Driving in snow and ice

Driving in snow just underlines the lack of ability many drivers have.I have a particular hate of the way most drivers position themselves too close to the car in front in good weather.In snowy conditions it doesn't improve.I remember last year during the heavy snow watching a T.V.news presenter showing the conditions in somewhere in Yorkshire .She was standing by a road covered in snow and the camera panned round to show the complete absence of traffic except for two vehicles which crept past her,one a Passat the other a Range Rover and guess what.They were separated by a vehicle length despite the front vehicle obviously sliding.Now my instinct in normal weather is to keep as far as possible behind the car in front so this seemed madness.In those conditions I would have allowed about 100 yards separation after all you can't go faster by being closer

@Hawk I 20

"I believe in the old saying " A poor workman always blames his tools"."

If that workman doesn't have the correct tools for his job then he can't do the job properly. Pure and simple!!

I agree with motorist that the tyres make a huge difference. I live in Germany where by law you have to change tyres in the winter season. I am shocked that British motorists don't cause they think it's only for the snow it's not!! it's for the temperature drop in winter months! Winter or all weather tyres have to be used in winter months by law here in Germany and our roads aren't cleared at much as yours are and you hardly see people get stuck as you do. Winter tyres aren't just for the snow it's for when the temperature drops the summer tyres have harden and don't grip to the roads so well.

Also I think its very ignorant to say that "because unless the snow is too deep, or the road surface is for icey for tyres to cope with, there should be no excuse for getting stuck in less than 3 inches of snow (most tyres can cope with that depth easily)."
YOUR WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So inconclusion using the right tools for the job such as tyres here means the job is done right! THank you for reading :)

And can you believe Halfords will sell you, and fit a dashboard mounted DVD player with screen so you can watch DVD's whilst driving, and this country lets them.

But colnel bogey airhorns are illegal.

Here is a radical thought for you Wreck O' Mend, why not stop making cars with all the luxury items that modern drivers demand, and revert to basic interiors without these gadgets and perhaps drivers would not have these distractions to take their minds off what they should be doing - Driving! How many accidents have been caused by people changing their CDs or Cassette tapes(in older cars for those who do not remember them :-) LOL)
Perhaps removing modern technology and reverting back to Non- power assisted steering, and "Crash" gearboxes would help weed out the bad drivers, because more skill would be required to drive these vehicles.
Just a thought?

4x4's are not the problem, it is the drivers of these vehicles (like any other vehicle) who are the problems with their attitude thinking that luxuries and gadgets make them better drivers.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link so an incompetent driver is no better in a 4x4 than a good driver in a normal vehicle but worse.

Drivers can only benefit properly from the vehicle they drive if they have the necessary skills and competencies for the vehicle.

Sadly there are some drivers in all category of vehicle who are a nuisance on the road because they think their vehicle is a reflection of their driving standards.

.... .... 4x4 .... Is that the sum total of active brain cells drivers of these vehicles have?
Their behaviour in the recent bad weather just adds to my opinion that they have four wheel drive vehicles as a fashion accessory, like handbags.
I have seen few, if any, drivers of these vehicles (and drivers of other types of vehicle) demonstrating the neccessary skill to be driving in the bad weather we have exprerienced recently. They seem to think that they are invulnerable to the weather, and poor road conditions, and I wonder if any of them have ever experienced ice or snow before, let alone actually driven their machines "off road" (unless by accident :-) )

"People wonder why so many 4x4 vehicles, apparently well suited to these conditions have accidents "

The key here is the word 'apparently'. Many of these vehicles are not suited to such conditions at all, and their drivers even less so, but they give the idiots behind the wheel a false sense of superiority and control, and your experience illustrates this perfectly.

Had a very, very angry man leaning on the horn of his Discovery and shouting at me today.

The roads were treacherous with ice and packed snow, even on the level traction was not easy to find unless one was very gentle with throttle and brake. Most drivers were maintaining good spaces to the vehicle in front but not Mr. Discovery.

