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I have next to no experience driving in the winters and as you can figure out yourself places in Canada has intense snowfalls. I went to class today and came out to over a foot of snow ontop of and around my car. Some other guys fortunately pushed me out (it will be a madhouse in about an hour when the final classes finish at the main parking area). There was so much snow on the roads, and two city buses were completely sideways in the middle of two different roads because of the weather.
Last winter we had quite a bad one in terms of snow/ice etc and driving conditions were horrid at times. The gritters simply couldn't keep up and some of the roads were leathal. One morning on my way to work last year I was going up a hill covered in snow where I came to a standstill with the engine revving and no hope of getting up, was sliding all over the place. My handbrake wouldn't hold the car still so I was stuck on this hill with my foot on the footbrake to hold myself in place whilst I phoned in work to tell them I would be late haha.
In all honesty it scared me a bit some of the late nights coming home from work. You lose a lot of the control and I had a few narrow misses with some hedges. It can really shake you up and make things take so much longer.
I have considered getting snow tires this year simply due to the fact that I have to get to work somehow and I really don't want to feel as scared as I did last year again. :P
I only started lessons in September so I've not driven in the snow yet. It does seem to be an absolute nightmare though.
We have a BMW which are notorious for being pretty useless in the bad weather, largely due to the rear-wheel drive aspect I assume. It doesn't help that we live on a slope either, so it's not uncommon to see everyone on the street, out of their houses, at 8am when it snows - pushing each other up!
My Mum has said that she isn't touching the car when it snows because last year it slid down the street. She was going to the garage to put some things away and a couple of minutes later, the car was rolling downwards. She had to get in it whilst it was moving and control it. The same happened to her cousin last year too.
Stay safe!
Driven in the snow last year, fun aside i was ******** bricks the first time but after that i wasnt exactly bothered.
If its a short distance im travelling (up to 8 miles) id rather skate there tho rather then walk/drive
Not yet - this winter will be my first time.
I love it :P It's easy to drive in the snow. If you have a manual, you put it in higher gears sooner (4th gear at 25-30mph, 5th at 30mph) and it gives you the challenge of not using your brakes. You use the gears to slow down. I'm more affraid of aqua planing, where it's a little bit harder to predict what to do with a car, especially as aqua planing is usually unplanned.
What's the advice for automatic cars and icy conditions? I assume you use the "3rd" gear, rather than D, or maybe even L/Low.
I'm more inclined to speculate that it would all depend on how much snowfall there was though. When there's a great deal of snow on the roads it nothing but sucks :PQuote:
Originally Posted by GommeInc
I had to go through a foot of snow to take my car to have a service :P You realise the front grill becomes a useful snow plough in quiet country lanes :P When it's fresh it's easy to drive though, when it turns to black ice you have to worry. I can't iamgine driving in Canada though, make sure you drive carefully - I'd hate to hear the #1 RIM critic is in hospital. I'll be sure to send you a get well soon BlackBerry :PQuote:
Originally Posted by HotelUser
Nope, but as I am still doing driving lessons, I should have a few in the snow :D
I had the same snow storm as you today. I had a night class tonight (7-9:30) and it was absolutely miserable when I left at 7 but I have winters on my car and it's AWD, left it parked in the parking lot and it got BURIEDin the 2.5 hours I was in class. I went and got in it and the snow was over the bottoms of the doors. I had to use my hand to clean the car off and I was freezing figured I was stuck.. I put the car in drive, got hung up on some snow and then I remembered I could raise the car, rasied it up all the way and I was cruising.. Snow tires are KEY in this weather!!