(There are other practical problems like how poorly drones do in the climate).
There were lots of people who just did their own thing but yes, that would otherwise be a risk without testing and I’m sure too cautious to be one of them.
Now though I don’t think it gets cold enough where I was at (Lake Erie near the Ohio/Michigan border) to freeze enough in the winters anymore. It’s been a solid 20 years since I knew people who drove on it so I’m not sure it’s still a thing.
NYT actually wrote an article about how the lack of freezing is killing a brisk (pun intended) winter business there and mentions it. I used to have family who lived on the next island north.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/05/us/put-in-bay-ohio-ice.ht...