Here in Holland, especially in the north, we get ice storms as well, or "ijzel" as we call it. It doesn't interfere with power or communications here though, since all cables are laid underground.

When I was younger I used to live in a house right next to a bridge. To cross the bridge you had to make a right turn to get on and then a left turn on the other side. I've seen lots of cars smashing into the bridge, even at fairly low velocities, when there was an ice storm.