As a driver in Northern Canada who drives in snow 6 months of the year, these are all great tips but I would like to add 2. 1 Do all your braking before the corner and start braking earlier than you even think is necessary. If you even touch the brake in a corner you can end up in the ditch, coast or tiny bits of throttle depending on the situation. ABS does nothing when you are sideways :) 2. The straighter wheels are the more traction you have. If you are trying to turn and the car won’t turn, Straighten the wheel, get traction, then try to turn again. I see many people panic and slide off the road with the wheels turned all the way to one side. Stay safe! Bonus tip, if you are stuck, turn traction control off or it will keep you stuck, just remember to turn it on again once you get going!
I lived in Western Newfoundland for 15 years, and I have to drive through hilly terrain and ice covered roads every winter. While the studded winter tires help, they are no guarantee.
On most Toyotas you can press the traction control button once to get it semi off or hold it for about 5-10 seconds to turn both TC and stability control of.
If you have ABS (and most cars do these days) that's the wrong thing to do. In a safe area, drive slowly and press hard on the brake to test it. That grinding noise you'll hear is the ABS taking over. Just remember, even with ABS, you still need a large gap in front of you as the braking distance is significantly higher. ABS *helps* to stop you from skidding and turning in a slide. You still need to turn into the slide to avoid spinning out of control if the road surface is so bad, the ABS can't cope on its own. Of course, the best solution is to avoid braking at all wherever possible. Keep your distance, foot off the accelerator and let the engine do the work and only brake if unavoidable.
@@ianl1052 I respectfully disagree. Testing your brakes/steering on snow or ice giving you an indication of the grip you have in those conditions. I know: the conditions can change massively between roads, but when doing this, you'll get a general idea on the line you don't want to cross before the ABS/EDC/etc kicks in. It will let you learn about your vehicle's characteristics more. So 'play' around a bit and see where the limits are. The more you know, the better you can anticipate..
@@ianl1052 Yup, change down the gears before applying the brakes, then tickle the pedal. I used to tell trainees on larger vehicles to gently bend the toes rather than relying on the calf muscles.
@@JohnCasserly I drive a Yaris hybrid (2005 Prius before that). I usually use "B" mode under normal circumstances for slowing down and always in snow. My brakes hardly get used. My Yaris is a 2013 model and still has the original brakes in perfect condition. I found my Prius was better in snow, probably because of the extra weight of the larger battery pack. I'd be interested in testing the new Prius AWD.
Changing down the gears increases the engines’ influence on the drivetrain and thus increases the risk of it trying to lower the speed of the wheels possibly making them slip. Don’t do that. Remain in the same gear or if you notice your vehicle can’t handle it, go to neutral. You want your wheels spinning at the speed you’re going so you keep steering control of your vehicle. Then try to brake with slow movements. The moment you feel a wheel slipping, release the brakes, wait for your vehicle to stabilize and try again. If you’re confident enough, try to get to the biting point of the brakes and come to a stop.
I hope the bosses and route planners make allowances in these conditions and ease off on the ridiculous pressure that they usually put these guys under
I’m a driver for a major supermarket chain, I can sadly so no consideration is made in the route planning, the only upside is hopefully less traffic on the road, and usually all the vans have good quality winter tyres which can make all the difference. If the roads are too terrible and we don’t want to risk it, we can abandon the delivery.
Nope…not much sympathy from the depot managers and winter tyres are often not fitted by cheap skate firms. You just gotta learn snow driving real good…or get stuck Lol
I once worked for a delivery company which ran all its vehicles on the cheap. On one occasion I refused to go out in my van because it had four bald tyres. The response was that someone else would do my deliveries in it and I wouldn’t get paid! Thanks John, keep safe.
I was "lucky" enough to grow up and drive in an area with solid winter snow. Trying to "keep things moving" is probably one of the best advices one can give/get. Also, impressive driving by Jon.
Daughter is 17 today. Because of lockdown we cannot get her lessons. So we have been watching your channel. Your clips are excellent, clearly explained and really useful. Until we can get her proper lessons, I will take her out in our car and continue to show her your content. Thank you from a grateful dad who has been driving for over 30 years and still learned from you.
Best of luck. My daughter passed her test last week after a very frustrating experience of trying to find instructors and tests during Covid. Hopefully it'll get easier for your daughter.
I live in Czech Republic and we need to have winter tyres fitted. They do make a difference, but the problem they do cause for some drivers is that it gives them too much confidence. I counted 3 cars in fields in a 6 km stretch of road last winter. I just toodle along and give myself loads of extra time to get to work. I also carry a couple of blankets and a shovel. It's a bit of an adventure when it's -24c outside.
Hello from Sweden! I learnt to drive on a -84 Mercedes 220 and a Volvo 240. So much skidding and not always by accident... Learnt a lot of good stuff! 😬😁
I _sometimes_ love driving in snow, especially at night, but even better if I am driven in snow. A cup of hot chocolate, calming music, and a warm interior while driving is so nice. I feel the same way with rain. Dangerous conditions? Yes. It is better when no one is around. I try to avoid driving in these conditions, but it is almost impossible. This John (or Jon) fellow seems clever when driving. Woo-hoo. These clips are very informative. I never knew some of these techniques. This person seems to be not a "routine" person. He seems to think and adjust according to the situation rather than just being routine.
Remember to take that few minutes before you set off to brush off as much snow from your car as possible, that big pillow of snow on your roof could easily end up through the windscreen of a car behind you. Edit :and clear more than a damn letterbox to see out of!
Technically it's illegal to drive with snow on your car, due to those potential hazards, but so many people still do. I have to use a broom, as where I have to park there's no room to access the passenger side.
That's a good way to drive even under normal conditions. I seem to remember that comment from a chauffeur, in regards to the comfort of his passengers. 👍
Another good video Ashley. Just my input about “winter” driving. I spent eighteen seasons driving a gritter in the North East of England and feel I’ve seen the worst the British weather can throw at us. If you feel you’re losing traction going uphill it’s sometimes better to try to back off the accelerator rather than press harder, as putting less power through the drivetrain might be enough to regain grip. Conversely driving downhill, if a driven wheel starts to slide you may be able to regain grip and control by gently accelerating allowing the wheel to start turning again. You may be going faster than you wanted to but it might allow you to steer around an obstacle rather than hit it. Try to drive on virgin snow as long as it’s not too deep as it will give much better grip than snow that’s been compacted almost into ice. The conditions we get in this country are possibly the worst for grip in winter. It’s usually too warm to properly freeze snow and ice so we get a layer of water on top of ice. It’s the layer of water that generally causes the problem as it lubricates the ice. In colder countries, where it gets properly cold the snow becomes crispy and really quite firm. Gives good grip. In this country it remains fairly soft so tends not to be so stable and shears very easily. I’m not a big fan of traction control systems on cars (other than proper off road vehicles, they are very good) as sometimes you need to gun it out of a situation and most of those systems work by backing off the accelerator in order to avoid wheel spin. I usually turn it off in my car during the winter. Most modern cars will have an anti stall system and they can be useful for pulling away in really slippery conditions. Just lift your foot off the clutch without using the throttle and the system will keep the engine turning but not put out so much power to make the wheels spin. But it’s all down to experience and reading the situation at that moment. Also sometimes you’ve just got to accept that discretion is the better part of valour and not get yourself into a situation that you can’t get out of. Or worse still that could get you hurt. Also, give HGV’s a very wide berth as they can slide uncontrollably, especially articulated trucks. A heavy camber is enough to allow a truck to slide sideways. Just because your one tonne car is ok doesn’t mean the truck next to you weighing forty times that much is going to be as sure footed. The weight can very easily overwhelm the available grip. Winter tyres are a good idea and they can make the difference between getting to your destination and not. Please, please, please don’t be tempted to overtake a gritting truck in bad conditions. Inevitably the next hill you come to will see you slipping and sliding and the gritter will catch you up. Hopefully the driver will have enough room to drive around you and be able to treat his route. Worst case is he gets stuck behind you and other roads are left untreated and other drivers are possibly put at risk. The salt the trucks spread needs time to work and also needs to be “run in” by traffic to be properly effective. Don’t expect to follow twenty feet behind a gritter and the road to miraculously clear of snow and ice. Salt will only work properly down to about minus seven or eight degrees so keep an eye on that outside temp display on your dashboard and drive accordingly at all time as, if it’s that cold even if the road has been treated it can freeze again prematurely. Rain will wash the salt off the road surface so if it’s cold and it’s raining the road can instantly freeze. A phenomenon known as “freezing rain.” High winds can blow salt off the road leaving leaving them without enough salt to be properly treated. Just be aware of all weather conditions at the time. Black ice is a problem all of it’s own. Usually you know you’re on it because tyre noise disappears and the steering goes very light. A gentle touch on all driving controls is called for. Keep up the good work Ashley 👍
Thanks for that Tony, very informative and well worth the read. That an artic can slide sideways on a steep camber hadn’t occurred to me. I was reminded the other night that even winter tyres and a 4x4 aren’t a recipe for total success - pulling out of a side road I lost grip on black ice sending the back flipping out. A turn into the skid and taking the foot off the accelerator sorted it but could’ve been an issue on a busy road
Great video Ashley. I was a van driver countywide (Lincs) for 10 years, and never got stuck once, where I couldn't get myself out of the situation. Always carried a good spade in my van to dig down to the tarmac should I need to. One thing about snow that is useful for drivers, is getting to know their cars handling. I would always go out in medium depth snowfall, and deliberately get the car sliding around a bit, so that I knew exactly what it was going to feel like, and how it was going to react. That way, when your car slides at a time your are NOT expecting it to, you automatically know how to react. Many people only ever find out when it's too late, ie when their car slides at a time they are not expecting it to, and by then, it's too late. If you practice deliberately sliding your car and correcting it (where it's safe to do so of course), then you will learn a LOT about how to correct it when you need to do it quickly.
