Motoring Tips

[modeller]

How to drive drive in snow and at other difficult times like flooded roads and in fog is not explained to the general public.
And neither is the reason for doing these things. All you get is the meaningless term term 'drive carefully.' Which could mean 10 mph or 70 mph depending on the way you normally drive.

Would someone please explain the following terms that have come up recently. and give any other helpful tips. ? T
e.g Driving into a skid . Why ? And do you have time ?
Drive off in second gear. Why?
Under steer What does that mean ?
Oversteer. '' '' '' '' ?

[gsr600]

http://www.graham-syk....uk/skid_control.html

http://www.theaa.com/.../winter_motoring.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Understeer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oversteer

does this help !!!!!!!- please google - before asking questions :-)

[TWR]

Modeller, one of the first things you do when the weather gets to the state at this time is to use your head, sod them that is trying to push you from behind concentrate whats in front, at night look at the road does it sparkle? Ice, very light steering, Ice, going into a bend slow down and use your handbrake slowly try and avoid using your foot brake to slow down, A lot of people go into a skid caused by their own fault going to fast, treat this weather with respect if not you will pay the price, Driving off in snow or Ice, use a higher gear for traction (GRIP) do NOT REV the engine with your clutch out this can increase the chance of wheel spin, just ease the pedal you are not in a race, you state going into a skid, a skid will be caused by the speed you do take your time & you will not skid simple, over steer/ under steer debatable, if you are parking your car up, look at the angle of the parking place, is it on a hill? if so, avoid it find a place that is flat if poss, with the weather always make sure your car is full of fuel in case you get stuck in a jam, carry a couple of flasks with tea / Coffee, have blankets in your car, a pair of wellies, Torch, High Vis coat, Mobile that is charged up, if in doubt do not travel, if you do tell someone the area you are going to, Fog, use your head drive on dipped lights high beam is useless keep your distance from the car in front & never follow someones tail lights, there is only one person in charge of your life & that's you,if you value your life drive to the weather conditions, I have seen pile ups caused by knob heads that think they can drive in snow, fog, Ice like they do normally what these knob heads do is take someone else life while they walk off I've seen it Modeller, if you have a short journey to make & you are unsure or the snow frightens you get a taxi, safe driving but remember one thing! If you do not treat snow & Ice & fog with respect it will TAKE YOU that's they only way I can

[MantaRay]

I can understand your confusion since all the well meaning advice just uses technical terms without any real explanation.
1. "Driving into a skid" What this really means is that you are trying to regain control of the car so using your steering wheel [or even brakes!] in a more instinctive way in an attempt to regain grip or at least offer some recovery of the vehicle slide. Obviously every skid is very different, as are the consequences, and sometimes attempting a recovery can lead to a worse accident or collision. For example, you might recover your vehicle long enough to avoid a snow bank on your left [which would have stopped you quite gently] but end up over-correcting the vehicle which will fly off to the right and into oncoming traffic.

"Drive off in second gear" puts less torque to the driven wheels reducing the likelihood of wheelspin. Alternatively you can try pulling away in first gear [kinder to the clutch] but keeping the engine at idle speed then using the accelerator pedal once the speed has built up. During this last winter spell I've been surprised how "normally" I've been able to drive without actually touching the accelerator pedal.

"Understeer" means the front wheels are not gripping or sliding relative to the rear of the car. i.e. you are going around a roundabout and the front of the vehicle feels like it's running wide. The rear of the car stays put and the front feels loose
"Oversteer" is when the front wheels stay put but the rear of the car feels loose or slides. For example, you take a left hand bend and the rear of the car slides out wide putting the front of the car into the left kerb.

Hope this helps.

[Andyvon]

These are all things you learn with experience Modeller. For example, you certainly can't learn to deal with skids or understeer by reading about them! Even if you could find some literature you wouldn't be able to implement the theory in the seconds when the skid occurs. You just learn how to do it. The learning might be painful and expensive - but the next time it happens you either know how to deal with the situation or know not to get into it in the first place. It's learning by experience.

It's generally accepted that it takes a driver about 15 years to reach a reasonable standard of competence and safety after passing their test. It takes that time to experience many different road conditions such as those we have at the moment. Experiencing different driving conditions and having knocks, scrapes and write-offs then teaches you how to deal with them. That's why younger drivers' insurance premiums are so high and they come down with age.

If you have to ask these questions you are obviously quite inexperienced and still on the sharp learning curve having passed your test less than 15 years ago. Like all of us, you will in time learn the answers to your questions - but only through experiencing them. You will then know how to control a skid and understeer. You certainly won't learn the answers from books or answers on AB. Good luck!

[modeller]

Thanks for all your information, although having driven for years , this is the first time I've understood the meaning of the terminology especially understeer and oversteer.
Many thanks .

[Andyvon]

You must have come across it then Modeller. Some cars are worse then others, especially in the rain. I'm sure you've learned how to keep it under control. After all - you are still here!

[Hopkirk]

TWR, what are you talking about, using your handbrake not your footbrake? Utter tosh.

[welshlibranr]

I used to drive Emergency Vehicles and we were trained to drive in adverse weather conditions! my first attempt of driving on a skid pan was horrid, I closed my eyes!....so scary!................but when I got the hang of it, it was very helpful!........not sure about the handbrake thing, was never advised to do this...........................

[Hopkirk]

Also I don't do that driving off in second gear thing. I manage perfectly well in first gear and gentle use of the throttle.

I can get anywhere in my two wheel drive cars, while laughing at the BMWs having problems.

[welshlibranr]

Me too hopkirk, never need to start off in 2nd gear!.....have front wheel drive, and easy on the gas,.........always works fine!.................

[Andyvon]

You should never touch the brakes at all in a skid - footbrake or handbrake. The only way to keep control is by steering and dropping a gear if necessary. Touch the brakes and you lose all control as the wheels just lock.

That's if you've got yourself in that situation in the first place. The safest method of course is to recognise that a skid is likely on certain road surfaces in certain conditions and then drive in a manner to avoid it.

[Toureman]

If I were you I would read and digest the excellent links by gsr600, some of the other posts are a bit dodgy!

Use your handbrake on an icy bend and you will instantly find out what oversteer is, also the same will happen if you drop a gear, thats the same as using your handbrake.

[gsr600]

Toureman, you made me blush ;-)

[Toureman]

Us bikers must stand together, not in the snow though, KLE500 !

[boxtops]

Agree with hopkirk and andyvon, use your gears not your brakes to reduce speed.

[TWR]

How long have you been driving Hopkirk? I drive the Vehicle you mention & NEVER had or have problems, its not the car, it's the drivers that cause the problems.