How to be an idiot. [Archive] - SV650.org - SV650 & Gladius 650 Forum

tigersaw

19-12-10, 04:58 PM

if you read the comments peeps the bloke filming it is in a wheel chair so probably board out his nut and decided to film 'silly woman' for the entertainment of 'you tubers'.

So his partner was too? He could have asked her to go outside. he could have opened the window to shout a warning, instead he filmed and sniggered.

21QUEST

19-12-10, 05:07 PM

if you read the comments peeps the bloke filming it is in a wheel chair so probably board out his nut and decided to film 'silly woman' for the entertainment of 'you tubers'.

Then he should bloody know better :D .

I'm sure, he'd love it if he fell off his wheel chair and every passerby just pointed at him going "Ooh mister, let's see you get up...bet you can't ...hahahaha" ;)

Went on a 14 mile walk with the dog yesterday whilst the snow was coming down and even the dog understood, we had to sometimes stop and help with some of the stuck cars :p lol

454697819

19-12-10, 05:15 PM

if you read the bmw manual it states to drive in snow turn the traction control off... I **** you not it works.....

Dave20046

19-12-10, 05:19 PM

Bluefish

19-12-10, 05:28 PM

agree, serves them right for not helping out. Good find there dave, well funny.

Lozzo

19-12-10, 05:31 PM

if you read the bmw manual it states to drive in snow turn the traction control off... I **** you not it works.....

I turned the traction control off on my BMW yesterday, made it easier to get moving. Today I used the Fiesta diesel van, which had no problems at all where the BMW struggled and absolutely failed to get any grip.

Just moving the BMW from its abandoned position to onto the driveway took about 15 minutes of wheelspin and sideways motion, whereas I drove the van straight off the drive and parked it right where I couldn't park the BMW last night. FWD is what's needed, or 4WD if you're flash

454697819

19-12-10, 05:47 PM

I turned the traction control off on my BMW yesterday, made it easier to get moving. Today I used the Fiesta diesel van, which had no problems at all where the BMW struggled and absolutely failed to get any grip.

Just moving the BMW from its abandoned position to onto the driveway took about 15 minutes of wheelspin and sideways motion, whereas I drove the van straight off the drive and parked it right where I couldn't park the BMW last night. FWD is what's needed, or 4WD if you're flash

granted no shadow of a doubt fwd would be better its just that sometimes it is possible to drive a bmw its just tact you need to do it..

Nostrils

19-12-10, 06:05 PM

My BMW was squirming on the motorway on Friday night, could get over 30mph without the rear wanting to meet me at the front. I travelled about 2 or 3 miles from junction 8 before I got proper traction, no problem for the rest of the journey - Definitely not getting to work tomorrow looking at all the RWD cars struggling up the street.

As for the video of the guy "in the wheelchair" at his window, he could have warned the woman, who was clearly frustrated and perhaps told the woman of the house to either help or tell the woman to stop. This is the time that community spirit should surface, but if the country is like the people down my street, there isnt any! I cleared paths, drives and the road immediately outside completely and used sparingly the grit I had from before and all I got was smart comments and odd looks.

Sid Squid

19-12-10, 06:14 PM

FWD is what's needed
Only if the engine is at the front - my van is great in the snow.

fizzwheel

19-12-10, 06:25 PM

FWD is what's needed, or 4WD if you're flash

FWD is only any good if your car isnt fitted with mahoosive wide fat sports rubber.

and you dont have to be flash with 4WD either, remember what you sold us :cool:

grimey121uk

19-12-10, 06:32 PM

4 wheel drive only improves a vehicles ability to set off / accelerate in conditions such as snow and ice , many 4x4 drivers forget that all cars have 4 wheel braking and 2 wheel steering, the down side with a big 4x4 is that they can weigh over 2 tonnes so they actually stop/corner worse than a normal FWD in the snow.
And i bet that only a few 4x4s have the correct tyres on, most these days come with wide, low profile sports rubber

Lozzo

19-12-10, 07:28 PM

Only if the engine is at the front - my van is great in the snow.

Mine's a 60 plate new style Fiesta 1.4 TDCi van - engine up front and front wheel drive. It's pretty good in the snow actually, but the fact that so many other drivers can't keep up a reasonable pace in the conditions slows it down no end.

