Jump to content
Do Not Sell My Personal Information


To anyone considering venturing out in the snow...


FMC
 Share

Recommended Posts

vix.jpg

She drove me safely 55miles on Friday morning before the sun rose after 5 inches of fresh snow, she had a nice day off today.

Love the snow. Love my MK7 :-)

P.S The 17" tyres did me proud :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 409
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Jonny87

    67

  • Michael P

    53

  • Flic

    40

  • KeithC

    28

Top Posters In This Topic

I'm off for a drive down to mid France next week where they have proper snow! I'll be grateful for all these tips, and stability control and traction control of course.

I couldn't help myself to a cheeky little tug at the handbrake though going round a slow tight turn, much fun and lots of giggling like a Japanese school girl!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried a turn with the handbrake in the factory carpark years ago when i had an XR2. Trouble was, the carpark had never ever been gritted and under the inch of snow was sheet ice and i had been travelling a bit too fast!! It went into an almighty slide like on an ice rink and i smashed into a kerb side-on at the bottom end!! :(

I actually envy you taking the trip to France (providing you don't get stuck in the Channel Tunnel before you arrive) - remember to take the Euro safety travel kit and spare bulb kit (i believe both are mandatory for driving in France now?!)

Good luck and have a safe trip - take plenty of pics B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

here is a little tip take a pump with you also because if you get really stuck deflate your driving wheels.this will improve the coverage of the tires improving grip due to the surface area covered by the tires.also a lot of our European members most probably change there wheels to winter tires.which have a softer rubber compound so that the rubber does not freeze making the tyre have more traction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

here is a little tip take a pump with you also because if you get really stuck deflate your driving wheels.this will improve the coverage of the tires improving grip due to the surface area covered by the tires.

So why are cars with narrower tyres generally better in the snow :unsure:

I thought it was less surface area = more weight over a point = more digging in for traction. Hence RWD cars struggle with less weight over driven wheels and generally wider-tyred driven wheels :unsure:

I'd deflate for sand or getting under very low bridges, but not sure about for snow. Maybe it's just me, happy to be told I'm talking crap :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites


here is a little tip take a pump with you also because if you get really stuck deflate your driving wheels.this will improve the coverage of the tires improving grip due to the surface area covered by the tires.also a lot of our European members most probably change there wheels to winter tires.which have a softer rubber compound so that the rubber does not freeze making the tyre have more traction.

I wouldn't recommend deflating your tyres that will increase the surface area of the tyres in contact with the snow/ice and therefore reduce traction due to less weight in the contact surface. Much better to increase the tyre pressure a little to reduce the surface area in contact and therfore give more traction.

Narrow wheels are always better in snow as they have more weight on the contact area, in fact in the past I have kept a set of basic steel rims for winter use only on cars with very wide low profiles fitted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

here is a little tip take a pump with you also because if you get really stuck deflate your driving wheels.this will improve the coverage of the tires improving grip due to the surface area covered by the tires.also a lot of our European members most probably change there wheels to winter tires.which have a softer rubber compound so that the rubber does not freeze making the tyre have more traction.

defo bad idea...it also means the tyre will take ages to get any temperature in.

If it is pumped up a little the tyre surface area is smaller but grip is greater, it has more bite and the smaller area is more likely to get some sort of heat it than a big sploggy area!! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

defo bad idea...it also means the tyre will take ages to get any temperature in.

If it is pumped up a little the tyre surface area is smaller but grip is greater, it has more bite and the smaller area is more likely to get some sort of heat it than a big sploggy area!! :)

that is advice given by the AA let your tyres down a few psi and it will make a lot of difference just quoting what was told on a driving course involving all bodies including AA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The snow is melting :(

NEED MORE SNOW!!!! :)

Apparantly they just shut Luton Airport coz of snow, it just needs to come a few miles to the east and there will be a nice top-up of snow here in Herts

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that is advice given by the AA let your tyres down a few psi and it will make a lot of difference just quoting what was told on a driving course involving all bodies including AA.

