driving in snow

LandyAndy

A diesel should make it easier because most diesels will set off and drag themselves along slowly with little or no throttle input

andygb

Here is what I do for Winter/snow driving.

Reduce my tyre pressures by between five and ten PSI (And do not drive above 50 MPH while they are in this state).
Keep mats and a shovel in the boot, along with wellies or boots. Take a hot drink with you when you go out, and put a warm coat in the car, just in case. Always keep your phone fully charged.
Always stay in one gear higher than normal, and pull away in second gear.
Drive smoothly, with no sudden acceleration or braking - most ABS will not cope with snow.
Allow more time to get to wherever you are going, and put more distance between you and the car in front.

cyclonebri1

newbie007 wrote: »

Get a set of winter tyres if there are only a few days of snow here and there, if there are continuing snowing then get snow tyres. Very dangerous to drive in surface snow with normal tyres. Snow/ice is 10x normal stopping distance. Camskill has good prices take a look - http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m11b0s0p0

At last someone with a realistic idea of how much longer it takes to stop.

In agreement with most, especially use of high gear. Just to add

Dropping down gear sharply is a sure fire way of locking the wheels

Drive in such a mater that you need minimal braking

Don't rely on the abs, it takes longer to stop you

Don't forget the shovel and bit of old carpet to get you going

Chose your route if poss to avoid steep bits and the spots were everyone else gets stuck

Get out when the snow is freshest, it's so much easier than compacted stuff and not too many numpties out early

etc etc etc

ie use common sense;);)

Lirin

As above, in higher gear, leaving lots of distance. Would add that braking is extremely important- snow braking is completely different to normal driving. Quite often, I leave myself (as much as possible) the ability to engine brake rather than foot, but if I do foot brake, it's slow and easy.

Inactive

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

ie use common sense;);)

Good advice, but;

A quality that is so sadly lacking in so many...;)

Lirin

Waiting for the rounds of stupid snow damage driving stories then, Inactive? They never change, same every year!

DKLS

Follow the above, but if you can, try and find an empty carpark/industrial estate, and get some practice driving in snow, so you know how your car handles and reacts in the snow/ice.

I did a snow driving course in Finland whilst on a work stint there, it was compulsory for all foreign staff and was hugely beneficial and when we did the ice driving on a frozen lake with buggies with sportsbike engines and spiked tyres was hilarious fun.

Lirin

DKLS- would have loved to do one of those courses, they look amazing fun!

Inactive

Lirin wrote: »

Waiting for the rounds of stupid snow damage driving stories then, Inactive? They never change, same every year!

... Indeed..;)

Norman_Castle

I keep a trowel in the car. A few years back I got stuck alongside a grit bin, very conveniant, but I had to dig the grit out with my hands. Its nearly as good as a shovel, takes up less space, and is 100% better than nothing.