Lozzo

19-12-10, 07:30 PM

FWD is only any good if your car isnt fitted with mahoosive wide fat sports rubber.

and you dont have to be flash with 4WD either, remember what you sold us :cool:

Granted on both counts, but my Fiesta van has normal fairly skinny rubber fitted. I missed the Maverick this weekend, would have been very useful and if I still owned it I would probably have been using it for work tomorrow instead of my company van.

fizzwheel

19-12-10, 07:37 PM

The Focus we had was fine last year, was getting in and out, but the Audi is completely un driveable, I dont think it being an automatic helps either.

The Maverick has been a godsend, its got mud tyres on the rear axle as well, so we've been having no trouble getting in and out of anywhere.

-Ralph-

19-12-10, 08:44 PM

Vectra's a 215/50 R17 and it's been pretty good to be fair.

Was pushing a colleagues new shape BMW320d a couple of weeks ago and the traction control made no difference other than a blinking light on the dash, on or off, the wheel spun just the same. My older shape 320d was best with it on to keep the back end from swinging about, but when you got really stuck it was best off to get you going again. I did a lot of travel with a colleagues 530d in last years snow and we just left it on the whole time, it did a great job of preventing silly spin but just giving enough to keep us going. We stopped on hills that my Vectra would never have got going again, and when other people were giving up and were abandoning cars at the side of the road, we were then proceeding to drive straight past them.

Jayneflakes

19-12-10, 09:54 PM

I have had not problems getting about either...

http://www.highmountainguides.com/var/ezwebin_site/storage/images/gallery/latest-photos-gallery/grivel-g12-crampons-on-ice-in-glen-nevis/7138-1-eng-GB/Grivel-G12-Crampons-on-ice-in-Glen-Nevis_imagelarge.jpg

Did check on my downstairs neighbour after she fell over while walking her dog, despite her not exactly getting on with the wife. At times like this, there are some folk who need a bit of extra support every now and again.

Rossie

20-12-10, 01:09 AM

I used to have an E36 beemer, worthless in snow. It took one look at it and said..NO !

Last winter during the big freeze we got, my dad was taken to hospital in Dublin suddenly and I couldn't drive cos of the ****in weather. Took the bus which took ages. My dad died while I was en route.

I swore that would never happen to me again (I live 3 hours from my home place).

This year, I have a Subaru Forester Turbo with winter tyres.

Mum will not be on her own this xmas...guaranteed (and we've 4+ inches of snowfall on Friday/Sat).

Smudge

20-12-10, 01:32 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4rd2a-li1o
almost certainly a repost but another stupid subject & camera person.
edit: plus the old abandon ship (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkPVHfK5HaI&feature=related)

Sod helping I would have been laughing too much to help, this bloke seems drunk to me.

If you help an idiot and it all goes wrong you know you'll get the blame lol
they should have got some close ups of the frustration on their faces!
Should have got the bus!!!

TC3

20-12-10, 07:17 AM

if you read the bmw manual it states to drive in snow turn the traction control off... I **** you not it works.....

Yes that has worked once but when it is sheet ice it does very lil. BM staying at home today with bike and out comes the lil pug 107 which has no trouble in the snow. If it got stuck though you can just pick it up and set it down somewhere else :)

454697819

20-12-10, 08:46 AM

Yes that has worked once but when it is sheet ice it does very lil. BM staying at home today with bike and out comes the lil pug 107 which has no trouble in the snow. If it got stuck though you can just pick it up and set it down somewhere else :)

meh... I got into work this morning.. I must clearly be mad.. i came in side ways :)

Bluepete

20-12-10, 10:43 AM

It made me laugh, just at the stupidity of putting a car in gear and getting out!

As for BMW's,

Our job 330's are grounded, they are useless!

The X5's are just about managing, but are pretty poor. As someone said, it's the tyres, and ours are deffo road tyres.

Pete ;)

robh539

20-12-10, 01:14 PM

It made me laugh, just at the stupidity of putting a car in gear and getting out!
+1

haha that made me and the lads in the office laugh. I wonder at which point did she think oh ****

Owenski

20-12-10, 01:19 PM

Id say about the point she let go of the car.
I'd bet there was that little bit of her mind which said, "good thinking!" which quickly turned to "what was I thinking!"

AndyBrad

20-12-10, 01:23 PM

lol, to be hoest i wouldnt call the chap an idiot, the woman yes!

robh539

20-12-10, 01:24 PM

Id say about the point she let go of the car.
I'd bet there was that little bit of her mind which said, "good thinking!" which quickly turned to "what was I thinking!"

