Toyota 4Runner Shrugs Off New York Driving Ban
Waist-high snow and the governor are no match for the tried-and-tested SUV.
As the snow began to come down at an alarming rate on Jan. 23, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued a travel ban for NYC. Although Manhattan remained fairly well plowed, the street of Queens seemed all but forgotten and people were left stranded. As plows were directed to what were deemed more “essential” routes throughout the city, side streets in Flushing County succumbed to the unrelenting blizzard. As the snow continued to pile up, most people were barely able to walk down the street, let alone drive down it.
However, several brave souls ventured out into the wilderness to investigate what 30 inches of snow looks like—against the travel ban. With massive drifts and a series of obstacles, it was an off-roader’s dream, and a rare opportunity to see what your rig could do. For three minutes, we watch a lifted Toyota 4Runner navigate the mean, unplowed streets of Queens in very much law-flouting fashion. Although the determined driver found himself getting stuck several times, we are impressed how he was able to wade through hub-deep snow for a majority of the video. With cars only inches away from the 4Runner, the intrepid—if criminal—captain delicately picked his way down the picturesque streets of Queens’ Astoria neighborhood.
Though the video did not involve any classic snow-drifting or other tried and true hooning attributes, it shone a dashboard light on how overtaxed New York’s plowing capacities were. There was simply no keeping up with the relentless blizzard. In the world of dashcams and traffic cams, it’s something the driver can look back on in 50 years with grandkids all around, and say, “This was how we handled snow back then. Not that you know what snow is.”