Absolutely. When it’s safe and there’s nobody behind you do a quick brake test when driving in snow. It’s scary how long a car takes to slow down when it’s slippery and it helps you calibrate your driving to the conditions
Living in a cold climate in Finland, I know that when temperatures hover *near* freezing is the most dangerous time for slippery conditions, as snow will be wet and ice is likely to form. Freshly fallen snow is also a major risk factor that can only be mitigated with real winter tyres (with soft composition and deep tread) or waiting for the plough to clear it. That is when the weather office will issue yellow or even orange warnings of slippery road conditions; if the roads are merely covered in well-frozen, compacted snow that the ploughs have had time to work on, they will say that road conditions are "normal for the winter". I keep winter tyres for my bicycle, which also have ice studs built in; cars are legally required to use winter tyres here when winter weather occurs. With a front-wheel-drive car, it can be helpful to turn around and reverse up a hill, as that shifts weight to the tyres that need it. Obviously you can only do that in conditions where you can still see where you're going, but it can get you up a hill that is impossible going forwards. Under the same conditions, RWD, AWD and 4x4 cars can go up forwards - just bear in mind that improved drive capability does not translate into better braking capability. In RWD vehicles you might find you have to move cargo or passengers over the drive axle; I've seen that done by Helsinki bus drivers in the middle of a blizzard.
@James Stewart On level ground that might be true, but the problems appear on steep hills, which tend to shift the weight in the downhill direction. I live at the bottom of such a hill, and once the post office van got stuck on the way out when it came to deliver a package. I called my landlord to help out (he has a tractor), and he simply drove the van up the hill in reverse.
I’m glad you’ve bought this up. Frankly, it borders on criminal negligence, to go driving in the snow with an ill prepared car/vehicle! Most people wouldn’t think of driving a car if they knew the brakes were disconnected, or tyres worn to the canvas, but yet here in the U.K. people will regularly attempt to drive a car in the snow when they have summer tyres fitted - which amounts to pretty much the same thing! Having worked through various Scandinavian and German winters (yes, Finland too), where it is the law to fit winter tyres over the winter months, and experienced the difference they make - not just in snowy, but in generally cold conditions. It amazes me that the Brits are so cavalier in their attitude to it! Yes, our winters may not be quite as ‘white’ as other countries, but it doesn’t mean we wouldn’t benefit from running cars with winter, or at the very least, all-season tyres! I sort of get it. Most people in the U.K. have never driven on winter tyres, and so have no clue of the night and day difference they make - so they continue to live and drive in ignorance. But this video asks the question ‘ Do you have the necessary skills to drive in snow?’ But honestly, it isn’t down to skill, it’s down to making the right choice to stay at home if your car isn’t equipped to deal with the conditions. The discussion and comments about driving like you’re on eggshells shouldn’t be happening, there is absolutely no need for it if your car has the correct rubber fitted. Of course take a bit of extra care, but to drive around at 10mph with your wheels spinning and little to no directional control is simply putting yourself and other at unnecessary risk - as I say, it’s bordering on criminal negligence! There are plenty of cost effective all season tyres on the market now, to not have them, or full winter tyres fitted during the winter months is insane! In my not so humble opinion!
remember the old Volkswagen with rear wheel drive but the major weight of the car was over the drive axle --best thing for going up hill in the snow other than a full 4x4
@Advanced Driving FWD is massively better than RWD in the snow (if the latter doesn't have a locker). You can get away with crappier tyres and still have decent traction. But it's boring.
@@phil_nicholls The UK is warmer and has less snow than much of mainland Europe that mandates the use of winter tyres. Average winter temperatures in particular here are significantly warmer than in countries like Germany and Denmark which are often at or below freezing for a large portion of winter months. Here in the UK to even get close to freezing is a rare event. Winter tyres become effective below about 7 degrees - daytime winter temps in UK will quite often be at or above that. I am fully aware of the advantages winter tyres offer and am an advocate for them in the right conditions. But me personally I am not spending a fortune on changing to winters, storing the summers and vice versa for the literal week or two every year we have that it gets properly cold, or the odd inch of snow! I'll just drive more defensively or not at all if it's really snowy.
Tips I was given for driving in the snow: Your car is not a coat, wear warm clothing. Have ballast in the back of your car/van, it keeps the back wheels down and aids grip. Always carry a snow shovel in the boot in this weather. Always have a little bag of rock salt, dead handy if you lose traction and stall. (other tip if you do get stuck you can use car mats as a grip to get going if you really need to). Even the smallest incline can be treacherous. Keep your distance. And as you said, if you don't need to go out, just don't. If you think Leeds is bad, try Bradford or Sheffield in the snow - good driving John.
@@piciu256 used to drive a front wheel drive pick up, small Nissan thing. No snow, the rear end would swing out, with snow, no grip on rear end. Put a bag of sand right at the back, made life a lot easier. Drove a transit, same thing. On my new car, no spare wheel, get the pump and fill rubbish, so no weight on the back. Slides out, so put a bit of ballast (not much - small bag of rock salt) and the car handles a lot better.
@@TheFingerman37 sliding out is not much of an issue if you expect it (barely requires a counter if you know how to react) getting up an incline is a much more improtant issue imo. Most cars are made to understeer in normal situations anyway, you need to make them swing the back out one way or the other. Drove an LT28 this winter in the snow and had no issue with the back end swinging out, even though it was empty, and you couldn't call me a cautious driver.
The trouble is that I drive an MX-5. I have no room for a shovel. I guess I have no logical solution that doesn't involve modifying the car or moving to California.
I wasn’t going to watch this one as a know it all. Invaluable lessons and many thanks to John and yourself. Nightmare for all workers but the idea of driving on numerous side streets in such a day is a non starter. Thanks to all delivery drivers in these times whilst many of us are tucked up warm at home.
Tip from me. Get some winter screen wash into the tank AND don't forget to hit the switch to pump it through to the nozzles so that any non- winter screen wash is forced out so it doesn't freeze in the tubes and nozzles blocking them.
Jon is a rare breed among delivery drivers that's for sure... 😂😂 As said, being gentle and forward planning is the the key to driving in snow/ice. Gentle accelerating, breaking and steering and planning ahead as much as possible.
I grew up in snowy places, watching people get into more or less trouble driving. I will say, excellent snow tires, TC, and ABS make snow a lot less stressful. On flatter conditions, with larger roads, you can even have a bit of sideways fun at intersections without endangering anyone.
We need to get Jon one of those Top Gear shirts that read "I am a Driving God". Seriously though, if everyone drove like Jon, we'd almost have zero accidents (something the government is hoping to achieve, at much greater cost with all kinds of technology), there would be no need for speed cameras or any kind of traffic calming measures, no tailgating, no speeding, no impatience, no road rage and so many other positive things. Heck, even sitting in a traffic jam would be fun, knowing all the other motorists around you are skilled, considerate and will work with you! What a dream that would be. And all we would have to do to achieve this driving utopia would be to have everyone drive like Jon (notwithstanding his skills need to be aquired over time together with the right attitude).
