Driving in snow

[lgt_nube]

I don't mean for this to be a snide remark, but have you ever driven in snow before? Smooth gradual acceleration is the way to go. Starting from a stop in 2nd gear instead of first is often called for.

 

1) Under hard acceleration my car slipped, is it normal?

[Kodax]

I don't mean for this to be a snide remark, but have you ever driven in snow before? Smooth gradual acceleration is the way to go. Starting from a stop in 2nd gear instead of first is often called for.

 

As I stated in my previous post, I did drove in snow before but not with an AWD. I thought AWD will provide a better traction and I figured that I might have done something wrong, hence I asked that question. It wasn't a shameless I-think-AWD-is-king-of-everything-and-I-expect-not-to-slip question.

[Connect4]

Collage student not realizing that tires will break loose on snow under hard acceleration. Maybe you shouldn't be driving this winter. We are about to get a lot more snow this winter. Take the Metro... On second thought don't. Those butt monkeys can't drive either.

[Kodax]

Collage student not realizing that tires will break loose on snow under hard acceleration. Maybe you shouldn't be driving this winter. We are about to get a lot more snow this winter. Take the Metro... On second thought don't. Those butt monkeys can't drive either.

 

Sigh, like I state in my previous post. I know it will slip under hard acceleration in FWD and this is my first time driving an AWD. I believe AWD gives a stronger traction than FWD does and I thought it might be something that I did wrong (driving technique or crappy tires). Hence, I asked that question.

 

Why is everyone so judgmental? Is it that bad to ask a simple question? It isn't like I am out there racing around and putting people in harm's way.

[Connect4]

Come on man! You are a man, right? Common sense will tell you that! But I guess common sense isn't that common! Just saying!

[vr4Legacy]

I think Joe Blow has the best suggestion. Goto an empty lot next time you get some snow and play around. Drive a few situations you would see day to day, hard swerve, hard braking and get a feel for your car. The get a feel of what it takes to make the car break loose and how to regain traction. It's a good way to get to know your car and a heck of a lot of fun too Some people are going to flame, but honestly, there is no other way to learn your car.

 

Also, 4 decades ago, people were amazingly making it through snow in RWD cars!!! While AWD obviously helps with traction, it doesn't help braking at all. Good tires, ABS and braking modulation does that. Just use sense and give yourself extra room, and always be looking ahead when you hit your brakes for a way out just in case you start to slide. I've saved a car in front of me a couple of times, just by sliding to the side a little when there was ice under some fresh snow.

[SasquachGT]

The 960 is not a bad tire by any means. It's arguably the best A/S tire in dry handling. Crisp response, not quite as good as a dedicated summer tire, but still great. Snow is another story. It can handle the white stuff OK, but in smaller amounts, and has a lower threshold for traction loss in those conditions.

 

Just drive slowly, carefully, and do not "test" it's capacities while you are driving on normal roads. As mentioned a couple times already, go to an open parking lot and get used to the limits of your car. Snow weather driving is all about trying to keeping the wheels in constant contact with the snow and pavement (traction), and careful anticipation of what is around you.

 

Good luck!

[robinlsb]

As I stated in my previous post, I did drove in snow before but not with an AWD. I thought AWD will provide a better traction and I figured that I might have done something wrong, hence I asked that question. It wasn't a shameless I-think-AWD-is-king-of-everything-and-I-expect-not-to-slip question.

 

While AWD sometimes does provide better traction, it is much more difficult to drive.

 

In a FWD or a RWD, you steer into the skid, right. Add a little power maybe????

 

In an AWD, if you steer into the skid, and add too much power, if the rear "catches" first, you will experience the FRONT end of the car going EXACTLY the wrong way, like off road.

 

Practice in the snow.

[SATSFYD]

Take the Metro... On second thought don't. Those butt monkeys can't drive either.

 

Monkey butts... ROFLOL! hehehehe!!! THat's funny stuff!

[SATSFYD]

Haha, I lived in Auburn for 2 years while attending the community college there, I have moved to Seattle since then. Yeah, I know that road is pretty steep and slippery. My friend was telling me how some of the cars were slipping pretty badly on the roads.

 

Have you seen the the rail at the first turn going down the hill? Someone it it so hard it took out three or four of the posts that are (were) holding it to the ground.

[Connect4]

Did you see all the jacked knifed bendy buses on I-5 and the one that flipped in Tacoma? They are suppose to be the professionals.

[blaze741]

awd or snow tires mean nothing. I did fine last winter up in upstate ny with a front wheel drive sedan no problems. its all about the driver. taking the car to an empty lot and testing out common situations is what I did. Drive slower. Learn how to react to common situations that you may encounter in snow. Driving in the winter is about being smart. Getting someplace faster is useless. Get there safe. I think everyone is just trying to prove a point of don't drive stupid in snow. Its a lot more unpredictable than you expect, especially if ur new to it.

