Driving in snow tips
- Thread starter bryan
- Start date
Good tips. Also avoid any sudden maneuvers like braking and turning. Increase following distances. When it is cold and the snow is dry I like to keep my windshield cold. I run the heat out the floor vent only. Snow will not melt or stick to cold glass. It just blows right off as long as you keep moving. Wear a sweater and keep the cab cool. I see too many drivers in tee shirts, and running ice caked windshield wipers.
I carry four 70 pound tubes of sand in my van. When I am running empty or light they are positioned over the rear axle. If I need to shed some weight I cut them open and fill in pot holes in trcuk stop parking lots. Otherwise two are in the side doorwell and two are just forward of the wheelwell.
The sand can also be used when stuck on ice.
I carry four 70 pound tubes of sand in my van. When I am running empty or light they are positioned over the rear axle. If I need to shed some weight I cut them open and fill in pot holes in trcuk stop parking lots. Otherwise two are in the side doorwell and two are just forward of the wheelwell.
The sand can also be used when stuck on ice.
From the weather channel http://www.weather.com/activities/driving/drivingsafety/drivingsafetytips/snow.html?from=iForecast . Also use that contraversial CB . This past Tuesday I made a trip from Owensboro , KY to Warren , MI . While on I-71 the CB let me know traffic was at a standstill headed into Cincinnati . I also heard truckstops within 30 miles were packed with no parking available . Around 6:30 p.m. I was fortunate to find a parking space at exit 62 on I-71 , got some rest and headed out 4:30 a.m. . By then traffic was moving but the roads were still snow covered . During bad weather plan ahead for a place to stop keeping in mind that truckstops and hotels will fill up quickly . You're better off stopping earlier than planned .
Don't be in a rush
Operate your vehicle smoothly.
Increase your following distance.
Adjust your driving as per the conditions.
If you start to feel unsafe or the conditions get too bad pull it over in a safe spot.
Keep yourself well informed of the weather and road conditions, know what you are heading into.
Get yourself an accurate outdoor temperature gauge with inside reading and keep an eye on it, particularly when the temperature is dropping from mild into the freezing zone. If you do this and happen to be on a road where the conditions are ripe, you will be able to predict the "excitement" and adjust your driving before the fun starts.
Operate your vehicle smoothly.
Increase your following distance.
Adjust your driving as per the conditions.
If you start to feel unsafe or the conditions get too bad pull it over in a safe spot.
Keep yourself well informed of the weather and road conditions, know what you are heading into.
Get yourself an accurate outdoor temperature gauge with inside reading and keep an eye on it, particularly when the temperature is dropping from mild into the freezing zone. If you do this and happen to be on a road where the conditions are ripe, you will be able to predict the "excitement" and adjust your driving before the fun starts.
Broompilot
Veteran Expediter
Do not be a wimp out there putting others in danger. Do not be so aggressive to put yourself in danger.
Respect the conditions for what they are, be alert to others behaviors. Salt does not work at 5F or colder so that is black ice on that dry pavement or so it appears.
Know how to control a slide before it turns into a spin out. Do not brake steer into the direction your rear end is comming from. This is probably the scariest situation you will hopefully ever encounter.
Keep the defrost off if snowing, or limit use as this makes snow stick to ones wipers and winshield. If you must use defrost put the setting all the way to cold, and than switch to high heat on your feet asap when visability improves.
Respect the conditions for what they are, be alert to others behaviors. Salt does not work at 5F or colder so that is black ice on that dry pavement or so it appears.
Know how to control a slide before it turns into a spin out. Do not brake steer into the direction your rear end is comming from. This is probably the scariest situation you will hopefully ever encounter.
Keep the defrost off if snowing, or limit use as this makes snow stick to ones wipers and winshield. If you must use defrost put the setting all the way to cold, and than switch to high heat on your feet asap when visability improves.
Steer in the direction the rear end is coming from? What if that points you to a ditch? Steer in the direction you want the vehicle to go.
>Steer in the direction the rear end is coming from? What if
>that points you to a ditch? Steer in the direction you want
>the vehicle to go.
If your rear end is skidding toward the ditch and you steer in the opposite direction you will only succeed in putting the rear end in the ditch twice as fast .
>that points you to a ditch? Steer in the direction you want
>the vehicle to go.
If your rear end is skidding toward the ditch and you steer in the opposite direction you will only succeed in putting the rear end in the ditch twice as fast .
Broompilot
Veteran Expediter
RE: Drive Gently RE: Driving in snow tips
Crazy I agree 100% I would rather take that ditch at 20 mph than 40. Plus you are hopefully gona be able to take control back in time before that ditch comes to you by not steering against the skid?
Rob I agree nice add on.
Highway as if I have no snow driving expierence?
Crazy I agree 100% I would rather take that ditch at 20 mph than 40. Plus you are hopefully gona be able to take control back in time before that ditch comes to you by not steering against the skid?
Rob I agree nice add on.
Highway as if I have no snow driving expierence?
RE: Drive Gently RE: Driving in snow tips
The only experience I have had in this sort of thing was a hydroplaning situation. I steered in the direction the rear end was going and pulled out of it. A change of clothing was in order when all was said and done.
The only experience I have had in this sort of thing was a hydroplaning situation. I steered in the direction the rear end was going and pulled out of it. A change of clothing was in order when all was said and done.
I make certain to never brake, accelerate nor change lanes when on an overpass or a bridge, during rain, snow or ice.
Because you literally have no where to go if something happens, it's not a good idea to change lanes (or brake or accelerate or pass, for that matter) when on a bridge, even in good weather. Always leave yourself an out. On a bridge, the only out is down.
As for driving in snow and ice, well, you really can't negotiate ice. Ice just isn't navigable at all. High school physics teaches you how to drive on snow and ice. You're dealing primarily with inertia, then friction and gravity. Newton's first law of motion says that an object in motion (or at rest) will remain in constant velocity and direction unless acted upon by an external force.
Since snow, and especially ice, affords very little friction, inertia will cause you to tend to keep on going straight. If you slow down enough to allow gravity to act in giving you additional friction, then you can gain some control and overcome some or all of the inertia. Of course, if you slow down too much, then gravity becomes the major player and it will pull you down hill, be it forwards, backwards, or to the side. (I hate it when lanes on a straightaway are overly banked left and right for water runoff, cause it's a major driving problem in snow.) Wind is also an external force that can act upon inertia, being wind from nature or wind from a high speed supertrucker who thinks he's above the laws of physics.
You just have to balance your speed based on what you're going to do. No sudden movements, since inertia and a lack of friction simply won't allow it, anyway. Many people never took physics in high school, or they did and failed it. Stay far away from these people, as the biggest problem with driving on ice and snow isn't driving on ice and snow, it's having to deal with those who don't know how to drive on ice and snow.
As for driving in snow and ice, well, you really can't negotiate ice. Ice just isn't navigable at all. High school physics teaches you how to drive on snow and ice. You're dealing primarily with inertia, then friction and gravity. Newton's first law of motion says that an object in motion (or at rest) will remain in constant velocity and direction unless acted upon by an external force.
Since snow, and especially ice, affords very little friction, inertia will cause you to tend to keep on going straight. If you slow down enough to allow gravity to act in giving you additional friction, then you can gain some control and overcome some or all of the inertia. Of course, if you slow down too much, then gravity becomes the major player and it will pull you down hill, be it forwards, backwards, or to the side. (I hate it when lanes on a straightaway are overly banked left and right for water runoff, cause it's a major driving problem in snow.) Wind is also an external force that can act upon inertia, being wind from nature or wind from a high speed supertrucker who thinks he's above the laws of physics.
You just have to balance your speed based on what you're going to do. No sudden movements, since inertia and a lack of friction simply won't allow it, anyway. Many people never took physics in high school, or they did and failed it. Stay far away from these people, as the biggest problem with driving on ice and snow isn't driving on ice and snow, it's having to deal with those who don't know how to drive on ice and snow.
Being from the old school is extremely hard for me to trust that ANTI-LOCK brakes will preform like they are supposed to.
When they work properly the old rules are out. They will bring you to a stop in as short and straight line as possible.
I have practiced with them in the wide open spaces.(Parking lot)and they really do work. I recommend that anyone having a vehicle equipped with ABS,practice with them.
When they work properly the old rules are out. They will bring you to a stop in as short and straight line as possible.
I have practiced with them in the wide open spaces.(Parking lot)and they really do work. I recommend that anyone having a vehicle equipped with ABS,practice with them.
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
just remember,DONT follow to close
DONT make sudden moves
DONT speed cause your afraid of being late
DONT hit your brakes unless you really have to
You are the captainn of your ship,if your not compfortable with the driving conditions then find a safe place to stop,and most important
DONT listen to some guy complain about your driving
be sure to keep dispatch informed
you will be ok,just use your head
DONT make sudden moves
DONT speed cause your afraid of being late
DONT hit your brakes unless you really have to
You are the captainn of your ship,if your not compfortable with the driving conditions then find a safe place to stop,and most important
DONT listen to some guy complain about your driving
be sure to keep dispatch informed
you will be ok,just use your head
arkjarhead
Veteran Expediter
if you feel it is unsafe to drive don't. regardless of what dispatch says. remember this, no load is worth your life. if dispatch tells you the load has to keep moving tell them you can't safely move it any farther. if they say it's a hot load tell them they should have put it in a refer.
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
>if you feel it is unsafe to drive don't. regardless of what
>dispatch says. remember this, no load is worth your life. if
>dispatch tells you the load has to keep moving tell them you
>can't safely move it any farther. if they say it's a hot
>load tell them they should have put it in a refer.
if you think its hot today,wait til tomorrow
>dispatch says. remember this, no load is worth your life. if
>dispatch tells you the load has to keep moving tell them you
>can't safely move it any farther. if they say it's a hot
>load tell them they should have put it in a refer.
if you think its hot today,wait til tomorrow