driving an automatic

[curlyperm11]

Hi - i can only drive automatic cars, and 2 weeks ago skidded on black ice and ended up in a ditch,and consequently ended up in hopital, i am ok but car was a write off, NOW i have managed to get another car (auto) and am absolutely DREADING driving tomorrow or any day thats got ice /snow, the back roads that i go to work have NO grit/salt, so any advice to me regarding the drive would be useful, as its tempting to drive with foot on brake but that is what landed me in the ditch, i go into panic mode when i look out the window and see snow/ice
thanks in advance
curlyperm

[curlyperm11]

thank you to everyone! most helpful especially the links, the part about the clutch tho? its automatic thus making it a bit more difficult? i have always thought of having a bit of extra tuition - say from the AA just general advice i guess (glad i dont live in Cananda)
Today i didnt go to work at 9am i went at 12 when it had melted a bit, but the road i travel on does not get gritted so it was still like a sheet of ice, and coming home at 4 (freezing over again) worse, this is playing havoc with my nerves and (like others pointed out) was glared at for driving at 8 mph and was angrily overtaken...... people are strange, i half expected to see them upturned in a ditch (like i was) further up the road, and i was doing less than 15 mph when it happenned to me. But thanks again and safe driving x

[curlyperm11]

just one last Q before i close this thread, it was correctly pointed out that the gears 12 D R should be driven in the lowest gear in snow/ice well whcih is the lowest 1 (i know it sounds stupid but it could be 2 depending )

[cazzz1975]

you want to drive in d ideally, easy on the accelerater. the object of the exercise is to avoid wheelspin. dont brake on corners.

[cazzz1975]

ignore the person that got annoyed with you.

[Panic Button]

There is some very confusing advice on this thread. Doc means well, but tells you to turn the whel the exact opposite of what you should do with the wheel.

Someone else tells you to use engine breaking, which an automatic has very little of.

You probably should get a lesson from a driving instructor who teaches automatics.

Personally I would leave it in drive, and not try using 1, 2 or 3.

However imagine there is an uncooked egg stuck on the accelerator and the brake pedals so you must plan to only press either very gently.

[TWR]

Hi, the lower the number the lower the gear, If you feel as if you are comfortable in D, use it, but use it with caution, Its your life, your car, your Insurance Sod other people if you value your life, licence, your car. Good Luck & take care.

[derekpara]

I agree with PANIC, except possibly the staying in D ( Drive) until you have more experience and, importantly, instruction from a good driving school/instructor.

With all this talk about skidding, I think in your case, Curly, you were probably sliding (all four wheels losing traction) as opposed to skidding ( usually only two wheels losing traction),making the advice on ' turning into the skid' superfluous.

Good advice from Panic, too, with the 'egg' analogy. Another one is to imagine the accelerator and brake are made of glass. These analogies can be applied to normal conditions anyway. TWRs advice on leaving plenty of space and steering VERY gently, is worth applying.

Stay safe.