As it seems most of the people in this country have no idea what this white stuff falling from the sky is, nor how to cope with it on their daily commute, why don't the educated and worthy people of BriSkoda share their knowledge on how best to survive this treacherous climate event....

1. Reduce speed, stay in a higher gear than normal and leave a larger distance to the car in front. This will allow you longer to anticipate the traffic ahead reducing your chance of having an accident. Braking distances can be up to 10x those of dry weather.

2. Where possible, try to move slightly off line to widen the amount of road surface cleared of snow.

3. If your car is struggling for grip, and especially if you cannot get up hills, reduce your tire pressures*. This will increase the tires contact patch with the road surface, and also allow the tire to flex which breaks the snow out of the tread pattern allowing more traction.

* REMEMBER - you will need to reset them to the correct pressure afterwards !

4. Make all control inputs (accelerate, brake, steer) smooth and progressive so as not to upset the balance of the car.

5. Clear all windows fully before setting of, and if necessary stop in a safe place to clear them again.

6. Allow more time to complete your journey, even if that means getting up earlier.

7. Feel smug about the fact that for once you don't look a total pillock for having your foglights on.

Any more ???

practise your rally driving skills...

It's not how you drive it's all the other idiots on the road

People drive too fast and too close :thumbdwn:

If you are driving a diesel car and have trouble getting up a steep driveway or road and it's absolutely necessary that you get up the steep bit, try turning around and reversing so that most of the weight of the car is on the front wheels - this helps grip a lot.

Finally keep all of your movements smooth and controlled. If you do begin to understeer or spin, don't panic - it's very likely you'll make things worse. Just try to keep your cool

slowly...slowly.....slowly....slowly.....slowly

Not too bloody slowly !

stay at home!!!!

Find a big empty space, and have fun

Find a big empty space, and have fun

of course:thumbup:

another tip, use the gear you in to slow down and not the brakes.

Only thing is, when you slow down without using your brakes, you still want to get your brake lights on to show the car behind you are slowing.

Only thing is, when you slow down without using your brakes, you still want to get your brake lights on to show the car behind you are slowing.

Gently pump the brakes as apposed to the normal 3 stage braking. If skidding this helps as well as turning into the skid in order to regain control.

Steep icy descents, assuming you have ABS but no electronic descent control and no mechanically-lockable diffs:

1) Slow (< 1mph if necessary to maintain control).

2) When your wheels lock, do not panic. Come off the brakes, a bit like cadence braking but the objective is to not lock the wheels again.

3) The handbrake alone will not hold you.

4) The edge of the road (field, bank, whatever) may provide more traction than the tarmac but use it carefully; you don't know how deep the snow is or what's underneath.

5) If you encounter an out-of-control driver, think about which way he will go. Don't necessarily tuck into the left if that's where he's likely to skid.

6) Remember you have chains in the boot and put them on .

Edited 2 February, 200917 yr by TKW

my car share this morning skidded into a kerb - despite me telling him to slow down at a round about.

he almost skidded into the round about - but then accelerated out, and hit the exit curb. DOH!

7. Feel smug about the fact that for once you don't look a total pillock for having your foglights on.

Any more ???

But you will as they are FOG lights, the clue is in their name.

If you are driving a diesel car and have trouble getting up a steep driveway or road and it's absolutely necessary that you get up the steep bit, try turning around and reversing so that most of the weight of the car is on the front wheels - this helps grip a lot.

This has nothing to do with it being a diesel car, it is because it is FWD.

Having some experience of snow driving I wouldn't take off on roads like this

without proper M+S tyres unless absolutely necessary (emergency).

With them, however, no problems to manage present UK weather (as depicted on various news websites) if you follow corradoboy's advice (sound).

But I have stayed at home even with studded M+S tyres, e-g. November 1995 when west Sweden looked like this

But you will as they are FOG lights, the clue is in their name.

This has nothing to do with it being a diesel car, it is because it is FWD.

My bad- I was supposed to mention Front Wheel Drive

Also I mentioned diesel specifically because it has the most profound effect as the diesel engine is heavier

Just be smooth on things, if you want to maintain control braking, accelerating, steering. Assume low grip.

Still, as per Shifty's post - where there is a safe area, it is great fun to learn how to skid hehehe

Still, as per Shifty's post - where there is a safe area, it is great fun to learn how to skid hehehe

Just don't rip your drivers side rear wheel of on a hidden kerb like a colleague did a few years ago

Personally, I have never found fresh snow that slippery. Im hoping it snows here tonight. Snow drifts - yeah. RWD FTW.

When pulling out from an icy unsalted road onto a clear road there is a risk of stalling when suddenly gaining traction on the clear road.

I'm off to a big farm in Kent tomorrow. Probably won't do any work. just **** loads of fun on the enormous snow covered concrete yards

ensure that you try hand brake turns only in your companies large empty car park

Go buy an old car with skinny tires.

Personally, I have never found fresh snow that slippery. Im hoping it snows here tonight. Snow drifts - yeah. RWD FTW.

You are right, not many people are aware that fresh snow that hasn't been driven on has almost as much traction as a very wet road, the problem comes after people start driving on it and therefore compacting the snow, this is what is slippery.

Just keep your speed low (but maintain momentum wherever possible) keep your distance then use gentle inputs into all of the controls and you can't go too far wrong.

A nice empty car park is a good place to learn car control, just give yourself LOTS of space, a car can slide a lot further than most people think, then it can be big £££ to repair, even from just hitting a curb.

Go to the Fabia I forum and you will probably find several posts about this on there already.

I dont know what the fuss is about. It will only be here for a day or two, the trunk roads will be clear, have a couple of days off and build snowmen . If this country cant cope with some snow despite knowing it's coming, what chance do we have if anything serious happens.

Bring on the snow I say

In the OP (1) and (3) are total nonsense; smoothness is more important than using a high gear, and a soft radial does not give more traction than the same tyre correctly inflated.

(7) only applies if the snow is still falling; the fact that it snowed last night is no more relevant to the legality and intelligence of using fog lights now it's stopped than the fact that it was misty 2 weeks ago on Firday is.