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#16 CityEPete

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 10:56 AM

I like the people that claim their softroaders are good in the snow, having big plastic arches and a spare wheel bolted onto the boot won't make a 2wd car with massive road tyres have any more capability in snow than a standard Vauxhall Astra!

Edited by CityEPete, 01 March 2018 - 10:57 AM.


#17 robminibcy

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 01:08 PM

I have come to the conclusion that there are 3 types of driver in the snow:

  • Sensible
  • Colin McRae
  • Absolutely Completely and Utterly Terrified

Anyone else agree?  :lol:

Couldn't agree more!

 

This morning I was driving to work at 15 mph behind a Renault Twingo! yes the roads wernt great but I felt that a steady 40-50 was quite safe certainly down the straights. My golf has big 235 tyres and 18" wheels so hardly what would be considered ideal and still had no issues with traction or braking at all.

 

One thing that I do notice though is how the majority of drivers don't seem to extend the gaps between them and other cars. I followed a fiesta a few weeks back when we last had snow and in my head as I was following I said it was far to close. Sure enough 2 miles or so later the traffic came to a stop and the fiesta locked up and ended up hitting the kerb with its rear wheel and ended up sideways across the road.


Edited by robminibcy, 01 March 2018 - 01:08 PM.


#18 Mini Manannán

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 04:54 PM

I pootled past a stranded big '4x4' Beemer and a Range Rover on the way into work yesterday.  The Range Rover pilot was out of his 'tank', he stared bemusedly at me in my 40 year old car.  I smiled and waved at him :-)



#19 Ben_O

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 05:16 PM

We have it on the Isle of Wight now and whilst not horrific, it really shows how many people have no idea how to drive in snow.

 

Some of our elderly customers phoned to cancel appointments due to the snow so we went to collect their cars instead using my van to travel between.

I lost count of the amount of people who approach inclines and start to slow down almost to a halt and then start to spin and loose traction.

 

Even coming home this afternoon, the roads were gridlocked and there was just a constant hue of brake lights and people skidding and sliding around.

 

I couldn't help but get angry when I saw an idiot in a blinged up Civic waiting in the traffic queues for the cars ahead to get a reasonable distance up the road before flooring it and snaking about all over the place.

 

I made my displeasure very clear...



#20 Cooperman

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 05:36 PM

I am fortunate that I not only have a BMW, which is useless in the snow with its 275 width tyres, but a Mk.1 Land-Rover Discovery 300TDi with knobbly All-Terrain tyres. The Discovery is superb in the snow and will go virtually anywhere. That is without the low ratio and diff lock for if I have to pull someone out or tow them. I have a huge towing strap with shackle pins at each end so I am able to help anyone stranded.



#21 Alice Dooper

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 07:04 PM

Love them or loath them but as soon as it snows I’m straight out in my wife’s R56 Dooper!! Turn the traction control off and apart from the low ground clearance it will go anywhere, a wee front wheel slide easily countered with the hand brake. Nice balance to it but have to watch the torque in the front wheels. Biggest problem it has is collecting too much frozen slush around the front wheel arches. Have winter tyres on, though I’d say they slide just as easily on ice and snow.

A good thing to be done is find a good slippy EMPTY area where your not going to annoy anyone or damage anything and learn 5he feel of your car. Won’t turn you into Colin McCrae but help learn how to arrive at B safely if you have to go out.

#22 jamesmpi

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 08:20 PM

I've been driving my wifes Seat Ibiza for the past couple of days and it's truly useless in the snow.
 
It's got 245/45/17s on it, the gearing means that you can't get it to go down a hill with engine braking at a nice speed.
 
She absolutely refuses to drive in the snow, which, to be honest I'm fine with.
 
I nearly got taken out by a bloke in a VW Toureg yesterday, the speed he approached the T junction was just insane, he slid across my whole lane, fortunately I saw him coming.
 
If this is going to be a regular occurrence I'll go back to running winter tyres.
 
A young lad I know stuffed his Merc A class the other day making a completely unnecessary journey. 
 
I don't mind driving in the snow, you just have to plan ahead, slow right down before bends, at the top of hills etc.

 
I'd assume even though the 17's are useless that they actually have a legal amount of tread on them. As words fail me the amount of people who try and drive completely unsuitable vehicles (most bmw and mercs and/or rwd) And/or with completely bald/illegal tyres that might have just barely passed the last mot. And because modern vehicles are all about saving fuel, whenever you lift off the engine drops straight to idle, giving you zero engine braking.
Whats with the BMW bashing? I used to drive a 528i Touring with 16s and Blizzaks in the snow in Aberdeenshire each year and watched plenty of fannies in suitable cars as you would have it go off the road.... you need the right gear and the right idea.
I have changed to winter tyres every year for the last 20odd years and yes most years I dont need them but I also know how to drive according to the conditions. My modern BMW has all the fuel saving devices but I also know how to set it up for the conditions I have....I live at the top of a hill and we currently have about 9 inches of snow but I managed to get home without any drama.
Oh and my current winter tyres are 17s as if that generalisation means anything.
FS
My BMW X1 loves the snow. Would be even better if it had winter tyres instead on the rock hard run flat 18" tyres

Although my old Nissan Primera would easily pee all over it. Skinny front tyres, all the weight over the front. Great fun in the snow

Edited by jamesmpi, 01 March 2018 - 08:22 PM.