Thanks for showing correct and slow-moving driver control in snow, and ice-packed snow. The backwards manoeuvres surprised me, but they are effective in maintaining control. For me, the best of the manoeuvres was around midway 5:52 showing the driver nudge backward and forward to find the grip spot on the road surface on the hill. This is the ONLY way to get out of slippery wheel spin . You can never power a vehicle from an icy surface: the highly spinning wheels will only heat the snow or ice, making the surface under the wheels more slippery. If necessary carry grit, cat litter, cardboard to jam behind the rear wheels to back out of an icy patch. Rock the car back and forth using the motor, a very small distance each way to gain momentum, and when the momentum increases gently apply speed to pull the car from the ice or snow
Ashley - As always, you have produced an excellent video with good material for all drivers, in all conditions. I am from Saskatchewan Canada where we have winter conditions for a good 5 months of the year. When I was training my son to drive, I took him to the very large parking lot of our local arena, got him up to flood high speed and then when he was not expecting it, yanked the steering wheel so that the car started to go out of control. Once my son had used all of his cursing adjectives on me and realized he did not need to change his underwear, I explained to him that we were here so that he could experience the feeling of what a vehicle did, under conditions, somewhat controlled, rather than have him experience them for the first time while driving in traffic on city streets. He calmed down and we proceeded to explore ABS braking, its feel and sounds. He learned not to try and steer and jump on the brakes at the same time. He learned that often the best traction is just a few inches of the paths that most vehicles would travel. There were a lot of exercises we did that day and again another day. After this, my son told me that he had a great deal more confidence, both in his ability to handle adverse conditions, but by knowing what to do when the vehicle responded abnormally. He learned the art of ‘finessing’ the controls or you you put it, being very gentle with all inputs. He also learned that when starting off from a stop, if the driving wheels started to spin, and he could not get any traction (even with the winter tires) that one way to help was to apply pressure to the brake pedal very slightly, while applying pressure on the accelerator. This action with brake pedal is enough, in most cases, to stop the spinning drive wheel from spinning, and instead, gave traction to the drive wheel that was not otherwise turning (we all know how a differential works). On our standard transmission car, starting out in 2nd gear often accomplished the same thing. Thanks again Ashley for making such a useful teaching tool.
A technique I use is testing the grip occasionally. Testing your controls. Testing your braking. Just one of these one morning saved my bacon. Road was fine, looked wet. For some reason, sometime made me think to give the steering a tiny jiggle. Not enough to actually move the car, but immediately I felt the steer was very, very light. I knew what was happening, so I began braking, flicked the hazards on and with lots of anti-locks pinging got slowed from 40mph down to about 10mph. Giving the guy behind plenty of warning. Up ahead, the little Mini one I had been following was on it's side through the hedge. Solid "black" Ice. Same for brakes, as long as it's safe behind, give the brake pedal a little prod and see if it feels normal. If you don't decelerate and just get that whrrrr, whrrrr of the antilock pump, it's better to find out that way, that later when you need them. Most of these come from off road and on road cycling and motorcycling. Knowing how much grip you have before you need it, pays.
All are very good advice and a great demonstration 👍🏻, but sadly most people have little interest in learning to drive, they pass the test and thats it. Driving is a skill and we should all constantly be learning new skills. Anticipation, momentum, keeping your distance and planing your route based on what your seeing in front of you (like Jon). There are also 4 things that will hugely improve your ability to make progress in snow and ice… tyres, get rid of the summer tyres that all cars have fitted from new and either get a good set of 4 season tyre replacements, or better still get another set of wheels and fit winter tyres. But alas, its not as simple as that, the tyres will make a huge difference, but learning how to drive in these conditions will mean you will succeed where others fail and stay safe (lots of good videos to learn from). Always be prepared with the kit you carry (shovel, hessian sacks, tow rope) and what you personally have (warm clothing, boots, hat, gloves, phone, flask of hot drink, food and water, even for the shortest journeys). If you do get stuck, please don’t just abandon your vehicle in the road, blocking the road for others to pass, if you do get stuck, there will be plenty who don’t and want to continue. But if you really are not confident, consider yourself not a particularly good driver and have summer tyres fitted, probably best to not venture out in your car in the snow and ice as you’ll quite possibly end up damaging yours and possibly someone else’s vehicle too.
Great video and tips from John. One point I would add to this is tyres. The vast majority of people in the UK drive all year round on summer tyres. I put cross climate tyres on our car this past year and the difference in the recent wintery conditions has been dramatic.
The 1st winter after passing my test (it was icy) I went to an empty car park that I was familiar with and spent a few evenings putting the car into a skid and practicing correcting the skid. I drove around it all night practicing (as you do when your 17!). I don't know how people or Ash feel about that but when it happened in a real on road situation 2 things happened- I didn't panic and I corrected the skid. Again i don't know if its the right thing to do in a car park or anywhere else? (it was evening, empty and I knew there was no hidden obstacles such as trolley bay's or kerbs separating the car park) but I would highly recommend it if you can find a safe enough place to practice. Its better to make mistakes in a controlled environment rather than a dual carriageway or on a round a bout! And knowing how your car handles in icy/snowy conditions can give you the confidence to know you can regain control if/When it happens on the road. Stay safe people..
Thats definitely the way to go, even though you might get cops called upon you (technically it might be considered reckless driving...) so better to choose a remote area. Doing trhis made me a much better driver, Im still young and stupid, but at least I understand now that even if you have skills, you cannot control and/ or prevent everything, so you have to do everyhting possible for lowering risk, at least risk of hurting others, me myself or my car, I don't care so much ;) didnt crash it yet in 2 years of driving though, and it doesnt seem that it'll happen of my fault- starting to drive a bit more cautiously as I gain more experience (expecting others doing stupid things)
I done the same thing at a car park today. My first time driving in snow, I've been driving for 3 months now. Personally I agree, I'd rather be in a 'dangerous situation' where it's very unlikely I'll cause a collision or injury
@@piciu256 I was led to believe when I started driving your just as likely to go into a skid when it's really roasting hot as it softens the rubber on your tyres! That's happened a few times as well. I don't think it's something anyone Could recommend doing being honest in case they hurt themselves, I'm not a professional. I'm just saying I did it as safely as I could and it helped me on the roads when it happened for real. Stay safe m8
@@robertoulton7357 dunno about that, mayby wasnt hot enought where I live 35 degrees max) but the grip definitely is much improved the hotter it gets, provided you have summer tires fitted, winter and all season can actually start to "flow" when it gets toasty, felt it myself. Thats why I believe in summer tires+ all season for winter, in areas where snow is not very common (like where I live, thought this winter made me question that :P havent seen more than one day of snow past 5 years, and now its been snowing on and off for 2 months already)
I am from Canada and live in the UK. Those conditions aren't too bad to my eye but it's an example of experience to me. Winter tyres aren't a thing in the UK. I put them on most years and have very few problems. I think people in the UK think they are only for snow. I don't understand it. The grip from winter tyres is so good, it really is remarkable. The cost of winter tyres and safety the lend far outweighs their cost. Add to that safety and it's a no brainer. I currently reside in Scotland in the countryside and feel they are a great investment. Even in the years it snows little, the performance in cold, wet and icey conditions is so improved, I can't understand why they are not mandatory during the winter.
Another great video, thanks Ashley & Jon. I've been driving for 45 years and seen some really nasty conditions (e.g. Kent 1986). Modern cars with ABS, fwd etc really don't help IMHO. I still found your video really useful and has great tips to keep some people out of trouble. Interesting point - I drove a service bus in snow a year or two ago. I did the same route every hour throughout the day. Each trip had totally different standards of grip at the same points e'g 9.00 deep snow full traction, 10.00 rain, ice, 11:00 slush limited traction etc. Most interesting for me.
I once had to park a delivery pick-up truck on a slope with packed snow because someone had taken the parking spot dedicated for me at the shop. It was fine, as I just had to quickly drop off some things then head back out. When I came back outside, i was annoyed that someone had moved my truck (there were other keys and pranks were common) but I soon saw that it had simply slid down the hill into the car that had taken my spot when the heat from the tires melted the snow they were sat upon.
@ 1:50 - I recognise this place, that's Batley, or more specifically Upper Batley. In the vid, the junction seems relatively flat but it isn't, I often get wheel spin trying to get out of there on a good day!
