the snow fly—Route 9 style.

Check out this whiner:

Please don’t be this person.
byu/Theeleventh_finger inhudsonvalley

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