Crap Weather For January!

[struth]

Many of our cars are not great in it tho. And we can't use chains as you'd cut the tarmac and ruin your suspension.
Changing to studded tires in winter helps but not everyone can afford 2 sets of tyres and switching etc.
Problems this country has is it gets shitty wet snow that can become impassable quickly but you never know when you'll or if you'll get it.
Austria Switzerland Canada etc all know pretty much where when how much every year. You can plan for that

[Marco]

Sure mate, but it also helps if you reduce your speed and leave more space than usual between you and the car in front, not to mention ensuring that your car (brakes and tyres especially) are roadworthy!

Too many clueless idiots going around in 'sheds', and who are simply incapable of driving in snow or ice - and also who ignore the warnings, in bad conditions, of staying at home unless their journeys are unavoidable!

Marco.

[struth]

Sure mate, but it also helps if you reduce your speed and leave more space than usual between you and the car in front, not to mention ensuring that your car (brakes and tyres especially) are roadworthy!

Too many clueless idiots going around in 'sheds', and who are simply incapable of driving in snow or ice - and also who ignore the warnings, in bad conditions, of staying at home unless their journeys are unavoidable!

Marco.

Most definitely. You need to practice skids etc too. When I was young I used to take the car up to the industrial estates and find a quiet spot. Then test how me and car reacted to various situations, finding out what I could do and more importantly what I couldn't..
Far too many, and by that I really mean 90% of drivers stop learning anything good about their ability after they sit a test.
It's hey I'm perfect now where they they then get even worse that they really were coz the don't try to learn. Controlling a skid is not hard but you need practice

[Pigmy Pony]

Sure mate, but it also helps if you reduce your speed and leave more space than usual between you and the car in front, not to mention ensuring that your car (brakes and tyres especially) are roadworthy!

Too many clueless idiots going around in 'sheds', and who are simply incapable of driving in snow or ice - and also who ignore the warnings, in bad conditions, of staying at home unless their journeys are unavoidable!

Marco.

All of my journeys are unavoidable, it's how I get to work and get paid. Snow is lovely if you don't have to be somewhere, and you can just wrap up warm and get out in it, or look at it from a toasty vantage point. Not so nice when you drive to work in the dark and come home in the dark. By weekend it'll just be a load of grey slushy crap

[Marco]

All of my journeys are unavoidable, it's how I get to work and get paid. Snow is lovely if you don't have to be somewhere, and you can just wrap up warm and get out in it, or look at it from a toasty vantage point. Not so nice when you drive to work in the dark and come home in the dark. By weekend it'll just be a load of grey slushy crap

...which is why I wasn't referring to you, or journeys you make (or others like you) to work, but rather folk who could conduct their non-essential journeys at another time, and so should stay at home if the snow is really bad. Of course I agree with your latter point, but what about on your days off? Also, don't you ever drive for pleasure - what about your trip to Shrewsbury?

If you've nowhere to go and just chilling at home, which is partly what you should be doing on your days off, then you can enjoy the snow the same as me

Marco.

[Marco]

Most definitely. You need to practice skids etc too. When I was young I used to take the car up to the industrial estates and find a quiet spot. Then test how me and car reacted to various situations, finding out what I could do and more importantly what I couldn't..
Far too many, and by that I really mean 90% of drivers stop learning anything good about their ability after they sit a test.
It's hey I'm perfect now where they they then get even worse that they really were coz the don't try to learn. Controlling a skid is not hard but you need practice

Yup (on all counts), and I did the same. My driving instructor was a customer in my dad's shop, so 'went the extra mile', as it were, when preparing me for my test. He was pretty thorough, and even taught me aspects about the engine and the importance of maintaining correct tyre pressures.

In terms of the bit in bold, too true - and that situation isn't helped by cars now, brim-full of tech, doing much of the 'driving' for the drivers!!

Marco.

