Kurzeme Reveals Secret Winter Recipe — Sprinkle Salt on Ice and Hope for the Best

While Riga's officials have been contemplating winter tires and scraping since October, this morning Kurzeme witnessed a true winter miracle — roads became slippery. Shocking, isn't it?

The Road Traffic Directorate announced they're treating slippery road sections with anti-slip materials, which is a revolutionary solution no one has ever tried before. To improve driving conditions, 60 winter service equipment units have been deployed — almost as many as the buses that run to Tošele stop on weekends.

A particularly dramatic situation has developed on the Liepāja highway section from Kaģi to Mazblīdene, where drivers discovered that roads can be slippery in winter. "I thought December would be hot weather," says local driver Gunārs, who spun around his axis twice this morning. "Good thing I have experience — I already know how to brake properly on ice — with all four wheels simultaneously."

Drivers are urged to account for weather conditions, which is about as useful advice as telling fish to breathe underwater. Traffic safety experts also recommend maintaining a safe distance, which in Kurzeme means — at least to the next farm.