Driving in the snow: tips, tricks, questions, and answers.

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I figured it would be good to have a thread devoted to helping people drive in the snow since it can be quite difficult at times.

I was hoping that this thread could be the place for anyone to ask any questions they have regarding driving in the snow and hopefully someone will be able to answer it.

Feel free to say even the most basic tips because someone may find it useful.

I'll start this thread off:
I drive a front wheel drive manual Mazda 3 (2006) and it's god awful in the snow. It snowed less than an inch this morning/last night and I drove across town at 9 this morning and lost control a couple times and slid a few other times.
Does anybody have any good tips to driving a standard in the snow?

If this is a repost, just put the link to the other thread and then let this die. I couldn't find anything.

Dec 1 2012 12:16PM

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Lick

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Insane

That used to happen with my rear wheel drive grand am. I just bought some really nice all year round tires and that thing had power so it was nice

Dec 1 2012 12:24PM

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Lt-Aldo-Raine

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I have always owned a truck so i just stick it into 4wheel drive and have never had any problems. I keep a tow rope in my truck too just in case someone is stuck.

Dec 1 2012 12:24PM

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saxon

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may seem obvious but im actually curious because im getting a 3 soon, do you have snow tires?

i drive a protege5 with some decent snows on, and it handles pretty well actually.

Dec 1 2012 12:25PM

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CheddarJack

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I have brand new all year tires in the back and some old ones in the front with an alright amount of traction. I think I'm gunna buy another pair though... I could definitely use some.

Dec 1 2012 12:27PM

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saxon

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i think the snows would be worth it. rarely ever had a problem with my protege5 sliding around, and i was do alot of winter driving. and from what i understand, all-seasons are not really ALL season.

Dec 1 2012 12:32PM

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Stickity

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accelerate very slowly. use brakes softly and liberally

Dec 1 2012 12:33PM

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CheddarJack

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that's what I figured, thanks

Dec 1 2012 12:37PM

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howlongcanausern

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slow down

Dec 1 2012 12:40PM

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MFM

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get sideways as much as possible. and stop driving a fwd car eww.

Dec 1 2012 12:51PM

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sethski

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also using a low gear can help you slow down without actually braking, this can be incredibly helpful in shitty road conditions; when you brake too hard, you skid and spin.

Dec 1 2012 12:57PM

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saskskier

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Don't drive like an idiot and you'll be fine.

Dec 1 2012 12:59PM

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CheddarJack

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better than a rwd for the snow

Dec 1 2012 12:59PM

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Obi-Wan-Jenobi

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You need winter tires. All seasons dont work with shtick. I drive a front wheel drive manual acura and i have studded winter tires and go no where ever. I cant even slide around if i want too. Your car shouldnt be a problem i know tons of guys who have the same car and no problems. Also slowing down with your gears is essential in the winter.

Dec 1 2012 1:01PM

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Skittle.

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start in 2nd gear to get going, and underpower it so you have traction and arent just spinning the tires. i drive a manual subaru, and you have waaaaay more control over an automatic car cause you can more accurately choose the power youre putting down. when stopping, dont lock up the wheels, downshift and engine break to come to a stop. and buy snow tires. seriously.

Dec 1 2012 1:03PM

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CheddarJack

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ha! I wish that was the case. This is my first winter not driving a 4wd vehicle in the winter so I just lack the experience I guess. I was able to regain control every time I lost it; I know some basic techniques, but certainly not enough.

Dec 1 2012 1:04PM

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squashmosh

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For massive hills use you're low gears (even automatic cars have a low gear).

DONT HIT THE BREAKS.

ride it out if you start to slip...don't accelerate but don't hit the breaks you're only going to slide.

Dec 1 2012 1:09PM

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Spinoza

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texting while driving is much more dangerous, so make sure when you do it you have more space between your car and the one in front of you

Dec 1 2012 1:09PM

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KrazyistKarl

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my number 1 tip is don't crash

Dec 1 2012 1:25PM

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TOAST.

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or just dont text and drive

Dec 1 2012 1:34PM

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MLB

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If your stopping and she is slippery out you want to use that transmission to slow you down as much as you can. If you have an auto from D to 3 to 2 to 1 untill you slow enough that you can stop without sliding.

DO NOT JUMP FROM D to 1 IN ONE SHOT......basicly this will slow your wheel speed to much and you will lose just as much traction as standard braking.

Also if your driving a FWD and you skid......drive where you want to go. Counter act the skid ( DO NOT BRAKE, your just going to lose control), and throttle through the turn. Practice in a parking lot and get used to the feeling so that you will just react when it happens.