Excellent timing. Watched this video from a place which has been hit with the worst snowfall in 10 years. I have a Volvo with winter tyres fitted but that doesn't give magical road hold holding. Many thanks for this video.
Shelter from the Pennines mountains to the East and the Welsh mountains to the west, as well as usual mild air from the Irish sea to the North. Means Liverpool very rarely gets snow. There was very little sledging and snowman fun for us growing up. :):):) The only time Liverpool gets snow is those very rare occasions the Irish sea sends in very cold air. Great video with great driving by Jon.
Quite useful video, thanks. With the fog lights thing I'd say some cars have poor standard lighting like the one in the video and my Mégane 2. On a straight dark road you can't see more than 15 metres even after fitting new bulbs and adjusting the angle. Not necessary in the day but sometimes crucial at night.
HGV's are fitted with an engine brake ( exhauster) an absolute godsend in those condition's I drove from Aberdeen to Glasgow in these conditions and only used the brakes to let people know I was stopping just gently touching them without bringing them on. the exhauster if used properly saves on brake and gearbox repairs as a bonus.
In Norway, it's obligatory to have a day at a slippery driving course where you get to drive around, do some hill starts, try to avoid things and generally feel how the car acts in icy conditions. It's actually a lot of fun and very useful. I'm quite surprised that winter tyres are so uncommon in the UK though. We live in Scotland and get quite a few snowy days every winter, and it's often cold enough for black ice. Of course you still have to drive carefully, but they make a huge difference.
I learned to drive when I lived in Germany in the 80s. One lesson was on a cold snowy day in January 82. I think I learned more in that lesson than all the others combined. In Germany, winter tyres are compulsory between October and April (I think the months are correct) and tyre chains are also compulsory in heavy snow but must be removed once the snow has thawed.
@@ianl1052 they're compulsory in Norway too (obviously), so when I moved to the UK, we got them for our car straight away. They're so good to use in winter. I understand people in the south of England might not want them, but definitely necessary in Scotland!
Work with a guy who called in last time it snowed and said he couldn't get out of his drive so I had to go pick him up in a work van. Once I dropped him off at his van he jumped in, burried his foot in the accelerator and dumped the clutch. Some people literally have no idea how to drive in the snow.
Interestingly, burying foot on the accelerator is a good, reliable way to get a bus out of a snow drift. (No it doesn't work for light vehicles!) The weight on the rear axle means that the wheels don't create too much ice and 'mill' down through the slush or snow until they hit solid tarmac. Unfortunately if you get it wrong it's like winding up a kid's clockwork car and dropping it - the wheels suddenly grip at speed and the bus exits at warp 8!
Thanks for the advice! We had a load of snow yesterday and today here in the Netherlands, and I'll have to drive tomorrow. Your tips will help keep me safe. Thanks Jon and Ashley!
@@hlund73 I would've thought the country with the language where right also means correct would drive on that side, but alas. 😛 The tips were helpful. With our country being as flat (no issues with inclines) and densely populated (well maintained roads) as it is, it wasn't nearly as bad as Jon had it.
My biggest fear of driving is in the snow so I’m grateful that we don’t get much. As a fairly new driver, I think it should be more emphasised in lessons about snow and how to drive in them. Thanks for this video! And thanks to John
I'm the same, after 30+ years of driving I try to avoid driving in the snow as much as possible. If I had somewhere to store a second set of tyres I would purchase some winter tyres.
Biggest issue is that you can’t create the conditions, i’m a driving instructor in France and we did had one snowy day, that day was used for the training of my students, they could safely practice and realize how much they have to anticipate slowing down etc....
It's really scary if you have summer tyres on your car. Here in Sweden we have to put proper winter tyres on our cars by law during the winter months, and then it's not so bad to drive in the snow. But one year snow came unusually early, before the date we have to change tyres, so I still had summer tyres on. Driving home from work that day was horrible.
@@MrTchouMy driving test was cancelled due to snow. My driving instructor, whose car I was going to use, offered to give me a lesson on driving in the snow and ice instead. It was the best lesson I ever had!
Wish this had popped up in my feed when it was released; as it is I only saw it now but John, you are a credit to our profession sir. I like to think I'm a good driver but you make me look like a wally in comparison.
A very helpfull insight for many who havel ittle experience driving in such conditions. I had to smirk when you described the conditions as atrocious, but I suppose they are to some. Not everyone experiences the practically arctic conditions we can get in the north east especially on the Scotish borders.
I have to say I’m a very experienced driver in snow. I’ve been driving near on 20years. Every time it snows I’ll be out playing on empty industrial estates. I’ve noticed more and more car tires have become less able in snow over the years, further enhanced by lower profile tires and sporty biased tires being OEM fitment these days. I’m very aware of this and have a set of Michelin all season tires in the garage ready to go. On Monday morning I tried to get off the drive on Michelin pilot sports and couldn’t move. So Jack the car up and swap to the other tires. Straight off and no problem. I’ve been able to do full hill start fairly steep icy hills without issue and had no hairy moments, additionally I can still make very good pace. A chap on UA-cam did a really good video explaining the science behind this - Engineering Explained. I can testify it’s worth the £600 it cost to be able to drive safely in those conditions.
Here in Perth, western Australia we don't get snow or ice, but I recall driving in Britain and walking down London Road in Leicester with thick ice on the pavement, nice to see the snow!
I had specialist training at a police training centre. The example you're showing above is perfect. I always get a set of winter tyres and carry snow socks, grit and a shovel. The problem I get is that unprepared drivers block the roads and then we get stuck anyway.
After 40 years in traffic, which means about 15 years accumulated of winter roads, I would say studded tires with good threads (minimum 3 mm) makes a great difference. Tyre threads are the most important. Studs only makes a difference on ice. And of course driving with your head, like Jon. Good work.
I just passed my test in May this year. I’ve never driven in snow, however, I live in a very snowy village in Scotland. This video has gave me some peace of mind for driving this winter 🥰
This is pretty interesting for someone who lives in the Northern Europe country, so snow and ice are basically just _everyday life_ for about 4-6 months in a year. I absolutely love driving in the winter, it has somewhat relaxing and chill atmosphere when driving in snowy conditions.
Excellent video, Excellent driving by John. I know it might sound absolutely nuts but I enjoy driving in snow. It separates the men from the boys and as John demonstrated it's not about crawling at a walking pace, it's driving at a speed that should not cause any reason for sudden braking etc. Also keeping moving is important more so with a van or an HGV the problem is that most car drivers only think about themselves and their car. but then drive poorly in conditions like these, I was taught years ago "in snow drive slow and smooth with no sudden movements"
Very good. Nothing I didn’t know, but I’ve been driving for over fifty years. I once got up a very steep and snowy hill by reversing all the way up. Only works with front wheel drive as the weight transfer ‘increases’ the weight over the driving wheels at the, now, back. It’s necessary to ensure there are no other cars about of course. I really do recommend quality all weather tyres though and, in properly cold places, winter tyres.
In the snow last week I was behind a 'P' plate car going possibly a little too slow, 8mph along a 30, they were probably terrified so I left loads of room behind as to not put them off. Sadly I had a taxi come up behind me, and taxis can't see past the end of their bonnet it seems so he sat inches from the back of my car (dangerously close in the middle of summer) to bully me into going faster, despite not being able to. P plater turned off and I sped up to about 25, faster than I'd like but thought it may deter the tailgating, it didn't and he was still up my arse. When we reached a red light I really had to stop myself getting out and asking if he was stupid, and even getting his reg to report to the council, I stayed calm and fought the urge, but it really annoyed me, if he'd gone into the back of me I'd have given him some very choice words.
@Biking Bazil when driving in fog as the trailblazer and there’s someone right up your arse I’ll let them go by, and it amuses me to see them speed away and then realise that actually, I was going at about the right speed and they slow down and we all continue as before, but now they’re doing all the hard work!!
Had pretty much the same thing happen on occasions and yes it's interesting when the other driver suddenly realizes the reason for the slower pace. Amazes me they were too stupid to realise it earlier.
