Hints for Winter driving ...

[Lanstrom]

I heard that filling a hot water bottle and sticking it on your dashboard a hour before you drive off works a treat (retire inside to use the rest of the hot water in a warming bevvie).

I tried it this morning and it worked a bit but I only gave it 30 mins.

Got any other tips ?

 

[sticky]

Just start the engine 20 mins before you drive off hmmmmm

 

[skinz]

Is that not bad for the engine though

 

[D 8 RCS]

Just start the engine 20 mins before you drive off hmmmmm

Yes,
Just give the local car thieves a helping hand and invalidate your insurance !!!!!
Don't do this unless you are sitting in the car.

 

[Evastar]

might run your battery down and would use fuel.

i heard that using hot water bottle or hot water could crack your windscreen if its too hot, not sure how true it is though

 

[Dutcho]

Don't slide towards lamp posts as they wont jump out of your way

 

[Thommo]

do as everyone else round our way does, rev the balls out off the engine spinning the wheels as they think more power equals getting going.

it makes the road lovely a icy for the rest of us and we all love it.







.
*note to self re-read post to see if its argumentative or could be seen to be by others ....

 

[Kruger]

Is that not bad for the engine though

no, revving a cold engine is though.


dont drive off in 1st gear, always use 2 or 3 rd if u can get ayaway with it with minimal gas.

 

[albagubrathaye]

If ye get stuck let some air out the tyres to get ye moving again.

 

[dar1437]

As suggested, start engine, turn on inside fans, go back inside for 10mins, job done. Most opportunist car robbers are fast asleep early morning. If in doubt, you could always lock the doors with a spare key (or would that cut out the engine in some cars?)

 

[zad]

Don't drive... simples!

 

[Ratts]

if you start to skid, take your foot off the brake and you should be able to steer out of danger... if your going slow enough lol

 

[snp-g]

Drive in as low a gear as possible.

 

[Kruger]

Drive in as low a gear as possible.

eh? it should be the highest gear m8.

 

[Evastar]

dont brake coming up to or going around a corner, approach corners slowly, the car in front of me didnt do that last january and span right around in a circle, luckily i had stopped waiting for them to get around the corner, cos they ended up stuck right where i would have been!

 

[MH]

Dont get a rear wheel drive car....grrrrr Great fun at any other time

 

[Clinkers]

i heard that using hot water bottle or hot water could crack your windscreen if its too hot, not sure how true it is though

Dont know about the hot water bottle, but I know the hot water (too hot) WILL crack the windscreen if its really brassic. Something to do with temperature differntial, the glass cant expand that quickly or something.

Best tip I can think of is to try to keep moving slowly, time it so you dont have to stop at lights. if the lights are red (or going to change to red) ease off and slow down, crawl up and tr to be moving when they go green again. Stopping just leaves all the weight on the tyres and the wheels tend to just spin (compacting the ice/slush and making it even harder to get any traction to get moving again!).

 

[stevie1ball]

might run your battery down and would use fuel.

i heard that using hot water bottle or hot water could crack your windscreen if its too hot, not sure how true it is though

This is only if you pour the water onto the windscreen not if you put the hot water bottle on the dash board to warm the glass with the heat. If the car is on the drive an electric fan heater placed on the parcel shelf for a short while defrosts both the car and the interior is warm when you get in.

Yes Maryhinge power sliding not as much fun in the snow m8 .

Best advice is use higher gear, less acceleration and break gently and early along with using gear changes to slow you down gradually.

 

[snp-g]

eh? it should be the highest gear m8.

Cold's getting to me.

 

[oneman]

If ye get stuck let some air out the tyres to get ye moving again.

And remember to pump them up again afterwards. You want to minimise the contact patch so there is more force pushing down.

Same reason why skinny tyres are better then wide low profile tyres. Also why if you have a rear wheel drive car, then shoving a couple of heavy bags of anything in your boot will give better traction.