Winter driving: learn how to do it

[rudeguy]

Today was our first real snow of the year with predictable results. Lots of crashes, lots of people driving like morons. Here are a few tips from your old pal rudeguy:

Wipe the snow off your damn car so you can see. Yes the back window too.

Turn your lights on.

Go as fast as you want but make sure you have room to stop.

Don't cut people off because you have no idea if they can stop.

If you are scared, don't drive. You driving 50MPH slower than everyone is going to get someone hurt.

LEAVE EARLY! Traffic is going to suck and being in a hurry on bad roads can lead to a very bad day.

 

[MustISO]

Intelligent advice is lost on the masses, if they haven't learned at this point they never will. They will continue to look/act surprised when they slide into another car or off the road.

 

[DrPizza]

If you can't drive above 35 on an Interstate, don't get on the Interstate. See those two black strips with white in the middle? That's your lane. Keep your tires in the black and do at least 55 in the 65, else get out of the way.

 

[HeXen]

You should post that in a place where everyone there doesn't already know all this. If you've been paying attention to most every single thread here for over a decade regarding driving, you would realize everyone here is a pro driver capable of anything shown in in Fast and furious parts 2,3 and 4...and probably 6.

If you can't drive above 35 on an Interstate, don't get on the Interstate. See those two black strips with white in the middle? That's your lane. Keep your tires in the black and do at least 55 in the 65, else get out of the way.

Sure a blizzard or ice storm and 55+ on highways is always recommended for everyone in every vehicle type. Just ignore everyone that is in the ditch or slid into multi car pile ups.

 

[rh71]

don't put RWD or cars with summer/performance tires out on the road for the love of all that is holy.

 

[rudeguy]

don't put RWD or cars with summer/performance tires out on the road for the love of all that is holy.

I whole heartedly disagree. Everyone should drive for one winter in a RWD. It teaches you better skills and is a freaking blast in parking lots!

 

[edro]

Don't change lanes on the highway if it is windy and there isn't a clear path to follow into the next lane.

I have seen multiple people spin out because they get caught in the snow or ice between lane or not where tires leave a path.

 

[EagleKeeper]

don't put RWD or cars with summer/performance tires out on the road for the love of all that is holy.

RWD worked well for the past 70 years; One learns how to feel the road and not be stupid.

As to going as fast as you want comment;

Go as fast as you want but make sure you have room to stop.

not wise; you have no idea what is under your treads; more than likely it is not clean/bare pavement and your stopping distance is reduced from what you are used to.

 

[notposting]

We haven't gotten anything appreciable over on this side of the state, but it doesn't matter. Out on the freeways today, these infernal morons are a fucking plague already. Wet, dry, daylight, night, highway, parking lot, doesn't matter. Can't fix dumb.

On my way home I was actually thinking of which I would prefer for a days drive around town here, an Abrams or Bradley...the asshole in the pickup that nearly took me and a few others out had me leaning towards the Abrams.

 

[notposting]

RWD worked well for the past 70 years; One learns how to feel the road and not be stupid.

As to going as fast as you want comment;
not wise; you have no idea what is under your treads; more than likely it is not clean/bare pavement and your stopping distance is reduced from what you are used to.

I love seeing how many morons think AWD is magic...and will help them stop. I love seeing them in the ditch as I drive by.

And ABS...you will have better control...but a stop takes longer.

 

[rudeguy]

Don't change lanes on the highway if it is windy and there isn't a clear path to follow into the next lane.

I have seen multiple people spin out because they get caught in the snow or ice between lane or not where tires leave a path.

Oh man...one of the only times I ever lost control was when I got stuck in a semi rut on the highway. He had taken an exit and I wanted to go straight. I did manage to go straight, I just had to take a 450 degree detour. Scared the piss out of me.

 

[rh71]

RWD worked well for the past 70 years; One learns how to feel the road and not be stupid.

It's also fun to watch a RWD try to make a turn from a stop that is slightly up hill. What people describe as skill with RWD is more like slow and steady and you'll get there. My old SUV that was RWD when not in 4WD had a "winter mode" that basically started you off in 3rd. Other than feathering the gas, you're turning a wheel. Please don't pretend there is skill involved - you slide when you slide, even at 5mph.

Bottom line, it is easier to pull a shopping cart through slush than it is to push it.

 

[rudeguy]

It's also fun to watch a RWD try to make a turn from a stop that is slightly up hill. What people describe as skill with RWD is more like slow and steady and you'll get there.

Rookie stuff.

That's what reverse is for :awe:

 

[rudeguy]

We haven't gotten anything appreciable over on this side of the state, but it doesn't matter. Out on the freeways today, these infernal morons are a fucking plague already. Wet, dry, daylight, night, highway, parking lot, doesn't matter. Can't fix dumb.

On my way home I was actually thinking of which I would prefer for a days drive around town here, an Abrams or Bradley...the asshole in the pickup that nearly took me and a few others out had me leaning towards the Abrams.

Oh man...you guys are a whole different breed. Its below freezing and the roads might be ok? Better still do 85 just to make sure!

