First time driving during snow season

WannabeSS said:
How the heck is that bad advice? Its stuff thats on ALL THE TIME. Im meaning its going to kick on and off A LOT. My dads G35 has this same system. It works. Sure you still have to have good driving skills, but these systems arent just "turn it on AS SOON AS YOUR SLIDING INTO A POLE"

Wtf kinda advice is that?

Just drive normal and if you start to slide, let off the gas and let the TC sort the car out for you.

I dont know if you have driven a Nissan with VDC, but its intrusive as i'll get out but it works VERY WELL.
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You misunderstand. I'm saying learn to drive in such a way that those systems are not kicking in. When they do kick in you are driving on the edge of what the vehicle can handle and beyond the capabilities of the tires. If you always have those systems kicking in you are too close to out of control. I'm saying you should back off so you have more of the performance envelope in the event of a real emergency.

I'm still saying you should learn how those systems affect the vehicle when they do kick in, but you should be experimenting with them in a car park somewhere and not pushing the envelope on public roads in poor conditions.

If your TC is constantly kicking in, then you are a shitty driver. Period. Even with ABS and Traction Control, if you go into a bad situation with too much speed you will crash. These systems are useful, but they breed overconfidence like yours and are the reason I see more AWD cars with TC and ABS off the side of the road than any other.
 
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Blind_Io said:
So far there's lots of good advice in here, some of which I may repeat because I have not read every post. I learned to drive in the Utah mountains and have owned/driven regularly every drive configuration available (Rear drive manual transmission, rear drive automatic with a turbo, front drive economy car, front drive luxury sedan, 4WD SUV). These are some of the things I have learned:

If it's snowing or there is any snow/slush/water on the road don't use the cruise control.

There are no hard rules for snow driving, it depends on the type of vehicle you are operating, the tires, the road conditions, the temperature, and dozens of other factors. I found there to be a slight advantage to a manual transmission in snow, you can choose to start in second gear which reduces the chance of spinning your tires, however many higher-end cars have a "winter mode" that does the same thing. ABS brakes are your friend.

The best advice I can give you is to use your judgment. Be conservative, this is no time to try to make up for lost time; in a serious storm your goal is to get from point A to point B safely. Time should never enter into the equation. Just slow down, give plenty of room between cars, brake lightly and early to prevent locking up.

Plan ahead. You need to start thinking strategically about your route, other cars on the road, and the terrain under the snow. For example, if your typical route home takes you up and over a steep hill, it might be safer to take a detour so you can stay on flatter terrain. Know the plow routes in your area and what streets are plowed and salted first. Keep an eye out for other cars, especially cross traffic at intersections that might slide through their stop.

Oh, if you have a 4WD or AWD, don't make the mistake of thinking you are invincible. Those drive systems will help you start moving and change the way the car goes around a corner on slick roads, but they don't help you stop. Most cars I see spun off in a snowbank are 4WD or AWD because the driver got overconfident.

Take your car to an empty carpark before it is cleared and practice starting, stopping, turning and skid recovery. Get to know how your car and tires perform and you will be better prepared on the road. Also, put together a kit to keep in your vehicle. It should include a folding snow shovel, bag of salt or sand for traction, ice scraper, blanket, recovery strap and a flashlight. You should never go out in bad weather without taking clothing made for the conditions. You never know when you might get stranded and have to abandon your car or be outside digging yourself out of a snowbank.
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Great advice from Blind. Follow it, and the rest of the good advice here, and you shouldn't have many problems.
 
WannabeSS said:
How the heck is that bad advice? Its stuff thats on ALL THE TIME. Im meaning its going to kick on and off A LOT. My dads G35 has this same system. It works. Sure you still have to have good driving skills, but these systems arent just "turn it on AS SOON AS YOUR SLIDING INTO A POLE"

Wtf kinda advice is that?

Just drive normal and if you start to slide, let off the gas and let the TC sort the car out for you.

I dont know if you have driven a Nissan with VDC, but its intrusive as i'll get out but it works VERY WELL.
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That has to be the worst advice I've ever heard. What happens if these systems fail? What happens if you need to drive a car without these features? It's no way to learn how to drive. They should only come into the equation when you need them, not all the time.

And basically the rest of what Blind said.
 
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WannabeSS said:
How the heck is that bad advice? Its stuff thats on ALL THE TIME.
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Well shit, I was going to rip you for that, but a couple guys beat me to it :p.
That has to be the worst advice I've ever heard.

And basically the rest of what Blind said.
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Ditto. Relying on electric nanny devices to keep you on the road is a bad habit to get into. My mom's owned a few GM W-body cars with overactive traction control that she tests constantly in the snow. She was so used to cars taking over for her that she nearly killed herself (and nearly totaled my '84 Monte Carlo) in the snow last winter. The one thing that's possibly better than winter tires would be a winter beater. Something old and cheap, without traction control or ABS, and preferably rear wheel drive, will help you learn real fast how to handle yourself in the snow. And those skills will carry over into situations you may encounter year round.
 
I agree totally with Blind Io. Of course you should appreciate these electronic systems in your car, but to have them kick in every time you drive means you're foot is a little too heavy. Besides, I don't believe I have the electronic VDC equipped on this Murano.
 
