Snow driving tips

[obi_waynne]

Here are a few timely tips for driving in the snow. Feel free to add more or comment on them.

1) Clear the whole car of snow, a snow covered roof can slide over the windscreen and obscure your view. Also clear the lights and indicators as these are not visible under snow.

2) Pull away in 2nd gear for better traction.

3) Try to drive on the fluffy stuff, slush and compacted snow give no grip whereas soft fluffy snow does allow a bit o grip.

4) Keep your speed down, make sure you can roll to a stop without needing the brakes and keep an eye out for the young, inexperienced and foolhardy.

5) Traction control and 4 wheel drive means you can go faster than other car but remember that stopping the car is still subject to the same laws of physics that apply to other cars.

Keep it safe and don't take chances or be tempted to "play!"

 

[stamford]

Not just snowy conditions, but many people fail to add the correct type of anti-freeze solution to their washer systems! So many dirty screens seen where people cannot wash them due to the washers being frozen!

When driving in thick snow going up a sliproad or hill try not to slow down too much and lose momentum, you'll have trouble starting again!

I have also found that carrying a cheap pair of the rolled up woven beach mats are quite useful if you get stuck.

However in these condition the Discovery is quite good! The traction controls works a treat too!

 

[MasterAuron]

Try to drive as little as possible. Some places are just deadly regardless of what you drive or how you drive it.

Coming back up from the misses this morning creeping along and there was a chav lad in an S3 behind me kept drifting up the road. Proper Vanker.

 

[lutonmatt]

main think for me if you dont like driving in teh snow then please dont a yu makei worse

was out the other day and so many people going slow and making it worse even when the road was dry they was doing 10mph

same goes to the people with 4x4 just cos you have one does not meen you can drive one going down a hill covered in snow and this landcruiser was infront doing very sliily things going in the diches were he could not see what was in it and was on the brakes and not using the engine and 4wd system

 

[aswearing]

Brake extremely early, having to use heavy breaking ends in tears. My ABS and traction control was working overtime today, and was sliding toward a few T-junctions as well.

Thats my two pence worth, and as for "playing" - don't.

 

[HDi fun]

Gentle inputs, in addition to low speeds will help maintain vehicle stability.

As often said, the best way to learn how to control a slide is to learn how to provoke one.

And once you know how to provoke one, you know what not to do in order to avoid provoking one.

 

[obi_waynne]

Our road was a sheet of ICE over the weekend. I rolled 1 meter off the drive and took 6 feet to stop on the brakes. I gave it up as a bad job and walked!

I need a quattro!

 

[stamford]

same goes to the people with 4x4 just cos you have one does not meen you can drive one going down a hill covered in snow and this landcruiser was infront doing very sliily things going in the diches were he could not see what was in it and was on the brakes and not using the engine and 4wd system

Most forget they are driving over 2tons in weight! Mine has hill decent control, not used it as yet, but then I don't drive like an idiot in these conditions! I don't take it for granted as it is fruitless when most car drivers are the cause of the problems with 2wd and mostly fwd. You can see the accidents unfolding infront of you.

 

[lutonmatt]

most 4x4's a a big weight to move about was saying about it at work and lot go wrong as they go i will be ok i have a 4x4 but on road tyres its no better then a normal 2wd

i am clad i have one this year went down the end of my road and is a big hill both ends covered in ice have not had a car come past the house in about 2 days now as nothing can get up or down the hill
bar the little jeeps took mine out the other day in 4wd and let the car do the work going down teh hill and did not know there was ice yet come home in 2wd and could not even get 1/4 of the way up the hill due to the ice



and coming down the other hill in 2wd it sidded most of the way could not put it in 4wd as i had not lock the front axle up but all i did was come on and off the brake and thing stoped in no time is just not to panic

 

[WLBjork]

Pull away in 2nd gear for better traction.

Diesels are probably better in 1st with no accelerator applied (many modern diesels can't pull away in 2nd anyway).


Another good one - keep off the blooming grass when parking. My father had to help 2 folks who'd got stuck won the grass at the hospital yesterday. I'd have helped, but I'm temporarily invalided.

 

[obi_waynne]

Good call WLB

 

[pgarner]

keep a shovel or something similer in the boot. least that way you can clear the snow from under the wheels after parking up

 

[Broken Cambelt]

Install massive bass speakers over the rear wheels to aid the traction!

No, in the real world, shovel, snow chains, and drive using your brain. and to be honest, if it gets really bad - dont drive at all, you've got the whole year to enjoy the roads, dont end up in A&E the one week when weather happens.

 

[RobBentley]

I'm armed with the Land Rover, Hill Decent Control, some decent winter all terrain tyres, a rope, a shovel and keeping my speed down.

... and my girlfriend to give tips from the passenger seat :amuse: