Quick reminder for driving in snow

"450X_FTW" (mistermic) 01/13/2016 at 08:06 • Filed to: None

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1) Don’t be this guy

2) Brake early. People that don’t are why I have a trailer hitch on the back of my truck at all times. I might end up with a dented bumper but the 2" ball is going through your fascia. Also four wheel drive does NOT help you stop any faster.

3) Don’t brake hard in the curves. That understeer will bite you, hard. And I always fear sitting at the light in the left turn lane and a person coming from my left making a right turn, but just sliding right through the turn and into the side of me.

4) Let your engine warm up. Doesn’t need to idle for 15 minutes, but a minute or two is fine. Your oil is thick when it’s extremely cold, don’t just get in, start the engine, and go to WOT. Give it a minute or two to let the oil get through all the channels of your engine

5) Don’t run your defroster on the hottest setting unless you need to melt ice off your windshield. Put the temp at about 2/3 of the way towards hot and keep the fan speed in the middle. The trick is to have the temp high enough where the windshield does not fog, but low enough that it does not melt the snow hitting your windshield while driving. Otherwise all that snow turns to water on your windshiled and you have to run your wipers non stop, eventually that water will freeze over making another mess to deal with.

6) From “Chris_K_F” Clean the snow off the top of your car! Otherwise the stuff will freeze into a sheet, the wind will catch it, and it will fly off your car about 20-30ft in the air and come crashing down on the highway. I’ve seen it happen 3 times this year already, but luckily nobody has been hit by it yet. I always have the urge to follow the person to their exit ramp and yell at them.

7) From “You can tell a Finn but you can’t tell him much” Turn your lights on. If it is snowing, turn your lights on. If the wind is blowing, turn your lights on, the snow will blow into the air and reduce visibility. If the roads are wet from salt turn your lights on, otherwise the water will ice over your lights and they will be useless when you decide to turn them on. Turn your lights on. Your grey/white/black car that is covered in road salt and grime is invisible against a snow covered road and background.

TL;DR Turn your effing lights on!

Post more and I’ll add them to the list.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 08:11

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6. Clean the snow off the top of your car! Otherwise the stuff will freeze into a sheet, the wind will catch it, and it will fly off your car about 20-30ft in the air and come crashing down on the highway. I’ve seen it happen 3 times this year already, but luckily nobody has been hit by it yet. I always have the urge to follow the person to their exit ramp and yell at them.

Flavien Vidal > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 08:21

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7: Move out of the North Pole...

TheRealBicycleBuck > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 08:24

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6. This is why you clear the snow off the top of your car.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 08:28

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#5 I’m still working on mastering.

#6. Just because you can’t see the lane markings doesn’t mean there are no lanes. Just keep as close to the curb as possible. The people who do the opposite (either straddling 2 lanes on the one side of the road or the ones who try to stay in the absolute middle of the road) really annoy and puzzle me. They are usually the terrified ones doing about 3 and you can’t get past them because they change course every 5 seconds, and I’ve never understood why you would want to be closer to oncoming traffic if you were already scared by the slippery conditions. If you follow the curb you follow a predictable path that is out of the way of others as well.

#7. Don’t pull up really close next to someone unless you can’t avoid it. Try to have even spaces on each side of the vehicle to maximize everyone’s space. (This applies mostly to pulling up beside RWD vehicles, but as not everyone can positively ID a RWD vehicle I would make it a general rule. If you can pick out a RWD vehicle on one side and a FWD on the other, give the RWD more room) My reasoning is based on my own experience with my truck. If I spin in slippery conditions, the back always steps out to the right. People who pull up close on my right freak me out.

#8. The inverse of #7. Know your vehicle. I for example know the right rear corner likes to step out and give more room on that side.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 08:29

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1) Turn your lights on. If it is snowing, turn your lights on. If the wind is blowing, turn your lights on, the snow will blow into the air and reduce visibility. If the roads are wet from salt turn your lights on, otherwise the water will ice over your lights and they will be useless when you decide to turn them on. Turn your lights on. Your grey/white/black car that is covered in road salt and grime is invisible against a snow covered road and background.

TL;DR Turn your effing lights on!

Meatcoma > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 08:31

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7. If you can avoid coming to a complete stop, do so. Approach a red light as slowly as you can so that it may possibly turn green and you can avoid stopping entirely to reduce any wheelspin from that initial acceleration. Obviously stop signs are not included in on this.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 08:34

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4) Let your engine warm up. Doesn’t need to idle for 15 minutes, but a minute or two is fine. Your oil is thick when it’s extremely cold, don’t just get in, start the engine, and go to WOT. Give it a minute or two to let the oil get through all the channels of your engine

Ahh, the old classic debate. I’m not here to argue this one with you, but I’ll add my 2 cents. Most cars and trucks have a “high idle” when they are cold - usually add’s about 500-700 rpm to engine idle speed. You can see it on the tach, or usually hear it if you don’t have one. My rule of thumb, summer and winter, is to let the car idle until the idle speed drops down to it’s normal level. In the summer it can take 30 seconds to a minute depending on how hot it is outside. In the winter it takes 2 to 3 minutes usually. This is a good indication that your engine has come up to a reasonable internal temperature and it’s good to go.

The other thing is, even after letting warm up for a couple minutes, go slow and keep your rpm’s down (my rule of thumb is <3,000). I drive like this until I see the temperature gauge start to climb. That’s a good indication that your engine is up to operating temperature.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Snuze: Needs another Swede 01/13/2016 at 08:40

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Mine high idles until it’s completely up to temp. That could be anywhere 2-5 minutes in summer and anywhere 5-7 in winter.

I give it 30 seconds to a minute (unless I'm clearing snow off, in which case I just let it run the whole time), then go and don't strain the engine if I can help it until the gauge is definitely moving.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 01/13/2016 at 08:41

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You have an S-10, right?

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Snuze: Needs another Swede 01/13/2016 at 08:42

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Colorado.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 01/13/2016 at 08:51

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Oh ok. I think all the engines offered in those were all-aluminum. I find this interesting because my Cruze has an iron block / aluminum head, and yet it sounds like it warms up quite a bit faster than yours.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 08:52

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Here’s another one. Don’t know how many times I’ve had encountered people like this.

Keep up with the flow of traffic or get the fuck off the road. If everyone around you is doing 30mph and you’re doing 20 mph (because you’re freaked out) you are a danger to everyone around you. Quickest way to cause an accident is force some to have to use their brakes when the road is covered in ice.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Snuze: Needs another Swede 01/13/2016 at 09:04

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Yeah, it’s an LH9, so all aluminium afaik.

Of course, I’ve never timed it exactly, but that’s roughly what it seems to be at. Just FYI—what I mean by up to temp is about a point and a half below the halfway mark on the gauge. That seems like whar normally happens. Though now that you bring it up, some of my first pics show it idling normally when the gauge was only up to a quarter, but all the later ones are higher.

I wonder if I could have screwed something up?

Milky > Snuze: Needs another Swede 01/13/2016 at 09:06

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... go slow and keep your rpm’s down ...

Thats cool and all, but what if I want to drift the first corner I come across? Are you telling me not to drift?! WELL THIS IS AMERICA DAMMIT.

deekster_caddy > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 09:27

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#6 is all that matters. Don't piss me off! Do whatever the hell else crazy shit as long as you don't kill anyone, but clean the godsamn snow off your entire roof. Yes, minivans, you are included.

BigBlock440 > Milky 01/13/2016 at 09:37

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If there’s snow on the road, you could do it easily under 3k, so go for it.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 09:59

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Number one reminds me of this morning when I saw an old Chevy truck with “For Sale” written across the windshield. Sale was decorated so most of your visibility was covered. They were driving.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 01/13/2016 at 10:05

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I don’t think so, it just surprises me, but maybe it heats up that much faster.

This morning I started the Cruze and let it idle until it came off high-idle, which took about 2 minutes. At that point the temp gauge hadn’t moved at all. I then drove about 2 miles before the temp needle started to move.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Milky 01/13/2016 at 10:07

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I’m not saying don’t do it. But you have to judge the risk of accelerated engine wear and possible damage, vs. being awesome! And you know what, if your engine explodes in a spectacular fashion while drifting, I’d say that’s MAXIMUM ‘MURICA!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 10:16

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Also, TURN YOUR DAMN HIGH BEAMS OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! While this applies to anytime you are oncoming traffic or behind someone else, during a snow storm is the worst. First of all, high beams only make your's and everyone around you visibility worse rather than better (light reflecting off all the liquid in the air). Even if they are helping you, don't be an inconsiderate shit and leave them on at the expense of others.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Snuze: Needs another Swede 01/13/2016 at 10:19

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I usually plug in my OBD scanner and watch the actual coolant temperature (my in-dash gauge is basically a dummy gauge with heavy damping). Once the temp gets to ~40 (Celsius), then I get on the road. Tends to be a good indicator of the car being operational.

