My winter tyres failed me today. Did I do anything wrong?

[Chapppers]

So... After hooning around in the snow for the past week like it wasn't even there (ish), I managed to get completely stuck today just off my own drive!!! In the end my dad gave me a push and I was away.

I took a photo (after sulking for about 3 hours)



So PH, what went wrong?

1) Nothing, it's sheet ice you plank, winter tyres don't bend the laws of physics.
2) You bought second hand winter tyres from eBay, brand new ones would have done the job.
3) something else - please expand on this.
4) an invisible reindeer was wedged in the grille (you can't see them after Christmas)

I tried a few different techniques but probably gave up quicker than I would have if dad wasn't 5 metres away, but having watched YouTube videos of BMWs driving round ice rinks I was definitely surprised at what happened.

Edited by Chapppers on Monday 27th December 00:26

[Chapppers]

Edit: wrong photo!

[4lf4-155]

I'm seeing the back end of a Speed Triple on sticky summer tyres?

ETA I am thinking 1

Edited by 4lf4-155 on Monday 27th December 00:28

[philoldsmobile]

looks pretty deeply rutted in places. winter tyres or not, get stuck in a deep hole or rut and you wont get out easily.

[Phil Dicky]

I'm guessing one.

[Rollcage]

Cant accurately tell what the gradient is , but it does look a little icy!

Do you know how old the tyres are, as the softer winter compounds can apparently harden after a number of years?

[Chapppers]

I think tomorrow will probably involve some pretty hard work and a spade, it's not going to get warm enough to clear it Amy time soon and it'll only get worse if we get more snow.

[N Dentressangle]

Combination of 1 and 4.

Winter tyres won't make much difference on sheet ice - you need studs / spikes for that - and reindeer are renowned for causing loss of traction.

HTH

[Chapppers]

Rollcage said:

Cant accurately tell what the gradient is , but it does look a little icy!

Do you know how old the tyres are, as the softer winter compounds can apparently harden after a number of years?

That's another thought, they could be a good few years old by now. Ah well.

[Kentish]

I find my Avon Ice Tourings excellent on snow, packed snow and ice but the car does slither on icy slush.

It doesn't get stuck though and the braking is much the same regardless of the surface.

Icy slush appears to be the worst surface for grip though.

[Fartgalen]

1) - ice like that needs studded winter tyres.

[ShadownINja]

Fartgalen said:

1) - ice like that needs studded winter tyres.

Yes. You wouldn't expect to be able to walk over it on well-grooved hiking boots... you'd put crampons on...

[Chapppers]

I'm tempted to get the ice skates on but I think a friend should be standing by with a video camera and bandages.

Edited by Chapppers on Monday 27th December 01:27

[Mastodon2]

1. 1 surely. Winter tyres are not infallible, and the "I've got winter tyres, I'll be fine, once more into the breach I go!" attitude by some of their users is frankly ridiculous. Not that I'm suggesting that you are one of these however - if your car is on a gradient, on polished sheet ice at just the right temperature (wet ice crushes into the tyre ruts and gives traction, very cold, dry ice with a light dusting of snow can give more traction than you might think etc) and winter tyres or not, you probably didn't stand a chance.

Sometimes you just have to admit defeat. If you'd had a run up you'd have probably got up there no problem, but sometimes things just work against you!

FWIW, My old Fiesta eats iced inclines like that for breakfast

[sparks_E39]

You possibly made the same mistake 4x4 owners make when they think their cars are invincible, but end up in a hedge. Winter tyres may help, but they don't save you from everything.

[scotty_d]

Looks like sheet ice to me and no tyre will make any odds on that unless it has studs. We got hit with very bad ice xmas day took me 1 hours to do the 3 mile drive to my folks house due to sheet ice , It started raining the night before then froze and the gritters had not been over it. the worst road i have ever driven on by far so dont worry you cant do much about sheet ice.

[Chapppers]

I think their performance over the past week has instilled a false sense of security for really tricky stuff. That combined with a really horrible rutted, polished and slightly inclined driveway (moreso on the part I was stuck, half in the neighbours' drive) meant I just tried to turn round as usual and got caught off guard. I'm certainly going to be a bit more cautious for black ice and the like out on the roads now!!!

[Efbe]

wrong gear. wrong approach. wrong decision to cross an ice-field

[mybrainhurts]

Change your name to Plank...you know it makes sense...

[scotty_d]

Chapppers said:

. I'm certainly going to be a bit more cautious for black ice and the like out on the roads now!!!

Just ICE no need for the black part as it is just clear ice ( I hate that phrase ) used by certain motoring organisations to blame bad driving on as they cannot say paying customers are crap drivers. It just Ice look around easy to see if the fields are white ,clear night sky Says it Minus on the dash you can be damn sure there will be ice on the Tarmac too. I have never seen water freeze black yet i am missing something ??