I think it hit home as it hit the house lol

I will have to remember this top tip, when im out in the works 535 ;). My mate has it over the xmas holiday maybe i need to show him :p

yorkie_chris

20-12-10, 06:32 PM

The audio track has a comment from a female in the house - something like "my car doesn't get stuck in the snow cos its nice and light"

That'd be why folks put sandbags in their rear wheel drive cars then :rolleyes:

Kinda true though, it's a lot easier to get a light car moving than a heavy one.

Bluefish

20-12-10, 06:50 PM

I have done this befor, last year, but i was going straight up a hill, and i did not push the vehicle from the rear i stayed at the drivers door and pushed the frame, worked a treat ;).

20-12-10, 06:54 PM

Ha what a numpty.

The biggest difference when driving in the snow is technique and tyres.

My BMW has 18" 35 profile runflats which are a bit rubbish in the snow it has to be said and I consider myself to be fairly competent at handling a car, particularly in the snow. I've just hired a BMW out here in Denmark identical to mine in the uk except it has winter tyres fitted and it's honestly the most capable car I've ever driven on solid ice roads like we have out here. There is phenomenal ice/snow grip, feels like it's just wet.

Just wish my work would buy me some winter tyres and wheels for the uk. They look normal, no studs etc and not particularly soft so not sure why the difference us so apparent.

Specialone

20-12-10, 07:21 PM

My road is pure ice, but today coming back from a job in little aston, i was down a side street on a bit of a hill that had a mini island at the bottom, going about 15 mph, turned to the left and it carried on in a 45 degree direction like severe understeer.
My ass started to twitch when i started getting closer to a parked car opposite, luckily it gained a bit of traction and i crawled the rest of the road until i got to the main road.

-Ralph-

20-12-10, 07:40 PM

fizzwheel

20-12-10, 07:43 PM

I always thought winter tyres were no different to normal tyres, except the tyre is softer, with a much lower optimal operating temperature. So same grip on the tarmac in cold weather as a normal tyre would have during the summer.

Thats how I understood it, the tyre has a higher silica / rubber content, which means it works better when the temperature is colder. Also IIRC the tyre is cut differently has bigger blocks that move around so that the snow / ice gets squeezed out of the tyre so it doesnt get clogged up / become a slick.

I think...

Mej

20-12-10, 07:45 PM

my bmw is sh*te in the snow, 18" 255 Pilots are rubbish, i cant get any grip at all, just slide everywhere, but then in the summer they are awesome!

this weather kind of makes me want a 4wd, audi or something but we just dont get it often enough down here!

Mej

20-12-10, 07:46 PM

Also IIRC the tyre is cut differently has bigger blocks that move around so that the snow / ice gets squeezed out of the tyre so it doesnt get clogged up / become a slick.

I think...

also a problem i have!

fizzwheel

20-12-10, 07:48 PM

this weather kind of makes me want a 4wd, audi or something but we just dont get it often enough down here!

You'll have the same problem with a Quattro if its fitted with big ass sports tyres, its the tyres causing the problem not the lack of 4WD.

Owenski

21-12-10, 11:43 AM

Thats how I understood it, the tyre has a higher silica / rubber content, which means it works better when the temperature is colder. Also IIRC the tyre is cut differently has bigger blocks that move around so that the snow / ice gets squeezed out of the tyre so it doesnt get clogged up / become a slick.

I think...

Mrs Owenskis folks live on the France/Swiss boarder where its a legal requirement to fit winter tyres after a certain time in the year (invalidates insurance to be found not using them). They're winter tyres look sort of knobbly by comparrison to their summer ones. IIRC they had 3 monsterous channels in then hoizontal groves of similar width at staggered intervals, sort of like a chain of "E" shaped grooves. We drove up into the alps without a problem, he drove pretty much as you would on any normal road in normal conditions but it did have the advantage of also been an Audi S6 estate.
They're actually making their way up for christmas, they were intending to fly but with weather been what is has they've decided to make a trip out of it and drive the whole way, so once they're over here they'll be putting most cars here to shame.

-Ralph-

21-12-10, 11:49 AM

The other reason most 4WD are less effective nowadays, is that few of them have diff lock, so all the power gets sent to the tyre with the least grip, and many are part time 4WD only send power to the back when slip is detected at the front. Regardless of tyres, with four tyres rotating together at a constant speed, such as you can have in a Land Rover Defender, you would have 4 times the traction of a 2WD car with one spinning wheel.

