snow in texas

[BlaqueKatt]

25+ years of driving in snow means I can get to work in a tail-happy old camaro just fine

and you've likely at some point, done what many of my male friends are notorious for(never witnessed or heard of a female doing it), driving into an icy/snowy, but otherwise empty, parking lot to spin donuts and fishtail-which means you learn how to deal with it in a more controlled situation, before it happens while driving.

[ParkingWitch]

(never witnessed or heard of a female doing it), driving into an icy/snowy, but otherwise empty, parking lot to spin donuts and fishtail.

I've done this pretty much in every car I've owned, and the company trucks/vans when I worked inventory at the airport. I WANT to KNOW how badly that E-150 is going to handle pack ice on the parking garage ramps.

Used to love passing 4x4's with all 4 wheels spinning while I putted by in my little Chevette.

[protege]

I've done this pretty much in every car I've owned, and the company trucks/vans when I worked inventory at the airport. I WANT to KNOW how badly that E-150 is going to handle pack ice on the parking garage ramps.

I've done that with every car I've owned too. Well, except the MG...since I don't take that out in the snow Even though I've never owned anything like a truck or van, I still want to know how my FWD cars will behave under such conditions. Even though they're all FWD, cars can behave differently in adverse weather. For example, my little Tercel rarely slid, even on ice. Narrow tires meant that it could really dig in, and go exactly where I wanted to. The Mazda did the opposite--wider tires meant that I really had to watch it if it was slick. That thing slid all over the place. Some of that was because of the tires, but some of it was because of the suspension--the rear wheels actually 'steered' in curves. That is, they'd swing a few degrees opposite in corners. Fine on dry roads, but not ideal in snow!

[Chromatix]

In Finland, part of the second half of the driving course (it's complicated) involves taking a slippery-road driving lesson at a skid pan. You can't get your full licence until you've both done that and got a full winter's driving under your belt with your temporary licence.

[Flying Grype]

Chromatix: we have graduated licensing in Ontario. We should totally have a snow-driving component on that test. o.o

When I was a kid we would visit our relatives in Atlanta in the winter, and one time when we were there it actually snowed, about half an inch. People. freaked. out. The Kroger's was full of people stocking up on bread and milk and eggs. The schools closed. My grandparents had a 4WD van full of Canadians at her disposal, so they didn't have to worry.

[Geek King]

Ha! I just remembered this past snow/ice storm. I got to pass a big 350 spinning its rear tires on a hill while my little FWD Cube just soldiered right up with just a bit of traction loss.

Of course, I also paid attention to where the ice was rough enough for traction