Driving in snow

[Linford]

All terrain tyres are a jack of all trades master of none tyre. While they'd be better than summer tyres they don't perform as well as winter tyres in this sort of weather.

If I were just going off roading, I would have gone for Mud Terrain tyres, they however give little grip on the road in the wet, I had to strike a compromise for towing a 2 tonne trailer.

They have yet to let me down anyway in any conditions, and have a fairly open tread pattern

I would be happy to pitch them against a winter road tyre on the same type of car. I would be surprised if there were an enormous difference.

 

[Linford]

This iswhat an Alaskan 4x4 owner says about the two different types
http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081007040504AAclmUv

All terrain tires work as well if not sometimes better than winter tires. I have a Ford F-350 that I drive in the winter with Bridgestone Dueller APT 3's. I am living in Alaska, of all places, and I have never had problems driving in the winter on these tires. If you want to buy all-terrain tires, make sure the tread is such that the snow can easily escape out to the sides rather than to the rear so the back tires aren't dealing with the same snow and it's not building up on the tire creating slicks.

If you're very worried about the snow and you WANT snow tires, be aware that there are two types out there: Studded and non-studded. Studded tires have studs of metal that bite into the ice, decrease your fuel economy, and have to be taken off after a certain date every year. Studless snow tires (like the Bridgestone Blizzaks) come in even load range E for the big trucks. They are made of a softer composite rubber so they stay soft and pliable in colder temperatures. In a 2007 study done by the University of Alaska, the Blizzaks studdless snowtire out-performed studded tires when stopping on ice.

My honest opinion is that if you drive smart - slower than the speed limit, slow around corners, brake sooner for red lights, and keep a larger distance between yourself and the car in front of you - you would do just as well with those all terrain tires. If you want a little extra security, put sand bags in the bed directly over the rear axle before the first snow flies and let those bags freeze in place for added stability.

Hope this helps. Good luck this winter!
Source(s):

Lots of personal experience: grew up in northern lower-Michigan and then moved to Alaska, so lots of experience driving in snow. Also I worked for Sears Auto Center where we not only recommended, but also sold and did the actual change-over of tires.

 

[lulubel]

I learned to drive 25 years ago (oh god, really?) and the week it snowed, they cancelled the lesson.

I had one opportunity to do a driving lesson in the snow when I was a driving instructor, and it was the best lesson both I and my pupil had ever had. We both enjoyed it immensely, and he learned loads. The only reasons I would have cancelled a lesson because of snow were:

1. The learner hadn't mastered the basics of clutch control
2. It was more snow than I was comfortable driving in myself

When I was learning to drive, my instructor stopped me overtaking a lorry on a dual-carriageway in heavy rain and a strong crosswind, and I was quite angry about it because I believed - and still do - that the best time to do something like that for the first time is when you've got someone experienced sat beside you to help you out if you need it. I promised myself when I became an instructor that I would take every opportunity to teach people to drive in adverse conditions.

 

[Black Sheep]

I had one opportunity to do a driving lesson in the snow when I was a driving instructor, and it was the best lesson both I and my pupil had ever had. We both enjoyed it immensely, and he learned loads. The only reasons I would have cancelled a lesson because of snow were:

1. The learner hadn't mastered the basics of clutch control
2. It was more snow than I was comfortable driving in myself

When I was learning to drive, my instructor stopped me overtaking a lorry on a dual-carriageway in heavy rain and a strong crosswind, and I was quite angry about it because I believed - and still do - that the best time to do something like that for the first time is when you've got someone experienced sat beside you to help you out if you need it. I promised myself when I became an instructor that I would take every opportunity to teach people to drive in adverse conditions.

On one of my lessons I was waiting a fair way back from a junction, the car in front had gone and my instructor (who was a good instructor and we got on well) was encouraging me to move upto the line

however the wipers were going full pelt and the screen was white with snow!
thankfully visibility resumed moments later and we carried on.

 

[Arch]

I had one opportunity to do a driving lesson in the snow when I was a driving instructor, and it was the best lesson both I and my pupil had ever had. We both enjoyed it immensely, and he learned loads. The only reasons I would have cancelled a lesson because of snow were:

1. The learner hadn't mastered the basics of clutch control
2. It was more snow than I was comfortable driving in myself

When I was learning to drive, my instructor stopped me overtaking a lorry on a dual-carriageway in heavy rain and a strong crosswind, and I was quite angry about it because I believed - and still do - that the best time to do something like that for the first time is when you've got someone experienced sat beside you to help you out if you need it. I promised myself when I became an instructor that I would take every opportunity to teach people to drive in adverse conditions.

Very wise!

I had lessons for a whole year before I got to take my test - I was ready sooner, but holidays and exams and stuff meant the first test date I could do was delayed. So by the time I took my test, I felt relatively confident (in a good way, not a cocky way) behind the wheel, and I passed first time. But I've never stopped learning since then.

