The snow s coming are you ready?

[Beachcomber4]

Originally Posted by miu

How odd. I drive a little car and USUALLY it's the big SUV's that are flying down the road as if their AWD makes them indestructible in the rain and the snow. And from my own personal observations, the most commonly seen off the road and/or flipped over vehicle is an SUV.

I agree do though that people with AWD vehicles tend to drive like morons.

I think that goes to show you morons don't drive any specific vehicle type. I've observed the same with big SUVs as well. Yesterday just seemed to be the Audi test track on route 6.

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber4

You felt your car losing traction. Proof positive you were going too fast for the conditions.

Even if your vehicle is the best vehicle available for these conditions (I have no idea what all these tests you have put your car through are or why they would be performed) you can't predict what some idiot in front of you will do that will cause your performance vehicle to crash. Careful, defensive driving is a better plan.

I don't want to get into a debate on this, but I definitely agree with you that no one has control over what other drivers do. It's good to constantly scan the road for an "out" in case of an emergency. This includes always knowing where other cars are behind/next to you and also how far away cars are in the oncoming traffic in case you need to swerve into it. I take it to the next level and also put descriptions of every car I pass (make, model, color and 3 digits of the license plate) into my short term memory. I do the same for people (height, hair/eye color, features) when I'm walking. Call me paranoid, but it's just good training. Ok, this has gotten a little off topic now. Back to work

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by Parsec

Please don't lump all the "fast drivers" in 1 category. I know everyone generally thinks they can drive better than average, but I really do know my car's limits. I've had it dyno'd, track-tested and rally-tested. I also take driving courses for fun - both for general handling and for snow and ice driving. If I swerve around a car that turned onto the road in front of me it's because I felt it was safer to pass than to slam on my brakes. Obviously AWD and snow tires don't make you invincible - I actually missed my turn into the train station this morning because I felt my car losing traction as I was about to enter the turn. Instead I kept on going straight and made a U-turn to safely make the turn instead of sliding into the station parking lot which would've been more fun!

Avid AutoXer racer here. Spent years racing my Mustang with the rear end hanging way out.

I usually find some empty parking lot and discover the limits in the snow early in the season. There's a cushion when there's nothing to hit. I'll spend some time learning how the car reacts in sudden braking, or how much response I get when swerving. There really is an art to driving in the snow. For example. If many people go into a turn and get oversteer (pushing towards outside of the turn) they end to react by slamming on the brakes. It's just a natural reaction by most and why most cars are setup to understeer vs oversteer. It's really hard to counter that urge and instead coast or apply power (in case of AWD/4WD) and use the front wheels to pull the nose around the corner. Oversteer as well is another condition most people don't know how to recover from. Rear end gets a little momentum and swings out, most people react by slamming on the brakes and in the slick snow, the rear wheels lock up and you are now in a spin. It's hard for people who aren't used to that to force themselves to stay off the brake pedal and reduce power and steer into the slide, or even applying a little power depending on the condition. You can lose traction, and still be in control.

Not trying to simplify driving in the snow, or tout myself as being a supreme driver and overconfident. I do realize that I am not the only car on the road, and can't predict what others will do. So despite my experience, i do not blast by cars or drive aggressively, but i'm also not afraid to drive in the stuff.

But yes...I saw plenty of people driving a little too fast no matter what they drive. Black Benz passed me on Rt3 this AM doing 50-55ish. Everyone else was doing 30. All it takes is for someone to move over a lane without looking or misjudge his approach speed and cause a chain reaction.

I was in no rush today...i had my coffee and seat heater on

[miu]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Avid AutoXer racer here. Spent years racing my Mustang with the rear end hanging way out.

My boyfriend and I used to go autocrossing in CT. One of the most fun days ever was a snowcross event, in which we drove a BMW 325ix. My boyfriend is at our NH house right now. He has no problems in the winter driving his rear wheel drive BMW E 34 wagon with snow tires. But it does have the winter package, he's got an LSD in his rear diff. He grew up in FL and practiced his car control on empty wet parking lots.

[Valerie C]

Ain't this the truth?? I often wonder what the heck they're thinking when this happens (and it happens all the time). Yes, it's a 4WD, but that doesn't mean I can stop on a slippery road much faster than anyone else. And of course it's MY fault if I can't stop in time and rear end someone like this... Grrrrr!!!!

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

My 30-mile drive in was pretty uneventful other than a few people forgetting it was snowing and deciding they had enough time to pull out in front of me. Rather than wait the extra 10 seconds for me to pass, they just pull out and probably don't even notice me trying to avoid rear ending them while they creep out at 2MPH.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by Valerie C

Ain't this the truth?? I often wonder what the heck they're thinking when this happens (and it happens all the time). Yes, it's a 4WD, but that doesn't mean I can stop on a slippery road much faster than anyone else. And of course it's MY fault if I can't stop in time and rear end someone like this... Grrrrr!!!!

The best ones are the people who pull out in front of you, and then immediately stop with their left blinker on and have to wait for a few cars to pass before they can take the left.

Even without snow....wait 10 seconds and let the car doing 30-35MPH pass before you decide to pull in front of them and come to a complete stop.

[luvmyhoss]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

The best ones are the people who pull out in front of you, and then immediately stop with their left blinker on and have to wait for a few cars to pass before they can take the left.

Even without snow....wait 10 seconds and let the car doing 30-35MPH pass before you decide to pull in front of them and come to a complete stop.

That happened to us. I was sort of gasping and moaning. Bh said You re going to kill us
We also earlier slid with ABS chatter for abou 50 ft at a red light. But we needed to check on the animals.