Hills, snow and ice

molerat

skiddlydiddly wrote: »

Not always possible Lum.Its common sense to give way to those coming up as if its slippy enough for the person coming down the hill to slide then its the same for those coming up, except they'd be sliding backwards.

No, X5's etc always have right of way. :mad:

It has been fun these past few weeks watching all these flash cars on the school run slipping and sliding whilst my trusty old focus chugs along without a care

skiddlydiddly

Yeah they seem to think so.Had to stop on one country road as it was blocked by a lady in a focus who had been run off the road by a 4x4 who was bombing along(I'd already given way to it coming up the hill just before and it was shifting).She was stuck in the snow thanks to the inconsiderate/dangerous driver and still would have been if I hadn't gotten her car out for her.

tomstickland

I've had a few 4x4's pushing me. Funny thing is that all vehicles have 4 wheel braking so they can't stop any better than me.

Strider590

^^ Left foot on the brake pedal (just enough to light up the brake lights), right foot on the gas to maintain current speed.... They !!!! themselves just about enough to make them back off

sickofusernames

Lum wrote: »

I know it's not always possible, nothing ever is as simple as in any rulebook, but to me common sense dictates that if I'm approaching an uphill and someone is already trying to work their way down it, I will stop on the flat far enough back that:

a) I will have enough flat road to get a run up

What if you're already 'on' the hill before you see the oncoming car?

It happened again today - how could the guy miss a large van! Guy pulled off his drive as I was coming up the hill in the snowed tracks, great - I had to stop for him to get past me, losing me traction completely for a couple of minutes going back and forth to get some grip again. K**b

eyeinthesky

I was a bit perturbed to hear some people at work say that they use the gears to slow down in snow and ice instead of braking. I know that using a low gear to restrict your speed going downhill is a good idea, but I always advocate gears to go, brakes to slow. Any thoughts?

anewman

eyeinthesky wrote: »

I was a bit perturbed to hear some people at work say that they use the gears to slow down in snow and ice instead of braking. I know that using a low gear to restrict your speed going downhill is a good idea, but I always advocate gears to go, brakes to slow. Any thoughts?

I agree, and not forgetting slowing down with the engine, particularly on cars with good engine braking, means there is no kind of warning for people behind, which in snow and ice does not help - especially if it's one of those anchors in an X5 4 inches off your bumper. Harsh/late braking is what can be problematic.

anewman

Strider590 wrote: »

^^ Left foot on the brake pedal (just enough to light up the brake lights), right foot on the gas to maintain current speed.... They !!!! themselves just about enough to make them back off

Yeah get a switch wired up on the dash to bring on the brake and reverse lights and increase speed.

Strider590

eyeinthesky wrote: »

I was a bit perturbed to hear some people at work say that they use the gears to slow down in snow and ice instead of braking. I know that using a low gear to restrict your speed going downhill is a good idea, but I always advocate gears to go, brakes to slow. Any thoughts?

It depends on your car and it's brakes, if they're good progressive brakes you'll have far more control. But if they're snatchy cheap single pot things designed to make people "think" they've got good brakes, then engine braking is probably the safer option.

tomstickland

eyeinthesky wrote: »

I was a bit perturbed to hear some people at work say that they use the gears to slow down in snow and ice instead of braking. I know that using a low gear to restrict your speed going downhill is a good idea, but I always advocate gears to go, brakes to slow. Any thoughts?

Yes. Brakes work on 4 wheels, low gears work on 2.
I'd rather be coasting in neutral and using the brakes if it's icy.