All-Wheel Drive (AWD) or Front Wheel Drive (FWD) vehicle?

[Nyfinestbxtf]

Originally Posted by mathjak107

Until it’s not ...plus rain performance is still awful in comparison

I can only tell from experience. Never had an AWD vehicle and I commuted from NYC through 380 to Dunmore and Carbondale. I drove a V6 2006 Camry that had no problems in the winter.

[mathjak107]

It is like us trying to describe the color orange to a blind person ...

You really need to compare to have a valid opinion.

We all had no problem living without cell phones and internet either , but I would never want to go back to those early days

[fisheye]

I'm red and green color blind!

Traction is not just about AWD, 4WD, or the tires we have on our vehicles. Yes it all helps, but one still needs experience and most do not get that experience before getting behind the wheel and encountering slippery roads.

I have said this many times, when I was a trucker driving 100,000 miles each year, the first drivers in trouble on slippery roads are usually those that have everything going for them. They were the ones with the AWD, the 4WD and the great tires. They thought they could go anyplace and they ended up going no place. Slush claims more of them than any other driving condition. They are the ones that cannot wait behind a slow vehicle that is driving in the one open lane. They go to pass and find out the slush made their vehicle hydroplane and that they then had absolutely no control over their vehicle. Extra drive wheels and great tires can get one going, but they cannot help one stop if your hydroplaning.

A few tips for new drivers about black ice: If you are driving in a cold rain and see ice forming on your wipers or the corner of your windshield or your outside rearview mirrors, then it might be starting to freeze on the road. Your antenna should go up and you should start to slow down. Another thing to watch is the road spray coming off passing vehicles. Once that road spray stops, you are probably on ice - carefully slow down and increase the distance between your vehicle and the next one when possible. You can also hear the difference when the road spray stops. You could also put on your four-way flashers to alert other drivers of the problem. Virginia has a law that one has to be driving under 45 mph to use your four-ways; but they are the exception. On the other hand, if you are on black ice, you should be doing a lot slower than 45.

[mathjak107]

When comparing we have to rule out the drivers abilities or you can never compare anything ..nothing can make up for poor driving skills ,that is a given

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by mathjak107

When comparing we have to rule out the drivers abilities or you can never compare anything ..nothing can make up for poor driving skills ,that is a given

I just wish that all driver's training had some skid course work included. Even then it would not be a perfect solution because not all vehicles handle the same. But it would be better than not having any experience when our unexperienced get their first taste of a slippery road.

I also feel that I can never warn drivers enough about slush. I have seen so many accidents on slush and the weather channels ignore this problem. It can happen at almost anytime since our highway departments put down salt and that salt and snow can make slush. It takes very little slush to 'float' a vehicle. It just depends on your speed.