I think that we, as a responsible community of good drivers, should be able to cobble together some tips for driving in these conditions. I'm going to stick them on my bookface and such later on so if anyone has any other hints please post them here.

1. Slow down, you're driving on ice ffs!
2. Take it as a given your brakes don't work, so don't rely on having to use them.
3. Same with steering, no sharp movements.
4. Four wheel drive helps with grip, but not braking.
5. Highway code says your stopping distance is TEN times normal. That's ten times normal, not your normal 6 inches!
6. Start gently, wheelspin is for 17 year old gimps in Corsas
7. Make sure ALL of your window is defrosted, the Coppers don't like you being a lazy git and scraping just enough to see ahead.


Anything else?

You dont need your fog lights on!

The brakes bit is the most important point for me - I drive 18 miles to work, and aside from the queue at the end I manage to go the ENTIRE way without touching the brake pedal once! (I test the brakes on an empty straight to make sure htey're still there). Use your gears! Obviously autos won't be able to do this, so use your brakes gently.

PLEASE use hazards if you're going up a hill which you have doubts as to whether you'll go up or not - I saw a Discovery almost wipe out a car behind it as it went for a hill and proceeded to start sliding back down. Equally, if there's a hill, wait at the bottom till the car in front is through.

Keep in mind you're most likely to slide to the outside of the corner, so when your lane is the inside one, take a bit more car and slow down to avoid oncoming cars.

If you're really stuck, let the tyres down. I spent 15 minutes trying to get up a hill today, then let the tyres down to 15psi and got up no problem - BUT REMEMBER they're low on air, and don't drive at 70mph on a clear motorway after without re-inflating (foot pumps are surprisingly efficient)

Just cause others may be driving like idiots, doesn't mean you should too. As long as you get yourself and your passengers safely to your destination, that's all that matters.

Ensure you've got your fuel tank topped up!

Yeah, find a big carpark or a quiet road and get some sideways action while you still can!

Too many people haven't got a clue how to respond when their car starts to skid and with electronic systems in cars these days you can't even generalise by telling people to steer into the skid.

A few other tips in addition to yours:

1. Snow has more grip than ice - if you are struggling for either traction, steering or braking then try moving onto the snow.
2. Listen to your tyres and feel for vagueness in the steering, these are the warning signs of lack of grip.
3. If you get stuck then try letting a bit of air out of the tyres. Particularly in soft snow. Not too much though and make sure you have a pump handy in case you overdo it.
4. Have a shovel in the boot and all the usual stuff (coat, hat, gloves, blanket)
5. Make sure you have extra petrol in reserve in case you get stuck and need to keep warm through the night.
6. Relax at the wheel - if you are tense then you won't react smoothly and quickly enough in the event of a skid.
7. Wot BigFaceDave says ^^^^^

if you are trying to brake and its not working - stop trying to brake, drop the clutch the car will then probably steer as thats all the tyres have to do - now let go of the brakes and try again.

(ok, this works for me when i'm doing 5mph - never had to try it at 30mph).

make sure your washer fluid is topped up and its STRONG (so it won't freeze). Although don't expect it to work as the washer jets will probably have frozen.

Simple...

If you don't know how, STAY AT BL#@DY HOME AND GET THE D@RN3D BUS

[Edited on 20/12/10 by stevebubs]

I get up the hills in and around here in first gear and no accelerator at all. Naturally the car pulls itself fowards and doesn't loose traction. Obviously don't dump the clutch but release it very slowly until the car moves on its own. Neighbours keep leaving their cars at the bottom of our hill. I just chugged up with no issues at all.

If you start sliding at speed and you just know it's going to end in tears, then steer clear of the brakes and take the drive away from the tyres. Clutch in, or auto stick to 'N'. All four wheels will thereafter find a similar speed and you may find that you have some steering again! Aim for something soft... and brace for impact!

PS - This may also help you out if you're fishtailing wildly on damp roads. Remove the drive and let the tyres sort themselves out... you'll stand a much better chance of getting things back under control!