 

as for this winter for me, driving on stock yokohamas. i don't anticipate any problems. just drive slower. and if its really bad out, simply don't go out.

[apexjapan]

Did you see all the jacked knifed bendy buses on I-5 and the one that flipped in Tacoma? They are suppose to be the professionals.

 

The only people professional at driving in the snow in Seattle used to live somewhere else that got real winters.

[Connect4]

So you're saying that I should be a bus driver because I'm from MN where we get a lot of snow?

[rock2534]

awd or snow tires mean nothing. I did fine last winter up in upstate ny with a front wheel drive sedan no problems. its all about the driver. taking the car to an empty lot and testing out common situations is what I did. Drive slower. Learn how to react to common situations that you may encounter in snow. Driving in the winter is about being smart. Getting someplace faster is useless. Get there safe. I think everyone is just trying to prove a point of don't drive stupid in snow. Its a lot more unpredictable than you expect, especially if ur new to it.

 

as for this winter for me, driving on stock yokohamas. i don't anticipate any problems. just drive slower. and if its really bad out, simply don't go out.

 

While I agree that snows and/or awd are not necessary, it is very disappointing driving in snow without them. A better way to put it would be, driving in snow with awd and/or snow tires is FUN.

[blaze741]

but for some of us, all season tires is the most we can afford. While they don't compromise safety as much as summer tires, they aren't the best. fun or not, we shouldn't rely on it nor feel like we are unstoppable with them, as a lot of accidents I witness in Rochester, is some kid in a wrx slidding into a ditch cuz he though awd and snow tires was great and he was unstoppable.

 

point is, snow tires and awd both aren't necessary to safe winter snow driving.

[Whatisit]

Did you see all the jacked knifed bendy buses on I-5 and the one that flipped in Tacoma? They are suppose to be the professionals.

 

 

"bendy buses" are the devil in the snow. they give you absolutly no warning before they loose control. Let me tell you a 50,000 pound vehicle sliding will go where it wants. The driver can only hope the bus doesnt kill anyone in the process.

 

http://buzzer.translink.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/img_8954.jpg

[Mickeytl]

Drove in the snow with the conti extreme DWS and it handled pretty well through the winter. Will be driving this year with a set of the Michelin performance snow tires...assuming it will be alot better.

[rock2534]

is some kid in a wrx slidding into a ditch cuz he though awd and snow tires was great and he was unstoppable.

 

Yeah, unfortunately there is still no solution for stupidity!!

[robinlsb]

While I agree that snows and/or awd are not necessary, it is very disappointing driving in snow without them. A better way to put it would be, driving in snow with RWDand snow tires on all four wheels is FUN.

 

Fixed:lol:

[rage557]

I have used snow tires on my RS every year I have had it. Snow tires are well worth it. There are two things that make a tire a snow tire. The first is the type of tread. Snow tires have much deeper tread than other tires so that it can maintain traction is slush and snow. The second is the durometer rating of the rubber. A snow tire has a lower durometer rating (lower means softer rubber) so that at low temperatures, there is still adequate traction. Summer tires are desinged so that the optimal traction occurs with an ambient temperature of 70+. Snow tires are 45F and below, and A/S are somewhere in between.

 

The area you will see the largest gain from snow tires is in braking.

 

Snows should be on from about Nov-March. I highly recommend using them.

[robinlsb]

I have used snow tires on my RS every year I have had it. Snow tires are well worth it. There are two things that make a tire a snow tire. The first is the type of tread. Snow tires have much deeper tread than other tires so that it can maintain traction is slush and snow. The second is the durometer rating of the rubber. A snow tire has a lower durometer rating (lower means softer rubber) so that at low temperatures, there is still adequate traction. Summer tires are desinged so that the optimal traction occurs with an ambient temperature of 70+. Snow tires are 45F and below, and A/S are somewhere in between.

 

The area you will see the largest gain from snow tires is in braking.

 

Snows should be on from about Nov-March. I highly recommend using them.

 

The most important thing is just how loose the nut is, behind the steering wheel.

[Max Capacity]

The most important thing is just how loose the nut is, behind the steering wheel.

 

 

Yep, it's all about the driver. The snow tires just help a little.

[burnout8488]

I will be disabling my ABS and going out to test braking performance in a parking lot once some snow falls here. From my brief experience with it last year on snows and allseasons, stopping distances decreased dramatically. Control was lost, but stopping distance was improved tremendously....which is sometimes more important.

 

If I think I can get away with it safely I'll run ABS relay-less all winter.

[SATSFYD]

I will be disabling my ABS and going out to test braking performance in a parking lot once some snow falls here. From my brief experience with it last year on snows and allseasons, stopping distances decreased dramatically. Control was lost, but stopping distance was improved tremendously....which is sometimes more important.

 

If I think I can get away with it safely I'll run ABS relay-less all winter.

 

Thats an interesting idea. Let us know how it goes.