I’m a learner and today went out to the shops for a little practice in the slushy conditions, and as I was waiting at the traffic lights at the bottom of my street I saw a car I’m my mirror it wasn’t stopping and was coming towards me quite quickly, it couldn’t stop and instead had to swerve into the curb, and I’ve seen quite a lot of drivers who think they are experienced enough to go at normal speeds in snowy conditions, for me the more experienced drivers in snow can pose a bigger danger because they think they have the experience do drive quickly in the conditions, today proved to me that that is not the case, love the videos by the way very informative and in many cases entertaining to see poor driving at its best 👍🏼
I'm from Scotland, so we get a little more snow than the average for the UK. A couple of things I was taught for winter driving: 1. Engine braking. Sometimes, engaging the brakes in snowy and icy conditions can be dangerous, but you can slow down by dropping into a lower gear (obviously this is easier in manuals than automatics) without braking. I also dab the brake pedal so that the brake lights will turn on but the brakes won't really engage, to give a visual indication to any drivers behind me that I'm slowing down, just in case. Engine braking is especially useful when going down steep hills, to curb gravity assisted acceleration. 2. Snow equipment. In winter, I usually keep a bit of spare carpet that's wide enough to fit under both front or rear tyres (whichever are the drive wheels). If you get stuck, you can put it behind the drive wheels, roll back onto it, and it should give you enough grip to get moving. Hopefully you can also recover the carpet once you're in a safe position and can move off without aid. I also keep my grandpa's old coal shovel, so I can dig my way out of snow (for anyone who's not seen one before, a coal shovel is a short handled shovel that is wider than a standard spade, and has a raised lip around the edge, making it quite similar to a snow shovel, but without having to deal with the extra handle length). Between those two items, they have got me out of a few tricky situations in snow. Hope this helps. I wonder how "engine" braking might work in an electric vehicle? Maybe if you turned on higher levels of energy recovery and lift off, it might have the same effect? I'd be interested to know if anyone has any data on how a BEV behaves in snow/ice Edit: Forgot to say that I totally agree that Jon's driving was top notch throughout that video
One tip I have to get a stuck car going, is reverse the car so both rear wheels are touching the kerb, and then use the kerb as a launch pad, setting off with the clutch dipped low in third gear or the highest that does not stall the engine and loads of revs. I discovered this method when I realised my tyres had next to no tread left (I'd not had the car long).
In the early 1960s we leaned our snow & ice driving by going out in it. We did a lot of deliberate sliding about so learned from experience. Try it these days there is a chance you would be nicked for dangerous driving.
Nice timely episode. Turn your patience on and I would add: equip yourself. Sleeping bag, water, shovel, old carpets, tow rope, torch and snacks. It took me 14 hours to get home from work once, a journey of 40miles. Mainly due to lorries jackknifed, other cars blocking the road and idiots overtaking lines of traffic because ‘I’m turning at the next turning’ - so are other people. I also know people who have had to spend the whole night in the car.
For me it took 3 hours to drive 100km home with *ice* on the road 2 months ago, 80km to the city was no issues really, 60-70kph in a straight line (slower in the bends ofc.), not too much traffic, 2 lannes, but at the entrance to the city nobody was moving pretty much, ended up turning around and going the last 20km around throught a forest, otherwise I would have wasted another 2 hours in traffic most probably. Surprisingly, didnt see any tailgaters, thought most peopple were following way too close (2-3 car lenghts), considering it took me well over 100 meters to stop from 70 at a set of lights :P Only saw one car crashed and 3 trying to get up a grade with no success (a grade I was descending, fortunately I didnt panic and the reason for their demise was proibably summer tires)
@@piciu256 maybe. Was this in the U.K. though? We have some rapid temperature changes sometimes within an hour. It snowed, thawed and then froze to black ice inside an hour. I come to a major roundabout put the brakes on and just went straight over. From then on it was pandemonium. Cars everywhere. Abandoned, in ditches etc
@@TimRsn Poland, the conditions were exactly as you described though, cold night, barely above zero day and snowfall (in the middle of the day, out of nowhere) with a bit of rain, it turned to ice immidiately and stayed that way till the enxt day, when they spread stupid salt everywhere. the road in mention goes mainly in a straight line, thats probably the reason I didnt encounter many crashed cars, that and the fact that a majority of peopple seem to be smart enough to put at least all season tires on for the winter, we get the odd idiots saying "it never snows anyway" and leaving the summers on, of course. As I understand the "it never snows" group is much more numerous in UK.
Top quality driving by Jon. I was in Leeds, probably on the same day as the clips. The road conditions were terrible, even the ring road I travelled on (A6120) from Bradford to Leeds (Roundhay) hadn't been gritted properly. But the journey I made, From Manchester to Leeds, normally one hour, took around 1 1/2 hours, so not too bad, as the snow was only heavy between Pudsey and Roundhay (around 10 miles), previously it was just rain. However, the return journey was considerably longer, as my route via the ring road was blocked (due to an accident), I had to go via the A58 into Leed city centre, top speed 20 mph, whereupon I came to a grinding halt. The M621 was also blocked, due to a bad accident, as evidenced by the blues and twos of the police cars and ambulances weaving thorough the traffic jam. I eventually managed to get to the M62 via the A 62 at Morley, the M62 was OK. Total return journey time 4 hours, not the usual 1 hour, but at least I got home in one piece, with no damage to the car.
Good advice as always in your videos Ashley, I personally don't mind driving in snow, take it steady use the tips in the video and you can't go wrong. About 10 years ago me and the wife had been out for the night, whilst we was in the pub it snowed and we came out to a white blanket of fresh snow and it was still snowing heavily, my journey home was a really good drive, only had to go around 3 miles, don't think I went above 10mph all the way home but got home relaxed, I'll always remember that drive, ain't driven in anything like since
Half the battle are good tires. I was advised years ago to drive as if you have an egg between your foot and the petals. And it all about traction, so resist hitting the accelerator if you loose traction and ease off until the tries find traction. Works for me.
Some excellent skills; quick thinking on turning the wheel into the kerb to stop the slide. 7:20; I would have probably gone past onto the level ground before parking to make moving off easier (and walked twenty paces). 10:00 - excellent planning for driving on the wrong side - John's right, if its safer, do it! My only other tip in snow and ice, learn how to turn OFF any traction control or stability program on your vehicle - often I see cars stuck because they have no drive, but often by spinning the wheels you can cut through the snow and some ice to get down to tarmac, and make progress. Only do this when it is going to help though, not recommended for most of your drive. And the best tip of all, make sure you have appropriate tyres, at least with adequate grip and properly inflated, but preferably winter rated (all seasons at a push); I love sailing part people in 4WD's on summer tyres in my RWD BMW on gentle inclines (5 mph gets me there, 0 mph means they have to either go another route, or walk) - tyres make a MASSIVE difference, and the number of people who expect a BMW to stop dead on an incline is amusing.
Brilliant video 👍 like John's driving ---- many full license drivers should be like him Unfortunately most are just concerned with their own most important journey ---- Top Class mate
People need to think about tyres if they are going to have to drive in these conditions. There is a world of difference between summer tyres and say 3PMS rated all-season tyres in snow and ice. Even new SUVs and 4x4s generally come fitted with summer tyres unless you specify otherwise. As we saw here only a light covering of snow can turn you into a fully paid up member of the Torvil and Dean appreciation society on summer grade tyres. I may be a bit of a fuss-pot but living in the Peak District I run a Subaru with 3PMS tyres and still carry a full set of 4 snow chains, shovel, blankets, extra clothes etc in winter.
Hi Colin, interesting post. Have you compared all-season tyres to winter tyres? I've read a lot of criticism of all-season tyres as "no-season" tyres and that they are the worst of all worlds. I was planning on winter tyres until I recently discovered all-season and now I'm confused!
@@cockpiss9260 I cant speak for Colin, but I have used a set of winters for over a decade now, and they completely transform the car in snow and ice. However, I have been keeping a close eye on all seasons, and for my next car I will probably go that way to avoid storing a second set of wheels (now I have the wheels for this car, I might as well get winters as they are undoubtedly better). All seasons have come a very long way in just the last 2-3 years, and for the odd days, they are almost certainly good enough for all but the worst UK conditions (sustained lying snow in remote and high areas). Don't be put off by out-of-date views on all seasons, but if you want the best grip and safety, and have somewhere for a second set to be stored, still go full winter. There are some very good tests shown on UA-cam - I think "Tyre Reviews" do a thorough range of tests at appropriate sites (Finland for these tyres) and have good, reasoned conclusions.
