Some winter driving myths

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by paulca

9.) You Don't Need To Scrape The Snow Off The Top Of Your Car

Guilty! Left my car at the airport a few years ago, came back to find at least 15" of snow covering the car. I cleared the window and set off down the motorway and all was good. First tail back I came to I braked and the world went white to the tone of jammed wipers trying to lift the slab of frozen snow off the window! I had to stick my head out the window to see and pull over!

That just means you didn't drive fast enough for it all to blow off before you stopped!

[paulca]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

That just means you didn't drive fast enough for it all to blow off before you stopped!

It was a Clio, give me a break! I was trying.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by paulca

It was a Clio, give me a break! I was trying.

Had look up "Clio" but ya now I can see that you were pretty much doomed!

[STV3]

Originally Posted by paulca

It was a Clio, give me a break! I was trying.

Guess you didnt have the V6 sport model huh

[paulca]

If you're going to put a V6 in a car like that you might as well turbo charge it and make it an MG Metro.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwvDFvLiIqQ"]MG Metro 6R4 - Pure Sound [HD] - YouTube[/ame]

[Blitzenn]

lol! Thanks for the post! I live in Upstate NY where we get 250+ inches of snow each winter. Yes, it does get harsh at times, but you are richly rewarded with seeing 7 out of 10 vehicles in the ditch 4x4's and AWD's.


Sure you can get going good with them, but stopping is the same in all cars. Too many peeps get over confident in their SUV's, trucks and AWD's and like to park them in the ditch it seems. A RWD reminds you to exercise caution, prompts you when you step on the gas how fast control can be lost. In the hands of a good driver, it can be a advantageous lesson in how to control a car in a slid or a skid that is hard (if not impossible) to practice in an 4x4 or AWD.


I love my RWD! I love snow Donuts! I love never being in the ditch! I insist on my driving family members taking their car to the nearest empty parking lot in the winter and slid, spin, do donuts. Teaches you what the car is going to do, how its going to react.


Yes, I drive my FR-S all year round. No I don't run snow tires. Good all weather radials are more than enough (most days anyways).

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Blitzenn

lol! Thanks for the post! I live in Upstate NY where we get 250+ inches of snow each winter. Yes, it does get harsh at times, but you are richly rewarded with seeing 7 out of 10 vehicles in the ditch 4x4's and AWD's.


Sure you can get going good with them, but stopping is the same in all cars. Too many peeps get over confident in their SUV's, trucks and AWD's and like to park them in the ditch it seems. A RWD reminds you to exercise caution, prompts you when you step on the gas how fast control can be lost. In the hands of a good driver, it can be a advantageous lesson in how to control a car in a slid or a skid that is hard (if not impossible) to practice in an 4x4 or AWD.


I love my RWD! I love snow Donuts! I love never being in the ditch! I insist on my driving family members taking their car to the nearest empty parking lot in the winter and slid, spin, do donuts. Teaches you what the car is going to do, how its going to react.


Yes, I drive my FR-S all year round. No I don't run snow tires. Good all weather radials are more than enough (most days anyways).

Wouldn't have even got out of my driveway on all seasons this morning. With the snows even my lowered car is a tank in deep snow though.

[Demandred7]

Originally Posted by Blitzenn

lol! Thanks for the post! I live in Upstate NY where we get 250+ inches of snow each winter. Yes, it does get harsh at times, but you are richly rewarded with seeing 7 out of 10 vehicles in the ditch 4x4's and AWD's.


Sure you can get going good with them, but stopping is the same in all cars. Too many peeps get over confident in their SUV's, trucks and AWD's and like to park them in the ditch it seems. A RWD reminds you to exercise caution, prompts you when you step on the gas how fast control can be lost. In the hands of a good driver, it can be a advantageous lesson in how to control a car in a slid or a skid that is hard (if not impossible) to practice in an 4x4 or AWD.


I love my RWD! I love snow Donuts! I love never being in the ditch! I insist on my driving family members taking their car to the nearest empty parking lot in the winter and slid, spin, do donuts. Teaches you what the car is going to do, how its going to react.


Yes, I drive my FR-S all year round. No I don't run snow tires. Good all weather radials are more than enough (most days anyways).

I couldn't agree more that a RWD car, and as communicative as the FR-S is, will provide the feedback about the speed that one should be going in inclement weather.

As for the donuts, a good lesson in correction instead of over-correction.

I also tend to turn off all of the nannies to have a more predictable slide instead of them intervening when they shouldn't.

All year round for me as well (albeit with winter tires).

[ZionsWrath]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

Here are people who allegedly know how to drive in the snow.

Guy that appears at 0:22 is winning at life. Luck or skill, i

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ZionsWrath

Guy that appears at 0:22 is winning at life. Luck or skill, i

Some skill and probably proper tires!
Don't know if after a curve or hill where they couldn't see what was going down but some of those people are flying right up to the "oh shit" moment.
In support of what has been said several times it looks like the SUV drivers had the worst time.
Also a big fan of all the morons standing around in the middle of it and even going into the oncoming lanes! "I just slid out of control and crashed so maybe this is a good spot to stand and stare at everybody else headed towards me"

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

In support of what has been said several times it looks like the SUV drivers had the worst time.

Most SUVs are not really built for anything serious. A lot of them are really just glorified minivans.

I will defend my own Cherokee, though, because it is AMAZING in snow. The first time I drove it in snow, I was climbing hills right past other SUVs (including some Jeeps) that were stranded. I don't know why it's so sure-footed, but I've never driven another SUV quite like it.

[stugray]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

... and I counted 8 vehicles in the ditch. ....
Now mind you, every one of them was an SUV or crossover..!

I was going to post this very thing!

On my drive into Boulder CO, I typically see a number of cars off the road in a snowstorm, and usually about 90% of them are 4WD.

I honestly think that the drivers of 4WD cars think that Physics no longer applies to them.

Then I loved the time I was stuck behind a 4WD Jeep trying to get up an ice hill.
All he could do is sit & spin all 4 tires.
I just went around him and drove right up the hill with him watching me with his mouth wide open....
With my FWD toyota Solara with traction control and all-season tires....

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

Most SUVs are not really built for anything serious. A lot of them are really just glorified minivans.

I will defend my own Cherokee, though, because it is AMAZING in snow. The first time I drove it in snow, I was climbing hills right past other SUVs (including some Jeeps) that were stranded. I don't know why it's so sure-footed, but I've never driven another SUV quite like it.

My wife's Mitsu RVR is pretty good as well even though it sort of falls between crossover and suv. It will walk through just about anything you throw at it. I think it is just balanced well with power, weight, COG and wheelbase just hitting the mark right on.
When she had her Outlander I hated it in the snow as it would get stuck within driving 5 feet.

[daiheadjai]

Winter driving myth #1 should be "You can't drive RWD in the winter!"
I seem to get that a lot.