Luckypants

21-12-10, 11:58 AM

Thats how I understood it, the tyre has a higher silica / rubber content, which means it works better when the temperature is colder. Also IIRC the tyre is cut differently has bigger blocks that move around so that the snow / ice gets squeezed out of the tyre so it doesnt get clogged up / become a slick.

I think...

You are confusing WINTER tyres and SNOW tyres fizz. Winter tyres like you say are softer / higher silica with lower operating temps to provide better grip in the cold when 'normal' (aka summer tyres) struggle due to going hard. The tread patterns tend to look 'normal' on these tyres as they are designed to shift mainly water. Snow tyres will often have the above low operating temp features but with the bigger blocks you refer to, with sharp edges and bigger channels to bite into the snow and some flex to help clear the snow from the tread.

My tyres are a certified snow tyre (in N. America) so count for insurance purposes in areas where snow tyres are required. However, I'd not consider them a winter tyre as the compound is not especially soft (in fact quite hard wearing) and seems to be designed for year round use. So I get good grip in snow but would be wary of ice.

Luckypants

21-12-10, 12:07 PM

The other reason most 4WD are less effective nowadays, is that few of them have diff lock, so all the power gets sent to the tyre with the least grip,

Rather depends on which diff you are talking about. Most basic 4WD systems don't have a centre diff, so that is 'locked' by default. So you need to spin a wheel on both axles to lose all traction. Then some cars will have a lockable centre diff like the Defender you refer to and my x-trail. Very few standard vehicles have come with lockable axle diffs, as they are rarely needed with a locked/no centre diff.

There are also cars with clever electronics that detect wheel slip and brake the spinning wheel (latest non-defender LR models), which makes the use of diff-locks unnecessary...

The latest 4WD systems are still very effective, but it helps that the drivers RTFM and understand what they read.

Stu

21-12-10, 12:43 PM

You are confusing WINTER tyres and SNOW tyres fizz.
Not Bleedin' surprising! considering the rubbish information being bandied about in the media.
We've had the Transport Secretary say in the house that winter tyres would not be beneficial in this country.
http://www.tyresafe.org/news-and-events/detail/tyresafe-concerned-by-government-s-inaccurate-winter-weather-tyre-advice/?dm_i=ITI,BKCR,2LSNO9,WM0G,1
Which outraged the tyre industry.

Also see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKEdKHZJtRg&dm_i=ITI,BKCR,2LSNO9,WLWB,1

Actually I can't see Tyresafe diferentiate between Winter & snow tyres and the 1st link claims that winter tyres stop "11 metres sooner on ice and eight metres sooner on snow, from just 20mph. "

The other day the news had a report from Finland about studded tyres that they use in their -25 degree roads covered in snow with no grit. I thought that was completely irrelevant to our situation :roll:

fizzwheel

21-12-10, 01:16 PM

You are confusing WINTER tyres and SNOW tyres fizz.

I thought I might have been :D

I have finally got our Audi home, I had to shovel off my mates drive, despite it being a very slight incline the damn thing wouldnt get up it. Got up it after some shovelling and removing the hard compacted snow. I got it up our road OK and its now sat in front of our house. Turning the traction control off on it helps alot, but its still bl**dy useless where the snow has become compacted.

I'm seriously thinking about getting a pair of these for it and leaving them in the boot

http://www.autosock.co.uk/

Sid Squid

21-12-10, 05:27 PM

Most basic 4WD systems don't have a centre diff, so that is 'locked' by default.
Are you sure? This surprises me somewhat, all the 4WD vehicles I have worked on have a centre diff, I imagine a road car would be unusable without a centre diff, the steering would be extremely heavy and the wear on transmission and tyres would be very high. Also on all 4WDs I know of there are warnings not to lock the cntre diff when on the road or even in the rough if the grip is good.
Certainly the Landys etc have only a centre diff that's lockable, but unless the circumstance is extreme this will still mean that two of the four will be driven whatever's happening at the other end of the vehicle.

yorkie_chris

21-12-10, 05:40 PM

A lot of cars with selectable 4WD have no center diff.
series landies have no center diff, 90s have though.

Pretty much any permanent 4WD has a center diff for the reasons you describe, some selectable 4WD have a center diff but some don't. (I know shogun/pajeros have a center diff with lock, but I don't think isuzus have a diff, so you can only use 4WD on the slippy stuff)

I think RTFM is all the discussion needed lol.