I can see some logic and some flaws with that advice - narrower surface area will give more pressure and help make better contact with the surface; wider tread means more chance of contact, but less pressure.

I'm struggling a lot in the snow/ice/slush with my tyres and they are 18/40/225 ... the old 14/65/185 on the Fiesta were miles better!

I'm in Luton and the snow is really coming down - hardly any wind and massive clumps. We have already had six inches of snow from last week yet to clear ... bad times!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

what a day...trying to teach on ice was interesting, but they did well!

Had some fun in a car park...very empty...very abandoned I will add...loverly!!

snow due tonight...gona make hell for driving tommorrow!!

Regarding the tyres...please don't let your tyres down, even a few PSI....an AA man once bought a car to me garage coz it had broken down and wouldn't restart and he couldn't work out what was wrong....it was out of fuel...AA aren't the kings of the road!!

Do this...go for a walk...if you are struggling to walk coz of the slippy conditions...don't drive!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it's snowing in hemel as well good do with another 3 inches to go on top of the stuff from b4....Regarding the tyres...please don't let your tyres down, even a few PSI....an AA man once bought a car to me garage coz it had broken down and wouldn't restart and he couldn't work out what was wrong....it was out of fuel...AA aren't the kings of the road!! o and it was not just them saying it onest

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it's snowing in hemel as well good do with another 3 inches to go on top of the stuff from b4....

Its starting to drop in Stevenage too, about half an inch, settling well on top of existing snow and melted patches, getting heavier. BRING IT!

epic snow ftw

Link to comment
Share on other sites

had a few inches overnight here. managed to get the ST out of the garage no problem thanks to the high torque and very little, if any. throttle. Also managed to take my parents home after they got back from holidays last night without any problem. had reports from their neighbours that the streets round the estate were "treacherous", but i had no trouble whatsoever. Kept it going slow and changed down the box to slow down instead of braking and didn't skid once, even though the street was very icy :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah...untill I began to use my handbrake for corners I was fine too!!

ha ha, the old derv torque was brill, used all gears and no throttle, just idle, pulled along nicely!

thats the way! :)

although was fun, going sideways on ice/snow in the abandoned car park...surprised how easy the festa was to keep in perfect control on the ice whilst sliding...well done Ford :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I'm off for a drive down to mid France next week where they have proper snow! I'll be grateful for all these tips, and stability control and traction control of course.

I couldn't help myself to a cheeky little tug at the handbrake though going round a slow tight turn, much fun and lots of giggling like a Japanese school girl!

If you're driving in France, take note:

If you are driving in the mountains in the winter - in both France and Switzerland - it is compulsory to carry snow chains in the vehicle.

http://geneva.angloinfo.com/countries/swit...nd/snow_ice.asp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's been hell around my way this evening!

The side roads off of my road are so bad. People have not been able to drive up them and have been sliding back down into my road, parking up and walking to their homes!

My neighbours haven't been able to put their cars on their driveways as they are on steep inclines. Next door tried and slid back down into the path of an oncoming car! The driver swerved, wheels locked and he skidded in to my car parked in the road!! Not much damage to mine, thank god! It's about to be put in for the scrappage deal anyway. Glad I've not got the new KA yet!! Would not have been happy if it were the new one! Quite pleased Fords are dragging their heels now!!

He started going mental at my neighbour, saying he wants her insurance! Erm, well shouldn't he have been giving his insurance details to me? It was my car he hit! He says his car now has total loss of steering and it's her fault. I can't see that, surely it's due to the poor driving conditions. He says he was "only doing about 10mph". Well he may have been (I doubt it) but I still can't see it's down to her and her insurance company. He's lucky I'm not wanting to claim from him!

He didn't hit my car that hard, only a bumper scratch on mine. I think he must have bounced off of a curb or something. Would that cause total loss of steering?

Anyway people, please be careful out there! Safe motoring!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Claim from him. Sounds like a complete berk.

