What I've learned over the years about driving in the snow.
Not to preach, but when I first started to drive I wish someone had taught me these things.

1) Listen to the weather report, if they are calling for six inches ( and you get six inches ) and your car had a ground height of four inches, don't expect to be going anywhere when the snow ends until the roads are plowed.

2) Keep the moisture outside the car, clean the snow off your boots when getting in the car, particularly if you have rubber floor mats. Condensation builds up inside quickly.

3) Cars heading uphill have the right-of-way, harder to get up a hill. If heading down hill be courteous and acknowledge the person trying to get up the hill.

4) Read your owners manual about gear selection on downhill runs. So much to know about downhill slippery conditions I wouldn't begin to preach.

5) Keep a shovel in your car. If your health is an issue someone else can use it.

You're probably enjoying the same snow today that I am!

I'd also add getting a good set of snowtires to that list. I bought a set last year and they make an invaluable difference!!

__________________

Current:
2014 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion 43,000 miles.

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (wife's).

Past:
2006 Jetta TDI 135,970 miles. Sold Nov. '13.
1995 E-320 Special Edition. 220,200 miles. Sold Sept. '07.
1987 190-E 16 valve. 153,000 miles. Sold Feb. '06.
1980 300-D 225,000 miles. Donated to the National Kidney Foundation.
1980 240-D manual, 297,500 miles. Totaled by inattentive driver.

And get a car with traction control (ASR). I never had that before. WOW, really works! I am impressed. I have gone right up icy parkling lots without any complaint. The ASR light blinks and the car just goes right up. Amazing!!
Maybe I just got lucky!

Mike

__________________
1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

If sliding on ice and you don't have ABS....(my dad taught me this last year... You lock the tires, then, with the wheels still locked, turn the steering wheel to where you want to go. once the wheel is pointed where you want the car to go, release the pedal and feel the car turn. This does still work with ABS, but just not as drastically. Naturally, this won't work so well at 50, but if you're going relatively slow, like under 25 or so, it works wonders. Plus, it's fun to do just for the heck of it. Also, you have to get over your natural instinct to just hold the brake down when trying to turn.
Thanks, hope this helps somebody sometime...
David

__________________
_____________________________________________

2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

_____________________________________________

Extra stress on the snow tire requirement. Anyone who buys into the unwritten and highly erroneous conventional wisdom that all-seasons will get them safely all the way through a typical US winter is just delusional. Its just not worth the risk. This applies to front and all-wheel drive as well. I have seen plenty of front drive and all wheel drive cars struggle all over the place, just because of the tires.

With the current state-of-the-art pure winter snows available from all the manufacturers, there is no excuse not to buy a set of 4 and slap 'em on with an extra set of cheap steel wheels or other alloys. HUGE difference. We use unstudded Nokians on both our RWD vehicles.

__________________
1995 MB E320 Wagon
2001 BMW 530i
2007 MINI Cooper S (!)

Um, I don't understand how locking a wheel that is rolling, turning it and then unlocking it will help you turn better. Also, isn't the big benefit of ABS that you can steer because the wheels don't lock?
It may be fun for the heck of it. So is power-induced oversteer on RWD cars, also called fishtailing. I've been told, understand, and practice separation of braking and turning. Braking in a straight line without adding steering input until you've slowed to cornering speed, then ease off brakes and ease in steering input to start the turn.

Braking while cornering may be a natural instinct, 'cause I see a lot of brake lights in a corner, but it's not good form even on dry pavement.

I don't see how your dad's method would help, could you explain better? Thanks.

Best Regards,
Jim

Bah if you know how to dive in the snow all seasons are fine. I have passed many trucks in my fwd Toyota with cheap all season tires. Sure winter tires are probably better, but knowing how to drive in the snow is to. I was driving the SDL in 2-3 of fresh snow last week and the ABS only came on once. A few weeks ago we took my friends E300D out in the snow and a big suv was ridding us. He slide out and almost smacked a sign. Unfortunitly he left before we could turn around and make fun of him. Hmm rwd MB with tired all seasons does fine but 4wd truck slides out of control.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Your statement tells you have never driven in snow with 4 new real snow tires of the correct size (not wider than originals) set-up with spikes at the back (for rear wheel drive car).

on the other hand, on an ice-slick hill, the downhill-bound vehicle has less control - the uphill-bound car will just get stuck, but the downhill-bound car can hit something.

Up-Hill have the right of way?????
Snow, ice, no snow, rain or shine, who's got the right of way does not change.

That is why I inserted the part that the driver should acknowledge the car heading uphill, usually a direction signal or a wave will do.
Really amazing that if you use the right gear you can really control speed on an icy downhill.

True though that ice really does require planning and technique.

I am forever amazed that during ice storms in my area that certain notorious hills are neither closed or covered in gravel to give drivers a fighting chance .

Absurd to think that road conditions shouldn't alter courtesy or who has right of way.

Additionally heavy trucks should be given room on steep hills no matter what the conditions. Harder to get going a twenty-five ton truck going up a hill than a passenger car.

in icy conditions, pedestrians should cross defensively as well. When the light has turned red for the cars and "WALK" for the pedestrians, I make sure that the cars can brake in time for me. I pay particular attention to the left-turning lane, which sometimes does not get well travelled and salted, over which black ice can usually form.

many people cross blindly, thinking that the drivers always have control of their vehicles. They have the right of way, they say, but this means nothing to 4 tires scrambling for traction ...

Definitely NOT like this:

http://www.cbsnews.com/media/2005/01/13/video666774.wmv

what moron is gonna jump out of a car, ONTO ICE, to avoid hitting another car....AT 4 MPH!!!! they just bail right out, thats hi-frikkin-larious to me

__________________
1985 300SD 192,000miles...Astral silver/ Grey MbTex

1983 300D 194,000miles...White/Tan MbTex...my newest addiction