Winter Driving Techniques

Discussion in 'General Subaru Discussion' started by Scuba Steve, Nov 13, 2006.

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  1. Scuba Steve
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    Scuba Steve Well-Known Member

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    I've noticed a couple threads talking about snow and thought it would be a good idea to start talking about winter driving techniques. Maybe we should sticky this thread so people can easily refer to this throughout the winter.

    So, everyone post their best, constructive advise covering your techniques that save your a** and you car when hitting the roads this winter.

    I'll start. Some should be very obvious...

    1. Slow down. Your upgraded GT brakes ;) and fast car will do you no good during slippery conditions.

    2. Extra space. follow the 2 second rule. Do not tailgate or let people drive too close behind you. If they are too close behind you switch lanes or tap your brakes until they get the hint.

    3. Change lanes slower than summer. Take your time, look far enough in advance before switching lanes and signal far in enough advance so people see your intentions.

    4. Do not accelerate like it's a FWD car! Your subie has enough power during hard acceleration to start acting like a RWD car and will fishtail! Take your time and gracefully use the gas pedal.

    5. My favorite. Cornering with AWD. Take your time and slow down in advance so you do not have to hit the brakes hard during corners. Also, do NOT hit the gas hard during cornering. IF you feel the typical understeer effect while going around a corner I've had good results by taping the gas just a bit, this seems to get the front wheels to bite and regain traction.

    6. Practice. Before hitting the snow covered roads with your new subie drive to a remote parking lot and practice your braking, turns, and acceleration.

    I'd much rather see people including myself talking about all the money they are spending on upgrades throughout the winter, not how much their repair bill from the body shop is going to be. :)
     
  2. Sky58
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    Sky58 Well-Known Member

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    Good advice Scuba :) Hopefully we won't be hearing from any one of us about accidents.
     
  3. Dynapar
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    Dynapar Well-Known Member

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    Good list so far. We should keep adding to this.

    7. Stopping isnt always the answer If the roads are icy you may not be able to stop in time to avoid a collision. Stay concious of what is happening around you incase you need to swerve or do an emergency lane change to avoid a collision. (this has saved me before)
     
  4. bikerboy
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    bikerboy Subie GOD Staff Member

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    I use alote of engine braking
     
  5. AWD_PWNZ
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    AWD_PWNZ New Member

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    Good idea for a thred! This is my first 5-speed in the winter is there anything that I will need to look about for in defferences between auto and a 5-speed?
     
  6. Chux
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    Chux Well-Known Member

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    always be mindful of your traction 'circle' i.e. maximum cornering traction is while maintaining speed, and maximum braking traction is while going straight.

    also, steer into the slide. if you start turning, and the front wheels loose traction, straighten the steering wheel a bit. this will allow the front wheels to regain traction, and you will continue to turn.


    +1 for the engine braking. it helps keep the wheels spinning, instead of locking up. those of you with ABS won't notice the difference that much, but it's saved my ass a number of times.
     
  7. AWDimprezaL
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    AWDimprezaL has more posts than you

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    Remember, your rear end will get very light when you let off the gas around a turn, best to stay on the gas at least a little bit
     
  8. Musashi
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    Musashi Well-Known Member

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    Great thread.

    1. I use a lower gear when I'm on the free way when there is a lot of snow, especially when its packed on. Example, going 55mph, normally would be in 5th, but I would use 4th, you can feel the difference. 5th feels likes slugish, while with 4th you can feel the tires digging into the snow and feel the road more. *This will vary depending on your tires, but it will help keep the car from wondering.

    2. Can emphasise enough-slow and smooth inputs, not too much steering angle, its just going to understeer.

    3. AT: use left foot braking to help slow down into corners and try not to upset the car's balance.

    4. In the winter its especially important to look ahead as well as your surronding even more than the summer, you never know when someone is going to slide across and hit you. Look ahead seen what options you have to avoid the other monkey's on the road.

    Enjoy,

    Cheech
     
  9. Scuba Steve
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    Scuba Steve Well-Known Member

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    This is great. Glad everyone is taking time to provide some excellent input. Let's keep it coming!!!

    Another:
    When taking off from an intersection with ICE. You don't always have to start in 1st gear. You might be able start in 2nd and reduce wheel spin. Also, careful with the clutch, don't bring the engine RPM up to 2K. I sometimes focus on low RPM/slow disengagement of the clutch.
     
