Hey, it's snow time here in Bologna! Which is a bit strange since it's normal to have winters with no snow at all.
However, 20cm this night and still snowing, temperatures below 0?C and very many things to notice while driving.
First of all, the bad news: Since my car has little ground clearance, I had to rally my way to the road from the garage and I wasn't sure I would have got a the top of the ramp and into the road. It took almost 10 minutes to only put the snowsocks on the car (and they work!). I spun one time this morning while trying to get to work (and I had snow tyres and snowsocks on the front wheels (maybe this is the reason)) and I had to improvise a 100 meters reverse-driving on my own lane to get a spot where to turn around and going the right way again. Funny, but not if you don't expect it. Also, I need to find a way to disable the ABS system as long as there is snow on the tarmac, since the car takes centuries to stop and I am constantly processing distances and speeds of the other car to be sure I'm not crashing into anyone after a 50 meters skid with ABS getting crazy. I think it might be better without it. I already turned off traction control.
Oh, and people with summer tyres proceding at turtle speed in the very center of a normally three lane street blocking everyone else. Please stay in the right part of the street.
Then... good news! I drove yesterday evening and this morning, and I was the fastest thing on the road, apart from buses (I'm not making this up), and I had my share of fun and learning to drive on snow. And yes, I have to thank my wheels: winter tyres should be compulsory. I saw people with summer tyres struggling to go in a straight line while I was steadily proceeding with little to no problem at all.
And the best news of them all: it doesn't matter if you have a Mercedes SUV, if you have summer tyres, your beautiful "I have the best car in the world because it's a big fat 4x4 that can go off-road, you puny mortal" car will be seen dancing in the ice on the first roundabout at foot pace and getting stuck almost against the kerb.
Only drawback, I must work this morning, instead of being around trying to improve my driving skills on some lonely back road.