Trouble getting into a frozen driveway?

JHMEG

May not be obvious to everyone but if your front wheels are spinning and you can't get in, just reverse in instead. FWD has advantages in this weather but getting up inclines is not one of them!

Buying a premium brand car or SUV will also solve the problem (except low end Audi's which all FAIL), but in the recession this is seen as tasteless, and reversing is the only option.

beatman91

How about some salt!

Graham_B18C

JHMEG wrote: »

May not be obvious to everyone but if your front wheels are spinning and you can't get in, just reverse in instead. FWD has advantages in this weather but getting up inclines is not one of them!

Buying a premium brand car or SUV will also solve the problem (except low end Audi's which all FAIL), but in the recession this is seen as tasteless, and reversing is the only option.

I had this trouble earlier! Just left it outside the garden as I was going out this evening, but when I got home I just took a slight run at it and in she went!

JHMEG

beatman91 wrote: »

How about some salt!

As long as you're paying!

This was as far as I could go, going forward...

jimmycrackcorm

By the looks of things you could have easily managed that - the road behind you is clear so you could have built up some momentum getting in especially as it appears to be snow in front and not compacted ice.

Graham_B18C

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

By the looks of things you could have easily managed that - the road behind you is clear so you could have built up some momentum getting in especially as it appears to be snow in front and not compacted ice.

And risk crashing into the house by not being able to turn?

I think reversing was the safer / better option

JHMEG

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

By the looks of things you could have easily managed that - the road behind you is clear so you could have built up some momentum getting in especially as it appears to be snow in front and not compacted ice.

It's a right hand turn off the main road into the driveway, making it impossible. In addition the main road outside had not been treated. The car would go no further than pictured due to snow/ice, leprechauns or dead fish on the driverway.

KamiKazi

Yeah, who cares about the laws of physics as long as you have a premium brand car / SUV.

Theta

Yes yes its all good in theory till I saw one of my neighbours try in vein to reverse his car into his drive yesterday for about 5 minutes with he front wheels jogging on the spot.

Got the shovel out yesterday and chipped all the ice off the path outside the house and drive because of all the people nearly going on the ear as they walked past.

BlackWizard

That's what I done too. I just shovelled off the ice and snow.

mickdw

Reversing with a front wheel drive is not the answer. I would guess that it woud be worse. In fact ive seen rear drive cars fail many times when front drive cars just sail by no problem.

pburns

I'm confused...
Why should a prenium brand car get up the drive any better? Why couldn't he just scrape the ice off the drive? And is salt really so prohibitively expensive that you couldn't shake some in front of the car wheels to make a bit of a track?

voxpop

pburns wrote: »

I'm confused...
Why should a prenium brand car get up the drive any better?

I guess he is alluding to 4 wheel drive

KamiKazi

Premium brand drivetrain baby, yeeeeaaahhh :cool:

Mr. Presentable

JHMEG wrote: »

May not be obvious to everyone but if your front wheels are spinning and you can't get in, just reverse in instead. FWD has advantages in this weather but getting up inclines is not one of them!

Buying a premium brand car or SUV will also solve the problem (except low end Audi's which all FAIL), but in the recession this is seen as tasteless, and reversing is the only option.

Or use a shovel............

gaz wac

forget your driving, mate! you have bigger problems.....there is a green alien with a big head walking past your front garden !!! :eek:

right hand side of sign, popping over the wall !!

Cookie_Monster

JHMEG wrote: »

As long as you're paying!

This was as far as I could go, going forward...

Shovel?

Matt Simis

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Shovel?

Pff, we bought cars to get away from manual labour people!

Cookie_Monster

Matt Simis wrote: »

Pff, we bought cars to get away from manual labour people!

fine...
shovel + cheap foreign labour

craichoe

Aldi have your answer lads:

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/58_8046.htm

74.5 cent / Kilo of Dishwasher salt, spend a tenner and it should do your driveway + paths

grudgebringer

craichoe wrote: »

Aldi have your answer lads:

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/58_8046.htm

74.5 cent / Kilo of Dishwasher salt, spend a tenner and it should do your driveway + paths

Crash your car getting out of the driveway to get the much needed salt to clear it on your return .... :P

Just walk for now and wait for the snow to melt, should only be another few weeks

gaz wac

JHMEG wrote: »

Seriously OP, can no one else see the little green alien ? Ive saved the pix and zoomed into it and I still thinks its a green alien with a big head ?