@@cockpiss9260 the modern allvseason tyres like the Michelin cross climate, Conti all season etc are excellent tyres and frankly should be a first choice tyre for almost everyone instead of the pure summer tyres the manufacturers fit. part of the reason they fit summer tyres is because they have marginally less rolling resistance and are a wee bit cheaper so they can save a few pence and reduce the emissions. unless you have something with really high performance you probably dont need "summer" tyres.
@@cockpiss9260 Interesting question. I certainly would not endorse the view that "all-season" tyres are "no-season" tyres (especially with the later evolutions of the type such as the Michelin Cross-Climates etc) and would not be that happy to ride with someone who, on public roads, relied on the margin of performance between these and summer tyres. Since I do a fairly low mileage (about 3000/year) the use of two sets, summer and winter would be rather wasteful as I would undoubtedly be disposing of part worn tyres on a time basis (especially as I'm rather light on tyres). If you do a high mileage this isn't a consideration and using two sets probably saves money because of the higher wear rate of all-season tyres relative to summer tyres. As others have mentioned there are some good comparisons on UA-cam such as:- ua-cam.com/video/bKtnczk8Mxk/v-deo.html Of course our less than predictable climate does make deciding on the switch-over date between summer and winter tyres slightly tricky. I suspect one factor in all this is that many countries have a winter/all-season tyre legal requirement during parts of the year/under certain weather conditions so this has driven the evolution of the summer tyre - with no need for any performance in snow and ice they have evolved to maximise their performance in all other areas to the detriment of performance in snow/ice. Certainly, I would rather drive in snow on the 5.20 x 12 cross-ply tyres fitted to my first car - a 1962 Fiat 600D Multipla (as my parents did during the famous winter of 1962/3) than on modern summer tyres.
@@ibs5080 I have a 2006 manual Outback. In the UK this was equipped as standard with limited slip rear and centre diffs and a 5 speed high/low range box. Original equipment tyres were Yokohama Geolandar G600s (that I believe was an all-season tyre before the formal 3PMSF testing became standard) and they worked well in snow but had a reputation for a high wear rate. I'm not sure but I seem to remember that the LSD rear diff was not standard in North America so that might be something to look into. Also, the autos have a different arrangement for front-rear torque split to the manual cars. Of course current models have seemingly all gone to CVT - not to everyone's approval!
12 years living in the snowbelt of Ontario Canada was an experience. Snow tyres and AWD for traction and drew on my 15 years plus professional motorcycle riding experience for braking control in less than ideal conditions.
Thankfully I live in a part of the UK (London-ish), where snow like this is quite rare and brief. I'm taking my test in January and yeah, not looking forward to ever facing these sorts of driving conditions. Great video as usual!
I do home delivery for a supermarket and driving in these conditions is no fun whatsoever. Even more so when you get out into the country. Our vans are rear wheel drive so you have to be so careful with the steering because it can bite you so quickly if you're to harsh. One thing I have learned is to use the speed limiter to help control myself a bit more. I'd much rather get there late but in one piece.
Good advice. Being from Finland, these conditions look not particularly exciting, but recognizing you don't have winter tires makes it a whole other ballgame.
4:10 not sure if you said this in the video but it's also a good idea to be in the position the car is in just in case someone coming towards the T junction cant stop and hits into the side of you as you're stopped. Also very informative video.
I turned off a motorway in thick snow only to find it was not a proper exit but a works lay-bye with a huge pile of material in it. Fortunately it was in the days before ABS so heavy braking soon built up a wall of snow to stop me.
I had a lot of experience driving in snow and ice when I was young, and often on roads that had not been ploughed or used by other vehicles. The only time I had trouble was when driving on a road that was completely snowed over and the verges were indistinguishable from the road. I was happily driving along at about 15 mph, but I failed to realise that the camber was gradually taking me to the left. Suddenly, the nearside front wheel touched the grass verge and spun me round. No damage done, but I had to get a farmer to pull me back onto the road with his tractor.
I run a mobile tyre van, spend all day driving to appointments. Good tyres make the difference. So many drivers wear their tyres down to the minimum and wonder why no grip! Quality all season tyres are my advice for all year use now. Some good driving in that video.
I’ve been driving 50 years this year. The first winter’s heavy snow ❄️ ❄️ and ice 🧊 I went and drove up and down a country road I knew would have no or very little traffic, spend quite a time see how the car reacted, which has helped me cope with wintery conditions. The main problem today as there is a lot less snow ⛄️ these winters, drivers don’t encounter snow ❄️ and ice 🧊 driving conditions, so as soon as there is any, a panic sets in and all traffic comes to a stop.
Proper winter tyre are not only an eye opener in these conditions but also in more common cool and wet conditions. In snow I often passed stuck 4x4's on there M&S tyres in my colt with winter tyres. First experience was during 2 weeks of vehicles testing in Sweden in the winter, could not believe you could drive across black ice at normal speeds. (these were not studded tyres).
In 2012 when it was snowed in here for over a month, I made it to work all but 1 morning, in a Clio with cheap unbranded tyres. Of course I always went over the hills which weren't even plowed and was hard pack snow and ice the whole way. That one morning a snow drift through a gate into a field had piled up a bank about 1 foot high and I just couldn't get the little clio over it. Turned around and was heading home, down a hill, when a branch fell out of the tree up ahead, obviously overloaded with snow. Not a big deal it was about 100 yards ahead down the hill... well... I tried braking and there wasn't much happening except the car sliding around. 15mph, but all the brakes did was cause the car to slide towards the verge into the bank. A car coming the other way and two heavy snow banks either side, so no room to drive around it. I had the most pathetically slow accident with the tree branch. I mean it was comical. I was watch the thing coming for what seemed like ages. I was even signally with my hand to the other driver to "COME ON!!!" pass me, so I can drive around it. Nope. Drove "over" it. Got home wondering why people were giving me funny looks and someone flashed me. Found the branch sticking out the front of the car, it had gone through the grill and missed the radiator by an inch. Has a similar "no braking action" on a bigger hill, again doing about 15mph, but just no brakes at all. Hill was about to get steeper and I could already see 3 cars that had slid down the armco barrier that morning parked up ahead. I put my hazards on to warn the driver behind, who seen my issues and stopped before joining me. In a moments "Ah ha!" I knew that the nice flat grass verge would not have ice on it, so I moved over one wheel onto it, got the car slowed to about 5mph and then crept down the rest. The issue was it had got up to 5*C over night and then straight back to -8*C by morning. Melting a layer of snow, freezing it again into a layer of ice, then snowed over the top to hide it. It's all about smooth, smooth, smooth and thinking well, well, well ahead for everything.
The keep momentum was the best advice and finding a spot with traction. I was in a car park and decided to go up the hill to part (first mistake) . Secondly I went up to slow which caused me to get suck. I had to reverse the way I came and park lower down. If your in MINI pressing the traction control button once helps alot if your in fresh snow.
Excellent video. I definitely agree with the observations and was impressed with John's handling but I'm betting John's employer doesn't put winter tyres on the van. They _really_ make a difference, even all seasons. Also, re: the rules sometimes go out of the window, I discovered in northern Germany in winter that especially on hills, the imperative to keep moving meant that traffic lights were often ignored and the drivers zip-merged rather than stopped for a red light - never saw any aggro about it either. Don't recommend that here, far too many jobsworths and knobsworths. In fact outside my apartment on the hill, pedestrians would sometimes get behind cars crawling uphill and give them an extra push. This is a nation that makes it a legal requirement to clear the snow from in front of your property. In far worse winter conditions than shown in the clip, I only ever saw one car that had crashed because of conditions. The prevalence of winter tyres and a co-operative effort must have made huge difference.
Some of my earliest driving experience was in snow, on crossply tyres, in a Reliant Robin. Finding a line where you had traction & steering was "fun". I've been reasonably OK in snowy conditions on 4 wheels since. I think the extra power modern cars have compared to 30 or 40 years ago makes avoiding wheelspin significantly more difficult. Starting off gently in 2nd gear definitely helps.
Are winter/all weather tires and snow chains available? I think that in these conditions they will help massively to prevent loss of grip especially for heavy vehicles and for ppl like John who have to drive all day even in these conditions.
Thank you fe this video! I haven't had to drive in snow yet but feeling better about it if I need to now thanks Also well done to this drover! He is great at handling this!
Excellent video and excellent review of the camera, I've been thinking about getting a new one for my channel for a long time, but I don't really know what they are, but I realized something through the video and I will change the current one..
