Driving in Snow

Scráib

I didn't see this thread in here yet, so considering the weather this might be useful. I lifted this from an American site, so a lot of the tips are geared towards automatics but are useful nonetheless.

Just a suggestion Mods but for the time being maybe this might be handy as a sticky? Especially if other people have their own advice.

Driving in Snow and Ice

The best advice for driving in bad winter weather is not to drive at all, if you can avoid it.

Don't go out until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination.

If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared (TIPS), and that you know how to handle road conditions.

It's helpful to practice winter driving techniques in a snowy, open parking lot, so you're familiar with how your car handles. Consult your owner's manual for tips specific to your vehicle.

Driving safely on icy roads

1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
4. Keep your lights and windshield clean.
5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
6. Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
8. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
9. Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

If your rear wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the accelerator.
2. Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they're sliding right, steer right.
3. If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
4. If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
5. If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.

If your front wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately.
2. As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.

If you get stuck...

1. Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
2. Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
3. Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.
4. Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
5. Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.
6. Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner's manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you're in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.
7. More Tips

Sources: National Safety Council, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Washington State Government Information & Services

bensers

Scráib wrote: »

I didn't see this thread in here yet, so considering the weather this might be useful. I lifted this from an American site, so a lot of the tips are geared towards automatics but are useful nonetheless.

Just a suggestion Mods but for the time being maybe this might be handy as a sticky? Especially if other people have their own advice.

Driving in Snow and Ice

The best advice for driving in bad winter weather is not to drive at all, if you can avoid it.

Don't go out until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination.

If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared (TIPS), and that you know how to handle road conditions.

It's helpful to practice winter driving techniques in a snowy, open parking lot, so you're familiar with how your car handles. Consult your owner's manual for tips specific to your vehicle.

Driving safely on icy roads

1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
4. Keep your lights and windshield clean.
5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
6. Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
8. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
9. Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

If your rear wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the accelerator.
2. Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they're sliding right, steer right.
3. If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
4. If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
5. If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.

If your front wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately.
2. As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.

If you get stuck...

1. Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
2. Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
3. Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.
4. Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
5. Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.
6. Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner's manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you're in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.
7. More Tips

Sources: National Safety Council, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Washington State Government Information & Services

If you need to drive prob best not to wait till you skid!!!

You can get snow tyres cheap enough, fitted and the works for about €300, otherwise if your only doing short journeys, get a set of snow socks. I used MotorSock.ie last year and wish had hit them earlier as it cost me a bumper, well handy for driving roads that aren't serviced and bout €40 or €50 quid for a set. Reckon snow tyres for long journey.

wonski

My 2 cents if you dont mind.
Training is a must, what I would suggest is when(if) this winter was like the last one, to take the car out, have a spin around some quiet place, and see it in practice. Steer right/left advice when the wheels skid might work, but I am not 100% sure about that. You can easily forget about the article, when you lose control over your car. Different story when you read how to deal with this, and put it into practice. I come from country where snow is present for more than a week a year, and can understand that we have different approach, and little more confidence, but trust me - one of very few trainings that can be fun (unless You drive expensive car...).

Still good idea to get prepared for winter, and get some advice before it starts.

Just noticed what i said was on top of the article... sorry, feel free to delete.

firefly08

Good idea to post advice on this, but I just have a few issues with that, having driven in a lot of snow...

5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.

I have serious doubts about this. Based on my own experience (and physics), lower gears are more likely to break traction. For that reason I've always thought it's better to stick to higher gears that normal. Maybe someone with more knowledge can chime in on that.

The part about skidding is a bit complicated and confusing - most people will not know which wheels are skidding. They will simply know that the car has steered too much (rear wheels skidding) or too little (front wheels skidding).

If your rear wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the accelerator.

I'd be reluctant to recommend lifting sharply off the accelerator when oversteering (i.e. when car steers too much because the rear wheels have slipped). This can make the front of the car push down, increasing the traction at the front and decreasing it at the rear...which makes the problem worse. I find countersteering while staying on the power is better.

Lifting is in fact what I do to counter understeer in the snow. Again, that's just my experience, although I have read it in places too.

Most important things of all to remember: stopping distance and snow tyres! Those 2 simple precautions will cover the vast majority of situations.

wonski

firefly, You are 100% right about gears. That is a mistake, i didn't spot. Low revs, high gear is crucial. Also you can start from 2nd gear in snow, this helps a lot.

antodeco

Problem is, to some, low gears are 3 upwards. To others, its 1st to 3rd!

Low gears = high gears to confuse things!

paddydriver

Word is no snow this year.

wonski

good input antideco, maybe that is why I didnt spot it?
Driving in low revs is more adequate term/word.
Mods, please delete this thread, if paddydriver is right.

two wheels good

If your front wheels skid...
1. Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately .

I was a bit doubtful about the "shift to neutral" bit. Don't you want some engine-braking?

maygitchell

Round the corner hard right foot down revs on the limiter!

firefly08

If your front wheels skid...
1. Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately .

I was a bit doubtful about the "shift to neutral" bit. Don't you want some engine-braking?

Yep, in fact that's the whole point of lifting to fight understeer - the engine braking effect transfers the weight to the front, giving the front more traction.