 

[HeXen]

On ice trying to slow down, it does help a lot if you put it in Neutral. It takes the power off the wheels. Most people with automatics don't think to do anything with their transmission outside of D,R,P.
Applying the parking brake halfway and putting the car in 2nd gear can also help get you out if you're stuck, it takes the torque off allowing a gentler rotation of the tire...assuming it has any grab whatsoever. If not then use a set of low height double ramps put in front of the drive tires, it will pull you up the ramps and back over, giving enough momentum and space to get out, you can build them yourself easy. I drive Honda's, I know all sorts of oddball tricks in the snow.

 

[EagleKeeper]

We haven't gotten anything appreciable over on this side of the state, but it doesn't matter. Out on the freeways today, these infernal morons are a fucking plague already. Wet, dry, daylight, night, highway, parking lot, doesn't matter. Can't fix dumb.

On my way home I was actually thinking of which I would prefer for a days drive around town here, an Abrams or Bradley...the asshole in the pickup that nearly took me and a few others out had me leaning towards the Abrams.

Abrams will break your fuel budget; but you will have no one challenging you for parking spaces

 

[natto fire]

I am vacationing in Florida right now, but as a Winter veteran I have something to add. Do not drive in the left lane with your hazards on! I have a Jeep with pretty aggressive tires and it can handle a lot more snow than you folks driving 25MPH down 315 in the far left lane would realize.

Follow the tracks as edro says, and realize there is likely going to be someone driving faster than you if you are in a little sedan with crappy tires.

If you are in north Cbus/Worthington, I will be around to help you out again (Linworth/Hard Road) areas, but please just be smarter about conditions to begin with. Talking to you, Windstar guy that pummeled himself into a guard rail.

 

[datalink7]

I try to emulate these people:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dooKpdIwwR4

 

[EagleKeeper]

On ice trying to slow down, it does help a lot if you put it in Neutral. It takes the power off the wheels. Most people with automatics don't think to do anything with their transmission outside of D,R,P.
Applying the parking brake halfway and putting the car in 2nd gear can also help get you out if you're stuck, it takes the torque off allowing a gentler rotation of the tire...assuming it has any grab whatsoever. If not then use a set of low height double ramps put in front of the drive tires, it will pull you up the ramps and back over, giving enough momentum and space to get out, you can build them yourself easy. I drive Honda's, I know all sorts of oddball tricks in the snow.

With vehicles prior to the Jeeps we have now, I kept a set of metal grates about 2 ft long that could be placed at the edge of the drive wheels to get the traction needed to break free.

Many times; they were used to back the vehicle up so there were ruts to start forward in vs a wall of snow.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

If you are scared, don't drive. You driving 50MPH slower than everyone is going to get someone hurt.
.

On snow the people driving slower than everyone else are most definitely NOT the cause of the accidents.

 

[rh71]

I try to emulate these people:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dooKpdIwwR4

that first guy... beyond words.

 

[DrPizza]

I whole heartedly disagree. Everyone should drive for one winter in a RWD. It teaches you better skills and is a freaking blast in parking lots!

For driving around a city, they're more fun than fwd. It's a blast to take corners without ever turning the steering wheel. Or, using the wheel and doing a 180, then 90 to take a turn if the roads are slightly slippery.

Oh man...one of the only times I ever lost control was when I got stuck in a semi rut on the highway. He had taken an exit and I wanted to go straight. I did manage to go straight, I just had to take a 450 degree detour. Scared the piss out of me.

Closest I've ever been to dying - similar thing. Officially, the road was closed, but we were already on it. So was a string of semis. Snow was up to the front bumper, slowly (40ish?) making my way down the highway. First semi passed me. Then the next. Then, I hit that rut in the snow & it threw me into a spin. Looked out the driver's side window at the grill of semi #3 bearing down on me. Hit the clutch, dropped it into 3rd, and pulled it out of the spin- I didn't care where I went, as long as I wasn't in front of that semi any more. Got to the next exit & had to take a break from driving for a while - I was shaking so bad.

 

[DrPizza]

Sure a blizzard or ice storm and 55+ on highways is always recommended for everyone in every vehicle type. Just ignore everyone that is in the ditch or slid into multi car pile ups.

I'm not talking about either - I'm talking about a normal snowfall when the tire paths in the right lane remain relatively clear. I'm in the outskirts of the snowbelt area of Western NY (Buffalo area) - we put at least 30k miles on our vehicles each year. I've never wrecked, and except for freezing rain (a hazard for even the best 4wd) or blizzard conditions (visibility), have never needed to go under 55mph. And, along the stretch of highway I regularly drive on, other than freezing rain, I almost never see people off the road. Most drive 55 or better. But, there's the occasional idiot on the road who can't go over 30. My front tires are at the end of their life - I'll buy new tires this week or next week. But even with questionable tires, I was still able to get into the not-been-plowed 2" of snow left lane & safely pass an idiot driving a 4wd vehicle in the right lane.

As the OP said, learn to drive in the snow if you're going to drive in the snow.

 

[lxskllr]

I've had vehicles sideways a few times hitting black ice on the road. Never wrecked, but it's an "exciting" wakeup while driving.

 

[nickbits]

RWD and snow suck even with the traction control I had on my 325i. Much happier with FWD now. Would never buy a RWD car again.