Defensive snow driving schools? (neighborhoods, moving, residential)

[stranger46]

anyone aware of such places? Never saw snow in my life, let alone drive in those conditions..So other than the human nature to be careful, what else?

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Originally Posted by stranger46

anyone aware of such places? Never saw snow in my life, let alone drive in those conditions..So other than the human nature to be careful, what else?

Do what everyone else in this state does when it snows, dealwitit.

Drive slower, more cautiously and give yourself a larger stopping distance from the vehicle in front of you and more time and space to stop for stopsigns and stoplights. Snow sucks but it isn't the end of the world and shouldn't take you more than a few minutes to get the handle for it.

[Voyageur]

Originally Posted by Slig

Do what everyone else in this state does when it snows, dealwitit.

Drive slower, more cautiously and give yourself a larger stopping distance from the vehicle in front of you and more time and space to stop for stopsigns and stoplights. Snow sucks but it isn't the end of the world and shouldn't take you more than a few minutes to get the handle for it.

Yep.

More than anything, it's getting used to the (different) way a vehicle behaves on snow and/or ice. And that takes experience. There's no other substitute.

First time it snows, go drive - not on a highway or freeway or major thoroughfare but on quiet, out of the way residential neighborhoods. Or go find a big empty parking lot. Learn the nuances of stopping and turning with snow.

Then hit the streets and go slow. You'll get the hang of it!

...in a few years...

[Explorer John]

I've found whipping ****ties in parking lots an excellent way to learn how your car handles in snow. Figure out how fast you can turn in different conditions, how your brakes work in the snow, how to steer out of a skid/slide, etc.

[srsmn]

Originally Posted by stranger46

anyone aware of such places? Never saw snow in my life, let alone drive in those conditions..So other than the human nature to be careful, what else?

Besides what others have said, if you are driving an automatic, I would suggest dropping your car into 2nd or 3rd when you are on city streets. You don't usually need to be in D4/Overdrive unless you are planning on going 40+ mph. Traffic will be moving slower than that after it snows, and driving in a lower gear gives you more traction. This is especially helpful if you want to get up a hill, or avoid skidding down a hill, or just pulling out of a parallel parking spot without burning rubber and stalling

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by Voyageur

First time it snows, go drive - not on a highway or freeway or major thoroughfare but on quiet, out of the way residential neighborhoods. Or go find a big empty parking lot. Learn the nuances of stopping and turning with snow.

Absolutely. I used to do this almost every year if I could just for fun, but it's also a very good way to learn (and re-learn every year, to be honest) what your specific car's handling characteristics are like on a snowy surface.

For the most part, though, you want to accelerate slowly, give yourself a LOT of room for braking (three or four times the normal), and if you're on a highway where there are tracks worn through the show, generally keep in the tracks. Don't make any sudden maneuvers, be it starting, stopping, or turning, or you might lose your traction and slide. Traction means control.

Packed snow usually isn't too bad, and in the Twin Cities most roads will be mostly clear and wet from the use of melting agents for much of the winter, so metro area driving isn't as bad as you might think most of the time unless it stays below zero for a long stretch and you get a snow pack.

You want to be careful around bridges, too ... even here in northern Georgia there are signs everywhere saying Bridge May Ice In Winter, and it's true ... the cooler air moving below the bridge surface cools the bridge more quickly than the surrounding roadway, so you'll sometimes encounter ice on a bridge before the rest of the roadway freezes.

[srsmn]

Also, #1 suggestion that I didn't see from skimming others' responses: TAP your brakes. The "squeeze the grapefruit" technique will take longer on ice, and you NEVER under any circumstances want to slam the brakes on ice: it will most likely lead to a spin-out, and if it doesn't, it's still bad for your pads...

[northstar22]

Tap your brakes, and if you can't stop, don't be afraid to use the emergency brake (as long as you are at low speed). If you get into a skid, don't hesitate to go off-road (as long as it is a flat surface with no obstructions).

[Bignellyxx]

Originally Posted by Explorer John

I've found whipping ****ties in parking lots an excellent way to learn how your car handles in snow. Figure out how fast you can turn in different conditions, how your brakes work in the snow, how to steer out of a skid/slide, etc.

Agreed! I have had a few instances where i am conviced that parking lot fun has saved me. However i think $***ies is more of a Minnesota word. Unless donuts implies the lack of snow

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by srsmn

Also, #1 suggestion that I didn't see from skimming others' responses: TAP your brakes. The "squeeze the grapefruit" technique will take longer on ice, and you NEVER under any circumstances want to slam the brakes on ice: it will most likely lead to a spin-out, and if it doesn't, it's still bad for your pads...

Unless you have anti-lock brakes then you DON'T want to tap them. I think some of the driving schools will take you out in the winter to learn to drive in snow.