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tigger said:
Something old and cheap, without traction control or ABS, and preferably rear wheel drive, will help you learn real fast how to handle yourself in the snow. And those skills will carry over into situations you may encounter year round.
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The first time I drove in snow was in an 84 Trans Am without proper tires on them. (I didn't have a clue back then).
I managed to get through the winter without incident, and I even got through an unploughed road with 1.5 inches of snow on it. (Although my speedometer was indicating 80mph, when I was only going 20mph at times :) )

One more tip I forgot about:
Shut off your radio: If you're on a cleared road, normally you should hear the "hiss" that your tires make because they're driving through the slush.
If the "hiss" stops, it's likely that you're now on ice.
 
^ I forgot to mention that. I usually open each window about a quarter of an inch or so no matter how cold it is. This helps me hear what each tire is doing before I can feel it; it's a trick I learned from my dad and it helps.
 
Use your head. Nothing will happen.

(That means don't be fucking stupid like about one-third of people who think driving in snow has to include crashing into all sorts of stuff and blocking the road. Especially people in cars with 4-wheel drive who don't realize that 4wd doesnt give you better brakes.)
 
WannabeSS said:
BTW, in ur murano you have the atezza AWD system (i believe) with VDC.

The VDC will save your butt numorous times, so get used to it lol
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:lmao: A 16 year old giving driving advice!!!! Oh thats classic!

un-dee said:
Use your head. Nothing will happen.
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Agreed. The biggest problem with driving in snow is not doing this. Everyone gets overconfident and thinks "Oh I've done this before, I've been living in snow all my life!"
 
It's completely icy in Albany, NY. I went to a parking lot to test the car (ie. a little sliding around). So much fun.
 
The question is were you just cocking about or did you actually learn something about skid recovery in your car?
 
Blind_Io said:
^ I forgot to mention that. I usually open each window about a quarter of an inch or so no matter how cold it is. This helps me hear what each tire is doing before I can feel it; it's a trick I learned from my dad and it helps.
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Me too. Not to mention it gets so damn hot with the defrosters on.

And as for AWD, it may help you out a bit. But it is still a heavy SUV that handles like a pig, balance is more important then ground clearance unless your driving off-road. And although AWD gives the driver sort of a handicap, past the limit it is harder to recover an AWD car, you will spin and there will be nothing you can do. Honestly an SUV is worse in most conditions than any car. The exemption being heavy snow on the roads, but then if you have any sort of all-seasons on your car your just as fucked as all the other cars on the road. Hell most the SUV drivers I know can't even engage 4WD without the manual. Or they accidentally drive home in 4 low :p
 
The ground clearance does come in handy in the snow sometimes. We get enough here that even the Land Cruiser pushes up a berm with the bumper at times. The Cruiser's 3 ton curb weight helps with traction too.
 
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Blind_Io said:
The question is were you just cocking about or did you actually learn something about skid recovery in your car?
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I took in some of the advice people have mentioned here in this topic and did quite a few experiments. That thing you mentioned about leaving the window a little open was very helpful. I realize that ABS don't really work well on ice and it's better if you focus more on controlling the swerve of your car than stopping to avoid hitting an object.

I think I might find a bigger, emptier parking lot next time and put some cones out and do a slalom. Seems like a better way to learn how to control your car.
 
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Sounds like you got some good experience. I found the same thing with ABS in the snow and ice. The saying that I learned back when ABS was new and no one knew how to use it, was "Stomp and Swerve." I don't really agree with it because it encourages overly aggressive braking and it is possible to overcome the ABS with sheer leg-power and lock up anyway.

Keep practicing controlling the skid until it is second nature. In those situations you don't have time to think, your reaction must be instantaneous to maximize the use of your limited braking distance.

I'm glad we were able to help out, let us know what else you find out about your car, each one is a little different.
 
Lambos r4ever said:
Thanks for the replies. Lots of good advice, I'll hold off buying winter tires for now (have all season tires). What usually happens when you hit an ice patch and how do you control it?
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Whatever you do, dont stamp on the brakes, throttle goes a longer way to get you out of trouble rather then laying on the brake and sliding around helplessly.
 
I absolutely love driving in the snow, at least in this area. Everyone pays attention to the road in front of them, they are aware of where the other cars on the road are, they signal, the brake accordingly, and the just drive the way they are supposed to drive all the time. My father insisted that I drive with my permit and get my license during the snow season just so I knew what I was doing. I accredit my never getting stuck or never being in an accident to his teaching.

That being said, it's also tremendous fun to cock about in an open space after a nice snow fall.
 
No Boss said:
I absolutely love driving in the snow, at least in this area. Everyone pays attention to the road in front of them, they are aware of where the other cars on the road are, they signal, the brake accordingly, and the just drive the way they are supposed to drive all the time. My father insisted that I drive with my permit and get my license during the snow season just so I knew what I was doing. I accredit my never getting stuck or never being in an accident to his teaching.

That being said, it's also tremendous fun to cock about in an open space after a nice snow fall.
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Are you talking about State College or somewhere else? Because in my college, I get tailgated if I drive at the speed limit.
 
Pretty much everywhere I have driven people get stupid with any kind of change in weather. If it gets snowy, rainy, foggy or even sunny when it hasn't been everyone looses their minds.

Fortunately in the show the dipshits tend to slide off or spin out in the first hour or so of a storm.
 
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