driving in light snow for first time, precautions.

[Kira]

Hello, I put snow tires on my car the other day. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! !

We've had 2 wee snow falls so far in the Hudson/Champlain Valley.

NIGHT AND DAY.

If snow driving is part of your life seriously consider getting a set of mounted snow tires.

Like somebody said, even a light snow can throw you. Kira

 

[Benzadmiral]

My experience with driving in snow in Colorado was with rear-wheel-drive cars. Everyone advised me to put some sandbags in the trunk, to weigh down the rear end so I'd have more traction. With a front-wheel-drive car, you shouldn't have that problem, though I don't suppose it could hurt. The locals also advised me that narrow tires were better; they would dig through the snow for more traction, unlike wider tires which spread the weight of the car over more tire cross-section.

The important things are to go slowly and smoothly, leave lots of space between you and the car ahead, and don't suddenly change direction or speed.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

Don't forget to slow down when you turn a corner. Momentum will overcome your turning wheels and send you coreening into the curb or a car waiting at the stop sign/light.

Don't ask how I know this (from many years ago, but still fresh in my mind.)

 

[Finz]

Originally Posted By: Donald
. Gloves, ice brush/scrapper, warm coat, blanket, small folding shovel, some sand

If you get stuck, gunning the engine will not help.


+1... Excellent post

 

[SwampSurvivor]

The #1 mistake I see people do is ....

Attempting to brake and turn at the same time. Then when the car starts to slide, they crank the wheel against the steering lock and press the brake pedal to the floor.

If it's slippery you can only stop or brake. Trying to do both, at the max, at the same time will end badly.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
My experience with driving in snow in Colorado was with rear-wheel-drive cars. Everyone advised me to put some sandbags in the trunk, to weigh down the rear end so I'd have more traction. With a front-wheel-drive car, you shouldn't have that problem, though I don't suppose it could hurt. The locals also advised me that narrow tires were better; they would dig through the snow for more traction, unlike wider tires which spread the weight of the car over more tire cross-section.

The important things are to go slowly and smoothly, leave lots of space between you and the car ahead, and don't suddenly change direction or speed.
Extra weight in the back of a FWD is a BAD idea-need to drive as if there is an (uncooked) egg between your foot and the throttle and brake pedals. Easy, gentle steering motions, downshift to go down hills, SLOW into any turns, get experience in a big empty lot or unoccupied road.

 

[toad]

Lots of good advice already.

There is just one thing I would like to emphasize based on 40 years experience driving on snow/ice: change lanes very, very slowly. The reason this is important is that when changing lanes one is usually already going relativly fast, so loss of control can be more serious than it might be if it occurs during other manuvers.

 

[SF0059]

Use your gears and not your brakes. Take it easy and you will be fine.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: Brenden
"Light Snow" take extra clothes food/water with to survive some time, Lol.

This is a joke. Deal with it, take to a parking lot to learn a bit if you're worried then get on the road and watch out for people who cant drive for [censored] in little snow

This may be Cali + snow but the same logic should apply no matter what, drive as fast as you feel capable and safe doing, be defensive and don't go out if you don't need to just to drive in the snow for fun.


Since you are in MN, "light snow" IS a joke. However for someone who is driving in it first time, and maybe first time even seeing snow, it's not. And if you're in CA and are driving in snow, you are in the mountains where the weather can change suddenly, and you could slide off the road and into a gulley where no one would find you for awhile. That's why I suggested all that I did.

I've seen people in VA and NC driving their cars in 3" of snow like it's dry pavement, with predictable results....those folks could benefit from this thread.

 

[thr_wedge]

Anticipate starts stops turns.

Donuts are fun when expected...not so fun unexpected.

Best car I ever owned in the snow was my '85 Cadillac Coupe DeVille it was a beast.

I learned to drive in the snow in Michigan 16 years old in my 78 cutlass supreme doing a LOT of donuts.

Notice my current location, not an accident.

 

[blackman777]

I just cut my speed in half. About 35-40. It gives more reaction time if you start to slip. It posses ioff a lot of drivers (they beep at me), but when I see them laying in a ditch a few miles ahead, I figure I was the smarter driver.

Plus going slow compensates for the lower coefficient of static friction (so you don't slip).

 

[supton]

I like living in the sticks. I can drive as slow as I want, and it won't bother anyone.

 

[gofast182]

Originally Posted By: toad
Lots of good advice already.

There is just one thing I would like to emphasize based on 40 years experience driving on snow/ice: change lanes very, very slowly. The reason this is important is that when changing lanes one is usually already going relativly fast, so loss of control can be more serious than it might be if it occurs during other manuvers.

Absolutely. The best thing to do is follow the tire tracks of others but when you have to change lanes and ride over/across the snow/slush in the middle things can get squirrely. One tip when executing the change is to keep your arms relatively stiff and don't let the wheel turn more than how you guide it. When you return to a higher-traction area of the pavement the car will correct itself and go straight (although if you're going too fast and you lose it, unlock those arms and steer into the slide).

 

[Nick R]

Others have pretty much said everything at this point. Slow down, anticipate turns and stops, and for the love of god be gentle with everything and leave lots of extra time. A lane change that might normally take on 4 seconds will now take 10 as your tires cross the snow between lanes.

As was said do not try to turn and brake simultaneously. Its just going to result with you sliding straight into a ditch/car/snowbank/etc. Accelerating is going to be slow. You have a fwd car, use that to your advantage. You can use the front wheels to help drag you through a turn if you need to.


Main takeaways are just be slow, and safe and leave lots of extra time.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
You can use the front wheels to help drag you through a turn if you need to.



How so? On my car, when I gun it in snow, it understeers. I know this varies based on suspension setup, but has it worked for anyone? (Check out the Saturn Ion 20 sec in.)

 

[supton]

That's my experience too: it will plow straight ahead. Have to let off and let the tires grip.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: Nick R
You can use the front wheels to help drag you through a turn if you need to.



How so? On my car, when I gun it in snow, it understeers. I know this varies based on suspension setup, but has it worked for anyone? (Check out the Saturn Ion 20 sec in.)




Understeer true, but bouncing off the rev limiter = massive understeer. There is a subtlety to driving in winter that many people just...don't...get.

 

[antiqueshell]

The best advice is to give yourself extra time to arrive at your destination, and like others have said, slow down and when using your controls (steering/brakes/ect) use gentle inputs the analogy to the operating the throttle with the thought that a raw egg is between the pedal and floor. Same with steering slow gradual inputs. ALSO LEAVE A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER MOTORISTS. If you start to slide in a FWD car steering wheel TOWARDS (into) THE DIRECTION YOU ARE SLIDING with foot OFF the gas AND brake pedal until you regain some traction.

DO NOT LET FOLKS BADGER YOU INTO GOING FASTER THAN YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH.

 

[yonyon]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: Nick R
You can use the front wheels to help drag you through a turn if you need to.



How so? On my car, when I gun it in snow, it understeers. I know this varies based on suspension setup, but has it worked for anyone? (Check out the Saturn Ion 20 sec in.)


It depends on the car. Your Saturn is puny any pathetic and has a decent balance like a hamster. Something longer and more front-heavy like a Deville or Lesabre can sort of drag itself to the side of the slide. The Accord in question is in between and it's results should also be in between but it's outer CV joints definitely won't like it.

That said, I'd rather wear out or break a CV than slide into a tree. Unlike your car (and mine) the Accord has metal body panels. Cheap foreign metal junk....