It's not that much fun driving on snow in the modern cars. ABS and traction control spoils it a lot. But at least the ABS doesn't work on the handbrake.

If the wheels spin in first try second or third gear and try to pull away just above stalling speed.

To get the car moving. Lift the clutch, you don't need any throttle.

At all.

None.

Stop giving it too much beans, seriously.

Oh, FFS, do you want me to show you ?

Oh, ok then, fill your boots, on you go. WTF do I know anyway.

Great, now it's got a nice wedge of snow and ice in front of and behind the driven wheels, well done.
Now you're well and truly stuck.



Regarding steering and brakes.

FFS stop braking and turning in all at the same time.

You can do one or the other, but please stop doing both at the same time.

Oh and when it goes wrong, don't brake, steer arrrroooooouuuunnnnddddddd the accident and continue on your way.






All of the above are the reasons why I'm not a good teacher

put a shovel in the boot. simples

you will either use it to dig the car out or to bash the idiot that hit you up the back.

Not sure I agree with the "depress the clutch" method of regaining control, I much prefer the FWD method of using a bit of power to steer the front back to where I want it to be. Of course this takes a bit of practice to avoid fish-tailing which takes me back to my original advice to find a big carpark and slide it around a bit to get the feel. Nothing more satisfying than a controlled drift in the snow and the speed is so low that you can do it in almost complete safety.

In my opinion it should be mandatory to have an advanced driving certificate before being allowed out in the snow. Stick everyone in either a MK2 Ford Escort or a BL Mini on a skid pan for an hour and they will soon learn how to control a car! Either that or mandate snow socks/chains like some of the europeans do.

If your in a understeer situation in a fwd more or less power is not going to help but dipping the clutch will give you some steering back and its pretty instant

I have to disagree with the letting air out of your tyres advice. This will give you LESS grip on snow and ice NOT more... If anything you want to over inflate the tyres slightly (no more than 10%) to open out the tread slightly. Underinflation works on sand/gravel... Over inflation is better for snow and ice. Don't beleive me look at what the rally boys do.

Other top tips...

Carry a bag of cat litter in the boot.
make sure the tank is full... if you do get well and truely stuck at least you'll be able to keep warm (ish) plus the added weight will help.
SLOW DOWN!
Avoid using the brakes but do make sure to just touch the pedal to let the pillock behind you know you're slowing down.
Keep a few bars of chocolate and a warm coat (preferably reflective) in the boot.
If the worst does happen and you crash and write off your car remember that's not the WORST thing that could have happened... cars are replaceable... people arnt!

Clear the snow off your roof before you set out - I have seen this many, many times and when the brakes are applied, all the snow slides off the (now warm) roof and covers the windscreen just when you need to see what you are trying not to hit!

Same goes for the windows - I have seen idiots driving with all the side and rear windows completely covered, and a windscreen wiper going like crazy to try and clear the front! Utterly stupid!

Carry a candle or two. No, I'm serious - it's pathetic warmth could mean the difference between life and death if you get stranded in the car.

Carry some food, preferably something easy to eat and ration with a high energy content like Chocolate or biscuits and make sure you've got something to drink (Non Alcoholic), and don't leave it in the car when you get out as it won't be as good to you frozen.

If you can't make it back to your home, please be considerate about where you park, someone as left a car opposite my carpark entrance for the last 4 days and the way the bloke downstairs was trying to get out he's lucky it's not been crashed into.

Don't drive along at walking pace on clear bits of road, Especially don't do this if your driving at walking pace (or less) to somewhere you could have walked too (Like the school at the end of the street).

Carry a soft broom, it's the very best thing to get snow of the car. I bought one two weeks ago and it's not only saved me time but it saves my fingers from getting frozen. I've not had to use it for the purpose but a broom is also quite good for moving snow of the ground to get to harder ground.

One final one from me, If you've got a Robotised box with no torque converter, keep an eye on what gear it's in as mine has a habit of downshifting and spinning the wheels, If you catch it quickly you can shift up before it drops the clutch.

