Tips for Driving in the Snow

This is what I do also, Blizzak’s and sand tubes. Works for me in Wisconsin winters.

 

LOL, I had one of those!! It was fun until I got T-Boned by some jackass running a red light. 2 kids in the jump seats. Thank God they had the seat belts on!!

 

Just send it!

 

Somtimes you just gotta send it bro!

 

Winter driving tips:

With 10 years of commercial driving experience, I have come to learn that traction is your best friend in winter time. Losing traction when driving can be a super scary feeling.

Pickup trucks and rear wheel drive cars and suvs are typically very light in the rear end as all the main weight is in the front engine bay and in the cab area. As such, the back end can easily come around when you're driving. It happened to me last March on my way to the dealership to get a few warranty issues resolved. I did a simple low speed left turn from Tower Rd to 104th. It was snowing, but very small accumulations on the road and the next thing I knew I was facing the other direction. Luckily I was able to get it turned around without issue. It happens that quick. It can happen to even the most experienced of drivers.

4-5 sand bags right on your rear axle can help prevent the back end from sliding around. You can get them at tractor supply, home depot, lowe's or any hardware store should have them too.

I just put 5 in the bed of mine in November. They weigh 60 lbs a bag for a total of 300 lbs.

Now is also a good time to check the tread on your tires for adequate tread depth.

The main reason I lost traction that day was the pickup I bought had tires with low tread and I was on the way to get new ones put on by the dealer.

Tires with inadequate traction can cause you to not be able to stop, slide off the road or completely turn you around or hit another vehicle. If you stop at any tire shop or mechanic shop they can check your tire tread and tell you if you need new tires. If you need new tires, opt for mud and snow or severe snow rated tires. They give you drastically improved performance and traction over all season tires in the rain, mud and snow and they aren't that much more expensive.

SLOW DOWN and increase your following distance. Put more space between you and the person in front of you.

Don't tailgate. This not only aggravates the person in front of you but you can cause them to panic by doing so.

Make slow, gradual lane changes. Sudden lane changes in the snow, slush or ice can send you to the ditch very quickly.

If you start to slide, do NOT panic and smash the brake. Gently push down on the brake and hold it. Panic braking is the worst thing you can do. It can cause you to fishtail or slide into another vehicle or off the road. Newer vehicles are equipped with anti-lock braking. Hold the brake down and the brakes automatically apply and release very rapidly. Steer towards the direction you are sliding. If you counter steer you can cause your vehicle to slide off the road. If you have power brakes, pump the brake slowly to apply and release until you get slowed down.

If every one in front of you starts to panic brake and you know you can't stop in time, hold your foot down on the brake and gently apply it and gently steer yourself onto the shoulder until you stop.

If you lose traction and your vehicle starts to spin around, it's usually best to steer into it and let it do what it's gonnna do. A quick/light tap of the brake might recover it but not always.

4WD/AWD - 4 wheel drive is GREAT in the snow BUT it is only great to get you started and keep you moving. It doesn't help you stop.

Do NOT let yourself get into a big crowd on the highway. If a bunch of people are in front of you and behind you and to the left of you, get off the highway for a few moments and let everyone else go on. This is how pileups happen so quicky. Too many people following too closely and one panics and then everyone panics.

Black ice - This is the absolute worst. It's hard to identify, especially at night and it's very dangerous. You can see it at night on a highway if light from the moon or headlights are reflecting off the road. On bridges or elevated surfaces, take your foot off the gas and just coast over it. It's impossible to see if fresh snow has fallen on top of it but you can "feel it" in the tires and steering while you drive. Watch your rpm's on your dash. If the needle jumps up and down, take your foot off the gas and coast. Any braking can cause you to leave the road.

Check and replace your wipe blades. Bosch Icon or Rain-X silicone blades are best for winter.

If you can afford them, get heated wipers from Amazon. They install in a half hour and heat up and melt the snow off your wiper blades so they don't get caked up. They make a WORLD of difference.

Put in winter washer fluid rated for -20°.

Put a blanket, flashlight and flares in your vehicle.

Stay safe out there this winter.

 

a very common misconception. 4x4 does in fact stop faster, as the locked driveline equals out the brake bias to all 4 contact patches, essentially making best use of the grip available to all 4 tires. awd/rwd/fwd inherently carries a front-biased brake distribution that to loads up the front tires the most, which means they break loose first, which means they slide first.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMnT1gCYjP8

 

Driving in the snow with four-wheel drive is easy. Ice/ slush is a different matter. The hardest to deal with is intermittent clear then ice covered roads. But snow covered, you actually get pretty good traction, keep your space reasonable and you'll be fine.

 

ABS on rally cars?

 

Lot's of excellent advice, tips and driving recommendations here. Not certain I can add much but... 20 inches of the white stuff fell a couple of weeks ago where I play in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. I put my Goodyear Wrangler Ultraterrains (purchased new 4 months ago) to good use by packing down the 20 inches that fell in my driveway. The commute was 135 miles over both Snoqualmie and Blewett passes in less than desirable conditions to get to the driveway. NEVER SLIPPED ONCE while in 4 Hi. NEVER. The Tacoma and those Ultraterrain tires make for impressive winter driving tools if the driver does his/her part.

 

Is that in Tabernash? I was driving my 2016 crosstrek this past week, I have an almost identical pic.. -23F

 

I logged in to search "Toyo Observe GSi-6" and you've posted multiple times raving about these. Have you ever tried Conti VikingContact7? It's between these two for me. Where I live, I get it all, deep snow, slippery snow, slush, ice. Nevertheless, thanks for your contribution.

 

No jus 72mi from my place on the Coast. Was probably midTeens above when I left. It’s in Alaska, lowest I’ve been in is -32° But it didn’t register on my truck.

 

Fresh Duratracs and 4H whenever I feel any slippage at all. It’s honestly not as effortless in city snow as our AWD RAV but unless it’s heavy and wet, my Tacoma goes through unplowed snow deeper than its ground clearance without feeling all that challenged.

 

Where do you live??? That is way TOO cold for me.

 

Ha beat that jus other night.. i live on Coastal town Surrounded by mountains, in South Central so it stays mid temperature. Although my commute takes me through interior Alaska jus 100mi away & i hit this..oh & had refrigerator in back so had aerodynamics of tissue box..

 

Open the fridge door & warm up the place, Lol.

 

The wolf pack chasing him convinced him to keep driving.

 

Ya.. & i did get it in house by myself… & Report that it is Working.


I did actually see nice Lynx, my Moose light lit his eyes up, was darting around in road then jumped up on side berm & watched me drive by.

 

And you caught some "wild Rainiers" on the way home as well.

 

Maybe keep the can opener at home. Shit’s gettin’ way too domesticated.

Packed the essentials. Never know when there’s a good game on.