An old mans moan..... I appologise already

[DaveNP]

I'm often thankful that I learnt to drive in Sheffield over the winter of 81/82, we had knee deep snow that lasted for a couple of weeks combined with temperatures below -10c . I had reached a point of being reasonably competent when it snowed in January, I phoned the driving school (BSM) to see if lessons were still on and my instructor said if I wanted to she'd still do the lesson. I drove the couple of miles from the centre of Sheffield to the suburbs on the south west where the city meets the edge of the Peak District and turned on to an estate to be greeted by a road covered in snow, at that point I was a little panicked and said 'What do I do now?' to which my instructor replied 'You carry on, and do everything gently.' I spent the rest of the hour driving in those conditions, that was in Metro with ordinary tyres, so nothing special. Since then I've also done some messing around in front wheel drive and rear wheel drive cars in the snow when there was no one else around which has given me a sense of what I can get away with and what to do when it all goes sideways. All of that means that now even when I'm driving an articulated truck snow doesn't panic me and yes 'drifting' in an artic is possible (and dare I say sometimes fun).

Secret note to gvm, an artic is much easier to reverse than a 4x4 with a trailer, and if it's only half loaded with the weight at the front of the trailer, over the drive wheels, the snow gets easier.

[m0bzy]

Low profile tires are the main problem with modern cars , when we drove round on crossplys the tires were able to punch through the snow,no help on ice though.

I have driven double decker buses through deep snow even though they were fitted with re-cut tires with the help of passenger moving over he drive axle and bouncing up and down.

Oh the fun of driving for the Midland Red.

[Volvo Jensen]

Originally Posted by DSK

So having a suitable set of tyres or, a spare set of wheels fitted with winter tyres at the ready is quite essential, if you want to get around in icy snow without grief. However, people generally refuse to pay more than the price of a budget tyre so they are even less likely to invest in a set of winter boots.

Then people should also consider the possible cost and consequenses of using summer tyres on ice and snow?

Snow chains are an alternative too, they will get you around in the snow (maybe to rough on the car on ice), at a lower speed. I have a pair that only cost the equivalent of 21£. The best thing is, you don't even need to move the car to put them on. Might come very handy if (when) you get stuck!

[Ian21401]

I seem to agree with everything everyone has said. I’m of a certain age, started driving cars in the late 60s when tyres were just cross ply tyres or town and country. Radials were just starting to become available. I remember driving my Triumph Herald (rear wheel drive shod with Goodyear G8.) from Gateshead to Manchester in quite deep snow. One of the roads over the Pennines was closed so after consulting the map we tried a different route. The snow was quite deep but we were the first car over that day. I wish that I could remember which road it was. I’ve always preferred rear wheel drive, which is why I have my current 940. Over the last few years it has been shod with Kleber Quadraxer all season tyres which serve me well. A few years ago we were travelling back to Tyneside from Oxfordshire when a “snow bomb” hit Oxfordshire and the M40 was closed due to the snow. I was able to move but when one or two vehicles have blocked the road no one can go anywhere. That’s what causes the tailbacks.
Re artics, I remember one winter many years ago, whilst walking past the local railway station I saw one of those old British Rail Scammel three wheel tractor artics trying to get up a slight incline out of the station. He had a part load on but it was all at the rear of the trailer. I suggested to the driver that he would have more chance if the load was moved forward over the tractor drive wheels. Instead of telling me where to go he agreed and I helped him move the load. He then drove up the incline without a problem.

[Ukwide]

Originally Posted by biggbn

I made a similar comment to my Mrs and daughter the other day. My point was when the road is white and shiny people can see the danger. When it's wet or freezing and slippy they don't. I would like, I said, for our roads to be white, slippy and inclement all year round as it would

1. Ensure people know it's dangerous and drive appropriately with more care

And
2. Would exert a bit of Darwinian selection as those who don't realise its slippy and dangerous or are too selfish too take care won't last long...which would be a plus for society and would raise our collective IQ and common sense quota to an acceptable level...


Uncharacteristically harsh from me to be fair but hey, we gotta do something😈

Best tip my driving instructor gave me back in the early 70s was always drive with your window open a touch, when the road noise decreases almost to nothing, it’s black ice....

[ThomasG]

Originally Posted by green van man

Once you are sliding it's in the lap of the gods where you end up and how many will let go the brakes in that situation to regain steering no matter the speed of travel?

Paul.

We both know this untrue

Even in full 4-wheel slide, there is SOME control.

Its therefore not gods, but driver skill to use that.

Even if you hit- hit with least impact/damage.

Shame nobody teaches that.

[Whyman]

Originally Posted by christheancient

These people are the ones that think 'giving it a bit of wellie' and spinning the wheels will get them moving. We see it all the time on the tv - even as those drivers must.

I blame Clarkson.

[Whyman]

Originally Posted by m0bzy

Low profile tires are the main problem with modern cars , when we drove round on crossplys the tires were able to punch through the snow,no help on ice though.

I have driven double decker buses through deep snow even though they were fitted with re-cut tires with the help of passenger moving over he drive axle and bouncing up and down.

Oh the fun of driving for the Midland Red.

Midland Red now that takes me back!

[AllHailKingVolvo]

I've seen a lot of stupid driving in the last couple of days. I posted in another forum about the joys of motoring serenely past in my 245 with new 175/80/14s fitted whilst others are spinning their wheels and sliding towards the ditch.

I really think it's vital that car control in inclement conditions is taught at a basic level. I was lucky to have spent most of my childhood (and a good chunk of my adulthood too) racing karts at a local and national level, so by the time I was 14 it was second nature to trail brake, temper wet understeer with throttle control and (most importantly), FEEL what the kart or car was doing underneath me and make corrections accordingly. If more people switched on the senses in their arse rather than driving entirely with their eyes, plenty of accidents in bad weather could be averted.

Having said that, I've always raced and driven rear wheel drive vehicles...I'd probably be in a hedge in minutes in something FWD!!

[ThomasG]

Originally Posted by AllHailKingVolvo

I've seen a lot of stupid driving in the last couple of days. I posted in another forum about the joys of motoring serenely past in my 245 with new 175/80/14s fitted whilst others are spinning their wheels and sliding towards the ditch.

I really think it's vital that car control in inclement conditions is taught at a basic level. I was lucky to have spent most of my childhood (and a good chunk of my adulthood too) racing karts at a local and national level, so by the time I was 14 it was second nature to trail brake, temper wet understeer with throttle control and (most importantly), FEEL what the kart or car was doing underneath me and make corrections accordingly. If more people switched on the senses in their arse rather than driving entirely with their eyes, plenty of accidents in bad weather could be averted.

Having said that, I've always raced and driven rear wheel drive vehicles...I'd probably be in a hedge in minutes in something FWD!!

Now this is a man who talks my language