We keep hearing on the radio that coppers are going to pull over drivers with snow on the roof, fine them and give 3 points.
Re the tyre pressure I find low pressure helps, and off roading we always reduced pressure for mud.
Does anyone remember Top Gear in the Artic, they ran their tyres extremly low. So low that they came off the rims easily. So they squirt them with lighter fuel and chuck in a match, a little like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOf91WKZOYE
But they used much less and removed the bleedin' aerosol beforehand!

quote:

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Originally posted by Ninehigh
6. Start gently, wheelspin is for 17 year old gimps in Corsas

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I think its great stuff..... Keep it coming !!

I'm having a wonderful time using all my driving skills for a refreshing change ....

1. If you have stoppped and have no grip whilst gently trying to pull away, don't floor the accelerator making the wheels spin as it is no good. Instead try to move forwards a tiny bit whilst wiggling the steering wheel from side to side (assumes FWD), drop the clutch to allow yourself to fall back and repeat so you "rock" yourself out of the stuckiness.

2. If have a can of anti-freeze left over from 2 years ago, check there still is propellant in it before you have to use it.

3. Clear wipers of snow and ice before setting off - the ice will have stuck them to the screen so when you try to use them nothing happens or worse the arm comes loose off the spindle.

4. Do not use the washers until the screen is fully warmed up or it will freeze. To stop vapour freezing on the inside, open the windows (yes it will be cold) until the heater is up to temperatrue to clear the screen.

5. If all else fails and you have to walk away, make sure you face the traffic in case a numpty in a 4wd BWM comes carreering off the road towards you - you will not hear the wheels screeeeeeeeeeeech.

6. If you are stuck for a long time, do not be tempted to eat yellow or brown snow.

quote:

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Originally posted by craig1410
Not sure I agree with the "depress the clutch" method of regaining control, I much prefer the FWD method of using a bit of power to steer the front back to where I want it to be. Of course this takes a bit of practice to avoid fish-tailing which takes me back to my original advice to find a big carpark and slide it around a bit to get the feel. Nothing more satisfying than a controlled drift in the snow and the speed is so low that you can do it in almost complete safety.

In my opinion it should be mandatory to have an advanced driving certificate before being allowed out in the snow. Stick everyone in either a MK2 Ford Escort or a BL Mini on a skid pan for an hour and they will soon learn how to control a car! Either that or mandate snow socks/chains like some of the europeans do.

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I had a pillock driving on my back bumper yesterday morning - until he saw me hanging the car's tail out around a roundabout and decided that staying back a bit was a good idea! I wasn't hooning - I was doing about 10mph - but it was very slippery.

Pleased to say that I caught the slide immediately...

Oh - obligatory tip - if you have an auto box:

If you start to spin the wheels, a light touch on the throttle then taking your foot off will start the car creeping, which is often enough to move you forward.

Shifting from reverse to forward and letting it creep each way may well get you moving.

If you have a semi-manual option (like my Focus) then it's useful for holding your speed down on icy descents - just select a gear that holds you back a bit.

And if you don't have an auto:

Jerky or snatched gear changes are just as likely to put you in a ditch as sharp braking.

[Edited on 21/12/10 by David Jenkins]

quote:

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Originally posted by scootz
Your 'power-drifting' technique is indeed great fun in a controlled environment such as a snowy car park and yes, it can make you feel like a Driving-God (when you're 18)! Not much cop to the average motorist when the sh*t hits the fan on a public highway that's covered in snow / ice and you're carrying a bit of speed though! To regain control in these conditions, you really want all four wheels moving at the same speed and under their own steam. Remember - this is in a do or die situation... not just a ickle wee slide with space aplenty!

Of course there will be exceptions depending on individual circumstance and also your driving skill levels, but this is general advice as not everyone is Colin MacRae!

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Sorry Craig... didn't realise that my post had come over 'heavy'. Certainly not the intention.

