So I had this question years ago, but could never find a decent answer. Hopefully my wording won't confuse anyone.
As most of you know, when it snows the lanes (dividing, yellow broken, etc) gets covered in snow . In cases where it snows hard, the lanes will get covered for days.
So I reside in the north east where drivers range from very very poor, to decent.
Now for example, the snow dump a few days ago covered a stretch of road (Mcknight BLVD) 3 lanes wide. By the time I had reached this stretch, a bunch of people had driven there, but "created" 2 lanes which crossed the normal 3 lanes. So the 'sheep' as I like to call them, track in these fresh grooves which cross in and out of lanes, and as more sheep follow the lanes get more predominant. I know that these 'sheep' have an idea of where the lanes are, since they drive it probably everyday summer/winter.
My question is, if a buddy with a 4x4 or whatever, has an idea of where the lanes are and drives within them, and a sheep is driving a path in which the other sheep's have created (in and out of lanes). If an accident was to occur, who would be at fault?
lane crossing sheep, or buddy?!?!
Can you sense the bias? haha
EDIT: OK a 2014 bump, since this time I've have stuck to way of thought and will continue to do so.
2010 I started a short but prominent career in bus driving for our City Transit. Asked this questions to many of the bus drivers. Most say they just stick to the curb lane, which bus drivers mainly do to pick up riders. Imagine if a bus driver or semi truck were to follow the sheep as opposed to the lanes.. side swipe anyone?
New thoughts? what's so bad with driving over a bit of snow too slippery? you bought that rav4, crv, subaru, pilot, sierra, f150 for summer driving?