This impatient driver (with the front seat occupied by a small child) and several others in the rear seats cruised along behind me with only a few inches between us, oblivious to the danger, apparently in a somewhat of a hurry. I could see him in the mirror, tapping the steering wheel glaring at the traffic that dared impede his progress.

The queue halted and I had to stop to leave a junction with a side road clear for cars to enter and leave but the main reason why I would not stop across the junction was the fact that I had seen 2 cars in succession sliding down and only just stopping in time. Clearly I was not prepared to sit in the middle of the junction, blocking access and putting myself at considerable risk of having someone slither into me.

The man in a Discovery wanted to turn left and, because I would not move went into a instant paroxysm of rage, blasting his horn several times and then opened his window to treat me to a barrage of semi literate curses. Just as he did so the cars in front began to move. In total he had been delayed for approximately 30 seconds. Sheer crass stupidity, aggression and impatience.

People wonder why so many 4x4 vehicles, apparently well suited to these conditions have accidents when all around maintain progress in safety.

2wd drive recovery man and Motorist, you seem to be missing the point: ALL tyres have their limitations in snow and ice, regardless of being "Summer", "all weather", or "Winter" graded.
What I witnessed on the M4 during the last snow was just stupidity and lack of skill in dealing with the prevailing conditions, pure and simple.
The majority of drivers just panicked at the sight of snowfall, and not only failed to use common sense, but the vast majority just did not have the skill to drive in the adverse road conditions.
I am of the opinion that even if they had tractor tyres, oy Caterpillar tracks on their vehicles, they would have still got stuck, and/or caused chaos for other more able road users.
I believe in the old saying " A poor workman always blames his tools". Don't blame the type of tyres, blame the drivers for lack of skill in most of cases, because unless the snow is too deep, or the road surface is for icey for tyres to cope with, there should be no excuse for getting stuck in less than 3 inches of snow (most tyres can cope with that depth easily).

I never said 4x4 wasn't any good, obviously with the RIGHT TYRES it has better EDGE over traction than 2wd BUT I was saying that 2wd can be used in snow and ice also (with correct tyres whether all season or winter tyres)!! You said they couldn't?? Remember you saying "winter tyres or not you cant drive 2wd cars in bad weather conditions, stay off the roads". Who knows sweet fa now? One thing you got wrong was calling winter tyres er.. snow tyres?? The truth is they aren't!! They are called winter tyres because they aren't just meant for the snow and ice, it is also when the temperature drops. Now I had no problem in my 2wd with my all season vredestein quatrac 3 tyres, on hills or wherever where I saw other people in their summer tyres get stuck... See the pattern here? As I said it is not necessary to have a 4x4 and yes I have driven one.. :-)

It wasn't that I didn't know how to spell qualified it was a typo dick head, "2wd HAS NOTHING to do this snow it's the GRIP!!" whats is this supposed to mean then? and yeah you're right snow tyres do make a difference, what I meant was a 4x4 has the edge over any 2wd no matter what tyres it has because it has twice the traction and the correct gearing for loose surfaces ie snow, mud, sand. you cant argue that point because my 4x4 has road tyres on it and it made mince meat of the snow and ice, it had no problem with the deep snow either, cars have to be dug out, now you know you can't say i'm wrong about that, if you have ever driven a 4x4 in the snow then you know what i'm saying isn't rubbish. after this stupid comment "Having a 4wd with the wrong tyres is useless!!" I still stand by what I said, you know sweet FA, anyone with a 4x4 knows you are talking crap, if 4x4 wasn't any good why would they make them?

Makes no difference?? Sir you are the one that knows fa!!! You can't even spell qualified correctly for a start!!! 2wd HAS NOTHING to do this snow it's the GRIP!! IF you really knew anything about cars you would know that winter tyres offer better traction on snow and ice than summer tyres ever will!! Having a 4wd with the wrong tyres is useless!!