Posted January 12, 2010 Just thought id post this again: Its really bad to drive on so ill just let you guys into somethings ive found which make it much easier to drive in these conditions. -Set off in second gear where you can. -Feather your brakes instead of slamming them on. -Drive at a speed your comfy with. -Dont let anyone bully you. -If your wheels just spin, stop and set off slower. -Avoid icy routes (even if it means take the long way). -Most of all dont panic. Has anyone here had any mishaps yet? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 Higher gears help to reduce wheel spin. However if you lose control then a lower gear is better as the engine breaking will reduce the speed. This. Its actually both, really you shouldn't be driving fast on icy roads anyway, so a lower gear like second is ideal, but if your wheel spinning it might be best to go as high as 3rd/4th. I tend to find I prefer driving continously in second if I'm not sure about what to do, then going higher if its easier. Really the tutor should be teaching her how to easily move in first. I recall my friend Lindsey remarking that I shift gears without jerking at all, even in first. Which is what makes it safer to drive on ice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 Guys, set off in first and stay in first. You will go crazy slow but if anyone has slid on ice you know theres very little way of controlling it. Better be safe than sorry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 Your wheels spin far easier in first gear than second When pulling away in snow, drivers should try to use second gear rather than first, says the RAC. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 Yes but unless your a muppet and floor it you will be fine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 Yes but unless your a muppet and floor it you will be fine. What are you insinuating, bitch!! =P I span my wheels (really dry powdery snow), because i'm still a bit of a n00b. Still not used to the whole diesel vs petrol thing, and doing a lot of hating about the whole vrooming ISSUE. >_> I think at the end of the day, all it is, is taking care and caution on the road. I see so many losers speed past me doing well over 40, in these terrible conditions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 Sometimes it also depends on the car. My dads jeep was able to handle the drive without any problem, yet in my tiny ford fiesta I wheel span onto the drive because of the dip it has. Meh. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 One advantage to driving in snow: powersliding around corners in a 1.1litre 206. Haha, thanks to the ice I handbrake my fiesta into my street to park it, major lols, irresponsible....yes Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 Sometimes it also depends on the car. My dads jeep was able to handle the drive without any problem, yet in my tiny ford fiesta I wheel span onto the drive because of the dip it has. Meh. I'm guessing your dads Jeep is 4WD. That splits the power and will definitely reduce the likelihood of wheelspin. Tires and tread also matter in terms of grip, I wouldn't be surprised if the Jeep had more aggressive tires than the Fiesta. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 I had a driving lesson in the snow today. I asked about starting in second, I was told to start in first but get into second quickly. So I guess views vary on that. Down a quiet road my instructor whacked on the handbrake to show me what happens, managed to handle the skid. Which was oddly fun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 One of the worst pieces of "advice" is to "steer in the direction of the skid". WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN??? IT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE! When your car starts skidding you don't have time, and probably aren't calm enough, to try and decipher this piece of bullshit. If your car starts to skid, then you shouldn't do anything sudden or heavy. Slowly steer in the direction you want to go. To catch the skid you need to point the wheels in the direction that the car is moving until you begin to gain traction, and then slowly steer the car where you want to go. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 Umm Moogle, you realise that post basically just said "that doesnt make sense. do that" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 Umm Moogle, you realise that post basically just said "that doesnt make sense. do that" I know. My point was that it is stupidly worded. Not that it is wrong. If you said to somebody who had never been in a skid before and knew nothing about it "turn into the skid" they wouldn't have a clue what you were on about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 Moogle I completely agree. When I was younger I thought it was nonsensical, what If I'm skidding into a lampost?! I'm jolly well NOT going to steer towards it. Idiots. But it makes sense now, years of skidding on ice later. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 12, 2010 I don't think I'd have ever understood that if not for playing racing games. In fact I think I learnt pretty much everything bar clutch control from SEGA Rally. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 23, 2010 I thought all the ice had melted. I was wrong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 23, 2010 Spun out on a lump of ice doing about 30mph. Headon into a guys hedge (using what little control I had to aim for it, as opposed to the tree or the Ford Focus either side). Unfortunately the back end had other ideas about the tree and took me side on into it. Luckily there was no structural damage at all, we bought a new door from a scrapyard and its now perfectly driveable. Might fail the MOT if we dont replace the sill but its not urgent. Also need to keep a look out for a matching door, but meh. It's new name is "The Ghettomobile", which has a nice ring to it really. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 24, 2010 Nice colour match! Hardly notice. Shouldn't fail on the MOT unless the sill has a sharp edge due to the crash or if there was any structural damage (which you say there isn't, so will be fine). I'm impressed though. Something French saw a bit of a conflict and didn't totally surrender. Kudos. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 24, 2010 A different color door is hardly qualifying for ghettomobile. You need at least 4 different colors and 1 plastic window. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 24, 2010 (edited) Now these are ghettomobiles: Edited January 24, 2010 by Goafer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 27, 2010 My car battery just died. My car is a VW Polo 1.4 has 2 doors and a boot, (is that a hatchback?) and is 1995-1996. Also the battery looks pretty identical to the one in this picture. I'm assuming it should be compatible right/ http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VOLKSWAGEN-Polo-Mk4-Hatchback-1994-1999-1-4-BATTERY_W0QQitemZ180430906650QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item2a0285251a I'm gonna ask Claires dad anyway when he gets back. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 27, 2010 My car battery just died. My car is a VW Polo 1.4 has 2 doors and a boot, (is that a hatchback?) and is 1995-1996. Also the battery looks pretty identical to the one in this picture. I'm assuming it should be compatible right/ http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VOLKSWAGEN-Polo-Mk4-Hatchback-1994-1999-1-4-BATTERY_W0QQitemZ180430906650QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item2a0285251a I'm gonna ask Claires dad anyway when he gets back. Just ring the local scrappy and tell them your car and they'll know which battery. You'll be able to get it for about a tenner. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
