Moving to Denver from AL. Question about driving in snow (Evans: for sale, homes)

[step33]

Another piece of advice is that how much snow isn't really the issue.

Which is worse: 2-4 inches of snow and it's going to be 29 degrees or a foot+ at 10 degrees?

I'll take that foot of dry powder over the wet 2 inches every day and twice if heading up the hill (to the ski resorts).

Those small accumulation but WET snows pack in to ice quickly and then what comes on top just makes it really difficult to get traction. It also tricks people in to thinking it's not that bad and they go too fast. That's when I see everyone leave work early, only drive by 10 cars in the ditch on a 15 mile drive home.

So, for the newbies from warm weather places, just take that in to consideration. How much is going to fall doesn't always tell the story of how slick it's going to be. And also remember that come 5pm (dark), everything that seemed like it melted will start to freeze again and the drive home might be WAY slicker than the drive in!

[ucbedge]

OP - I moved from California several years ago and had the exact same concerns (just look at my thread creation history). IMHO, what matters from most to least important:

1) Driver skill
2) Tire tread depth
3) Snow vs All Seasons
4) 4WD vs 2WD

If you can afford snow tires, go ahead and purchase as they do provide more control and peace of mind. But I'd venture to say that ~75% of Denver's population just use all-seasons. I've only used all seasons. Yep, they take longer to stop than snow tires, but that's why I leave more distance between myself and the car in front of me. Do not drive beyond your car's capabilities and you'll be fine.

That being said....
1) Do not come here with summer-only tires (which are exceedingly common in warm climates). They are beyond useless.
2) Do not come here with bald tires. More tread = better
3) When driving in the snow, act like there's a raw egg between your foot and the pedal. Do not slam on your brakes or slam on the accelerator. Just take things nice and easy and you'll be fine.

Welcome to Denver!

[BabyBoomers2]

Talking about "stay at home during those bad snowy/icy days"........when we return to Denver metro/south, we will both be retired. Now, THAT'S the way to live in a "snow belt" area!

However, when we did live south of Denver (Englewood and then Parker), both of our vehicles had 4-wheel drive and snow tires AND, we didn't drive in ice/snow like many do. We left for work early and drove slow and cautious. But, then again, that's older folks for you. lol

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by ucbedge

IMHO, what matters from most to least important:

1) Driver skill
2) Tire tread depth
3) Snow vs All Seasons
4) 4WD vs 2WD

I have participated in several races on frozen lakes and would give a novice driver the nod over myself if he had snow tires and I had summer tires. There's only so much you can do without traction.

[stricklandia]

Sharing my experience, because it's similar to yours: we moved here last summer (2014) from San Diego, where I was born and raised (so no snow-driving experience). We moved here with a Subaru Outback and a Nissan RWD/2WD Xterra. The Outback did fine last winter; we had zero problems driving in/on snow. The Xterra, however, handled horribly. I swore I would trade it in for another Subie this year.

I love the Xterra, however, and decided the cost of snow tires would far outweigh the cost of a new car. I did a lot of research, and ended up buying Bridgestone Blizzaks just a few days ago. Seemed like the best choice (YMMV). We'll see how it goes this winter. Maybe this time next year I'll be car shopping.

I have a 2-mile work commute that doesn't take me on the freeway, however, and I have the freedom to work from home when conditions are bad. If I had even a slightly longer commute, or had to drive on freeways, there's no way I would have kept the Xterra.

[stricklandia]

Originally Posted by alloo66

What no one has mentioned is leave a sizable gap between you and the car in front of you, drive slower and learn to coast and not use your brakes if you don't have to.

Good advice, but unfortunately applicable only in Fantasyland. There are enough jerk drivers on the roads that they will see that extra gap as an opportunity to cut in front of you.

[JrzDefector]

I did fine here in my 2WD Tacoma until it got pancaked by a Yukon. HOWEVER, 1) I work from home and 2) I grew up in Jersey and always knew how to drive in snow. I also have no problem driving as slowly as necessary to stay safe.

But I avoided the highways when it was snowy or icy.

If you're going to be doing a daily commute that takes you on highways, you're gonna do best with a 4WD vehicle if you insist on having a truck. 2WD isn't that big a deal with a car, depending on which one you opt for because the weight is more balanced.

And if you DO get 4WD, don't make the mistake of a lot of Southerners and think that it's going to keep you from skidding on ice. My two best friends and I still laugh about the time when one of them was staying with me in Jersey and the other was at grad school down in Raleigh. NC got 18 inches of snow overnight, an unheard-of amount. The Philly news was running a reel of 4WD pickups skidding off the roads down there at all angles by mid-morning. We knew our friend was still sleeping, so we got on the phone to tell her not to leave her house even if it might seem like a manageable amount to drive through. She had a Toyota Camry at the time, and she would have been flattened!

[lofarber]

Well, lots of good advice here. My 2 cents. I just moved here from Buffalo,NY, probably the snowiest place on earth. Lol. We get snow and snow and snow and more snow from Dec-March. So....make sure your car is AWD, new all season tires, if you feel like it get snow tires but I honestly don't think it's worth it. The first snowfall go to a big empty lot and drive. Speed up and slam on your brakes to feel how it is to slide on snow. Driving during a snow storm: keep your distance from cars in front of you, reduce speed, take turns slower, give yourself more time to brake slowly. Just takes some getting used to. Good luck!

[Timmyy]

I have never owned a set of snow tires since moving here in 1999. I did move here with a rear wheel drive truck but I traded it in for a 4WD a few months later. Both my wife and I have 4WD Toyotas and they both work great in the snow as long as we drive accordingly. I pop it into 4 wheel and drive very slow. A lot of people with 4WD or all wheel think they can drive as fast as they want but they soon learn that is a big mistake. I also have good snow/mud tires on the vehicles.

One thing I did learn was how to turn into a slide. I found an empty icy parking lot and practiced a lot. Ice is your enemy, not the snow itself.

[marioana]

Question: How quick is the city when it comes to cleaning? I mean in Chicago they get out with plows and salt almost at the time when it starts to snow and by next day everything on major streets is clean (except if we have a really bad snow, like over a foot and that it takes a few days). We were in Colorado 3 years ago, at the end of March and when we left there was a snow storm in Denver, we thought we will not be able to get out of the highway with a 4WD Infiniti FX. That's true, we didn't had winter tires, and the snow was pretty big, so I am hoping it was just bad timing for us?