Winter driving takes only patience and care
By Tim Wong
Lance Writer
February 24, 2010
Tame that snow on the road.
Thanks to good ol’ Wiarton Willie we'll be seeing six more weeks of Winter.
For the Canadian in our heart, we'll be jumping for joy and rolling in the snow. Snowmen, igloos, snowball fights, it’s all part of the fun.
We'll hop on a sled and wipe out at the bottom of Malden, just because we can.
It’s amazing isn't it, that the moment we get behind the wheel of our car, that in one second, the white stuff turns into an evil addition to the road.
For most people, it’s the worst time of the day.
Sliding in the snow, random drivers cutting you off, spraying slush all over your windshield, and for those on Huron Church, trucks obscuring your vision for a few seconds before you have the time to rapidly flick on the wipers.
Sure it can be unpleasant, but if you just take a few precautionary steps, in no time at all, you'll be enjoying your morning drive in the white fluffy stuff.
Most Canadian drivers seem to grasp the concept that snow is just another way of saying slow. As for the other nuts behind the wheel, snow on the road really means slow down.
Your car is not going to have the same amount of grip as in the dry. You hooligans out there have probably found that out already. Now is actually a good time to drive the speed limit on the road.
Don't try speeding or rushing. Take your time to get where you need to.
Like I mentioned previously, before you want to drive fast, drive safe first. Every correlation with driving safe matches perfect with driving in the snow. When you're accelerating, do it slowly so your car doesn't slip and slide all over the road.
Make sure you brake early. This goes for you SUV drivers with four wheel drive.
And you Audi Quattro drivers as well. You're not going to stop any faster than the jalopy Kia beside you.
Tires are the only contact with the road and in snow, every tire will have less grip than the dry.
Pay attention to everything around you. Keep your space from cars in front in case you need to make a panic stop.
Most of the time, you won't know how little grip you have until you slide right into the car in front.
If there's a car tailgating you, hang back a bit farther so you have more time to react.
Once you learn to take your time, you'll be amazed how much more relaxed you are.
Just remember, driving in the snow doesn't have to be the dread that it usually is.
If you're in control of your car, there's no better feeling. Just strap yourself in and enjoy the ride. |
