BTW, the only thing ABS is good for on highways is for slowing down when idiots pull into the passing lane doing only 30mph. If you have to use your brakes while driving on snow covered roads, and it's not because someone just got in your way, you're doing it wrong.
(Well, of course, unless you're just having fun driving sideways down the road instead of forward down the road.)
Truth omg is this the truth.
I was insanely irritated and slightly terrified when I was a passenger on the highway, and all traffic was going about 35mph, and well... it would have been easier to count the number of people who wouldn't tap on the brakes constantly for no reason.
And this is ignoring the brake lights you see people someone has to adjust speed because someone in front is adjusting speed.
But few people wanted to obey the common rule of a few seconds in-between vehicles (and that's in perfect conditions). I practice a method of driving where I enjoy going fast, often over the speed limit, but if I use the brakes to adjust speed it is because there are idiots doing idiotic things in front of me. Simply letting off the accelerator works people, try it!
I've approached many people, where I'm easily going faster than they are and catching up, and they also seem to be actually slowing down (distance in-between is shrinking faster than anticipated, my speed remained constant)... and I still don't need brakes. Coast to match speed, then go from there.
BTW, the passenger moment mentioned above, we had no more than two inches of snow, mostly slush on the highway, but some packed areas. Traffic slowed at times because it was essentially white out conditions, couldn't see the car in 100ft in front of you.
There were patches of ice here and there, apparently... but I think what scared most people were the vehicles crashed on the side of the road (I lost count on our 150 mile or so trip).
But what didn't help people who actually knew how to drive, were the idiots in both lanes going insanely slow.
Our driver was going 35mph like the majority, but there were times I wished he would have sped up (but, let the one driving actually drive at the pace they feel comfortable, I won't nag someone during adverse conditions).
This was like the first snowfall in Western Ohio, and drivers were apparently freaked. I know my RWD Dakota (sand in the back, doesn't help much) could have easily gone 45 or 50 in the snow we had (probably not faster because of the retards everywhere on the road).
Now, one other time, I was absolutely terrified driving at 35mph (same vehicle). That we had like 10" of fairly fresh snow on the highway, completely untouched by road crews. Ruts were formed in the right lane (so passing the ones who were even more terrified going 15 or 20 was a nightmare, both getting out of the ruts formed, into mostly untouched powder on the left, and then back into ruts. I was fine each time we had to do that, but I fishtailed 3 times on that trip regardless, and mind you, going under 40mph.
Type of vehicle definitely comes into question, but the other big thing: how frequent large amounts of snow is in a region. Fewer chances to acclimate means you are less likely to be as good in such weather as people who have to drive that far more frequently. And first snowfalls are always a bitch, people freak out something crazy.
I'm not super comfortable in snow, but after 7 years with this Dakota, I've learned how to listen to every little thing it wants to tell me (and lately, this is with a little bit of a loose steering wheel at center). I would definitely say I'm more comfortable with a fair amount of packed snow than I am a little snow, a little slush, and being able to see the roadway half of the time. That shit is the worst amount of snow imho, as everyone forgets that amount of varied traction can cause a few issues, and then it's up to the driver's correction ability. Half my anxiety when driving is snow is not how I'll handle the situation, but how the idiots around me will handle it. Half the time driving it becomes "if you want to go careening off to the side, please wait a few moments until I'm away from you."
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