Why can nobody drive in the snow
Discussion
Shakermaker said:
I rather put it down to the fact that we don't get regular enough snow here in the UK for people to get used to driving in it properly.
One or two days a year at most, and in fact, several years where it doesn't snow at all in vast parts of the country, so people can easily go many years without having to do it at all.
What he said.One or two days a year at most, and in fact, several years where it doesn't snow at all in vast parts of the country, so people can easily go many years without having to do it at all.
Where I live we had 2 days of snow last winter but before that it was probably 2010 that the last snow was seen (and not much even then). People just have no experience and couple that with zero interest in driving and no practical understanding of physics and the results are laughable/scary depending on where you are stood.
I am a massive child so whenever it snows I go for a drive late at night to drift round some corners at 5mph, it's great fun but most of the populace doesn't do this (thankfully).
Shakermaker said:
Well no, that won't be the case either. Not everyone has to go on a speed awareness course (some of us were well aware how fast we were going when we got caught...) but will have all spent money learning to drive.
As poor as the driving test might be seen as by some, its a damn sight better than most places in the world as far as I can see.
Having seen today some total fAs poor as the driving test might be seen as by some, its a damn sight better than most places in the world as far as I can see.
kwittery with a light dusting I’d say the driving test has some other things to cover 
do people just expect their cars to cope? After all, they turn on the wipers and headlamps, cruise along without letting you get too close to the car in front, and of course parallel park for you.
It probably comes as a total surprise when folks find out their car cannot 'snow drive' on its own. And god forbid if any of these clowns ever had the thought to go a bit slower according to conditions and skill levels.
It probably comes as a total surprise when folks find out their car cannot 'snow drive' on its own. And god forbid if any of these clowns ever had the thought to go a bit slower according to conditions and skill levels.
Catatafish said:
Shakermaker said:
I rather put it down to the fact that we don't get regular enough snow here in the UK for people to get used to driving in it properly.
One or two days a year at most, and in fact, several years where it doesn't snow at all in vast parts of the country, so people can easily go many years without having to do it at all.
It takes some finesse too which is why there will always be some who drive beyond their skill.One or two days a year at most, and in fact, several years where it doesn't snow at all in vast parts of the country, so people can easily go many years without having to do it at all.
k all, seriously, fk all. That was just normal week in week out at one time. Then we have full revs wheels spinning in 1st gear. No idea.Apart from the very first year when I was 17yo and had to learn how the car reacted, I cant say that I have ever had a problem.
In fact, friends and I will often meet up, just for a drive out in the snow - because we CAN control our cars.
The only thing I will deliberately avoid is a downwards polished iced steep hill with a left hand bend and camber that continues downhill.
In fact, friends and I will often meet up, just for a drive out in the snow - because we CAN control our cars.
The only thing I will deliberately avoid is a downwards polished iced steep hill with a left hand bend and camber that continues downhill.
Years and years ago, I lived in the Lake District. We got a fair bit of snow up there. I picked a new (to me) Peugeot 309 up from Telford, and we got a couple of inches of snow. I couldn't believe the incompetence, but then the people where I lived were used to it, and that lot weren't.
Schmed said:
Why can nobody drive in the snow ? Because in the UK they're all running on summer tyres...
.
It’s exactly this. In fact most are on some low profile sport oriented tyre, many of these are near undrivable on the merest sprinkle of the white stuff. .
There has been a huge step forward with all weather tyres in the last few years (Michelin Cross Climate and the like) so maybe this type of tyre will be used more widely in the next few years as they make a huge difference. We put some Pirelli all seasons on my wife’s car last winter and it was superb all through the ‘beast from the east’ fiasco.
Edited by Green1man on Tuesday 22 January 17:34
If it’s any surprise, it’s been just as bad today in NL. What would normally be a 15minute drive back from work took over an hour.
Two things make it worse here.
It’s also the first time in years I have been forced to drive in snow without winter tyres (thanks Enterprise - every car since October has had them, and the one day it snows, I don’t), it really brought home the difference they make.
Two things make it worse here.
