Snow driving styles

[pauldaf44]

Following on from my previous thread. It made me think I am probably not the only one here with little or no experience of driving in snow.

My ideas have always been use the highest gear possible and light throttle and steering but stay off the brakes.
For this however I am going to bow to the wisdom of more experienced drivers and ask there advice.

So how do you keep the car moving on a snowbound road?

If you do get stuck what can you as a driver do to get unstuck?

please don't shoot me down in flames or ice.

Paul

[gouldygtr]

another key thing is speed, if you are going down hill then immediately up hill, don't go too slow or you will get stuck on the uphill,

as you said just smooth steering and throttle, MASSIVE gap between the car in front, and what i do along lanes is use the grass verge for extra grip if the road is like an icerink, as the rough hard soil has more grip

[bstardchild]

Momentum is the key - keeping moving at a pace where you have control in the conditions

[hazastaza]

Handbrake up, Scandinavian flicking.

Seriously though, in my 306td i just pull away in second using the clutch and just keep the momentum up. Its pretty grippy at the front though because of the engine weight.

You answered it yourself really, high gear, low revs and don't put yourself in a position where you will need to slam the brakes on.

[sarkie83]

plan way ahead with lights/roundabouts, and try to keep moving.

[TurboDieselWeasel]

We have a large empty space here, usually used for exhibitions etc. I'm always going there to practice driving and especially braking on snow (and ice)...

And that would be my advice to you: find an empty site with much space and practice driving on snow, get a feel of how the car reacts and behaves in anunstable condition, try to hold a line (you can use card boxes as markers). And slowly(!) push the car closer and closer to - and beyond - it's limits (hence a large space without obstacles is mandatory for prcticing! ). You'll soon get a feeling for it.

This has worked very well for me and I'm a very confident snow-driver now.

Cheers,
Jan

PS: Do this with care! Don't break your car!

[pauldaf44]

The main problem I'm having at the moment is getting the car moving in the first place. I have to reverse it through uncompacted snow. It will move quite happily for a cars length and then just seems to spin resolutly. If I could get it 10yds further it would be on the compacted snow where it will move


My car is parked in where the silver rover is in this pic and pointing forwards. No car has been out of that square area so the snow is uncompacted

[paulie]

Dec 20, 2010 12:05:55 GMT gouldygtr said:

another key thing is speed, if you are going down hill then immediately up hill, don't go too slow or you will get stuck on the uphill,

as you said just smooth steering and throttle, MASSIVE gap between the car in front, and what I do along lanes is use the grass verge for extra grip if the road is like an icerink, as the rough hard soil has more grip

Good advice there

[trogdor]

Yes brakes are to be avoided at all costs, I don't have much experience of driving in snow and icy conditions but have learnt from sliding my astra van into a sandstone wall at 5mph in my first winter. To nearly sliding into a truck at 20mph but luckily managing to slew round and hit the roundabout instead this winter. I have been going out into just get more experience as I suspect that this wont be the last of it.

Massive gaps are also really good, It always unnerves me when people are close behind you in icy conditions.

[trogdor]

I don't have a problem with starting off but having a diesel makes it easier anyway, getting it started with knackered glowplugs, starter and battery like I had last winter that was the fun part!

[will]

Get digging, shovel is your friend Also gives a good opportunity to make a snow man at the same time as getting your car out

When on the move always go prepared; shovel/blanket/towrope/warm clothes/boots and hip flask of whiskey just encase the driving bit comes to an end ;D

Cadence braking-gentle on and off the brakes works wonders when you need to slow or stop. Basically be your own ABS. I've got my van down many an icy hill using this method when putting it in a low gear would just lock the driving wheels

[popuptoaster]

i leave a bigger gap between me and everything else and go much slower, but otherwise carry on driving as normal, well, other than masses more tail out action of course.

[SauceDoctor]

^^ What Will said +1. All good advice, although I dunno about the whiskey! Alcohol will lower your body temperature further, and if you have a big shunt, wipe out your car, and have a wee nip o' Scotch afterwards to calm the nerves, the plod will be very interested when they show up.

[retrowagen1234]

Dec 20, 2010 12:30:50 GMT popuptoaster said:

I leave a bigger gap between me and everything else and go much slower, but otherwise carry on driving as normal, well, other than masses more tail out action of course.

HAHA... same ere ;D Private roads of course ossifer....

[TurboDieselWeasel]

Suitable tyres also do the trick Snow tyres are mandatory in germany since this year. And that's for a very good reason! If some plonker hit's me with summer tyres on, I will beat him to death with a spoon!

The difference is that snow tyres have a lot of gills which let the snow fall out of the profile. On sumer/non-snow tyres the snow stays in the profile and gets compacted, turning the tyres basicaly into a slick...

Winter | summer


I drove on summer tyres for one winter season - never ever again.

Snow chains may help you get the car moving.

[Dom]

Dec 20, 2010 12:36:14 GMT TurboDieselWeasel said:

If some plonker hit's me with summer tyres on, I will beat him to death with a spoon!

I bet that bit's mandatory too!

[popuptoaster]

I managed to slide into a hedge even with knobbly tyres and 4x4, i was trying to get past a load of stuck cars though.

[mk14dr]

RE, finding a big empty space to practice and explore the limits of the car.

I did this last december, huge empty carpark in an industrial area, no houses, no cars, no people, about midnight. I got spotted by a panda car and got slapped with a section 59.
So maybe not the best of plans. Or just make sure no-one can see you.....

[e21meister]

I live in London, so my driving style is:
drive the car straight into the garage, close the door and take public transport.
Grit + 29 year old car with a rep for rusting + numptys on road who can't handle the conditions = walking/bus/train.

[pauldaf44]

Just tried to get the DAF out yeahhh it didn't go well. Moved about a foot then lurch forwards almost hit a lampost. I don't like that so go to put it back again . Not moving try forwards same. Oh curse word pushing car back into bay. looks like I need to go and buy a shovel