Common sense tips for driving in the snow
The recent heavy snowfall seems to have brought onto the roads a crop of drivers who, at best, do not appear to have the capacity to look any further ahead than the end of their bonnet.
At worst, they would appear to be fully paid up members of the muppet club, determined to practise advanced muppetry on the wintry roads.
The following 10 tips are based on incidents I have seen over the last couple of days:
1. If your car is rear wheel drive, it’s unlikely to work very well in the snow. Best to leave it at home.
2. If your car does have modern technology and driving modes such as ‘snow mode’, make sure you know how to switch it on.
3. If your bonnet and headlights are covered in six inches of snow, other road users won’t be able to see your headlights or indicators. Best to clear it off before starting your journey.
4. On slippery surfaces, stopping distances may double or even treble. Best not to drive on the rear bumper of the car in front.
5. With stopping distances in mind, it is best not to pull out of a side road across an oncoming car just a few feet away.
6. If you are driving down a steep hill and somebody else is driving up, give way to the person driving uphill. Physics dictates that it will be easier for you to get going again downhill, than it will for them uphill.
7. Using a hand held mobile phone while driving is illegal. This remains the case in the snow.
8. Deliberately sliding your 3 series Beemer around an island sideways isn’t an indication to the world that you possess driving skills like Lewis Hamilton. Inducing oversteer (where the tail steps out) in a rear wheel drive car on ice isn’t that difficult, so it isn’t impressive. It isn’t big. It isn’t clever. It is dangerous.
9. If a steep hill has one clear track, it’s best not to use the clear track for parking because that means others driving up the hill are more likely to get stuck in snow when driving around you.
10. If you see somebody stuck, why not help them? It’s better than just driving around them.
Following these common-sense tips should make winter driving safer for all of us.
Simples.
Darren Cox
Dudley