- give way to cyclists means that when trying to turn off a road over a cyclepath means giving way, and then losing any momentum, so having to start from a stop on summer tyres is hard, worse when straddling the steep curb.
- everyone blocks junctions. This is never normally an issue, but the usual rules don’t seem to apply when it’s snowing...
It’s also the first time in years I have been forced to drive in snow without winter tyres (thanks Enterprise - every car since October has had them, and the one day it snows, I don’t), it really brought home the difference they make.
Every year I practice driving in the snow (on winter tyres). In an empty car park I'll accelerate hard several times to gauge the level of grip, I'll corner to assess when the car will slide and I'll slam on the brakes to see when it slides/ABS cuts in. That's it. A simple 5 minute session to remind me where the limits are. It's not boy racer handbrake turns - just low level practice.
Snowing like mad in North London, but too wet to settle at the moment... they say it will warm up (if you can call 8 warm) on Friday before the real cold is back at the weekend. The weather is not severe enough for people to buy winter tyres and change them over in autumn, unlike Germany where they can more or less guarantee snow each winter in certain areas.
Interestingly enough a recent Speed Awareness Course I did dealt with hazard perception and snow, but there's few opportunities for it to be taught in a practical driving test
Interestingly enough a recent Speed Awareness Course I did dealt with hazard perception and snow, but there's few opportunities for it to be taught in a practical driving test
Shakermaker said:
I rather put it down to the fact that we don't get regular enough snow here in the UK for people to get used to driving in it properly.
One or two days a year at most, and in fact, several years where it doesn't snow at all in vast parts of the country, so people can easily go many years without having to do it at all.
I'd agree with this. If we all had more practice at driving in the snow, we'd all be a bit better at it. Well, at least most of us.One or two days a year at most, and in fact, several years where it doesn't snow at all in vast parts of the country, so people can easily go many years without having to do it at all.
its because even the 4x4s have shyte tyres as standard. In the 70s everything was on generic skinny 13 inch basic one tread for all and we a;; got about fine Now, a 1.2 corsa has 18 inch semi slicks as stock and behaves like a flat snowboard! Plus, people think theor "tech" will save them, but ABS and ASR does fk all really if the tyres just wont grip!
k all really if the tyres just wont grip! its because even the 4x4s have shyte tyres as standard. In the 70s everything was on generic skinny 13 inch basic one tread for all and we a;; got about fine Now, a 1.2 corsa has 18 inch semi slicks as stock and behaves like a flat snowboard! Plus, people think theor "tech" will save them, but ABS and ASR does fk all really if the tyres just wont grip!
k all really if the tyres just wont grip! This has done my head in today. 45 mind trip took 70 mins (both ways!) And all because, if you got on your hands and knees, you might be able to see a few snow flakes in the grassy verges.
It's not so much that people can't drive in the snow. It's more that as soon as a little bit of white is seen all bets are off and we're crawling down a country road at 20mph. A road that ordinarily, the same person would be doing 50 or more, in the rain! Which is basically exactly the same conditions...just no specks of white in the hedges.
It's not so much that people can't drive in the snow. It's more that as soon as a little bit of white is seen all bets are off and we're crawling down a country road at 20mph. A road that ordinarily, the same person would be doing 50 or more, in the rain! Which is basically exactly the same conditions...just no specks of white in the hedges.
I took my M140i to the supermarket car park just down the road during last years snow to "have a play". Thoroughly enjoyable 20 mins or so sliding around and doing donuts at walking pace, barely touching the throttle.
To the huge amusement of my wife, I'd forgotten the gentle slope (hill is too strong a word) of the road leading back to the house. I couldn't get the car home again. Putting it in Drive just saw the rear wheels rotating at idle. After several attempts, the car went back into the car park where it remained for the next two days.
245 section Pilot SuperSports, an auto box and RWD are not a good combo for snow
To the huge amusement of my wife, I'd forgotten the gentle slope (hill is too strong a word) of the road leading back to the house. I couldn't get the car home again. Putting it in Drive just saw the rear wheels rotating at idle. After several attempts, the car went back into the car park where it remained for the next two days.
245 section Pilot SuperSports, an auto box and RWD are not a good combo for snow
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