Luckypants

21-12-10, 05:44 PM

Are you sure? This surprises me somewhat, all the 4WD vehicles I have worked on have a centre diff, I imagine a road car would be unusable without a centre diff, the steering would be extremely heavy and the wear on transmission and tyres would be very high. Also on all 4WDs I know of there are warnings not to lock the cntre diff when on the road or even in the rough if the grip is good.
Certainly the Landys etc have only a centre diff that's lockable, but unless the circumstance is extreme this will still mean that two of the four will be driven whatever's happening at the other end of the vehicle.
Sorry yes, I was a little unclear as I always tend to think of off-road vehicles when thinking about 4WD systems. Basic 4WD systems in off-road vehicles do not have a centre diff, the transfer box is used to engage 4WD when required and should only be used on low traction surfaces where some wheel slip can occur to prevent transmission wind up and the the other problems you list. So these vehicles cannot run in 4WD on dry roads. Such vehicles would be most 4WD pick-ups, Nissan Pathfinder/Navarra, Isuzu's, series landrovers etc.

More advanced off-road vehicles such as Land Rover products, Toyota Landcruiser, modern Shoguns etc do have a centre diff to allow them to run on the road in 4WD and a lockable diff / clever electronics to prevent loss of traction in the rough. A road car with 4WD will need a centre diff or clutch system to allow for different road speeds of front/rear axles on bends as you say.

Must be more precise.... sorry

-Ralph-

22-12-10, 08:39 AM

Thanks for all the clarification of diff's guys. RTFM indeed, but unless your clueless in most proper off road vehicles you can figure it out just by looking at what levers or buttons you have to play with around the gear selector. They are clearly marked. The Mitsubishi L200 has a big silver sticker on the inside of the door telling you what's what and in what conditions & speeds they should be used.

My point was though that the majority of modern '4WD' vehicles on the road today are 'soft roaders', and most people don't realise when they buy them that once you get them stuck in snow they can be just as difficult to get moving again as a normal car. "I won't get stuck because I've got a 4WD!":rolleyes:

Sid Squid

22-12-10, 08:56 AM

Stuff
OK, got you, that's what I was thinking - just wasn't clear about what you meant.

-Ralph-

22-12-10, 09:40 AM

One thing I noticed when behind a Discovery 3 not so long ago, is that the ground clearance is crap, which surprised me, I always thought LR put off road ability before Chelsea Tractor ability. But then they do make a Range Rover Sport nowadays :rolleyes:

http://www.easternwestern.co.uk/admin/Stock/EasternWesternGroup/AJ58KBX3.jpg

Look at the gubbins around the rear axle, that would scrape it's belly on a mildly rutted tractor track.

Unless they have electronics to raise ride height maybe?

yorkie_chris

22-12-10, 09:46 AM

New range rovers are the same, more soft roader. My boss has a supercharged range rover sport, it sounds really nice but the engine would be far better in a bowler wildcat or something :)

fizzwheel

22-12-10, 09:57 AM

the transfer box is used to engage 4WD when required and should only be used on low traction surfaces where some wheel slip can occur to prevent transmission wind up and the the other problems you list. So these vehicles cannot run in 4WD on dry roads.

Our Maverick is the same. It has Auto Locking front hubs, that lock in 4WD mode which winds up the half shafts on a dry road. Not really what you want...

yorkie_chris

22-12-10, 10:03 AM

I don't see how the autolocking hubs make any difference, It would still wind up if you had normal hubs surely?

-Ralph-

22-12-10, 10:12 AM

Remember the old hubs you had to get out and splash around in the mud to lock them manually when you got stuck? :-)

-Ralph-

22-12-10, 10:17 AM

My point was though that the majority of modern '4WD' vehicles on the road today are 'soft roaders'

One thing I noticed when behind a Discovery 3 not so long ago, is that the ground clearance is crap, which surprised me, I always thought LR put off road ability before Chelsea Tractor ability

New range rovers are the same, more soft roader

Our Maverick is the same... Not really what you want...

I didn't read your quote from LP Fizz, so on first pass this is what I read. Might wanna revisit how that reads if you want to maintain your Maverick's off road credentials ;)

Luckypants

22-12-10, 10:43 AM

Unless they have electronics to raise ride height maybe?

Yes they do as they have the air suspension. Apparently press the right buttons and ride height is raised by up to 2". If you go above a certain speed then height is automatically lowered for more stability. It's clever stuff but a nightmare in a desert somewhere when it all packs up! ;)

-Ralph-

22-12-10, 10:58 AM

Yes they do as they have the air suspension. Apparently press the right buttons and ride height is raised by up to 2"

Two inches would probably get it up to something similar to the original Disco, but still not great ground clearance as standard compared to something like a Ford Ranger. I guess the original disco has as much clearance as any 4x4 passenger car.