I really worry about people who take and pass the test after a minimum of lessons - especially these 'crash courses' you see advertised. No matter how intensive, you can't get a decent level of road experience in a few days. It's maybe ok if you then approach driving as a skill you need to keep learning and honing, but I fear too many will assume that the piece of paper means they know it all, and don't need to bother thinking any more.

Also, the test takes less than an hour. A lot of bad drivers can probably manage to hold it together and not make too many errors in that time.

Looking back after a couple of weeks, I realised that I was fairly sure that my test didn't actually include a roundabout!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

watching bad drivers latley reminds me of those wildlife shows where the baby penguins learn to walk on the ice.

 

[lulubel]

I really worry about people who take and pass the test after a minimum of lessons - especially these 'crash courses' you see advertised. No matter how intensive, you can't get a decent level of road experience in a few days. It's maybe ok if you then approach driving as a skill you need to keep learning and honing, but I fear too many will assume that the piece of paper means they know it all, and don't need to bother thinking any more.

I was one of those. I went to Gloucester for an intensive course (lived in North Devon) and loved practically every minute, but I didn't learn to drive - I just learned to pass my test. I was a lousy driver when I was first let loose in a car on my own, although I wasn't aware of it, of course, and spent the next couple of years learning to drive properly. Fortunately I only had one minor accident in that time.

For that reason, I don't like intensive courses, and if someone contacted me asking for one, I tried to talk them out of it. You could generally reach a compromise of a couple of half day lessons a week spread out over a few weeks, especially if they hadn't passed the theory at the time they contacted you.

 

[Arch]

I was one of those. I went to Gloucester for an intensive course (lived in North Devon) and loved practically every minute, but I didn't learn to drive - I just learned to pass my test. I was a lousy driver when I was first let loose in a car on my own, although I wasn't aware of it, of course, and spent the next couple of years learning to drive properly. Fortunately I only had one minor accident in that time.

For that reason, I don't like intensive courses, and if someone contacted me asking for one, I tried to talk them out of it. You could generally reach a compromise of a couple of half day lessons a week spread out over a few weeks, especially if they hadn't passed the theory at the time they contacted you.

I'd like to see a minimum number of hours of training before a test can be taken, but people wouldn't like it because it would seem to cost more. Furthermore, I'd like to see those hours spread over a certain timescale like a year. Apart from anything else, if you were learning in the summer, you might actually never have a lesson in decent rain, let alone snow!

 

[screenman]

I have only been driving 40 years and on average about 35,000pa bit more at times, snow, sunshine, rain and sleet. Am I perfect, no where near it, do not profess to be not at all. Mind you we cannot all be perfect and there seems so many on this post there would be no room for me anyway.

Like the weather, just chill.

 

[screenman]

Just had a great idea for everybody going in the same direction to be going the same speed, it is called a train do you think it will ever catch on.

 

[Arch]

Just had a great idea for everybody going in the same direction to be going the same speed, it is called a train do you think it will ever catch on.

Well, something a bit like that has got me all the way to Manchester and back this weekend despite the weather, only takes an hour and a half each way and I get to read/stare out of the window at the snow/doze/drink tea, while someone else does the driving. And that chap doesn't even have to steer, they've nailed these rail things to the ground for the wheels to sit on.

There's a sort of similar thing at the Manchester end, only shorter and slower and it mixes it with cars on the road, so everytime it sets off from a stop it goes "poop!".

 

[screenman]

That "poop" bit, some drivers do that in these conditions, only for them it means carrying clean pants.

 

[GrasB]

And I've previously stated I have nowhere to store a set of wheels. If I did they couldn't be smaller that 18in anyway (19's on car as standard) as they wouldn't fit over the brakes.

If you've got space to store tyres, then you've got space to store the tyres mounted on wheels. Actually with tyres on wheels they're easier to store as you've got more storage options.

 

[green1]

If you've got space to store tyres, then you've got space to store the tyres mounted on wheels. Actually with tyres on wheels they're easier to store as you've got more storage options.

A set of tyres is far less likely to get nicked out of a common cellar then a set of tyres & wheels.

 

[Crankarm]

I guess car drivers are no worse then cyclists at being unprepared for poor weather conditions. There are muppets who drive and muppets cycle who either put themselves or other road users at risk.

My car has winter tyres fitted and when substantial snow is forecast I put the chains in the boot just in case. I think we should have a similar law in the UK that operates in Switzerland Germany and Austria that car owners should at the very minimum fit winter tyres in winter or have a second set of wheels with winter tyres on. If not car is impounded and driver fined.

My bike is currently fitted with studded snow tyres which will shortly be removed for SMW studded tyres as the GBW was cleared yesterday.

But drivers who drive at 10mph on a flat straight gritted road with a bit of slush is frankly absurd. As has been said and pic posted there are f**kwits who clear a hole the size of a tennis ball in the windscreen prior to setting out.