This is just so, so true.

[markw]

"All-wheel drive is about getting your car moving from a dead stop—not about braking or steering—and you should be aware of its limitations."

Well, hallelujah! It's about time someone made this common knowledge. People think they are invincible in their AWD vehicles.

I wish I had a nickel for every time I've seen some big-arsed 4X go speeding by in the snow and, later up the road I'll see that same 4X on the side of the road in a ditch. For those that know my area, this is very common of Rt. 280. I'll just honk, smile and wave s I chug along at a safe speed in my front wheel drive Hyundai,

Also, this same fallacy seems to be believed by those in expensive RWD cars with some sort of "traction control" schemes like BMW's and, yes, even Corvettes.

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2015/09/25/do-really-need-awd-in-snow/?intcmp=hpff#

My three rules for driving in the snow.

1 - keep the speed sane. If you feel the car start to find it's own direction, slow up.

2 - keep changes in direction to a minimum and slow

3 - keep changes in velocity slow. Don't tromp on the gas or the brakes.

 

[Seth=L]

Good pre-winter advice Mark.

Driving is a privilege, not a right. I have the right to curse at those who abuse that privilege.

 

[rnatalli]

Amen brother...

 

[darien87]

Kinda like when I see dopes with 22's on their SUV's with the tiny-ass stock brakes. Not only does it look stupid but I just think of all that extra weight they've put on their wheels with not much to slow it down.

Sure I souped up the engine and suspension in my Mustang to make it go faster but I also upgraded to the Shelby GT500 brakes.

Just the other day I had some idiot fly past me on the freeway. I was doing 75 so he must have been doing at least 90 in a Hyundai Sonata or something. About 5 minutes later traffic slows to a crawl and there is a huge cloud of dust and debris going across the freeway. Sure enough I see that same idiot sitting in his car on the shoulder. Guess he spun out or something. I laugh and keep driving, then not 5 minutes later he flies past me again!!!! Didn't you learn your lesson you moron?!?!?

 

[annunaki]

Tires make a much bigger difference in snow that the drive train. A high quality snow tire will make a bigger difference than AWD. There have been studies done to validate it also.

Having driven Wisconsin roads for 20 years now, I agree with the first three points markw.

 

[herbu]

I wish I had a nickel for every time I've seen some big-arsed 4X go speeding by in the snow and, later up the road I'll see that same 4X on the side of the road in a ditch.

Ha! That used to be one of my favorite ice/snow activities here in NC. Because the roads are usually warmer, we often have a sheet of ice under the snow. Yankees would see the 3-4" of snow and think, "That's nothing!". I would go out in my 4wd pickup and pull cars w/ NY, NJ, etc license plates out of ditches. Great fun!!!

 

[markw]

Ha! That used to be one of my favorite ice/snow activities here in NC. Because the roads are usually warmer, we often have a sheet of ice under the snow. Yankees would see the 3-4" of snow and think, "That's nothing!". I would go out in my 4wd pickup and pull cars w/ NY, NJ, etc license plates out of ditches. Great fun!!!

I hear ya. No offense, but I've noticed that a lot of people in the southern part of the US don't know how to handle snow and ice because they so rarely see it. Years ago, a client in Alabama was talking to me while they had maybe an inch of snow and when he was describing what driving was like, it sounded like the apocalypse.

And, sad to say, my sweet daughter-in-law in Brazos County, Texas learned a very expensive lesson in what black ice is last winter. thankfully, nobody was hurt.

 

[herbu]

I've noticed that a lot of people in the southern part of the US don't know how to handle snow and ice because they so rarely see it... it sounded like the apocalypse.

You are exactly right!!! Down here, schools close and businesses shut down on just the forecast of snow. Sure, black ice is always treacherous, but gridlock on the freeway for HOURS because of 2" of snow is pretty sad. A few years ago hundreds of kids had to spend the night at their schools because no traffic could move. 2" of unexpected snow. It's good to be retired, w/ 4 cords of dry firewood split and stacked, a nice HT, (and a generator just in case)!!!

 

[rojo]

In herbu's defense and mine, North Carolinians and East Tennesseans are much more capable in the snow as a whole than Deep Southerners. The Appalachian Mountains and the kiss your own butt curvy roads built on horse trails make good winter diving training courses. State of Franklin ftw! Not all of us, of course. I still get stuck behind people from time to time who think the rule is "drive slow on ice always", who fail to make it up hills because they have no momentum.

Sent from my LG-VS980 using Forum Fiend OSP v1.3.3.

 

[Rickster71]

I'm convinced people can't drive regardless of the weather.
The rain / snow and ice just magnifies their inadequacy to a greater degree.

It drove home the point even more when my wife's car was backed into in a parking lot and we had to search out an good auto body shop. There were ten huge shops within 15 minutes of my house and were a a fairly rural area.
Business was booming, since they all had a two week wait.

 

[Dan]

I'm convinced people can't drive regardless of the weather.
The rain / snow and ice just magnifies their inadequacy to a greater degree.

It drove home the point even more when my wife's car was backed into in a parking lot and we had to search out an good auto body shop. There were ten huge shops within 15 minutes of my house and were a a fairly rural area.
Business was booming, since they all had a two week wait.

 

[Dan]

I agree with all of the above. I've lived in MD, MI, MA, PA and CT. Maryland is the worst due to traffic density and incompetence. Connecticut is very tricky because the highways go through the cities not around them and are elevated so they ice up suddenly right where the traffic is worst. Also the Long Island sounds warms the coast and it cools as you go north so it changes from rain to sleet to snow. A slight temp changes moves the precipitation lines twenty miles north or south quickly.

Snows tires are great but I also believe manual transmission is a huge help. I have gotten out of deep snow with an Acura Integra with snows and a stick shift. Made it home through two feet of snow in Pittsburgh with the huge hill at the medical center. Sadly it's getting extremely difficult to get manual transmissions anymore on many models.

 

[markw]

I just stumbled across this on Facebook and couldn't resist sharing. I know, the math doesn't add up. Musta been someone from New York that made this meme.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I just stumbled across this on Facebook and couldn't resist sharing. I know, the math doesn't add up. Musta been someone from New York that made this meme.

New yorker would say "hold my starbucks"

 

[JohnnieB]

Tires make a much bigger difference in snow that the drive train. A high quality snow tire will make a bigger difference than AWD.

Agree. Bridgestone Blizzak. If you've never had a pair, try em. They grip like velcro in ice/snow.

 

[TheWarrior]

Being born in WI, the ease of road plowing is aides be the near flatness of the terrain. Where I lived in NJ (Flemington) the roads were long and mostly straight. But they all were invested in the right equipment.

Here in GA, we have almost no plows, and most of the roads are inadequate for the traffic they see normally, anyway. Combine with routine icing, all these 'deer trail' side streets (every other road) have horrible elevation changes in the middle of turns and people just go off the road.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

few more (other than FOX) articles in support of pretty much same:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a3091/the-myth-of-the-all-powerful-all-wheel-drive-15202862/
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/12/2wd-awd-or-4wd-how-much-traction-do-you-need/index.htm
TL;DR; Advanced AWD systems COULD bring MINOR improvements in handling and cornering, but snow tires will provide significantly larger benefit.