[Svend N]

Most definitely. You need to practice skids etc too. When I was young I used to take the car up to the industrial estates and find a quiet spot. Then test how me and car reacted to various situations, finding out what I could do and more importantly what I couldn't..
Far too many, and by that I really mean 90% of drivers stop learning anything good about their ability after they sit a test.
It's hey I'm perfect now where they they then get even worse that they really were coz the don't try to learn. Controlling a skid is not hard but you need practice

You are right on Grant. Everyone who drives on snow and ice should learn to skid. And then when you buy a new car, learn it again so you know how it reacts. When our daughters were learning to drive we would take them to the high school parking lot on weekends and let them loose doing donuts, skidding, sliding sideways. Great fun, but they learned a ton.

I suppose not many cars there have snow tires? Not studded or chains I mean - just snow tires? Insurance companies here give 10% discount if you fit them to your car....basically pay for themselves over a few years, so everyone can afford them - no excuse not to. If none of you have ever driven a car with them, they are amazing -- it's like you're glued to the road. Even rear wheel drive performance cars, which would normally be in the ditch at the first snowflake, grip like 4WD with a set of snows fitted.

[Pigmy Pony]

...which is why I wasn't referring to you, or journeys you make (or others like you) to work, but rather folk who could conduct their non-essential journeys at another time, and so should stay at home if the snow is really bad. Of course I agree with your latter point, but what about on your days off? Also, don't you ever drive for pleasure - what about your trip to Shrewsbury?

If you've nowhere to go and just chilling at home, which is partly what you should be doing on your days off, then you can enjoy the snow the same as me

Marco.

Oh yes, we do get out for pleasure drives sometimes, and they are the occasional "avoidable" journeys we wouldn't undertake if the weather were to make driving hazardous. Anita does most of the driving on these pleasure trips as she really loves driving (which is her was of telling me my driving is shit-boring, without actually saying it). True, I am a bit more cautious than her, but anyway I prefer her to drive, as I like to look out at the scenery as we go, something I can't properly do when driving.

As I said though, re. the snow, It never seems to be here at weekends, in the same way that the nicest sunny weather is normally on days when I have to work.

Lake District is looking nice at the moment so may take a run up there at weekend, but as my work is pretty quiet at the moment thanks to some "office politics" with my main customer, which I won't bore you with here, I'm having to watch the pennies

[struth]

You are right on Grant. Everyone who drives on snow and ice should learn to skid. And then when you buy a new car, learn it again so you know how it reacts. When our daughters were learning to drive we would take them to the high school parking lot on weekends and let them loose doing donuts, skidding, sliding sideways. Great fun, but they learned a ton.

I suppose not many cars there have snow tires? Not studded or chains I mean - just snow tires? Insurance companies here give 10% discount if you fit them to your car....basically pay for themselves over a few years, so everyone can afford them - no excuse not to. If none of you have ever driven a car with them, they are amazing -- it's like you're glued to the road. Even rear wheel drive performance cars, which would normally be in the ditch at the first snowflake, grip like 4WD with a set of snows fitted.

You can get them but here we often don't get enough snow so you have them on, they wear out quick and tear up the roads or you crash coz the cars stability is all over the shop.
Mostly folk will fit all weather's or winter ones if they can store the summer ones.
Trouble here is you never get the same weather and it changes fast.

[Beobloke]

Sure mate, but it also helps if you reduce your speed and leave more space than usual between you and the car in front, not to mention ensuring that your car (brakes and tyres especially) are roadworthy!

Too many clueless idiots going around in 'sheds', and who are simply incapable of driving in snow or ice - and also who ignore the warnings, in bad conditions, of staying at home unless their journeys are unavoidable!

Marco.

I agree with all if this but, unfortunately when the snow compacts and starts to resemble an ice rink, and your household has two rear wheel drive cars that won’t actually move on a surface like this, the whole thing becomes a moot point!

I also agree with the staying at home and enjoying the day idea. Trouble is, whilst my workplace is also fine with staff not taking unnecessary risks in this sort of weather, they still deduct the day from your holiday allowance. I’d much rather use my holiday for planned days off!