Here one I would like to see done a bit more:
If you're on a back lane where only one side has a cleared track, you're on a hill and going DOWN, and assuming you won't loose control by doing so, please pull onto the crappy slush/snow and let the car coming UP go past. Its almost impossible you'll be properly stuck, but the guy coming up may be. I've had to pull onto the 'verge'(where theres at least 8 inches of snow) 3 times in exactly this situation this year, and been stuck for ages digging the car out to turn round and go back down the hill, then clear some road so I can turn round again to get going. Whats especially annoying is that in every case its been a 4x4 coming the down the hill, which has had enough ground clearance to not have a problem anyway, where my civic coupe has only abot 4.5 inches of ground clearance. I always try to do this when I'm going downhill its far easier to get going if you do get stuck(obvious really).

Also
If you are in a queue thats not moving and you can see a car trying to turn in front who is obviously stuck, give him a push rather than getting your mobile out and complaining. I got out of my car after a couple of minutes, walked past a queue of at least 50 cars, because a jag was stuck trying to turn in the road. Every car I passed had the driver on their mobile, no one got out to help. I gave the jag one push and he was on his way. No one looked at me as they drove past on the magically cleared road, due I hope to embarassment.

Regards
Hugh

quote:

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Originally posted by DorsetStrider
I have to disagree with the letting air out of your tyres advice. This will give you LESS grip on snow and ice NOT more... If anything you want to over inflate the tyres slightly (no more than 10%) to open out the tread slightly. Underinflation works on sand/gravel... Over inflation is better for snow and ice. Don't beleive me look at what the rally boys do.

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Rescued attachment PC213010small.JPG

1) Next time you get a carpet fitted, keep two 6x2 lengths from the offcuts (I did)


Slip them under the front wheels of a stuck car, tease it onto them in second gear - off you go !



Works more or less every time.


2)Steep descents down icy roads - stop at the top - bottom gear and let the car roll itself down to the bottom, gently brake over the top to control the descent. Do not dip the clutch until your safely at the bottom.


3) Fit your towing eye while the snow is about - saves a lot of farting on when stuck in the wet stuff.


4) Dont buy a BMW


5) Buy a Lada Niva.

quote:

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Originally posted by Liam

quote:

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Originally posted by DorsetStrider
I have to disagree with the letting air out of your tyres advice. This will give you LESS grip on snow and ice NOT more... If anything you want to over inflate the tyres slightly (no more than 10%) to open out the tread slightly. Underinflation works on sand/gravel... Over inflation is better for snow and ice. Don't beleive me look at what the rally boys do.

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Hmmm not sure about that myself. The 'rally boys' use ultra skinny (therefore high profile requiring high pressure) studded snow tyres designed to cut through loose snow to something better beneath. We're not necessarily in the same situation with our fat-tyred tintops trying to drive on top of hard packed snow/ice. Best we can do is elongate the contact patch by reducing tyre pressure. Works for me in the RWD meega anyway. Either way we're talking small differences here - your grip essentially is what it is - crap. Best to heed the good driving advice above! Here's what happens when idiots get it wrong (taken last year)...


Rescued attachment PC213010small.JPG

I can just picture the X5 driver - 'I've got a 4x4 - grrrr. Huh the brakes dont wo....' smash

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When I was last in Iceland we went for a glacier-tour in one of those Nissan Patrol thingies with the custom suspension and bigfoot-style mega-wheels.

They were regularly deflating the tyres when we got stuck in deep snow and they re-inflated them once free using the on-board air-compressor.

That was pretty damn deep snow though!

My Lada (Yes Lada) runs on 205rx16s - As standard they come with a 195x16 , so not the skinniest of tyres but compared to the profuse of Chelsea tractors running about on 265/45x18s they are skinny.


They cut through the loose mush easily, my tyre pressures are around 36 psi , I blew them up last week from 30psi.



When I offroad it in the clarts (Geordie = Mud) I lower the tyre pressures to under 20psi.



However this theory will not work imho on a low profile summer pattern tyre in the snow & ice, its all about the tread pattern not so much the pressure.

Maybe we should leave the tyre pressure thing, I can see people running them flat saying it was my advice!