Was a van delivery driver in the Peak District early this year My god I had some challenges driving in the snow And proud to accomplish them Now I’m a goods driver and “looking forward” to this seasons wrath or winter
Glad you made this, I asked for this when it snowed the first time. I'm always going to avoid driving in the snow but if I have too then i'll re-watch this video just before I leave!
It’s all about knowledge, keeping a cool and calm collected head and ensuring you have the correct equipment to tackle the situations that, given the conditions will most likely arise. Tyres are a main concern, if you have summer tyres, especially worn ones do not consider taking your car out. Even slush is thicker than water so your tyres cannot “clean” their tread and effectively act as if they were bald. AWD and 4WD is definitely not necessary if you have the correct winter tyres, but it is a very good thing to have. Careful, steady inputs as you say Ashley are absolutely key, a car will never react the same on snow as it’s never going to have the friction capabilities or traction potential as dry, or even wet tarmac. Sometimes starting in second gear smoothly will reduce the chance of wheel spin. To add onto your point too Ashley, you drive in the highest gear possible on roads to ensure engine braking doesn’t drag your wheels and cause them to lock or unsettle the vehicles momentum, it may cause a spin if the wheels start travelling at different speeds. If you’re going to be going uphill on a slippy snowy bank, sometimes turning your vehicles traction control off can help as it stops the car cutting power you may need and allows for greater momentum, but don’t abuse it as if you spin them too much up a hill that doesn’t require it you may lose momentum by reducing grip you may have currently. Braking too down a steep, or even general snowy descent, don’t take the vehicle out of first gear and especially do not put your clutch in. It will reduce any resistance against your brakes and cause your ABS to come on, keep it rolling in first using the brake only to stop the car increasing speed. Hopefully these tips are useful for some people, I’m only 18 so ideally it will help someone who isn’t sure!
Excellent clips, driving skills and analysis here. Although familiar with these, albeit rare, conditions I would choose not to travel if it can be avoided. The beast from the east has just hit us today so I anticipate some trouble ahead for many. That reminds me..... Several years ago I had a 5series BMW (rear wheel drive); she had a Ford Fiesta (FWD)...... Long story short; safely arrived at work with 6" of snow...... she turned up half an hour late due to an unintended 180 degree spin on the same road I had travelled - detour was the result. By rights, my car should've had issues with those conditions but didn't. Goes to show that driving skills really are key. What amused me most was her attitude the night before - it showed her up big time 😜. Stay safe everyone 👍
Last year was my first year driving in snow, this year in Scottish Highlands I feel like I've mastered it now, i drive coaches and I have not skidded once and they don't even have winter tyeres on them. Generally wanna drive around 45 to 50 and just drive very smoothly and brake and accelerate very gently, I also live on a steep hill and I drive my car with nobwi ter tyres on it up the hill and not skidded once, all about knowing the feel in the steering wheel on hoe much power to put down and what I mean by that is hoe light is your steering and u can also feel when just sitting in drivers seat when your car is about to skid
As a driver in Northern Canada who drives in snow 6 months of the year, these are all great tips but I would like to add 2.
1 Do all your braking before the corner and start braking earlier than you even think is necessary. If you even touch the brake in a corner you can end up in the ditch, coast or tiny bits of throttle depending on the situation. ABS does nothing when you are sideways :)
2. The straighter wheels are the more traction you have. If you are trying to turn and the car won’t turn, Straighten the wheel, get traction, then try to turn again. I see many people panic and slide off the road with the wheels turned all the way to one side. Stay safe!
Bonus tip, if you are stuck, turn traction control off or it will keep you stuck, just remember to turn it on again once you get going!
Entering a bend more slowly than you think you should is? Perfect advice.
I lived in Western Newfoundland for 15 years, and I have to drive through hilly terrain and ice covered roads every winter.
While the studded winter tires help, they are no guarantee.
Add snow tyres to the mix, and John will be flying .
On most Toyotas you can press the traction control button once to get it semi off or hold it for about 5-10 seconds to turn both TC and stability control of.
When I drive in snow, I like to gently test the brakes at slow speed to give me an idea of how they will stop before they’re really needed.
If you have ABS (and most cars do these days) that's the wrong thing to do. In a safe area, drive slowly and press hard on the brake to test it. That grinding noise you'll hear is the ABS taking over. Just remember, even with ABS, you still need a large gap in front of you as the braking distance is significantly higher. ABS *helps* to stop you from skidding and turning in a slide. You still need to turn into the slide to avoid spinning out of control if the road surface is so bad, the ABS can't cope on its own.
Of course, the best solution is to avoid braking at all wherever possible. Keep your distance, foot off the accelerator and let the engine do the work and only brake if unavoidable.
@@ianl1052 I respectfully disagree. Testing your brakes/steering on snow or ice giving you an indication of the grip you have in those conditions. I know: the conditions can change massively between roads, but when doing this, you'll get a general idea on the line you don't want to cross before the ABS/EDC/etc kicks in. It will let you learn about your vehicle's characteristics more. So 'play' around a bit and see where the limits are. The more you know, the better you can anticipate..
@@ianl1052 Yup, change down the gears before applying the brakes, then tickle the pedal. I used to tell trainees on larger vehicles to gently bend the toes rather than relying on the calf muscles.
@@JohnCasserly
I drive a Yaris hybrid (2005 Prius before that). I usually use "B" mode under normal circumstances for slowing down and always in snow. My brakes hardly get used. My Yaris is a 2013 model and still has the original brakes in perfect condition. I found my Prius was better in snow, probably because of the extra weight of the larger battery pack. I'd be interested in testing the new Prius AWD.
Changing down the gears increases the engines’ influence on the drivetrain and thus increases the risk of it trying to lower the speed of the wheels possibly making them slip. Don’t do that.
Remain in the same gear or if you notice your vehicle can’t handle it, go to neutral. You want your wheels spinning at the speed you’re going so you keep steering control of your vehicle. Then try to brake with slow movements. The moment you feel a wheel slipping, release the brakes, wait for your vehicle to stabilize and try again. If you’re confident enough, try to get to the biting point of the brakes and come to a stop.
We need more drivers on the road like Jon!
John's driving is top notch, would like to see many more drivers take note.
We need a John Zoom Interview. Meet the man behind the video. haha.
I think I owe him a pint or 10 😂
Do we? “Tell me about the time you drove carefully in inclement conditions”, yeah sounds riveting, make it happen
Unless Jackie Weaver blocks him out
@@highdownmartin Read the standing orders. READ THEM AND UNDERSTAND THEM!
Jon is the as yet unidentified Stig of this UA-cam Channel. Some say...and all that!
I hope the bosses and route planners make allowances in these conditions and ease off on the ridiculous pressure that they usually put these guys under
I’m a driver for a major supermarket chain, I can sadly so no consideration is made in the route planning, the only upside is hopefully less traffic on the road, and usually all the vans have good quality winter tyres which can make all the difference. If the roads are too terrible and we don’t want to risk it, we can abandon the delivery.
Nope…not much sympathy from the depot managers and winter tyres are often not fitted by cheap skate firms. You just gotta learn snow driving real good…or get stuck Lol
@@henrymatthews931 jons van didn't have winter tyres
My company doesn't Joy's don't pay o.t now either
I once worked for a delivery company which ran all its vehicles on the cheap.
On one occasion I refused to go out in my van because it had four bald tyres. The response was that someone else would do my deliveries in it and I wouldn’t get paid!
Thanks John, keep safe.
I was "lucky" enough to grow up and drive in an area with solid winter snow. Trying to "keep things moving" is probably one of the best advices one can give/get. Also, impressive driving by Jon.
Daughter is 17 today. Because of lockdown we cannot get her lessons. So we have been watching your channel. Your clips are excellent, clearly explained and really useful. Until we can get her proper lessons, I will take her out in our car and continue to show her your content. Thank you from a grateful dad who has been driving for over 30 years and still learned from you.
Best of luck. My daughter passed her test last week after a very frustrating experience of trying to find instructors and tests during Covid. Hopefully it'll get easier for your daughter.
I live in Czech Republic and we need to have winter tyres fitted. They do make a difference, but the problem they do cause for some drivers is that it gives them too much confidence. I counted 3 cars in fields in a 6 km stretch of road last winter. I just toodle along and give myself loads of extra time to get to work. I also carry a couple of blankets and a shovel. It's a bit of an adventure when it's -24c outside.
I'm sure the many who benefit from increased grip of winter tyres outweigh the overconfident drivers.
