Tips for Driving in the Snow

Another trick- don’t clear the snow off your hood, roof and windshield. Just make little viewports on the driver side window and windshield to see where you are driving. The added weight of the snow on your truck will help with traction, and nobody will notice the big snowball driving down the road. One of my neighbors did it all the time after each heavy snow.

I did start doing something he also taught me - don’t wipe off the car until you pull out onto the street- your driveway will be cleared off then.

 

Good snow tires! It’s not the going so much as the ability to STOP. Go slow!

 

Viewports in your windshield? Sounds like a great way to get a ticket and/or into a collision.

If you need weight for traction *that* badly, buy better tires and sand bags.

 

Good point, all the traction in the world is no good if you cannot stop!

 

Please clean All.! snow off Vehicle. But yes do in street, on the side & with respect of neighbors & other drivers.

 

This has already been stated a lot, but I contend that tires are the most important factor and I'm going to share a story. The first car I owned that was 100% mine was a 2008 Mazda 3 hatchback (like the picture below). These cars were not exactly known for their snow capabilities and, sure enough, the first year I had it I ended up in a few bad winter situations. The following winter I bought true snow tires (I think they were Blizzaks but I do not remember well) and there was virtually nothing my little FWD Mazda couldn't do. I remember visiting my girlfriend (now wife) around Christmastime when there was two feet of freshly fallen, unplowed snow. The Mazda handled it like a champ.

4WD, AWD, and so forth are useful. But for winter driving, good tires make the most difference.

 

Good shoes for winter driving, indeed.

 

I've found that a couple hundred pounds of weight in the back does wonders.

 

Got hit by an ice chunk already this year from someone who didn't clear off their vehicle after the first snow fall. It's technically illegal to drive around like this in MI now thankfully lol, don't be that guy

 

If you don't have a cover of any kind on the bed, the snow off of the roof can always be swept backward to add some extra weight for traction.

 

We’re talking about the neighbors- I at least used to clean the windshield before pulling out of the driveway. The street had at least a foot more of snow on it so I really wasn’t adding much to it. Mtn living vs snowy city life.

Not in snow zone anymore- we’re more worried about a pitted windshield from a sandstorm…

 

yes I wish my Tacoma had a slow inefficient 2.5L that breaks in 3 ways, CVT, and rust faster

 

Lot's of good advice given above. Here's my simplified version

• When you shovel the driveway put all the snow in the bed of your truck. It's free and in the spring it melts.
• Use 4wd - a lot. It's a truck and you're not going to hurt anything, even if you drive for a ways on dry pavement.
• Drive like your grandmother is sitting in the back seat wearing her Sunday best with a big bowl of cherry punch sitting in her lap. Your goal is to get her to church without spilling a drop.

That's it. Do this and you'll be better than 99% of the other drivers on the road.

 

so you have tire chains right? I had to have them for passes out west. It was kinda funny when the movers dropped them off when I moved to north Florida. One day I got into some wet clay the locals called “gumbo”. Couldn’t stop, turn, get going. It was like a thin layer of bearing grease once the tread filled full! Another forester came out and slid off. The logger he called did the same thing! We had someone take us all to town for lunch while we waited for a skidder on a lowboy. Went by my place and grabbed them silly chains. Slapped them on and drove out past all of them! The skidder actually had to roll through the pine trees to keep from slipping while pulling the other two trucks out. They laughed but I think they all bought a set though…

I agree with adding weight too but make certain that whatever it is, that it’s secured well back there. In the UP of Michigan, I used 5 pulp sticks chained to the bed of my 2x Ford Ranger. Pretty much went everywhere. Be safe! Good luck.

 

Way different these days. Back when I started driving people slowed down. Beats the hell out of me how to do it today.

 

Except your back will hurt,snow is heavy. Heavy enough to give you some traction.

 

Then you lose the use of your bed, the whole damn winter. That idea doesnt make much sense

 

I’ve driven on ice. At no point was the rear sliding a concern nor done easily.

the front end washing out (understeer) and plowing was a concern. or not stopping in time. Sand does not help with that.

it’s a 4x4 not a 60/40 rwd welded diff Nissan on summer tires

Ice means free drift practice - something states without it don’t have

people slow down. Light snow, plenty of grip available, they crawl 5mph in a 45mph zone to double commute time

 

Thank you for sharing that.

 

You're apparently a 4WD newbie. The number one rule to remember is that 4WD doubles your chances of getting stuck, and when you do get stuck (and you will) it's twice as difficult to get unstuck.
My first 4WD vehicle is the one in my avatar, purchased new in 1976, and I've had a 4WD vehicle of some sort ever since, all pickup trucks. Properly used, you can get into (and out of) some pretty amazing places, and my Taco is almost as capable as my FJ40 was, but don't get overconfident.