Well I was silly (hubby has told me off)

I told him I'm doing the scrappage so not to worry! This was directed at my neighbour as she was very upset and felt it was her fault! I said it to calm her down!

This guy lives up the road anyway, I do know who he is.

If he pesters my neighbour again. He'd already screamed and swore at her in front of her 83 year old mum and was then at her door demanding he wants her insurance details tonight! This I didn't know until she told me. In my opinion, it wasn't her fault, he lost control of HIS car!

If he keeps on at her I'll tell him I want HIS details.

Still can't see why he's lost steering though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He sounds like a prune...but it will need to go this way...

He needs to claim off her insurance, her loss of control caused him to lose control/swerve.

They look at all factors, like his speed, BUT, if she had NOT lost control, there would have been no action needed from him.

And if you wanted to claim, you may go through his insurance, but its likely they would then claim off her insurance for the above reason.

You could argue about stopping distances and speeds all night...but all insurance look at is who CAUSED the collision...technically it was your neighbour...as much as I want it to be the berk!! :lol:

my estate the same...I actually NEEDED to use handbrake to turn into my drive, 2mph, literaly, no steering, handbrake flick, turn in, perfectly parked! :lol:

only did it coz at end of row in corner of lil culdesak, so nout to go wrong! was fun though and hope it looked cool! :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Piggy's absolutely right about the fault and liability on claims - it seems straightforward to me too!

What makes me seriously scratch my head when i read threads like this and hear stories from friends, relatives and on the news, is why the hell don't people keep a supply of rock salt in their garage or in a communal box in the street? My parents' estate is on a hillside so it's up and down all around it, but with strategically positioned council salt bins which the residents can help themselves to.

Ok so there's never going to be an easy or instant fix in severe weather and freezing temps, but when neighbours pull together and all chip in to clear the drives and roadway, things can be quite easy going!

Out on the open road we;re all at the mercy of the conditions, the local council gritters and bad drivers who frankly haven't a clue how to control a car and always drive too fast

But on your own street, in my opinion, you need to help each other and help yourselves!

My garden path was cleared in 15 minutes and i had the car out of the garage with the runway into the lane cleared and salted (with calcium chloride pathway deicer i bought a couple of years ago!) in another 10mins - no problemo! Got the car out and back in piece of !Removed!!

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Piggy's absolutely right about the fault and liability on claims - it seems straightforward to me too!

What makes me seriously scratch my head when i read threads like this and hear stories from friends, relatives and on the news, is why the hell don't people keep a supply of rock salt in their garage or in a communal box in the street? My parents' estate is on a hillside so it's up and down all around it, but with strategically positioned council salt bins which the residents can help themselves to.

Ok so there's never going to be an easy or instant fix in severe weather and freezing temps, but when neighbours pull together and all chip in to clear the drives and roadway, things can be quite easy going!

Out on the open road we;re all at the mercy of the conditions, the local council gritters and bad drivers who frankly haven't a clue how to control a car and always drive too fast

But on your own street, in my opinion, you need to help each other and help yourselves!

My garden path was cleared in 15 minutes and i had the car out of the garage with the runway into the lane cleared and salted (with calcium chloride pathway deicer i bought a couple of years ago!) in another 10mins - no problemo! Got the car out and back in piece of !Removed!!

:)

All councils used to do this years ago, but my council don't now, they would rather waste money on fancy signs that tell you how fast your going just in case you can't see your speed 18 inches in front of you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, after a few more inches of snow last night, a ten minute walk took me over an hour after helping to dig out an ambulance and a Jaguar.

However, every cloud does indeed have a silver lining. I have inherited a rather decent shovel. Go me!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, after a few more inches of snow last night, a ten minute walk took me over an hour after helping to dig out an ambulance and a Jaguar.

However, every cloud does indeed have a silver lining. I have inherited a rather decent shovel. Go me!

Nice one :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share





×
×
  • Create New...

Forums


News


Membership