I'm no driver-god either but after about 36 years on the road, I like to think I fall into the 'experienced' category.

There's a lot of good advice on here so I won't repeat all of it, but a couple of things I'd mention are:

[*]Generally, make sure your car is fit for winter - electrics, coolant checked, good tyres - bit more pressure perhaps, etc. If there's a lot of snow about, get all the snow off the car (esp. bonnet and roof) and properly clean all the windows, mirrors and lights before you set off. Warm it up before you begin a journey if you can - it will be better if, soon after starting, you need to use the engine for braking or if you end up revving harder than normal for traction in places.

[*]You sound like a sensible person; asking for advice and being aware that you are inexperienced is a very good sign. Your main risk is likely to be not from your own actions but from those plonkers out there who don't think like sensible drivers and fook it up for everyone else. Drive more defensively than usual in bad conditions and give yourself lots of space (wherever you can) from others.

[*]As mentioned, if the opportunity presents itself, get yourself onto a big, empty, snowy car park and throw your car around (start carefully and, as you gain confidence, progress up to 'safely reckless'!). Find out what it feels like when the back end comes round or the front slides away and what you need to do to get it straight again. Brake hard at different speeds - feel what control ABS gives and still practice pumping the brakes on and off rapidly (cadence braking) to see what slows you fastest from different speeds. This will give you confidence to act if/when it happens for real.

[*]It's very easy to 'freeze' with your foot pressing hard on the brake pedal if you find the car sliding forward when you really wish it wasn't! It can feel scary to actually lift off the brake in this situation, but lift you must or stop you won't! If you don't ease off in these situations you will simply be a passenger! Your 'car park' lesson will pay dividends here.

[*]Test the grip regularly during your journey when it is safe to do so. Some snow/slush/ice conditions are better than others and it's never safe to assume anything. Conditions can change drastically from one side of a bend or hill, etc, to the other. Be aware to the possibility of black ice. That stuff nearly cost me a MkII RS2000 in my younger days!

[*]Another point is to be more prepared for glare off the snow, or direct from the low sun in winter conditions. Everything else is even worse if you are temporarily blinded!

Take care anyway.

Lots of good advice here, but there is absolutely no point in cadence braking in an ABS equipped car - there is no way you can cadence brake quicker than the ABS system can.

In the early days of ABS it was switchable but those days are over (the Audi 80 had a ABS switch)

Thank you for all of the helpful tips. May have to keep reading over the points to get them in to stay in my head but will be worth it.

Cheers lads

Tried my winter tyres for the first time today on a properly snowy road. They certainly make a big difference compared to (standard) summer tyres. Don't know why I haven't used them in previous years, but would strongly recommend them.

I'm guessing you all know this.... but you really don't have to use the accelerator to set off in 1st on the Fabia. If your smooth (and you should be so anyway) the anti stall ECU thingy will get you trundelling.

If you're careful enough any car will do that.

Presumably you could pull the ABS controller fuse to disable ABS? I suspect this would generate a fault code though and not pass the MOT with the fuse removed.

I've always been of the school of thought of having your first slide when you want it . Find an empty car park ,with little obstructions, and play . Better to have your first one when you want it - chances are then that you'll be able to recognise the signs that help you prevent any more .And it helps build a bot of confidence .

it was me, and the context was to test the grip available, not to accelerate hard or keep the wheels spinning

ah, don't get me wrong I think it's a very valid bit of advice but in my first car I was told to do just this, the one tiny spin of the wheels lost me all the traction I had and I just slid sideways into a grass verge. But again this was down a country road. So main roads etc probably aren't so much of an issue. Just never loose traction on a surface that is not completly flat!

I found last year in the deeper snow (We ain't got much around here in Northampton yet) things were much easier with the ASR turned OFF. It just kept cutting power all the time, then when you did get moving the bloody ABS wouldn't let you stop! hahaha. Yes the wheels may spin a bit, but you can control the power better and feel any grip and adjust accordingly, rather than the ECU trying to do it for you!!!!