  10. PRA4SNO
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    PRA4SNO Well-Known Member

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    Be careful approaching bridges and overpasses. The ice VERY quickly, (sometimes at 35 degrees due to windchill) will have frozen up a concrete bridge, coating it in glare ice. Go over them keeping your car as straight as possible, maintaining the exact speed you entered on, and stay OFF the brakes. If you have to slow down, downshift SLOWLY.

    As few lane changes as possible. Snow in the center lanes is slushy, and usually the slickest.

    If you are coming up on an intersection quickly and cannot stop, do not try to avoid the vehicle in your lane. smash the brakes, and allow abs to slow you down as much as possible before impact. I watched 3 people try to avoid the car in front of them, only to slide into the intersection and get t-boned. Keep in mind the front of your car has the most life-saving mass.

    Exactly like scuba steve said above, get out and PRACTICE.

    ALWAYS have a way out. Keep cars from boxing you in. Put yourself on the right or left side of the freeway, NEVER take the middle lane. Dont be afraid to put your car into the ditch to avoid a big accident.

    Those of us with snows, dont get cocky.
     
  11. PRA4SNO
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    PRA4SNO Well-Known Member

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  12. esperunit
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    esperunit Well-Known Member

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    not quite correct. You actually in this case shoud, poke the brake a little bit. it will return the weight to the front wheels of the car which will increase the ability of the car to steer. It is counter-intuitive but the best thing to do in an understeer situation. if you keep turning against understeer, you're going to understeer worse. tap the brakes, regrip the front end and turn away from teh turn and the car will want to go the way you want it to. it doesn't naturally make sense to some people.

    using the gas isnt getting your front end to bite so much as its probable engaging your rear diff more and helping the back trail along. this wont work at all in a car with no limited slip rear diff.
     
  13. Shibbs
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    Shibbs The Daywalker

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    I've had better luck with tapping the throttle, myself. It gets it to oversteer, which I find MUCH more easy to control than understeering.
     
  14. Steve in Minnesota
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    Steve in Minnesota Well-Known Member

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    2. Extra space. follow the 2 second rule. Do not tailgate or let people drive too close behind you. If they are too close behind you switch lanes or tap your brakes until they get the hint.

    Just my opinion and experience.....2 seconds on a highway in the winter is NOT enough distance. I have a 25 mile commute one way every day on a open country highway....typically full of *******es....and I try to leave 10 car lengths plus. I know that would be hard in the metro though.

    Leaving lots of room has saved my bacon many times as I watch monkies go in the ditch ahead of me because they don't know how to drive.

    Steve
     
  15. kickin_81
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    kickin_81 Well-Known Member

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    +12345 on this great thread.

    Lower your tire pressures. This will marginally increase the contact patch with the road when you need it the most. I suggest go back down to the manufacturer's suggested tire inflation setup... maybe even lower if you get stuck on snow but this increases rolling resistance and heat if you lower your tire pressures too much.
     
  16. prezawagon
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    prezawagon Well-Known Member

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    Look for traction on the road. Sometimes moving over a few tire widths is the difference between hard-packed snow and wet, polished ice. This can be extremely important when coming up to stop signs in high traffic areas. Also, sometimes I'll see a patch of bare pavement at an icy intersection and I'll aim so that two tires will go over that as I stop. If you're sliding on ice, even 2 or 3 feet of pavement can help a lot. Of course you need to pay attention to other traffic if you need to go outside of your lane to do this...
     
  17. souy07
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    souy07 Well-Known Member

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    thanks for the ups.....
     
  18. hofit
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    hofit Well-Known Member

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    Beware the black ice at stop signs where exhaust condensation drips.

    Use neutral or push in your clutch to regain control. If you lock up your breaks when you let go, your wheels will spin at engine speed. Neutral or pushing in your clutch will allow your wheels to spin at vehicle speed vs engine speed regaining control faster.
     
  19. w_o_t_boy
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    w_o_t_boy Well-Known Member

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    Take any opportunity to drive sideways, lock up your wheels, trail brake, etc. when you have a SAFE place to do it. If you practice enough this stuff becomes second-nature and you'll be able to do it in emergency/panic situations. Lots of people I know say this is being reckless, but if there's no other cars around I say its important training.
     
  20. Chux
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    Chux Well-Known Member

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    +eleventygazillion
     
  21. Dynapar
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    Dynapar Well-Known Member

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    ^ well i will see what the cops say when the catch me in a parking lot practicing. I wonder if they will believe it?
     
