A close call on a snowy road

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 5:05 pm

In 1965, I was driving my 1964 VW to work on a one-way street that was normally 3 lanes. However, because of heavy snow the previous day, there was a big snow bank on both sides, reducing the number of lanes to 2. The left lane had temporarily stopped, but I was in the right lane, which was still moving. Just before I entered an intersection, a car entered the intersection from the left, not realizing that the right lane was still moving. There was no way I could stop in time even though the traffic was going only about 15 mph; it was too slippery.

Fortunately, I had studded tires on the rear wheels, which greatly increased traction. Also fortunately, I had practiced using the hand brake to take advantage of the traction provided by the studded tires. So, I lightly applied the foot brake and grabbed the hand brake. Just before entering the intersection, I released the brakes and made an unscheduled right turn. Somehow making the right turn enabled me to avoid hitting the other car. However, it was so close that I couldn't believe that we hadn't collided. People brushing the snow off of their cars stared and saw the whole thing; no doubt they expected to see a crash. When I got out of my car, the other driver started apologizing. I asked, "Did we hit?" He said "no," and complimented me on my quick reactions.

There was really nothing that I could have done to avoid the close call. Because of the low speed, if a crash had occurred, it would have been expensive but probably there would have been no injuries.

Member Joined: Dec 31, 2009 Posts: 24

Well done for driving slowly in the first place. I know you probably didn't have any choice, being that there were cars in front of you, but still....
I remember a time when I was driving my taxi on an extremely icy hill. I was going down the hill at the lowest speed possible when the taxi veered off to the right on its own. I could do nothing. It was heading straight for a parked car and I braced myself for the impact.
Miraculously, it stopped just short. To this day I haveno idea why, but I am grateful because taxis have to blemish free - the slightest dent on any of the paintwork has to the rectified as soon as, or we could lose our licences.

Member Joined: Dec 30, 2009 Posts: 18

Dang, sounds like it was close. We had a close one just a few days ago, it was like watching it in slow motion, them sliding into us sliding to stop. Well, glad you're okay!

Member Joined: Dec 31, 2009 Posts: 24

You too, hun:)
I really dislike driving in icy conditions; it's a horrible feeling when your car goes into a slide. There is nothing you can do to stop it.

Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 3:06 am

No one likes driving on ice, but in some parts of the U.S., you either drive on ice or hibernate for a few months of the year. I grew up in Wisconsin and Minnesota and have driven hundreds of miles on ice and snow, and that was before anti-lock brakes.

Usually you can recover control if you slide, but not always. You have to keep your speed down and allow perhaps 10 or more times the usual distance to stop. One should keep in mind that the sliding coefficient of friction is less than the static coefficient of friction. Therefore it is best to avoid spinning the wheels. You get maximum thrust by applying just slightly less power than would be required to spin the wheels. If you spin, you should cut the power then apply power more gently. The same with braking without ABS. If a wheel locks, you release the brakes and apply them more gently. Sliding sideways is more tricky and complicated, but the same principal applies.

Often when a car is stuck on snow or ice, another driver who is more skillful can get behind the wheel and drive the car out, IF the previous driver hasn't dug the wheels in by spinning. Doing that takes more discipline and self-control than many drivers have because the natural tendency, which must be resisted, is to spin faster and faster.

If you get stuck, you can often get out if you know how. Apply power very gently. When the car stops moving forward, quickly shift to reverse, and vice versa, but don't apply quite enough power to spin the wheels. If you spin, you may just dig in deeper and make the situation worse. Going back and forth repeatedly often enables one to get unstuck. It was easier with the olde 3-speed manual transmissions because reverse and 1st were in line, making it easier to shift quickly between reverse and 1st. Some of the olde automatic transmissions were easier than modern ones because 1st and reverse were next to each other, making it easier to shift quickly between them. The 1950 - 1955 Hydramatics and Powerglides were especially good for that because they would shift instantly as you moved the lever back and forth between 1st and reverse, with only a very light touch on the accelerator.

It is a good idea to keep a snow shovel, sand, a tow rope, and batter jumper cables in the car for driving where ice and snow are common.

Four wheel drives helps prevent getting stuck, but it does not enable the car to stop faster and does not make it possible to drive faster safely.

Member Joined: Dec 31, 2009 Posts: 24

Excellent advice:)
I remember once being stuck. A passenger had asked to be dropped down this side street which was on a steep downward sloping hill, with a cul de sac at the bottom.
I must have been only a new taxi driver at the time, because I took her down without thought about how I was going to getup again!
It wasn't snowy but it was freezing.
Got to the bottom, got the car turned, but there was no way the wheels were getting traction on the icy ground to get out again!
In the end, I climbed over a fence into a nearby field and dragged some debris that was lying there - bits of wood and whatnot - and placed them under the back wheels till I could get the car going again.
After that, on frosty nights, I learned to drop passengers at the top of their hill.
The gritter lorries never did the side streets so they were always iffy.

Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 10:19 am

I actually love driving on ice! Razz

Though only on a closed course, too many people have no idea how to do this and it is getting really hard to avoid colliding with them. Back in Russia, when after the heavy rain comes acute freezing, it is called an "autobody repairman day" Laughing

But seriously, regular driving on ice so much improves your feel of your car you almost become one with it, and things like correcting a skid on a rainy day become a kids play Smile

And they do have special races on ice back in Russia, both cars and bikes - on studded tires though.

Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 2:55 pm

Cars very considerably in how they handle on ice.

My 1951 Ford handled very well on ice - it was quite stable. On a straight road, it never felt as though it might skid off for no reason. On the other hand, my 1971 Porsche 914 (a mid-engine car) was very scary on ice. For no apparent reason, it would slide. I tried to determine exactly how it handled on ice by driving it on a very large parking lot and found that once the rear end started sliding at speeds above about 25 mph, it could not be controlled, unlike my 1951 Ford which could easily be controlled.

Member Joined: Dec 30, 2009 Posts: 18

I had an old chevy that was like a freekin sled! It motored through snow two feet deep without a problem. I was a young and confident driver back then. Now, after the culture shock of moving from Alaska to a big city in Oregon, I'm afraid to drive, let alone on ice! I do it, but I don't like it.

Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 12:51 am

In some former English colonies, autobody repair persons are called panel beaters and there are advertisements for "smash repairs." Here in the U.S., we have sand trucks to spread sand on icy roads, whereas in England, they have gritter trucks. There are also differences in the names for car parts. Here in the U.S., the rear storage compartment is called the trunk, whereas in England and its former colonies, it is the boot. We have glove boxes or glove compartments; in England they have the cubby. We have denatured alcohol, and in England they have methylated spirits. In England, a flat is an apartment whereas here in the U.S. a flat is a deflated tire (tyre). Here in the U.S., the ground floor is known as the first floor whereas in some countries, the first floor is one story above the ground floor. The term "public convenience" is almost unknown in the U.S. Instead, it is called the bathroom even if there are no bathing facilities, which amuses the English. When in a restaurant in England, DO NOT ask for a napkin; ask for a serviette because a napkin is a sanitary napkin used by women. In England, an eraser is often called a rubber, which embarrasses the English if they ask for a rubber in the U.S.

It's interesting how English usage varies from country to country. Occasionally it causes confusion or embarrassment.

Member Joined: Dec 31, 2009 Posts: 24

That was fun!
In Scotland, it's called the glove compartment not the 'cubby'. We have gritter lorries not trucks. In fact we don't have trucks, we have lorries.
You don't have public conveniences? I didn't know that. We call a toilet the bathroom, but never a public toilet. Funnily enough here in Spain you ask for el bano (the bathroom) when in a public place.
You can ask for a napkin in a Scottish restaurant and they know exactly what you mean - we must be more advanced than the English LOL
Yes the old rubber thing we call an eraser a rubber and your rubber is a French letter., and of course there is the cigarette which we call a fag for short when we know full well it has another meaning now, but old habits die hard. A flat is either a flat tyre or an apartment, depends in the context of use.
In Scotland we have a 'close' which is the communal entranceway to a block of flats and even within Scotland there are different words for different things. Like a 'cuddy' on the West Coast is a type of fish, and it is a horse on the East Coast. Need to send before my laptop blue screens on me again x

Driver Joined: Dec 25, 2009 Posts: 100

I live in canada and i have encountered a similar accident and it was a close call. I somehow managed to drove away from the on coming car. I could slip away because it was a snowy road n my car drifted away and i got saved.

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 2:22 pm

arun wrote:

I live in canada and i have encountered a similar accident and it was a close call. I somehow managed to drove away from the on coming car. I could slip away because it was a snowy road n my car drifted away and i got saved.

You live in Canada now, but are you from India?

Member Joined: May 31, 2011 Posts: 11

Really appreciating... your reaction against this issue is a positive respons. This type of problem is generally created in snowy and slippery area. you solve this problem very well and nicely done.
*link sipped

Member Joined: Mar 14, 2012 Posts: 12 Location: CA

Well me and my friend were basically naked in my old Buick, parked in a local park parking lot at night.

All of a sudden it got really bright, cop taps on the window.

There was a flurry of clothes, i ended up talking to the cop with no shirt on, pants half on, friend had her shirt on but only a blanket covering up the bottom.

The cop was really mean but at least he let us off with a warning... apparently you can't be in a park after dark.

It was 4 days before i turned 18, if i would have been 18 and she would have been 17 i would have gotten a statitory rape charge.

Most awkward time ever.