Driving to the conditions.

[raf_gti]

An often used phrase on here and elsewhere but what exactly does it mean.

I live in a semi-rural area with a cracking selection of A/B roads, some are regularly gritted some not so.

When the weather first took a turn for the worse I was uber-cautious, a combination of a new to me RWD car and cold weather rustiness.

However now I've noticed my speed has gradually crept up, certainly not to a level that could ever be considered 'pressing on' but certainly quicker than a couple of weeks ago.

So, I'm I driving to the conditions? I've felt no slippage from the car at all and I make a point of leaving extra distance between me and the next car. I end up catching (and overtaking) several 25mph cars but equally I've had cars fly past me doing at least 60.

Not really sure what the point of this post is, just writing down my rather dull thoughts that I had when stuck behind Miss Daisy earlier!

[5charlie46]

well the way i take the phrase, "driving to the conditons" is that you are in full control of the vehicle and can cater for 90% of the unforseen circumstances ahead. So its a matter of opinion really lol

[Gwagon111]

It just means driving in a manner, and at a pace that you can maintain control of the vehicle, in the prevailing conditions. It varies from person to person. What you don't want to do is tailgate someone driving more slowly than you want to go. If you think you can go faster, overtake them.

[WeirdNeville]

raf_gti said:

Not really sure what the point of this post is, just writing down my rather dull thoughts that I had when stuck behind Miss Daisy earlier!

If you remain in full control of the car, whilst looking and planning ahead for clues as to what might be down the road, you are probably driving to the conditions.

Miss daisy up ahead, with her worsening eyesight and slowing reactions (but 4 times your driving experience) was probably also driving to the conditions....

It's not the same for everyone. Or rather is't not the same speed for everyone to be safe in any given conditions.

[xr287]

If you fly off the road and end up upside down in a ditch during cornering = not driving to the conditions

If you safely negotiate the corner = driving to the conditions

/simple logic

[raf_gti]

xr287 said:

If you safely negotiate the corner = driving to the conditions

With a dab of oppo?

[WhoseGeneration]

xr287 said:

If you fly off the road and end up upside down in a ditch during cornering = not driving to the conditions

If you safely negotiate the corner = driving to the conditions

/simple logic

Is the answer, although I would add, being able to accommodate the mistakes of others such that you remain safe.
Remember, the one opposing in that corner may not be able.

[durbster]

raf_gti said:

...I make a point of leaving extra distance between me and the next car...

I think this is probably the most important point when driving on busier roads (replaced by making it round corners successfully if you're on your own ). If you can stop without hitting anything, you're driving to the conditions.

I had somebody hanging six feet from my rear bumper last night on a fairly slippery A-road. I tried a few subtle things to get him off me but he kept returning. When the traffic in front of me slowed, I braked - perhaps a little harder than necessary - and he finally got the message and hung back.

Less than a mile later, the dual-carriageway suddenly became a haze of brake lights so I really did have to hit the brakes hard. If he'd still been there, I'm fairly sure he'd have hit me. So I would propose he wasn't driving to the conditions.

[jains15]

durbster said:

If you can stop without hitting anything, you're driving to the conditions.

IMHO one of the few things in motoring with a black and white answer. It's not what you are comfortable with or personally capable of as mentioned above. If you can stop for unforseen circumstances without colliding (except where you are given no reaction time like a deer jumping out a foot from your bumper) and negotiate the road in a recognised safe manner, then you are driving to the conditions.

Recognising what constitutes the 'conditions' is the real skill as each thing changes how the car will behave and often you have a combination.

[Munter]

Apparently (if you believe the majority on PH) it's something people can do when using summer tyres in ice and snow, but not something people can do if using budget tyres in the summer....

[cptsideways]

In these conditions it's the ability to stop & or steer clear of anybody else sliding round every corner or sliding out of T junctions. Which tbh is about 50% of the time.

I grip test multiple times per journey or with every change of surface, so very frequently. Be that some acceleration or dab of the brakes to get an idea of the grip available.


Simple as that really

[Chris71]

I think the key thing is that your speed and attitude changes depending on what you're doing.

A wide, straight gentle uphill section can be taken relatively casually and relatively quickly in the snow. A tight, twisty, steeply downhill section needs more care and less speed.

The biggest problem IMHO isn't people going too fast or too slow per se, it's that their speed and attitude doesn't vary. They tend to get polarised into unsecessarily timid drivers and over confident ones (the latter usually in 4X4s with hopelessly wide performance-orientated road tyres ).