Black Ice? Please Don't Panic!!!!!!

Lum

Trebor16 wrote: »

The only way they would do this on a single carriageway road is to overtake you.

Only if the road in question does not have any junctions.

In any case if you're driving at a suitable speed for a road that's likely to have ice, those 7 cars probably will overtake you.

Trebor16

Strider590 wrote: »

I was referring to section 230 of the highway code.



So if the stopping distance is ten times greater, then the following distance should follow.

The Highway Code also states the following:-

Icy and snowy weather

228

In winter check the local weather forecast for warnings of icy or snowy weather. DO NOT drive in these conditions unless your journey is essential.

Trebor16

Lum wrote: »

Only if the road in question does not have any junctions.

In any case if you're driving at a suitable speed for a road that's likely to have ice, those 7 cars probably will overtake you.

Assuming a lack of oncoming traffic of course.

marlot

When the road conditions give braking distance ten times longer you're talking about super slippery and you'll be driving at 5mph!

I spent a couple of years living in Kenya, and regularly drove whole days in the mud. When I came back to the UK I won a half-day on a skidpan and had the instructors confused - they'd alter the cradle so there was almost no road contact, and I'd still be able to drive the car around without any apparent problems. I'd picked up a number of things from all that driving in mud ...

The trick is to do everything very smoothly and take actions several seconds earlier than you would normally. If you get into a skid gently take your feet off the pedals and straighten the steering. Try to do only one thing at once - braking or steering.

Start steering earlier than you normally would, to smooth out the corners - this allows you to use a smaller steering angle than you would in the dry. Accelerate gently and learn to use the throttle to 'balance' the car - this is particularly beneficial (but particualrly hard to do) in a rear wheel drive car. Try very hard to think ahead so you never have to stop, expecially at junctions, where the ice gets particularly polished. If you must come to a stop, try to stop ten feet back from the junction - you're more likely to get going again, and if someone on the other road is out of control they're less likely to hit you. It can often come as a shock just how slippery the road is around junctions, so aiming to stop ten feet earlier gives you a margin of error (that I've had to use a few times!)

Slow down well before a bend, so that all you have to do to get round the bend is steer.

If you meet someone on a hill, give priority to the car going uphill. If you're going downhill its easy to get going again, but not so the for poor sod coming the other way. If the hill looks particualrly bad, let the first car get to the top before you do it - he might not make it. If coming down, go slowly and don't be tempted to go faster than you're comfortable with - its mush harder to slow down when descending

There are two advantages to giving bigger distances between cars. One is that it saves you running into the back of someone who loses control. The other is that its easier to do the smooth things I'm recommending if you have a gap in front of you.

Strider590

We're forgetting this thread was about black ice.... The stuff you can't see and can suddenly bite you on an otherwise clear road. We all know the drill with snow and normal plain old ice.

Lum

Trebor16 wrote: »

Assuming a lack of oncoming traffic of course.

Not always! :mad:

People do some very stupid overtakes when they get wound up by a driver who is going slower than they would like.

ariba10

LandyAndy wrote: »

It's not irresponsible. You have the answer. Educate people what the safe braking distance is when there is ice.

When you hit a patch of black ice.

You have the same control on steering and braking as you would in falling down a mineshaft.

NBLondon

DTDfanBoy wrote: »

Not being picky but Jaguars Dynamic Stability Control is far more than just ABS and Traction Control.

I used to be lucky enough to borrow an XFR from time to time, you'd have to be clinically insane to loose it in one

OK - I forgot what the technology is called - but it made a hell of a lot of difference!

Thing is - how long will it be before this sort of technology makes it down to the £12K end of the market? Meanwhile, lots of people have no idea and lots (as was said) think straightforward ABS will solve any problem.

movilogo

Just fit winter tyres (or all season tyres at least).

sunshinetours

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Is there nothing car / tyre manufacturers can do to make motoring in these conditions safer? Do winter tyres really help or lull drivers into a false sense of ecurity? I've had so many near misses, snow and ice now scare me witless!

They most certainly help you stop a lot lot quicker on snow or ice.
not sure what else manufacturers could do - its the idiots behind the wheels that are the problem.

Don't underestimate how much difference tyre technology can make - just because they look like the same black round circles doesn't mean they are the same in cold conditions. I genuinely wouldn't bother trying to take my car out in icy or snowy conditions on its regular factory tyres - its pretty useless and scary (which is where the generalisations about BMWs/ MErcs etc being poor in winter comes from)

Saying all that if you really are scared to drive in snow and ice - best advice is don't for everyone's sake!