SNOW.... WHEN WILL IT STOP.. any driving tips?

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It won't stop snowing.... and I am stuck at work... and I drive a little sunfire... I hate driving in the snow

Any tips on how I can get home safely tonight... my ex always drove in the snow because of my fear of it.... he even drove me to work last winter

So this is my first year driving on my own since I was 17-18ish

Is it bad that I am scared?

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First off, if you live in an area with lots of snow, you need to not have a Sunfire.
That is your first mistake.

And learning to drive in snow takes time. I can't offer any advice because I've just been doing it for 12 years. I don't really know "how" I just do what feels comfortable. Sometimes I am driving faster than those around me, sometimes slower. The key is comfort. If you get keyed up, you'll lock up and make a mistake that could cause an accident.

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Bella Dea wrote:

First off, if you live in an area with lots of snow, you need to not have a Sunfire.
That is your first mistake.

Yea I know, But I can't afford another car.... I have had this one for 3 almost 4 years now

Quote:

And learning to drive in snow takes time. I can't offer any advice because I've just been doing it for 12 years. I don't really know "how" I just do what feels comfortable. Sometimes I am driving faster than those around me, sometimes slower. The key is comfort. If you get keyed up, you'll lock up and make a mistake that could cause an accident.

I have had my liscense for four years... and I feel very uncomfortable driving in the snow.... which makes me tense up and slide around a bit more I think

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If you do get the chance to get a new car- get a Subaru Outback, I live in snow country and that is the best car for getting around in bad weather.

I always hate driving in the snow, it's unpredictable. Plus you have to watch out for the cowboys who think snow is a great excuse to drive like an idiot.

Take it very slow, if someone behind you wants to go faster - pull over a little on a straight a-way and let them go around you. Put on your flashers to let them know you want to stay slow and let them pass. Try and get behind a plow, they will sand the way the way for you.

Speed is the issue here. You have more control the slower you go. Also, Make sure you have the best snow tires you can afford.

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Green Witch wrote:

If you do get the chance to get a new car- get a Subaru Outback, I live in snow country and that is the best car for getting around in bad weather.

I always hate driving in the snow, it's unpredictable. Plus you have to watch out for the cowboys who think snow is a great excuse to drive like an idiot.

Take it very slow, if someone behind you wants to go faster - pull over a little on a straight a-way and let them go around you. Put on your flashers to let them know you want to stay slow and let them pass. Try and get behind a plow, they will sand the way the way for you.

Speed is the issue here. You have more control the slower you go. Also, Make sure you have the best snow tires you can afford.

That is what I hate, I never know what speed to go... I try to stay between 20-30, but I feel more comfortable around 20... but I feel like I am going too slow and that I am holding everyone else up

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Wait for rush hour to abate. Stay late at the office and reduce the backlog. If you wait, so you don't have some impatient idiot riding your rear bumper, you'll feel a lot less harried (and be safer). Besides, it's supposed to turn to rain later, so you might actually be better off.

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always have a small bag of kitty litter in your trunk.
Kitty litter will give you traction if you ever get stuck on a patch of ice and will absorb snow if your tires are burried.

scraps of carpet help too.. but kitty litter is the most effective and takes up less space. Laughing

thick patches of ice for miles, is best driven over with semi deflated tires.

If your regular PSI on tires is 35, lower it to about 28. Basically enough to where the tire is fatter and closer to the ground then normal.
This causes the tread to be more pliable and makes it easier for the tire to drop ice and snow that gets packed in it , causing you to slide around.

Deep snow 2 or more feet, you may consider getting tire chains.

Keep a small shovel and an old credit card, or something thin and plastic in your car.
The credit card makes for easier ice scraping then a normal ice scraper and a shovel is always useful when you get burried in snow.

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You don't want people behind you, if possible. I live in a rural area so that's easy for me to say. Try and get out of the way whenever possible. Look for driveways to pull into and let the conga line behind you pass before getting back on the road. There is no way to judge how fast is too fast or how slow is too slow in a snow storm, your comfort level will be different from others. I can tell you they will be pissed if you cause an accident, so keep out the way and let them drive as fast they want while you stick to a snail's pace.

I also find it helps to turn off the radio or music and just concentrate on the road. Try and feel the ground (Subaru's are great for this, you can actual hear and feel the car adjust to conditions) and like they say in Zen car training "become one with the car and the road".

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Or take the bus.

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when there's no kitty litter, instant french onion soup does the trick.... i got stuck on a slope last year, had nothing handy, except this jar of french onion soup. smelled delicious and got the job done. wheels don't skid on french onion soup!

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Kitty litter is definitely good, as shewolf says. A MA statie told me that years ago, and I've kept some in the car every winter since. Isn't a Sunfire front wheel drive? That gives you an edge up right there, much easier to get around in snow than rear wheel drive. You might want to go to a building supply store and get a 50 lb. bag of sand and put it in the trunk over the rear axle, just to get a little better traction there. Put it in a garbage bag, so you don't get sand all over the trunk if you open it to use or the bag breaks. If you do get stuck, remember to be especially liberal with the sand or kitty litter under your driving wheels, front or back.

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Yep, I just checked. Sunfires are front wheel drive--a plus for you

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It's already pretty soupy out there, Lady, and wet snow is much easier to drive in than dry. Sloppy, but easier. It's gonna be all right.

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I think it's worse because it pulls you around.

I do have a tidbit of advice.
Avoid piles of snow created by the cars driving. You know, the pile of snow next to the "tire lanes" on the road?

They will f*ck you up good if you hit 'em right.

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Ok I will invest in kitty litter and I am just hoping we can leave work early, it is getting pretty bad where I am

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Crazielady420 wrote:

Ok I will invest in kitty litter and I am just hoping we can leave work early, it is getting pretty bad where I am

Where are you? It's clear as a bell here.

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Plan ahead, don't make sudden moves, and keep the windshield clear. You can't drive while peering through a tiny clear spot in the middle of the glass. If someone is behind you, that's there problem, not yours. You can get into trouble being courteous and pulling out of the way.

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clear as a bell? never heard that before. what kind of a bell? clear as a... why bell? now i'll have to keep thinking about it...

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Sunfires are fine in the snow...FWD and a small car. What the hell are you people talking about? Yes, FWD "pulls" you, but they have better traction from a stop at least, and don't oversteer like RWD, which can get hairy if you don't know how to handle it. My car on the other hand....

Ok, now for advice, other than what kind of car to go buy and to prevent people driving behind you(how the F**K do you do that?)

Corners: prepare for them in advance. Do NOT brake during the corner. Slow to the proper corner speed before you go through, and accelerate through the corner. You want to brake while in a straight line. If you brake during, you'll slide right through your lane.

Again, go slow. If you're behind a car, imagine if that car was stopped. How much space would you need to stop your car in the snow? Leave that much distance.

I don't think weight in your trunk is going to do much, since again it's FWD.

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dagmaraka wrote:

clear as a bell? never heard that before. what kind of a bell? clear as a... why bell? now i'll have to keep thinking about it...

Ya know, I'm not quite sure....

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SNOW.... WHEN WILL IT STOP.. any driving tips?

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