Itās all ice now which is the worst bit. Weāve got freezing fog thatās just rolled in an all. Tomorrow will be like an ice rink, just a good job Iāve got supplies in.
Slow and steady, use a high gear. Long and gentle braking when you need to stop and keep a good distance from the car in front.
Simple rules and youāll be fine
I remember going to an empty car park when it snowed for the first time after Iād passed. Itās a good place to practise some sharp breaking and turning to learn how you car reacts in the snow and to build a bit of confidence in a safe environment. No chavvy doughnuts though
If plenty of snow get out early and grit two tracks. Whilst gritters donāt put grit on most roads we live on there should be grit bins! If not full of water or sand.
Try and avoid 1st gear wheel spinning all the way up the hill - worst thing sliding into another car!
Itās not just your ability to drive in the snow, itās the other morons around you. The amount of people Iāve seen over the years cause problems for others who were being sensible is crazy.
If itās bad in the morning call up and reschedule.
If it all starts going sideways, stop. Plan. Recover. Even if you end up blocking traffic. Better finding the right way out than digging yourself in an even deeper hole by panicing.
High gears are your friend. Youāll want to get into second as soon as possible, and keep shifting up as soon as revs allow. Higher gears = less torque = lowers wheelspin risk.
If itās only your road thatās not cleared and the main road looks fine, have a look at your road first to inspect the conditions. If itās mostly snow and slush, thatās not too bad; if itās solid ice, thatās trickier. Where cars have driven lines in the snow and then the snow has iced up, thatās horrible as thatās effectively tramlines.
āIf youāve got ESP, the stability control element will help you in a slide. But traction control can sometimes kill power too much and make it hard to get moving in heavy snow. Most cars will allow you to turn off the traction element of the stability control. If you have an auto box, check whether you have a winter mode.ā