WHY do drivers rev hard when driving in snow?

[Matheous-2]

I have been behind another car driving in bad snow conditions on level ground in a straight road yet they STILL manage to skid all over the road!!

[Lou_Lou26]

Because no one ever told them how to drive safely in the snow and they're too stupid to look it up.....

[Marijn]

I feel I drive safely in the snow, but I was told I'm supposed to drive in a higher gear than usual when it's on snow, is that correct?

[Lou_Lou26]

Yes notafish, thats correct. Higher gears give lower revs and more traction. Its basically the opposite of what the eejits Matheous is talking about are doing.

[Lou_Lou26]

maybe doc - might be safer fun if they did it in an empty car park....

[boxtops]

Because until now, many people have rarely had the need to drive in snowy or icy conditions, they don't know any better.

[Toureman]

Not as much fun as a rear wheel drive car, not many left now.

Wish I still had one.

[Lou_Lou26]

Toureman - I'll swap you 'til the snows gone. Hate my rear wheel drive when the roads are solid ice....... Unless its in an empty car park!

[tigwig]

This absolutely does my head in! I was behind someone the other day and they went all the way up my street, which is uphill and very bad, in 1st gear so slowly they almost stopped. Luckily I was close enough to my house to get past them and park up before they came to a stop and got stuck doh. My husband wasn't so lucky, he got his van stuck since someone did it to him and forced him to slow down too much.

[Answerprancer]

Probably because they're riding the clutch (and wearing it out in the process) rather than just driving along slowly in second like normal people do.

[KARL]

It is not so much a question of choosing a "too high" gear as ensuring you keep the torque applied to the driving wheels low. In fact you are quite likely to be unable to get the torque minimised in second gear if traffic movement dictates you need to go slower than second gear permits. Applying torque when moving off from a standstill is particularly tricky. It is correct to say that keeping your speed up as much as possible is less likely to give rise to excessive torque and consequent loss of grip. There was a lovely demonstration the other day of the oft trumpeted British virtue of common sense: It turns out UK insurance companies treat fitting winter tyres in the current conditions as a modification. Fail to notify it and paying the consequent steeply raised premium and your insurance will presumably be invalid. Those who curse people in front not coping on snow and/or ice may have the insurance companies to blame if in fact the driver of that vehicle would be on appropriate tyres if only......

[joggerjayne]

My MGF is rear wheel drive.

In bad weather it is, essentially ... crap.

But it is quite fun, when no one is near, to give it a bit of a rev and have a little slide.

I know, I know ... childish and stupid, but ... well, hey !

[Prudie]

You can't really blame people for driving slowly in snow and ice, even if it's not technically the most efficient way to do so - a car veering out of control is extremely scary

[roger]

Used to have an old Sierra XR4x4 - loads of power in the dry and stacks of traction in the wet and snow - I miss it now !

[ummmm]

I had a rear wheel drive as well. Bloody nightmare in the snow...

[dotty.]

I drive an automatic, it's been quite scary, especially on the black ice, there a certain sense of total loss of control

[Matheous-2]

Yes joggerjayne- a bit of harmless fun is fine , but you or I wouldn't do that if there was a car behind you!

[sherrardk]

I've got an automatic and I am avoiding driving as much as possible - I am not experienced in driving in bad weather and I am lucky enough that I don't actually need to go anywhere at the moment.

[welshlibranr]

I worked for the .Emergency Services' until a few years ago, so am used to driving in all weather condition, but hey!...some of the drivers out there now have no idea!....If they hit black ice, they'll be totalled!.........they don't have a clue, not about the car you drive, it's all about the way you drive it!..............