Sally

22-12-10, 12:14 PM

Link is broken now, the user took the video off :(

Anything find it elsewhere?

tactcom7

22-12-10, 12:18 PM

Link is broken now, the user took the video off :(

Anything find it elsewhere?

+1 what was it a video of?

Sally

22-12-10, 12:21 PM

I watched it before, but its gone now!

Was a woman trying to move her car by leaving it in gear and pushing, manages to drive into a house!

tactcom7

22-12-10, 12:31 PM

I watched it before, but its gone now!

Was a woman trying to move her car by leaving it in gear and pushing, manages to drive into a house!

Well now I just want to watch it even more now :)

Luckypants

22-12-10, 12:53 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6yX70Ce9VY

tactcom7

22-12-10, 01:08 PM

Lol Fail! Thanks luckypants

fizzwheel

22-12-10, 01:33 PM

I didn't read your quote from LP Fizz, so on first pass this is what I read. Might wanna revisit how that reads if you want to maintain your Maverick's off road credentials ;)

:D

I meant, that you dont really want to wind your half shafts up by driving it around on dry tarmac in 4WD mode, as there's a warning in the blurb about how it "may lead to the drive shafts snapping"

Not a good idea as I'm sure you'll agree :D

Luckypants

22-12-10, 02:25 PM

:D

I meant, that you dont really want to wind your half shafts up by driving it around on dry tarmac in 4WD mode, as there's a warning in the blurb about how it "may lead to the drive shafts snapping"

Not a good idea as I'm sure you'll agree :D

Spoke to an RAC in Scarborough in the last lot of snow, he had attended 10 such incidents where owners 'put it in 4WD and it went bang a few miles later'. RTFM!

fizzwheel

22-12-10, 03:22 PM

Thing is, the couple of times we've ended up on wet tarmac with it in 4WD, you could feel the load on the transmission through the steering wheel, i.e. its gets much heavier and it judders and hops if you try to steer around a sharp corner. You can tell that the vehicle doesnt like what you are trying to do with it.

Just shows how some people just have a complete lack of mechnical sympathy or simply dont understand how or why their vehicle does what it does.

Teejayexc

22-12-10, 03:38 PM

http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/22122010/36/ford-saloon-trumps-4x4s-icy-hill-0.html

4x4's rule.....not ;-)

Luckypants

22-12-10, 05:28 PM

amusing, but all of that was down to crap driving (IMHO). Evidence being the two vehicles that made it safely down. All of those sliding down had jammed their brakes on and were praying. Especially like the the cool guy in the white mid-size 4x4 coming down under control and avoiding the chaos while someone in massive pick-up was pirouetting down the hill towards them :cool:

-Ralph-

22-12-10, 06:16 PM

So how would you get down that hill?

Personally I'd stick it first, and leave it to it's own devices to crawl down under it's own engine braking. I've often found one or two clicks of handbrake is just enough to match the engine braking at the front with the rear wheels and give a nice even controlled crawl all the way down a slippy slope (with a hand ready to gently release it if the rear were to lock and start sliding round of course).

No doubt someone will shoot me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong.

Never crashed or got a car stuck in snow though, and the snow has never stopped me completing a journey, so I must be doing something right.

fizzwheel

22-12-10, 09:38 PM

So how would you get down that hill?

I would'nt unless I really really had to, I would if I could find away around it.

If I had to drive down it, first gear, feet off all the pedals and just let it make its way down it on the engine braking.

Luckypants

23-12-10, 01:06 AM

With a 4WD I'd take Fizz's approach, as long as the gears were low enough to hold against gravity. Else I would use first, brakes on gently and try to hold it at walking pace by balancing the brakes against engine on tickover. The key IMO would be to avoid locking a wheel and starting to slide.

But Fizz's first option is the correct one, find an alternative route!

Lozzo

23-12-10, 07:11 AM

I took another option today, I turned back for home because I deemed the roads too icy to risk driving from Bedford to Reading. I'd been on the road for half an hour and only got as far as juct 13 of the M1, a journey that only takes 15 mins in the snow and 10 mins in good weather, but the roads were just sheet ice today and I don't see the point of risking my neck for a few quid in those conditions.