Winter Driving tips 101

Who can help give me some really good and useful Winter Driving Tips for this season?

I've been researching on the internet and have found so many cool ways to help like using super glue on my tires, OMG why didn't I think of that first. Could you imagine just how much more grip I could have this winter. I'm running to the store right now.

 

I hear that if you put it directly on your brake pads, it helps you stop faster

 

Below are a few guidelines I try to remember and tell others that are new to driving on snow/ ice. I'll post more if I think of any.

1. Treat your gas and brake pedals like egg shells are under them. Finesse them on AND off.
2. Breaking early, seems obvious I know, but per my observations it seems like most people on the road start breaking for a stop light at the same time they would in the summer (which is typically too late even in dry conditions).
3. At least doubling your following distance. So many tailgaters out there, even on wintery roads. This one always amazes me.
4. No sudden/ jerky movements of the steering wheel. Ease into turns. Here again, finesse.
5. Last but not least, taking a defensive approach to driving. It can be defined as "driving to save lives, time, and money, in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of others." This definition is taken from the National Safety Council's Defensive Driving Course.

 

My friend suggested I pour some hot water into my motor oil to help warm up my engine quicker and also let all the air out of my tires to maximize my tires contact patch. I'm digging the snow.

 

Velcro can also work! Once time I was street racing on an icy road and my car pulled a wheelie because my tires had so much grip.

 

I treat my pedals like egg shells when I STOMP on them!

 

Square tires, think how much more contact patch you'd have!!!

 

One thing to remember if you do find your self with your rear end coming around the worst thing to do his hit your brakes. Counter steer and apply throttle (don't stab it either ) to move more weight to the rear tires.

If you find yourself turning the wheel and nothing happening (under steer). You need to straighten the wheel out to find grip not crank it more, you have already surpassed the edge of your "friction circle "

 

This, but ONLY if you've practiced it.
Otherwise you'll over coutersteer, carry your momentum, and quite possibly make things far far worse than they were just spinning where you were headed the first time.

Hooning and whipping doughnuts is fun, but focus on changing direction and how much countersteer and power you need to get out of a skid and you'll actually learn something in those snow filled parking lots we all like to play in.

 

Aim for something cheap.

 

While you're at it you should also apply Crisco or spray butter to your entire exterior, so that in the event someone should slide into you they'll keep sliding and cause less damage.

 

All this is nonsense.

I ride with studded tires.

I help keep the MNDOT staff people employed. Why do you think we have to fix roads every year.




Thank you!

 

I would presume when the tires are rolling only, with no torque applied to them through engine power or engine-braking (throttle closed), they would have the maximum lateral grip since then are not being asked to do anything else (speed up or slow down the car).

 

Too late, I already do.

 

I always make sure I drive the same speed as the car next to me so NO one can get by this prevents accidents by stopping people from driving to fast aka over 25mph!

 

I try to leave the one car length buffer in front of me at stop signs and signals. And then keep an eye out in the rear view mirror for diving or swinging headlights.

 

If I had to guess what the majority of MN drivers abide by in the winter, it would be:
When you cant see 100% of the lane markings , Take your half in the middle.
Dont clear off any of your windows.
If you drive a F350 or equivalent, you are invincible and can ride anybody's ass or weave through any amount of traffic.

 

I would say this applies to most people who drove SUV's or pick-'em-up trucks. I got tailgated yesterday afternoon by a dude in a Ranger and I definitely wasn't putting along.
My favorite part of winter is when an SUV blows past me on the highway during a snowstorm and I see them 2 miles later plowed about 200 ft into a corn field. Justice porn.

 

True, everyone else drives too slow, like way too slow

A few good tips so far. Just a few other things I would suggest are to wait to make sure that the other vehicles are able to stop before crossing or proceeding(stop signs and stop lights)
Leave yourself and out
Keep your eyes moving(all around you) and at least 1/4 mile ahead of you
Clear all windows of snow, ice etc
Turn your headlights on
Don't brake while making a turn, any turn or curve. Brake and slow down before you get there
If your back end comes out after making a turn, turn in the same direction as its sliding
Never hold the brake pedal once the wheels have locked up, you will only keep on sliding and your steering will be pointless. Pump them(if without ABS) or just gently gas away
Downshift to slow the car down until you actually have to use the brakes
I've been a School Bus Driver for 6 years now and what I see the most out there during this time is people brake late and when they do, they panic, hold the brakes, wheels lock up(loss of steering) and slide and yes, sometimes crash into someone or something(Was behind someone today that slid, held the brakes, jumped the curb and took down a sign)
Hopefully no one here gets in a accident this year
Slow down and brake early and leave 3-4 car lengths in front of you(In the city)
Be safe out there

 

damn, you do that too!

 

Minimal steering inputs. Steer with right foot.

Hoon responsibly.

 

ABS does NOT make your car stop in a shorter distance than a non-ABS car. Heard some "common man" on the news a couple nights ago state that his ABS was chattering away but he still slid through the stop sign. These are the kind of idiots you get hit by.

And as far as some of the public not driving fast enough for your tastes...take a close look around you when you are in line at a store (think Walmart). These are the same mouth-breathers behind the wheel of all those cars in the parking lot. Do you really want these people driving at 8/10ths of what their car is capable of in any given conditions? That thought makes me want to stay off the roads even more.

 

The scary thing for me, is that they already are. Take a walk through the parking lot at that same place and look at the condition of their tires and vehicles.

I'm sure 75% of them will be a shot levels of tread on terrible all seasons. That slow pace they're barely able to keep up is easily 8/10ths of what their car is currently capable of.

Any state that has to deal with severe weather like we do should really be mandating safety inspections on vehicles, making sure tires are at a legal dept and that suspension and brakes are functioning properly.

 

When you clutch in, you're effectively unlocking the wheels from the drivetrain, removing all force, and allowing them to basically spin independently.

In a car with a clutch, any on or of throttle force is being delivered to the wheels. off throttle, the engine is trying to slow the wheels.

This is most often the case in an understeer situation.. and is usually caused by a combination of too much speed and steering angle.

 

I parked next to an SUV that was rocking studded Winterforces last weekend.

 

I like helping people out so I late brake into the stop signs and lights and then I take off with all four spinning this way it's shiny and they'll know as soon they've hit an ice patch.

 

True and at least 90% of the cars in any parking lot are on all seasons and not good ones either or all mismatched ones with all different tread depths

 

But that could have been the smoke screen you needed when running away from the cops? It worked for me lol

 

keep your distance!

 

"Holmes, you do realize this game was designed to hurt!" - Watson

 

run studs. illegal but pleasureful. or spread cocaine across tire, same effect.