10 Tips for Driving in the Snow

While entertaining, most of the advice in the original post is garbage for normal snow driving. Good thing it’s a sticky as of it were meant to be actual advice.

This thread should be renamed “If you’re a moron from SoCal and going to drive to Tahoe for the weekend. “

....but it’s still amusing because I have also seen a lot of that stupidity.

 

good grief this may be the best thread ever. working outside DC and having to commute into that mess gives a real appreciation for how many people can't drive. couldn't begin to tell how many foreign and southern drivers I've seen fly off the road and into the nearest solid obstacle or ditch, driving like their the next Mario Andretti. And to think, there is hardly ever a substantial amount of snow there, just a few inches at a time.

 

Mostly good info, but info can and is negated by the loose nut behind the wheel.

Weight in the rear- I always ran with buckets of sand as well or had a heavy wood frame camper on my 74 HiLux 2wd I drove for 4 winters in Ak, thing was like a little tank.

Keep your speed down! 4wd doesn’t mean 4 wheel stop! Nothing is more entertaining if you are down in the Los Anchorage bowl during the first decent snow of the season, just hang out on an onramp shoulder of the New Seward and watch the fun.... as previously stated the largest of percentage of vehicles in the ditch- flipped, rolled or just augured in are SUVs and lifted 4x4 trucks.
I agree with the pizza cutter tire mentality, higher gpb is the ticket in snow.
Be aware that packed snow conditions on the road are very dynamic in some places- shadowed areas and windswept crests of hills come to mind- traction loss happens very quickly
Start off slowly- spinning out at traffic lights or stop signs by mashing the skinny pedal just creates potholes especially in icy places where there is a lot of freeze thaw.
Bare looking pavement sometimes isn’t especially out on the plains or even in the PNW- black ice is more fun than many are prepared for- try tandem vehicle skiing sometimes- a lot more entertainment than you are ready for for certain.
The list goes on, best advice IMHO is regardless of how much experience you have and how long you have been driving in crap weather- don’t get too full of yourself. Something new is waiting for you up ahead.

Take your time and think it through or wait it out..

 

Agreed

 

Braking on snow/ice I'm a fan of putting the trans in Neutral. Both AT or MT. Better to not have the drive wheels still pushing you along while you're trying to stop.

FYI, Colorado as of this winter has upped the chain laws to include passenger vehicles. Some type of ATD (Alternative Traction Device) must be carried. Even 4WD. CSP won't be checking every vehicle for tread depth and ATD, but if you get stuck and block traffic you in a heap of trouble, boy.

https://www.coloradoan.com/story/ne...raction-law-what-skiers-need-know/2421004001/

https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/chain station brochure.pdf

 

Great read, reminds me of being a teenager with new driver license in Illinois. Lessons learned about driving in snow and slushy ice:
1 - slow down before turning into a parking lot unless you want you bumper to mate with that light pole next to the driveway
2 - pump your brakes a good distance before the stop light. Mashing the brake pedal will only result in sliding through an intersection against the light - call it winter Russian roulette
3 - Doing donuts in an empty parking lot is one way to learn how to drive in snow, but pick one that doesn’t have the cement wheel chocks hidden under the snow unless you like dented rims and lots of vibration

Fortunately my first car was a beater and there was no cross traffic at the intersection

 

At #3 may also find a parking lot without a lot of light poles.

 

bump !!

 

California’s can’t drive in the rain, let alone the snow. And if we’re being honest, Californians can’t really drive in general.

 

This should be placed right next to the manual! All inputs are great (Pumping brakes, chains not cables, easier throttle inputs, etc..) - the only thing I didn't come across was momentum.

 

I feel like you forgot the most important tip: have fun!

 

I've got a question about chains. I know someone asked a similar question. Can someone explain which axle chains go on if you're in 4wd? Pretty sure I have rwd normally, but if I have to use chains I'm already in 4wd.

 

Rear axle. The front doesn’t usually have the clearance. If you do have the clearance for front chains, then only chain the front if you have two sets of chains and the rear is already chained up.

 

Thank you

 

Not to slight your post but come to Minnie and we'll show you "HOW" to drive on and in snow, not tell you......

 

And pizza cutters always trump width.....

 

anymore I just look outside and go have another Cup of Coffee.

No one is going to buy me a new vehicle if some idiot runs into me.

 

Good post and reminder. Beyond the basics, having the correct tires with good tread depth is paramount. If you can, I highly recommend a dedicated set of winter tires & rims that you can swap on when needed.

For Tacomas, or any other truck, adding weight to the rear does make a big difference. Just be sure you're securing it so it doesn't become a projectile in the event of hard braking, rollover, etc.

 

Excellent post. I always see a ton of fools in North Carolina stuck in ditches or in the middle of the roads when they were ill equipped to handle the elements. I would like to add something...I know it's a running joke that southerners don't know how to drive in snow, and there is some truth to that, but most of the people I've helped pull out of ditches or push up hills until they can get a little momentum have been people from the North. If you're a northerner and happen to be down South when it snows it's not the time to get cocky and think you're better equipped to handle the situation. We rarely get the soft powdery snow that you guys are accustomed to. With almost every snow we get down here, by day 2, I can almost guarantee you that the base layer is .25"-.50" of solid ice. Most of our snows start off as freezing rain and sleet. Don't be cocky and don't be an idiot. Whether you're out on the roads in these conditions for business or play be smart and stay safe. If I see you stuck in a tough spot I'll help ya out but don't get upset when I crack a joke and laugh at you.