It's snowing!!

He didn't suggest slowing down? A FWD doesn't need sandbags. Drive in a manner that keeps the front wheels ahead of the rear instead.
 
Indeed... taking weight off the drive wheels is not a good way to go.

In a FWD car, the back wheels are just there to keep the car's ass from dragging.

Weren't the Nokian snow tires supposed to be God's gift to winter drivers?
 
Inkara1 said:
Indeed... taking weight off the drive wheels is not a good way to go.

In a FWD car, the back wheels are just there to keep the car's ass from dragging.

Weren't the Nokian snow tires supposed to be God's gift to winter drivers?
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Yep...and the idiot passenger was Satan's. :p
 
Ok, first of all...I wasn't in snow...I was on about an inch of iceiness, I was not going OVERLY fast, just a tad too fast...

Maybe sandbags aren't the answer, maybe I just need to learn to slow down sometimes...but it's also not the tires fault...if I'm driving too fast for the conditions that is my own damn fault.

Why didn't my passenger suggest I slow down? He likes driving fast as much as I do...plus he's been kindly asked to not be a "back seat driver" (he used to dictate the route I should take places and it drove me nuts) and he's adhering to that.
 
Um, if you'd gone with my choice of tires, you'd have still had traction. And more people have died from 'a tad too much' than 'massive excess'.

But, again, fishtailing a FWD car isn't a matter of speed or traction. In fact, it's not even a fishtail at all. You can't fishtail a FWD. Ever go to pull away from a stopsign and the front end has skittled to the side because some tit has polished the ice right there? That's the FWD fishtail. A fishtail is when the driving wheels of a RWD car travel faster than the front, unpowered wheels. What happened to you was a SKID. Caused not so much by your speed, but because you were braking through a turn. BIG, BIG NO NO. Any time you see brake lights on in the middle of a turn, you're looking at a future suicide. You brake before the turn. Maintain an even speed through, and accelerate (if warranted) from the apex of the curve. IF YOU HAVE YOUR BRAKES ON IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN, YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!!!!

Why? Because of several factors. But most importantly ... any and every car is brake biased towards the front. As much as 70% of your braking power comes from the front wheels. Not because the front brakes are stronger, but because of weight transfer. When you brake, the weight of the car shifts forward (center of gravity, all that jazz). In fact, the rear end lifts. That's why it's pointless to add more weight back there. It's not gonna hold anything down.

Sorry for the lecture, but you really should already know this. At least 50% of motorcycle deaths are because they didn't understand braking.

So, it's not the tires' fault.
 
Actually, my foot was on the gas pedel...I know better than to brake through a turn.
 
Nothing wrong with pushing the brakes in the middle of a turn if there are proper conditions and you know how much to apply them. But I agree, it is best to not do it.
 
Did you perhaps 'get off the gas'? That is to say, lift off quick? That could have the same effect if you were going fast enough to lock up the torque converter.

Anyways, never mind. What you did that time isn't really the issue. We've addressed what it was, and what's important now is making sure you know how to prevent it happening again.

Now, if you want to carry sand as a means of getting yourself (or hopefully someone else instead) out of a slick bind, that's another matter. Personally, I carry cat litter, sand and salt. Litter absorbs oil and is as good as sand for traction when you're looking at sub-15C. Salt, you'll remember, is useless for melting at that temp, and really isn't strong enough to grant any traction to your tires. Keep it for pouring outside your car door so that you don't slip while getting in and out.


Um ... do you have your emergency road kit in the car with you?
 
I find it so much easier to control a RWD car. Then again I've been driving one for the past 10 years.
 
You'd be surprised at how your blood thickens up when you've no choice in the matter. Just a few weeks back, -5C was painfully cold. Now, -10C is shirt sleeves for up to 5 minutes at a time.
 
I don't have an emergency kit...I have a first aid kit but it's in Ontario (yeah, I know, what good is it to me there?!)...I was told NOTHING was allowed in my car during shipping (by the shipping company in Ont...) I go to pick up my car on this end and "essentials" such as first aid/emergency kits, snow brushes, etc. ARE allowed...friggin' Torontonians can kiss my ass.
 
Professur said:
You'd be surprised at how your blood thickens up when you've no choice in the matter. Just a few weeks back, -5C was painfully cold. Now, -10C is shirt sleeves for up to 5 minutes at a time.
Click to expand...

Yep. On the way down (Sept/Oct), 45 is colder'n a witches tit. In March it's short sleeves weather.
 
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