Driving on Snow

[steelroe]

PLease post you tips for driving in snow here.
We had about 3 inches of snow fall yesterday and while trying to get home on secondary road I almost wore the tryres out on the car. Car started slipping on inclines several times and I alomost gave up in the end. How much difference do tyres make?
Agin today while trying to get into my home on an incline wheels spun again and no matter what gear I used the wheels just had no traction. What really pisses me off is a have seen several other 2 wheel drive vehicles pass up without any problems.

[Wildhound]

I'm not sure if it's your tyres that are to blame since I've had problems myself, where I've never had issues in FWD cars in the past. I've been starting in 3rd gear, holding the revs at about 3k and slowly coming off the clutch to get her going. Then shifting to 4th very soon after.

All in all I found driving at around 1000-1500 RPM seemed to stop the wheels spinning. Interestingly I managed to get wheelspin in 4th at 35kph the other night. Fortunately I'm in the suburbs, I don't envy you driving in thr countryside

[Dilogoat86]

I find that being a slow as you can be gets you to your destination faster than anything. My estate was like an ice rink the past few days and a lot of the roads around my area too. Without too much trouble I got around. Take it easy, 2nd to take off and 3rd or 4th gear at about 1000 - 1500 rpm and there's no problems. Avoid braking at all and where possible use the road to slow down. Drive in the snow if you can rather than the ice, there's more purchase there and try avoid paniking at all. Worst thing to do is brake heavily and try steer around a hazard. Slow down with your gears and keep as vigilant as you can. There's no substitute for watching the roads and trying to predict what's going to happen.

Happy and safe driving.

[colm_mcm]

Use your gears to slow down, and don't do anything too sudden.

Buy something 4WD

[Dragonheart]

Buy chains. Don't know if they even do them in Ireland do they? You can rent them over here in the Winter but doubt any place has them in Ireland. Maybe after this winter they will!

[steelroe]

seen a set of snow chains for sale on Donedeal.
My house is on a secondary road with some steep hills and why the hell wont my Maz 6 travel them and a berlingo will. Maybe the driver has a lot to do with it. Also have the headache of my brother in law smacking his Paj last night while coming to my rescue.

[CJ]

I find that being a slow as you can be gets you to your destination faster than anything. My estate was like an ice rink the past few days and a lot of the roads around my area too. Without too much trouble I got around. Take it easy, 2nd to take off and 3rd or 4th gear at about 1000 - 1500 rpm and there's no problems. Avoid braking at all and where possible use the road to slow down. Drive in the snow if you can rather than the ice, there's more purchase there and try avoid paniking at all. Worst thing to do is brake heavily and try steer around a hazard. Slow down with your gears and keep as vigilant as you can. There's no substitute for watching the roads and trying to predict what's going to happen.

Would agree with all of this, don't brake and don't spin the wheels where possible. Keep your RWD at home! If you get stuck, try moving the steering wheel side to side while applying a small amount of acceleration. Stay away from hills and inclines where possible, alter your route accordingly.

Invest in a set of Autosocks for the driven wheels, they're supposed to be very effective.

CJ

[Muad_dib77]

prolly too late now..but..

tyres make a massive difference.. deeper thread is better.

as for driving up stuff..

before you hit the incline..downshift into second...keep your feet of all pedals.. now this works in fwd and awd cars..I haven't tried in rwd yet...

Using this technique I've gotten up a hill that; a van, a 3series beemer and a toyota something or other 4x4ish with somebody who didn't have clue in had all tried and failed.. oh I was driving a golf mk5 1.4 at the time..

it works..it's slow..but it works..

[mcgon1979]

prolly too late now..but..

before you hit the incline..downshift into second...keep your feet of all pedals.. now this works in fwd and awd cars..I haven't tried in rwd yet...

thats pretty much waht works for me too. I am amazed to see people outside my window now on a small incline with about 1cm of snow/slush and they are gunning it in first and dumping the clutch and then spinning in the same spot (in fwd cars). what are they ex[pecting? ok, maybe its not a intuitive thing, but surely you relaise after 15 minutes that building the revs up full and dumping the clutch will cause rapid spin?

[Muad_dib77]

prolly too late now..but..

before you hit the incline..downshift into second...keep your feet of all pedals.. now this works in fwd and awd cars..I haven't tried in rwd yet...

thats pretty much waht works for me too. I am amazed to see people outside my window now on a small incline with about 1cm of snow/slush and they are gunning it in first and dumping the clutch and then spinning in the same spot (in fwd cars). what are they ex[pecting? ok, maybe its not a intuitive thing, but surely you relaise after 15 minutes that building the revs up full and dumping the clutch will cause rapid spin?

I forgot to mention.. dont be carrying a load of speed when you down shift..go well slow..

[Aido C]

Ive been keeping some card board in the boot in case I get stuck on an incline, I just put a bit under the front wheels. It does help. The less throttle you use when moving off the better. Sometimes Ive found moving off in 3rd the best and sometimes 1st with no throttle at all just very slowly letting my foot off the clutch.
It's been frightening driving on the road sometimes the past couple off weeks. Nothing worse than no braking power.

[soc]

seen a set of snow chains for sale on Donedeal.
My house is on a secondary road with some steep hills and why the hell wont my Maz 6 travel them and a berlingo will. Maybe the driver has a lot to do with it. Also have the headache of my brother in law smacking his Paj last night while coming to my rescue.

I suspect the berlingo has much narrower tyres than your mazda6 - for now you at least need snow tyres and narrow ones ideally. But chains are the ultimate for steep snowed-in inclines. The summer tyres we all use in ireland are all but useless.

[Kace]

Wouldn't worry about it guys, it'll probably be another 20 years before we get cold and snow like that again in Eire

[Muad_dib77]

Wouldn't worry about it guys, it'll probably be another 20 years before we get cold and snow like that again in Eire

Well you never know we could have a white April or June..

I've learnt not to take anything -other than change- for granted when it comes to the Irish weather.

[soc]

Wouldn't worry about it guys, it'll probably be another 20 years before we get cold and snow like that again in Eire

I'd bet we'll see snow again next winter - over the past 10 years ski racing I've seen the shift - everythings changing - the snow seems to be coming later in Europe, hitting more surface area and staying longer.