Gotta say, my old MX5 was much more fun in the snow, can't beat low speed oversteer! :-)

... there is absolutely no point in cadence braking in an ABS equipped car - there is no way you can cadence brake quicker than the ABS system can.

On most surfaces that is true, but on loose surfaces and in some snow conditions there can be exceptions and you might stop faster if you let the wheels roll more than the ABS will try to limit. You need to press harder on the pedal when pumping, though, to keep the ABS operating than you would in a non-ABS car.

Yesterday confirmed to me that the VRS is not very good in snow. At least, not on the standard wheels/tyres. Around lunchtime I left Farnham (5-6" of snow) to drive up towards High Wycombe (1-2" compacted snow).

Combination of its weight, power steering, stiff suspension and summer tyres plus the torque fromt he engine makes it very difficult to drive smoothly and know what's happening with the wheels.

Narrower winter tyres would probably make a lot of difference.

J.

Don't drive.

My Reccomendation is Use Winter tyres!

The main difference of a winter tyre is its ability to remain relatively soft in low temperatures and therefore clear itself from snow while summer tyre is becoming hard almost like plastic and if you go through snow all the gaps between threads will be full of snow meaning you are practically going on slicks with no grip at all...Winter tyres have deeper thread than summer tyres, special'' lamelles'' to help itself cleaning faster and a special softer rubber compound, but if you use your winter tyres in summer, they will wear off much faster. I come from Latvia, where using winter tyres during the winter is a legal requirement.

Also the advice about trying to control the car in an empty parking lot will help you learn how the car behaves in snow... Also it helps in relatively low speeds, don't try it on a busy road, but if the front slips, i use handbrake to adjust the cars rear and slightly apply the throttle, not always, but sometimes helps you turn in the right direction and Always try to point the front wheels in the direction you are trying to go, if you oversteer you may end up facing where you came from or off the road...

Also hava seen many people doing one huge mistake-if you get stuck in snow, don't just spin the wheels keeping your foot down, you will just dig yourself deeper in the snow, try to shake the car by trying to go forward and back by shortly releasing the clutch in 1st and reverse, if the car is starting to dig itself out, increase the distance covered and your out, if that does not help, and your wheels just spin without the car moving anywhere, you might need assistance...

there are some winter driving tips on youtube aswell...

My Reccomendation is Use Winter tyres!

The main difference of a winter tyre is its ability to remain relatively soft in low temperatures and therefore clear itself from snow while summer tyre is becoming hard almost like plastic and if you go through snow all the gaps between threads will be full of snow meaning you are practically going on slicks with no grip at all...Winter tyres have deeper thread than summer tyres, special'' lamelles'' to help itself cleaning faster and a special softer rubber compound, but if you use your winter tyres in summer, they will wear off much faster. I come from Latvia, where using winter tyres during the winter is a legal requirement.

Also the advice about trying to control the car in an empty parking lot will help you learn how the car behaves in snow... Also it helps in relatively low speeds, don't try it on a busy road, but if the front slips, i use handbrake to adjust the cars rear and slightly apply the throttle, not always, but sometimes helps you turn in the right direction and Always try to point the front wheels in the direction you are trying to go, if you oversteer you may end up facing where you came from or off the road...

Also hava seen many people doing one huge mistake-if you get stuck in snow, don't just spin the wheels keeping your foot down, you will just dig yourself deeper in the snow, try to shake the car by trying to go forward and back by shortly releasing the clutch in 1st and reverse, if the car is starting to dig itself out, increase the distance covered and your out, if that does not help, and your wheels just spin without the car moving anywhere, you might need assistance...

there are some winter driving tips on youtube aswell...

Good advice if the weather keeps gettin like it did a few days ago year on year then i think it should be a legal requirement for snow tyres or chains to be applied.

see your from Wakey i'm just down the road in Dewsbury.

Did a fantastic walking-pace powerslide turning into our road the other day (unintentionally, I hasten to add!). Can only assume Don Palmer's influence is still with me. Feet off all the pedals (FWD, so nothing to be gained from more power unlike on a RWD car), opposite lock, and carry on your way. Reckon at least a 180 would have been on the cards otherwise...