Also practice threshold braking. Basicly what you want to do is to find the amount of braking that will cause your brakes to lock up, or when the ABS will come on. This is just driving in a straight line...accelerate, then stop as fast as you can without sliding. After a few tries your gonna find where that perfect amout of brake pressure is, and your going to find out exactly how braking distance your car is going to need when stopping in slippery conditions.

Now if your going to drive in whiteout conditions, don`t use your high beams. The light just reflects off the snow, and you will lose even more visibility. Use your low beams plus fog lights. If you still have a hard time driving after that keep an eye for the right hand snowbank. The snowbank is basicly the dropoff of the road, and it will follow the contours of the road most of the time. If you can`t see either, then find a safe place to stop and wait it out.

Got tons more, just ask.

Dec 1 2012 1:49PM

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Laurent.

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4WD/AWD >>>>>>>>> FWD >>>> RWD

Snow tires >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> All Seasons >>>>> 'summer' normal tires.

DON'T BRAKE, POWER ISN'T THE SOLUTION EITHER.

If stuck in snow: wiggle first, if that doesn't work put your floormats under your tires.

Dec 1 2012 2:02PM

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squashmosh

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Very good response sir...+k

Dec 1 2012 2:05PM

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proZach

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if you just don't drive like a jackass you're fine.

Dec 1 2012 2:15PM

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AndyGreen

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My dad always says to pretend like you have a cup of coffee on your dash, and try not to spill it

Dec 1 2012 2:19PM

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ShreddAZ

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I like your approach a lot...admitting you do not know everything. I hate people who think they are gods at snow driving and end up hitting someone.

Dec 1 2012 2:22PM

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MLB

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Also check your local laws and see if your allowed studded tires, don`t do squat in snow.... but worth their weight in gold on ice. If not then get some winter tires with some chains for the hairy times.

Also 4wd will not save your ass in these conditions. I could drive my FWD toyota, or my RWD ford better then most AWD guys just using driving techniques, and common sence.

The best thing you can do is to go into a parking lot with some buds and get into some trouble in a controled and get used to how that vehicle is going to react. Nothing replaces experience.

Dec 1 2012 2:30PM

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JeremyClarkson

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Dont pass the snowplows because the road is always worse ahead of it. I know this seems obvious but you wouldnt belive the amount of people who do it where Im from.

Dec 1 2012 2:36PM

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Elg

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FWD better than RWD in the snow? Why?

Dec 1 2012 2:49PM

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CheddarJack

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When you lose control with your back wheels you fishtail which is next to impossible to come out of without stopping because you can't turn your back wheels. With RWD if you slip or skid, you'll fishtail. With FWD if you slip or skid, you'll just slide forward.
This is why even with FWD you wan't your best tires on your back wheels - to prevent fishtailing.

Dec 1 2012 2:59PM

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howlongcanausern

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can't tell if trolling or just stupid

Dec 1 2012 3:01PM

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jeR.

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yeah man tires make all the difference, even if your driving standard. all-season tires don't cut it on icy roads. its worth the investment for a good pair of winter tires, putting mine on my subaru this week.

Dec 1 2012 3:02PM

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CheddarJack

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it's true... ask any mechanic

Dec 1 2012 3:06PM

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howlongcanausern

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if you can't afford 4 new tires for your car then you shouldn't be on the road either way. who the fuck buys just two tires?

Dec 1 2012 3:07PM

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El_Barto.

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buy a jeep

Dec 1 2012 3:08PM

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Stose

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Well I flipped a car 1 and a half times with p_black in the passenger seat last year cause we hit a patch of ice. Point being even if you don't think there is ice on the road, check the temperature cause there very well could be black ice

Dec 1 2012 3:10PM

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sethski

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Chains are super easy and fast to put on in hairy weather -- they are actually required on all non-4wd vehicles in NZ after you pass a certain point on road to the mt. Had no idea how to put them on or use them but a nice Kiwi showed me how and it took about 2 mins. Even quicker to take off.

Dec 1 2012 3:11PM

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CheddarJack

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Can't tell if trolling or just stupid.

I recently just bought two tires because my front two had almost no tread left but my back two had plenty. So I got my back tires rotated to the front wheels and put the new tires on the back.

Dec 1 2012 3:13PM

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TheBigApple

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So much bad advice in this thread. If you can't drive in the winter without sliding in a controlled manner than you shouldn't really be driving.

WINTER TIRES are a must. All seasons or year rounds or whatever are all complete fucking crap. If you are too lazy to change tires twice a season get off the road.

Dec 1 2012 3:18PM

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