Driving with snow and ice...

[tijlover]

Originally Posted by marmac

Just this weekend ( emphasized cuz it did not happen during rush hour comute ) there were over 100 weather related accidents in the twin cities.

This is what happens in Las Vegas after months without rain, and it suddenly rains, with a thick layer of oil build-up on the roads. Having lived in MN for 40 years with lots of experience driving on icy roads, to me, this makes for even more slippier and dangerous driving conditions.

Dallas, I'm sure, has had those time, no rain for months, then rain, and you find yourself on a skating rink.

And it has snowed any number of times in Dallas, and lots of icey roads to practice on in the winter. Not much difference.

[Hardwater]

Don't forget to add extra gloves, boots, socks, and warm cloths to your winter driving advice. I never let the gas tank get too low either. Esp on 1 hr plus trips. Jumper cables, a shovel, blanket not a bad idea either. And even if a backroad is a shorter distance, stick to the main roads. They are much better.

[Grannysroost]

As mentioned, carry your winter survival kit..with a candle, matches or lighter, water, snacks...I put mine in a backpack so the water wouldn't freeze by the door with my purse and made it standard equipment along with what was in the trunk. A lot of people carry jumper cables, but another one is a tow chain or strap in case you have to bite the ditch. Even in Alaska, I felt safer and more in control with my front-wheel drive (unless a lot snow), than our 4-wheel-drive pickup. As mentioned, keep your distance and don't take a small patch of just wet or dry pavement as the cue to go faster. When you near a stoplight or intersection, let the transmission slow you down as with all the cars sitting and exhaust hitting the road, at some point they will become very icy depending on the outside temperature. Go slow, no gunning it through the intersection. Plan for extra time if the weather is worse than normal.

[niki26082008]

The winters here haven't been that bad the last few years. But i'm really thinking this year we are gonna get a lot of snow. But anyways driving in the snow is just something you have to get used to. Just drive slower and check the weather. A lot of times it will seem not bad out but there can be a lot of black ice. Also the snow plows are pretty good, but I know in some areas they don't do the best job cleaning up the roads. I would just suggest before leaving start your car like 10 minutes early to let it warm up and ALWAYS keep an ice scrapper in your car!

[demtion35]

No one needs a 4x4 to survive winter driving, but what alot of people lack is how to drive common sense.
Ive lived up here in Northern Minnesota my entire life and have seen over 45 years of winters and the driving conditions.
I used to drive an old Mn. DNR short box 4x4 pickup truck 1971 Dodge and never had a single accident in the snow.
Also had for about three years a 1979 GMC 4x4 truck and had no snow accidents either.
Currently have a 1998 GMC 2x truck for the past six years and have never had a snow related accident yet. I have six 60# sand bags that I put in the box that is 360# of extra traction and a new set of tires only a year and half old.
Theres a big difference driving in the winter and knowing how to drive in the winter.
Partner she drives six year old Chev. Cavaleer front wheel drive with one year old new tires and that car can go through the snow amazing! Front wheel drive is incredible its what Id recommend
Thanks

[TravisW]

If you aren't used to driving on ice, it's not a bad idea to spin around a bit in an empty parking lot. It's fun and quite educational. FWD cars tend to understeer, RWD tend to oversteer, and 4WD can go either way depending on weight distribution. If you drive an automatic, teach yourself to shift into neutral when braking on ice. If you drive a manual, learn to blip the throttle and release the clutch gingerly when downshifting on ice. At highway speeds, always bear in mind that the worst thing you can generally do on an icy road is steer too fast, speed up too fast, brake too fast, or steer too quickly. Also--pay a lot of attention to following distances.

[bloodpurple]

Originally Posted by SBelle

I am moving to MN next year and I am a little worried about driving during the winter months. Can anyone provide some information about driving conditions during snow storms and such.
Thank you

Depends on where you are coming from. If you are coming from the south, or mid-south, where you don't see a lot of snow, you will need to get used to it. However, Minneapolis averages around 50-60 inches per year, depending on which source you look at. It's not a lot compared to areas along the southern shores of Lake Superior, which average as much as 160 inches, or the mountain west, where it can snow as much as 2 or 3 hundred inches a year. It's quite a bit compared to most major cities though. The real problems come when there is snow and wind, and you are driving outside of Minneapolis. Watch out for blizzard warnings and avoid driving in snow storms that include windy conditions, bad combination. Areas in west central, western and southwest Minnesota and along Lake Superior are the worst places. Otherwise, you'll learn, just go with the flow of traffic, take it slow and you'll be fine. Actually, I lived in the mid-south for a time and found the ice storms much tougher to deal with!

[CathieArms]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

First, you want a front wheel drive vehicle. Forget about 4 wheel drive, it just makes driving worse. Be causious, drive slow and eventually you'll get the feel for it. Adding a few sandbags in your trunk also helps.

Totally disagree with the first statement, except to say I wouldn't want a PT 4WD.

We've had several vehicles since moving here 17 years ago from Oklahoma. The best vehicles we've had on the snow/ice were those with FT 4WD and/or AWD. I traded in my last AWD for a FWD and I'll tell you that - except for the overall experience of my car - I'd trade it for an AWD/FT 4WD *ANY DAY!*

Sandbags are helpful, and you really do need to slow down. I will say, though, that MN does an EXCELLENT job of clearing the roads of snow/ice. Driving is usually only a problem while in the midst of a snowstorm.