#23 minisilverbullet

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 08:28 PM

Absolutely love driving in the snow.

 

Makes up for all the non-fuel efficient miles in my A4 Quattro the rest of the year. A good set of studded tyres and the haldex quattro system and, I can almost drive as normal, even in 10cm of snow. 

 

They hardly clear the snow at all here (Sweden), but winter tyres (either m&s or studded are a legal requirement, I still cant believe such a law hasn't been implemented in the UK



#24 Cooperman

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 08:50 PM

 

They hardly clear the snow at all here (Sweden), but winter tyres (either m&s or studded are a legal requirement, I still cant believe such a law hasn't been implemented in the UK

No need to pass such a law.

We have so little snow and ice here that such an expense is unnecessary. Maybe useful for a few days every few years.



#25 FlyingScot

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 09:15 PM

They hardly clear the snow at all here (Sweden), but winter tyres (either m&s or studded are a legal requirement, I still cant believe such a law hasn't been implemented in the UK

No need to pass such a law.
We have so little snow and ice here that such an expense is unnecessary. Maybe useful for a few days every few years.
The “U.K.” is a big place I see plenty of snow and ice and have paid for winter tyres for years as below 7c they provide extra grip for traction and more importantly grip for braking. I also live on a hill and have a project 21 miles down a single track road. I change just like a lot of Europe and Nordic counties to suit the seasons and find that the cost has saved me insurance excess and actually be able to go somewhere plenty of times.

FS

#26 FlyingScot

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 09:20 PM

I've been driving my wifes Seat Ibiza for the past couple of days and it's truly useless in the snow.
 
It's got 245/45/17s on it, the gearing means that you can't get it to go down a hill with engine braking at a nice speed.
 
She absolutely refuses to drive in the snow, which, to be honest I'm fine with.
 
I nearly got taken out by a bloke in a VW Toureg yesterday, the speed he approached the T junction was just insane, he slid across my whole lane, fortunately I saw him coming.
 
If this is going to be a regular occurrence I'll go back to running winter tyres.
 
A young lad I know stuffed his Merc A class the other day making a completely unnecessary journey. 
 
I don't mind driving in the snow, you just have to plan ahead, slow right down before bends, at the top of hills etc.

 
I'd assume even though the 17's are useless that they actually have a legal amount of tread on them. As words fail me the amount of people who try and drive completely unsuitable vehicles (most bmw and mercs and/or rwd) And/or with completely bald/illegal tyres that might have just barely passed the last mot. And because modern vehicles are all about saving fuel, whenever you lift off the engine drops straight to idle, giving you zero engine braking.
Whats with the BMW bashing? I used to drive a 528i Touring with 16s and Blizzaks in the snow in Aberdeenshire each year and watched plenty of fannies in suitable cars as you would have it go off the road.... you need the right gear and the right idea.
I have changed to winter tyres every year for the last 20odd years and yes most years I dont need them but I also know how to drive according to the conditions. My modern BMW has all the fuel saving devices but I also know how to set it up for the conditions I have....I live at the top of a hill and we currently have about 9 inches of snow but I managed to get home without any drama.
Oh and my current winter tyres are 17s as if that generalisation means anything.
FS
My BMW X1 loves the snow. Would be even better if it had winter tyres instead on the rock hard run flat 18" tyres
Although my old Nissan Primera would easily pee all over it. Skinny front tyres, all the weight over the front. Great fun in the snow

I’ve currently got an X3 and replaced the M sport wheels with 17 inch narrower alloys and winter tyres. to be honest if it doesn’t go where you want to go your shouldn’t be going there. Only a Defender with M&S could do more ( and I used to run these)

FS

#27 CityEPete

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 09:25 PM

The “U.K.” is a big place I see plenty of snow and ice and have paid for winter tyres for years as below 7c they provide extra grip for traction and more importantly grip for braking.
FS


That's just the Summer in Scotland!

#28 Boycie

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 09:36 PM

Like Cooperman, I have an ageing 300TDi Discovery.  It's great in these conditions.  No dramas at all- very sure-footed, regardless of its high centre of gravity.  Slow and steady is my technique, leaving plenty of space.  It feels totally safe on sheet ice or deep snow, although I'm very wary of its vast bulk and wouldn't want to lose grip sliding down a hill!

 

I've witnessed lots of 'crazies' blasting past me on their wide, low profile tyres.  If one of these morons comes up behind me, I simply pull over and let them pass.  I'd much rather they're where I can see them...



#29 petey81

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Posted 01 March 2018 - 11:19 PM

I had trouble a few days ago where i live in the countryside just outside Maidstone.
My neighbour in his fiat panda 4x4 dragged my golf estate up the private road!! Awesome little car.

Edited by petey81, 01 March 2018 - 11:20 PM.


#30 Mito

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Posted 02 March 2018 - 07:13 AM

Last time there was a lot of snow, I had a 206 which got me everywhere. Even went past a couple of Audi 4x4's that were being dragged out by an old land rover. The owners are obviously thrilled when an "inferior" motor sails past unhindered.

It's not too bad in these parts but there's still plenty of numpties unable to control their cars adequately.

Engine braking and light braking before change in direction.
Maintaining stopping distance is critical.
Smooth on the accelerator.
If the drive wheels start spinning dip the clutch and let them grip before very gently releasing the clutch and crawl.

I'm no Colin McRae but the above has never failed me.




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