Either he came to help you with your problem, or you have very strange kids living by ha

grudgebringer

Yeah, I see him .... it's one of those guys from 'V'

SouperComputer

That doesnt look too bad JHMEG, that said I cant see the full route of where you came in. Of theres a little dip on the way in with a nice block of ice that would make it a pain. Do you have "sports" tires?
I'll post a pick of my driveway later for the laugh. It's all about momentum, and sometimes a little handbrake. Taking a run at it can work too, but coming off a main road that mightnt be the best idea. I've had to reverse the Beetle in once or twice, but its got sportier tires on there.

Gives me a laugh how some people seem to think RWD is better in these conditions. Add a couple 100KGs to the back and its decent, but otherwise given similar tires and car weight (mass ) FWD and 4WD wins every time.

Fey!

How about decent tyres instead of cheap, nasty ones?

And instead of salt, try a light sprinkling of ashes from your fire; works an absolute treat (a little bit messy when everything clears, but nothing a powerhose won't sort!).

We have a 30 degree incline on our drive; even the Hilux had bother getting int it (although no such difficulty with the girlfriends old Freelander). I think that that may come down to tyre choice, though.

And, according to last nights Topgear, if you're going premium brand to deal with the conditions, forget about the BMW X6!!!

jimmycrackcorm

JHMEG wrote: »

It's a right hand turn off the main road into the driveway, making it impossible. In addition the main road outside had not been treated. The car would go no further than pictured due to snow/ice, leprechauns or dead fish on the driverway.

You mean you have a car that cannot turn left????
Sorry - I didn't know you were a lady driver....

There looks to be snow to the left and right of the tyres - surely there's some grip there and you can take out the bush while you are at it - plant a new one in March.

KamiKazi

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

You mean you have a car that cannot turn left????
Sorry - I didn't know you were a lady driver....

Maybe he's Zoolander.

Cookie_Monster

gaz wac wrote: »

Seriously OP, can no one else see the little green alien ? Ive saved the pix and zoomed into it and I still thinks its a green alien with a big head ?

Either he came to help you with your problem, or you have very strange kids living by ha

top of fence pillar

Theta

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

top of fence pillar

Im pretty sure I can see a little evil face on it aswell!

January

It really does look like an alien!

mickdw

SouperComputer wrote: »

Gives me a laugh how some people seem to think RWD is better in these conditions. Add a couple 100KGs to the back and its decent, but otherwise given similar tires and car weight (mass ) FWD and 4WD wins every time.

I agree. So the original statement by the OP saying that premium brands (rear drive BMW & Merc) are the answer and front drive audi is a disaster couldnt be more wrong to be honest.

Farls

mickdw wrote: »

Reversing with a front wheel drive is not the answer. I would guess that it woud be worse. In fact ive seen rear drive cars fail many times when front drive cars just sail by no problem.

Its down to the weight sitting directly over the wheels, a rear wheel drive would be fine with a few bags of cement in the back and traction control turned off.

I've done a lot of driving in the past 2 weeks in these conditions and the conditions are only part of the problem, what its really highlighted is that the majority of people in this country simply can't drive.

Victor_M

SouperComputer wrote: »

Gives me a laugh how some people seem to think RWD is better in these conditions. Add a couple 100KGs to the back and its decent, but otherwise given similar tires and car weight (mass ) FWD and 4WD wins every time.

I've never heard anyone say RWD is better in these conditions, in almost all other conditions maybe, but RWD is an absolute disaster in ice & snow, I haven't even started my car since before Christmas yet alone try and drive it, after last January's snow and the many brown trouser moments I had.

HashSlinging

I throw some fertilizer on the drive and it works great at melting the snow/ice.

Anan1

Victor_M wrote: »

I've never heard anyone say RWD is better in these conditions, in almost all other conditions maybe, but RWD is an absolute disaster in ice & snow, I haven't even started my car since before Christmas yet alone try and drive it, after last January's snow and the many brown trouser moments I had.

