ajax_andy 0 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 So far today and yesterday I've had to explain to at least 6 people in my office how to drive in the snow... not one of them knew how to engine brake, and one even drove down a huge steep hill in neutral!!! No wonder there's so much chaos on the roads if so many people don't understand basic driving techniques! I know there's already a snow thread but this just wound me up so much I felt it warranted it's own thread... some of these people have been driving for 20 years + FFS!!! Anyone else had to explain how to drive in minimal snow this week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeys Fist 38556 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 .... and one even drove down a huge steep hill in neutral!!! Fuck me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 17610 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Anything I should know other than rev slowly, drive in a high gear, keep your distance, and avoid braking where possible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooner 243 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 haha, i live in the mountains and some people here drive down the hill in neutral as well, tried to convince my co-worker he was doing it wrong and he just tsk-tsk-ed and gave me the "I've been living here all my life, don't try and tell me how to drive in the mountains", whatever floats yer boat i suppose, he drives in to work before me so he'll always be ahead of me and therefore not a danger to me anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajax_andy 0 Posted December 6, 2012 Author Share Posted December 6, 2012 Anything I should know other than rev slowly, drive in a high gear, keep your distance, and avoid braking where possible? Drive in 1st going down hills, start going down the hill at an absolute crawl, never touch the accelerator and use the clutch to slow you down... i.e. keep the clutch down and once you pick up any speed lift your foot up to the bite and that'll slow the car down, tnen put it back down a bit and lift up again once you pick up any speed... if you do need to brake at all then touch it slightly and don't put your foot down to the floor as you'll lock the wheels and slide. Going up hill try setting off in 2nd, if you stall then set off in 1st but the moment your wheels start to spin slam it in 2nd gear, don't take your foot off the gas and don't brake, just put the clutch down and slam it in to 2nd. You should have enough revs not to stall now and 2nd gear will make the wheels turn slower and grip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenL 0 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 My cars 4 wheel drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 5882 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Im not sure coasting in 1st gear down a snow covered hill is the best advice tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajax_andy 0 Posted December 6, 2012 Author Share Posted December 6, 2012 Im not sure coasting in 1st gear down a snow covered hill is the best advice tbh It's not coasting... it's using the clutch / engine to brake. Damn sight better than going down backwards with your foot flat to the floor on the brake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 17610 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 (edited) Tbf I've been driving for 20 years; it's only the past couple driving in snow has been an issue. The advice about driving down hill in 1st is interesting though; I thought you were supposed to drive in the highest gear possible without stalling. Edited December 6, 2012 by Renton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 34166 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Braking with your gears is for wimps. I'm pretty sure it's not that good for your car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooner 243 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 (edited) i have 2000 feet of vertical change in elevation from where i live to where i work, about 10-12 km. never do it in first as it would take too long but i generally put the transmission in 3 to go down the hill, if your revs go too high you f#$k the valves up. in winter i do the same thing but with the 4wd engaged. Edited December 6, 2012 by tooner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Manson 0 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Once saw some twat hare it down a black ice-covered hill outside my house in Nottingham, realise he was going too fast so braked and skidded right into a student's car as they were loading up to go home for Christmas. Pillock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajax_andy 0 Posted December 6, 2012 Author Share Posted December 6, 2012 Tbf I've been driving for 20 years; it's only the past couple driving in snow has been an issue. The advice about driving down hill in 1st is interesting though; I thought you were supposed to drive in the highest gear possible without stalling. Fuck no mate... higher the gear the faster you go... not something you want when going down hill on ice High gears going up will so the wheels turn slower and you get more grip / don't spin them Low gear going down hill so you can use the clutch / engine to slow you down and thus hardly using the breaks (using breaks too much / too hard going down hill will make them lock and you'll slide) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajax_andy 0 Posted December 6, 2012 Author Share Posted December 6, 2012 Braking with your gears is for wimps. I'm pretty sure it's not that good for your car. Neither is locking the wheels by using the brakes and sliding in to a ditch / wall / car / pedestrian / unicycle / snow leopard etc etc Far better to use the engine than the brakes... obviously a little dab of the brakes here and there is called for too but going down hill with your brakes on? not good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 17610 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Fuck no mate... higher the gear the faster you go... not something you want when going down hill on ice High gears going up will so the wheels turn slower and you get more grip / don't spin them Low gear going down hill so you can use the clutch / engine to slow you down and thus hardly using the breaks (using breaks too much / too hard going down hill will make them lock and you'll slide) High gear stops wheel spin on ice or snow. Of course I'll go down the gears to slow down, but if I'm already in first I'm not going to have much leeway. I'm never going to be in neutral though. Main thing I reckon is to reduce speed and keep distance though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajax_andy 0 Posted December 6, 2012 Author Share Posted December 6, 2012 High gear stops wheel spin on ice or snow. Of course I'll go down the gears to slow down, but if I'm already in first I'm not going to have much leeway. I'm never going to be in neutral though. Main thing I reckon is to reduce speed and keep distance though. Aye people not leaving enough distance is a BIG issue like... at the end of the day there's a fair chance you aint going to be able to stop if the person in front does so leave at least 10x the usual space (but more ideally). Far to many people drive up yer arse in the snow and you just know they'll plough in to the back of you if you have to stop Oh and about the gears... if you're already in 1st you should be going so slowly that you don't need anywhere else to go... much better to start going down the hill in 1st gear at 5 mile an hour than 3rd at 20 and try and slow down from their IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawD 31 Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 My cars 4 wheel drive. So is mine but it doesn't make you immune. Doesn't stop you sliding etc. I had to tell a lass at work "break slow and soft" she nearly ended up in middle of the road as approached a junction normally. I do a canny few miles a year (30K maybe) and the sheer lack of common sense and awareness is staggering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally 0 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 As above really, slow and soft breaking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeys Fist 38556 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Get him told Ajax! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveTheBobby 1 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 The 'You've Been Framed cat falling off a table' soundtrack as they tumble down a sheer cliff and sure serious injury there . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex 30239 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Get him told Ajax! Was he driving a Fjord? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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