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 10:28

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The stoplight scenario in #3 almost happened to me about a month ago but the guy was turning left. Or, at least he ended up turning left. Truck going way too fast, light had just changed, one car in front of him did stop, he couldn’t. He accelerated (?!) into the right lane, severely fishtailed around the stopped car, came within two feet of hitting my car, somehow saved it and straightened it out to keep going left, all without slowing down. It was terryifing, incredibly stupid and amazing all at the same time that he was able to do that while driving about 40ish in 6-8 inches or so of unplowed slush and fresh snow and ice.

450X_FTW > Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) 01/13/2016 at 11:13

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Makes me even more nervous when the lane the person is turning into is only 1 lane wide, even less for margin of error

450X_FTW > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/13/2016 at 11:14

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That is why I installed amber colored LED pods in place of my fog lights. They were amazing in the snow storms

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > 450X_FTW 01/13/2016 at 11:26

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Which, let’s be honest, is the opposite of what a lot of people need.

Milky > Snuze: Needs another Swede 01/13/2016 at 11:42

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Explosions do equal Murica, your logic is sound.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 01/14/2016 at 08:15

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If you couldn’t safely slow down then you’re driving too fast for road conditions. Just cause everyone is doing it, doesn’t make it right.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 01/14/2016 at 09:07

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K...

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/con…

“Driving slower than other vehicles or stopping suddenly can be just as dangerous, as speeding, if not more dangerous because you may cause a rear end collision or cause other drivers to swerve to avoid hitting your vehicle.”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2…

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 01/14/2016 at 12:59

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And you skip over #2 “

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

The faster your speed, the less control you have of your vehicle. Rather than driving at the legal posted speed limit, consider adjusting you driving speed for road conditions or whatever affects the safe operation of your vehicle. For example, should you drive 35 mph (the posted speed limit) on a curve down an icy mountain road? Many inexperienced drivers do not adjust their driving speed for the road conditions; that causes them to have more “out-of-control” collisions than experienced drivers.”

The daily mail article makes no mention of slick conditions. A bunch of idiot s driving too fast for conditions is what leads to 50 car pileups. If you can’t see or break before something on the road you are the hazard on the road.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 01/14/2016 at 13:20

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Did I say you should speed? Did I say I was speeding? I’m pretty sure I didn’t.

If I’m traveling at a safe speed and have to slow down, I run still the risk of loosing traction. I also run the risk of the person behind me not realizing I’m showing down and they then have to take evasive action which could cause them to slam into me, spin off the road or loose control in another way. Or the person behind me runs the risk of things I just mentioned, or the person behind them and so on and so forth.

Keeping up with the flow of traffic is a rule that should be applied AT ALL times. Otherwise you become that hazzard people need to watch for.

Lincoln-Hawk > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 01/14/2016 at 13:56

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If you run the risk of losing traction, you weren’t traveling at a safe speed for the conditions. There’s a good reason that rear-end collisions are almost universally ruled the following cars fault.

Nauraushaun > 450X_FTW 01/15/2016 at 16:37

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People that don’t are why I have a trailer hitch on the back of my truck at all times. I might end up with a dented bumper but the 2" ball is going through your fascia.

Are you saying that you have a towball at all times so that, if you get rear ended, it does more damage than it needs to?

Are you saying that, in a situation where somebody makes a mistake, you’re deliberately and needlessly causing damage to their car for no good reason whatsoever?

If so, I hope you reverse into something expensive.

450X_FTW > Nauraushaun 01/15/2016 at 17:14

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I have it on there at all times for people that do not pay attention to the road, not so it deliberately damages there car more, but so it damages my car less. If I’m at a stop light dead stop and someone rear ends me because they weren’t paying attention, screw them.