A RWD car will be better at climbing an icy slope than an otherwise identical FWD car because the slope will put more of the weight over the driven wheels. This is why a FWD car may manage a steeper slippery slope in reverse than it could going forwards. Similarly, RWD cars have better traction than FWD under hard acceleration due to weight transfer towards the rear.

partyatmygaff

Nothing beats a quattro :P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qxylbbjBl4

HashSlinging

FAKE !!!

partyatmygaff

HashSlinging wrote: »

FAKE !!!

It's not fake, the tires were proper winter tires and it was running a 4.2L V8 in 1st gear.

HashSlinging

im only jokin... Stolen from another thread.

Senna

The quattro looked like it was going nowhere, then the camera cut away and it was flying up the hill. Take 2 maybe??

RandomAccess

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Nothing beats a quattro :P

Reversing back down would be a real pain in the hole!

TestTransmission

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Nothing beats a quattro :P

Do you drive a quattro?How do you find it in this weather?

Sesshoumaru

HashSlinging wrote: »

im only jokin... Stolen from another thread.

Shows Audi know a thing or two about building 4wd cars

partyatmygaff

jackncoke wrote: »

Do you drive a quattro?How do you find it in this weather?

Well I don't drive one but I my father does. The grip is top notch in the snow, no problems with traction and turning corners is almost as easy as it is in the dry. It really is something else compared to other four wheel drive systems.

Sesshoumaru

jackncoke wrote: »

Do you drive a quattro?How do you find it in this weather?

I have an A6 Avant Quattro Sport, it is fantastically stable compared to a 2wd car in these conditions. Once you go quattro you'd never consider buying a 2wd Audi ever again.

TestTransmission

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Well I don't drive one but I my father does. The grip is top notch in the snow, no problems with traction and turning corners is almost as easy as it is in the dry. It really is something else compared to other four wheel drive systems.

Such as?

unkel

partyatmygaff wrote: »

It's not fake, the tires were proper winter tires

No they weren't winter tyres :rolleyes:

I'd say many an AWD and probably even just RWD car can climb that ramp with spikes. But well done Audi for the clever marketing - making the people believe :cool:

peasant

unkel wrote: »

No they weren't winter tyres :rolleyes:

I'd say many an AWD and probably even just RWD car can climb that ramp with spikes. But well done Audi for the clever marketing - making the people believe :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObdPVYAGCXo

sorry for the German only subtitles

partyatmygaff

jackncoke wrote: »

Such as?

Other AWD systems like 4matic or the nameless ones used in Jaguar and the like.

RandomAccess

Man I wish I had a video camera... some of the driving in my estate is comical.

My house is on a slope, there are about 12 houses up the cul de sac hill, at the bottom of the hill there is a t junction which is still within the estate.

A few minutes ago I heard some revving and looked outside to see a car stationary on the hill with wheels spinning. (par for the course round here in winter :rolleyes: )

Anyway he did a three point turn sorta, and then tried reversing up the hill. No luck but clarkson school of thought kicked in at that point, "more POWWERR". so the car started to slide forward down the hill gathering pace while he was revving the nuts off it in reverse. finally chickens out and stands on the brakes. Looks like he is giving up, he drives left at the junction and I thought he was going to park it and walk 2mins up the hill.. but NO he drives to the end of the road and turns the car..

Its like that scene in back to the future but with a 00 corsa instead of a delorean, "charrgge.." he takes a run up, rounds the corner (at speed, on ice, kinda dodgy that!) and makes it to the same point on the hill he was at before.. oh god laughing my nuts off at that. so you can guess what happens next, he heads back down the hill again and now tries taking a run up in reverse from the same position around the corner, I'm relishing the impending reverse J turn and I'm not dissapointed.. the car spins round like a joy rider.. but just as I was about to grab some popcorn for his next trick, he gave up and parked it.. the walk of shame... begins

unkel

peasant wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObdPVYAGCXo

sorry for the German only subtitles

I knew there was a "making of" vid. Not seen it until now - thanks for sharing

The German subs just make me concentrate a little bit more although understanding a little bit less

Anyways, as I said and as could be seen in that vid, the car was on spikes. Would not have a hope in hell driving up there with factory tyres...