  22. hofit
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    hofit Well-Known Member

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    It will be considered exhibition driving. You can get a ticket for it. All I got was warnings. It helps a ton. It's like when you first snowboard, you need to learn how to fall first.
     
  23. LVT
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    LVT Well-Known Member

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    i can guarentee we will hear a few :biggrin:

    last year while watching the news, they told us to hit empty parkinglots and practice snow driving. sideways or what ever so we can do it when the time comes. i blame the media!
     
  24. PRA4SNO
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    PRA4SNO Well-Known Member

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    ^^ lol.

    I'm going to use that line sometime this year.

    "Do you know why I pulled you over this evening?"

    ......"Possibly because I was practicing my winter driving skills?"

    "Was it completely neccesary to be SIDEWAYS in order to "practice"?

    "heh."
     
  25. zapman
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    zapman Well-Known Member

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    i've had the same conversation multiple times :)
     
  26. Scuba Steve
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    Scuba Steve Well-Known Member

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    Just bring a couple orange cones with and set them up in the parking lot. then your story we be more believeable...unless your drifting around the cones;)
     
  27. Chux
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    Chux Well-Known Member

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    and if you're doing high-speed drifts across the entire parking lot, and whipping donuts. they'll laugh at you while handing you your ticket. but if you're driving at normal speeds, and doing somewhat normal maneuvers, they'll probably be ok with it.
     
  28. TSTRBOY2004
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    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

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    my tip.... start car, put in gear.... drive like an intelligent human... arrive safely.!
     
  29. Scuba Steve
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    Scuba Steve Well-Known Member

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    leave it to the Aussie to state the obvious...brilliant!!!

    kidding....;)
     
  30. TSTRBOY2004
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    TSTRBOY2004 Well-Known Member

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    ha ha ha.... there are some great tips on here... I just find it funny as I come from teh State back in Australia that 98% of the year it is like Hawaii... and the most snow I ever saw in my life till visiting here the first time was about 1in.... and I still have not put my car into a ditch in winter?!?!??? I see FROZEN stuff on teh ground my mind goes.. oh **** it must be REALLY COLD and SLIPPERY outside.. so I SLOW down... ah haha
     
  31. Dynapar
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    Dynapar Well-Known Member

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    ^ i think i am used to all the white stuff from past years, so i dont even think about it being slippery / cold. its just fun :)

    i will have to get some cones to aid in my driving practice excuse. i wonder if this will work in the summer if i have cones? lol
     
  32. mlgez
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    mlgez Well-Known Member

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    Now you've done it. You'll be one of the first this year just because you said that (and you didn't say "knock on wood")... LOL.

    Sure hope the STi handles well in the white stuff. Driven a GSX in the stuff but it did not have the same kind of power on tap as the STi does. In Michigan we always got a lot more snow than I have seen here yet (lake effect) so hope it stays that way.
     
  33. PRA4SNO
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    Martin I've got a bunch of cones. They showed up at my house over the summer as a prank from a couple of friends.

    I even have one of those big saw horse ones with the blinky light. the light still works too ;)
     
  34. Chux
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    Chux Well-Known Member

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    it will down there. that's the thing I hate about coming home for xmas break. there's no freaking snow!


    for me, the snow is instinct. I've been driving in it for years, and never comd close to a problem. the closest thing was my first time driving alone (literally...my FIRST time...I didn't even have my license yet), I turned off a high-traffic road that was virtually dry by then, onto a dead end cul-de-sac where I was going, and it had just a little snow packed on it. as soon as I hit the snow, I understeered and my right front tire slid off into the grass. "huh....well that's good to know"


    then there was this. but we were intentionally screwing around in my buddy's driveway. controlled situation with a tow vehicle nearby. I am proud to say that I got that car very sideways, despite it having both front wheel drive, and front ebrake:
    [​IMG]



    huh....I just realized I'm still driving that exact same car.....well.....sort of
     
  35. subar02
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    subar02 New Member

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    I'm pry wrong but wont engine braking cause the tires to have a back spin affect in some cases eg.black ice
     
  36. AWDimprezaL
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    AWDimprezaL has more posts than you

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    yes you are wrong, it will use the same amount of pressure on all tires as the engine is spinning...it wont spin backwards, its like putting the brakes on lightly, (if all 4 brakes were equally biased) it uses the awd to its advantage
     
  37. Chux
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    Chux Well-Known Member

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    yep, and the brakes can lock the wheels. if you're engine braking, even if the tires loose traction, the wheels will still turn.

    wheels turning slower than you're moving > wheels locked
     
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