[SGVLUG] OT: Snow

[Dustin]

On Thu, 17 Nov 2005, jmd wrote:

> learning to drive in snow country i was taught a few tricks. when  
> accelerating do so slowly, if you tires begin to slip, back off. once  
> traction is broken start again. this is also true with braking. brake  
> slowly. if your tires lock, you have very little friction stopping  
> you. this is the idea behind antilock brakes.

Yes, excellent advice.  This is what I was just trying to say, but said
much better.  If I'd read ahead I could just have kept my mouth shut.

> if you have a manual shift transmission, shift in the lower ranges of  
> rpms. example, if you normally shift from 1st to 2nd at 3000 rpm,  
> shift at 2500 instead. experience will guide you for your specific  
> vehicle. the higher your rpms the more likely you will loose traction.

I forgot this excellent advice as well.  You can start in second on really 
slippery stuff.

> increase your distance between yourself and the vehicle in front of you.

By *several times*!!!

> when approaching a bridge remember while the roadway may not have ice  
> on it, the bridge may be iced over. you'll see signs stating this.

Yah, totally forgot to say that too.  This is a great place to learn what
"black ice" is the hard way (I didn't say what it was--you can get a thin
transparent layer of glaze ice that is slipperier than packed snow but
looks like bare pavement.  This especially happens when you're getting 
slight melting during the day and freezing again at night.  Really, really 
dangerous.

> if you do slide let off the gas, the vehicle will correct itself in  
> most circumstances.

OK, this I disagree with unless done very gently.  The problem is that on 
ice if you let up on the gas the engine will break the tires free.  In a 
FWD car you tend to slight straightish, but without any control 
whatsoever.  In a RWD car you also lose all control, but may be spinning 
end for end as well.

Accelerate *gently*, ease up *gently*, and apply the brakes *gently*.  
If you need to act quicker than that, you're driving too fast for 
conditions.

> if winter looked like the postcards do, i would not mind living in a  
> cold climate. but i cannot afford aspen colorado. :)

Ah, the mountains in the winter.  Upstate New York, where mom grew up, is 
another wonderful place in winter.  And fall, come to think of it.

Dustin