Hello from Sweden! I learnt to drive on a -84 Mercedes 220 and a Volvo 240. So much skidding and not always by accident... Learnt a lot of good stuff! 😬😁
I _sometimes_ love driving in snow, especially at night, but even better if I am driven in snow. A cup of hot chocolate, calming music, and a warm interior while driving is so nice. I feel the same way with rain. Dangerous conditions? Yes. It is better when no one is around. I try to avoid driving in these conditions, but it is almost impossible.
This John (or Jon) fellow seems clever when driving. Woo-hoo. These clips are very informative. I never knew some of these techniques. This person seems to be not a "routine" person. He seems to think and adjust according to the situation rather than just being routine.
Playing your favourite Christmas CD adds to the atmosphere. 😉👍🙂
If you develop cataracts, it is like walking and driving in snow all year round! I think this is why old people like to drink hot beverages so much.
Remember to take that few minutes before you set off to brush off as much snow from your car as possible, that big pillow of snow on your roof could easily end up through the windscreen of a car behind you.
Edit :and clear more than a damn letterbox to see out of!
Me taking a good 45 minutes in Birmingham brushing a snow of the roof of my Mokka x bloody high cars. But toasty in the winter.
More likely to end up over your own windscreen when you brake. Especially unwanted if you can't stop to clear it again, like on a motorway.
Technically it's illegal to drive with snow on your car, due to those potential hazards, but so many people still do.
I have to use a broom, as where I have to park there's no room to access the passenger side.
And clear it off your lights too.
Not clearing snow of your car before driving would be an offense in Sweden. Driving with improperly secured cargo. :)
Treat the pedals like there's an egg under them which you don't want to break.
I've never driven in snow but I'll remember that one. Thank you 👍
@@dxnnyk1411 Turn your steer wheel like spreading butter.
That’s exactly what my driving instructor told me, quite a few of my lessons took place in snowy/icy conditions
Not the clutch though of course lol but yeah that is a good method
That's a good way to drive even under normal conditions. I seem to remember that comment from a chauffeur, in regards to the comfort of his passengers. 👍
Another good video Ashley. Just my input about “winter” driving. I spent eighteen seasons driving a gritter in the North East of England and feel I’ve seen the worst the British weather can throw at us. If you feel you’re losing traction going uphill it’s sometimes better to try to back off the accelerator rather than press harder, as putting less power through the drivetrain might be enough to regain grip. Conversely driving downhill, if a driven wheel starts to slide you may be able to regain grip and control by gently accelerating allowing the wheel to start turning again. You may be going faster than you wanted to but it might allow you to steer around an obstacle rather than hit it. Try to drive on virgin snow as long as it’s not too deep as it will give much better grip than snow that’s been compacted almost into ice. The conditions we get in this country are possibly the worst for grip in winter. It’s usually too warm to properly freeze snow and ice so we get a layer of water on top of ice. It’s the layer of water that generally causes the problem as it lubricates the ice. In colder countries, where it gets properly cold the snow becomes crispy and really quite firm. Gives good grip. In this country it remains fairly soft so tends not to be so stable and shears very easily. I’m not a big fan of traction control systems on cars (other than proper off road vehicles, they are very good) as sometimes you need to gun it out of a situation and most of those systems work by backing off the accelerator in order to avoid wheel spin. I usually turn it off in my car during the winter. Most modern cars will have an anti stall system and they can be useful for pulling away in really slippery conditions. Just lift your foot off the clutch without using the throttle and the system will keep the engine turning but not put out so much power to make the wheels spin. But it’s all down to experience and reading the situation at that moment. Also sometimes you’ve just got to accept that discretion is the better part of valour and not get yourself into a situation that you can’t get out of. Or worse still that could get you hurt. Also, give HGV’s a very wide berth as they can slide uncontrollably, especially articulated trucks. A heavy camber is enough to allow a truck to slide sideways. Just because your one tonne car is ok doesn’t mean the truck next to you weighing forty times that much is going to be as sure footed. The weight can very easily overwhelm the available grip. Winter tyres are a good idea and they can make the difference between getting to your destination and not. Please, please, please don’t be tempted to overtake a gritting truck in bad conditions. Inevitably the next hill you come to will see you slipping and sliding and the gritter will catch you up. Hopefully the driver will have enough room to drive around you and be able to treat his route. Worst case is he gets stuck behind you and other roads are left untreated and other drivers are possibly put at risk. The salt the trucks spread needs time to work and also needs to be “run in” by traffic to be properly effective. Don’t expect to follow twenty feet behind a gritter and the road to miraculously clear of snow and ice. Salt will only work properly down to about minus seven or eight degrees so keep an eye on that outside temp display on your dashboard and drive accordingly at all time as, if it’s that cold even if the road has been treated it can freeze again prematurely. Rain will wash the salt off the road surface so if it’s cold and it’s raining the road can instantly freeze. A phenomenon known as “freezing rain.” High winds can blow salt off the road leaving leaving them without enough salt to be properly treated. Just be aware of all weather conditions at the time. Black ice is a problem all of it’s own. Usually you know you’re on it because tyre noise disappears and the steering goes very light. A gentle touch on all driving controls is called for. Keep up the good work Ashley 👍
Thanks for that Tony, very informative and well worth the read. That an artic can slide sideways on a steep camber hadn’t occurred to me. I was reminded the other night that even winter tyres and a 4x4 aren’t a recipe for total success - pulling out of a side road I lost grip on black ice sending the back flipping out. A turn into the skid and taking the foot off the accelerator sorted it but could’ve been an issue on a busy road
Great video Ashley.
I was a van driver countywide (Lincs) for 10 years, and never got stuck once, where I couldn't get myself out of the situation. Always carried a good spade in my van to dig down to the tarmac should I need to.
One thing about snow that is useful for drivers, is getting to know their cars handling. I would always go out in medium depth snowfall, and deliberately get the car sliding around a bit, so that I knew exactly what it was going to feel like, and how it was going to react. That way, when your car slides at a time your are NOT expecting it to, you automatically know how to react.
Many people only ever find out when it's too late, ie when their car slides at a time they are not expecting it to, and by then, it's too late.
If you practice deliberately sliding your car and correcting it (where it's safe to do so of course), then you will learn a LOT about how to correct it when you need to do it quickly.
Absolutely. When it’s safe and there’s nobody behind you do a quick brake test when driving in snow. It’s scary how long a car takes to slow down when it’s slippery and it helps you calibrate your driving to the conditions
Living in a cold climate in Finland, I know that when temperatures hover *near* freezing is the most dangerous time for slippery conditions, as snow will be wet and ice is likely to form. Freshly fallen snow is also a major risk factor that can only be mitigated with real winter tyres (with soft composition and deep tread) or waiting for the plough to clear it. That is when the weather office will issue yellow or even orange warnings of slippery road conditions; if the roads are merely covered in well-frozen, compacted snow that the ploughs have had time to work on, they will say that road conditions are "normal for the winter". I keep winter tyres for my bicycle, which also have ice studs built in; cars are legally required to use winter tyres here when winter weather occurs.
With a front-wheel-drive car, it can be helpful to turn around and reverse up a hill, as that shifts weight to the tyres that need it. Obviously you can only do that in conditions where you can still see where you're going, but it can get you up a hill that is impossible going forwards. Under the same conditions, RWD, AWD and 4x4 cars can go up forwards - just bear in mind that improved drive capability does not translate into better braking capability. In RWD vehicles you might find you have to move cargo or passengers over the drive axle; I've seen that done by Helsinki bus drivers in the middle of a blizzard.
@James Stewart On level ground that might be true, but the problems appear on steep hills, which tend to shift the weight in the downhill direction. I live at the bottom of such a hill, and once the post office van got stuck on the way out when it came to deliver a package. I called my landlord to help out (he has a tractor), and he simply drove the van up the hill in reverse.
I’m glad you’ve bought this up.
Frankly, it borders on criminal negligence, to go driving in the snow with an ill prepared car/vehicle!
Most people wouldn’t think of driving a car if they knew the brakes were disconnected, or tyres worn to the canvas, but yet here in the U.K. people will regularly attempt to drive a car in the snow when they have summer tyres fitted - which amounts to pretty much the same thing!
Having worked through various Scandinavian and German winters (yes, Finland too), where it is the law to fit winter tyres over the winter months, and experienced the difference they make - not just in snowy, but in generally cold conditions. It amazes me that the Brits are so cavalier in their attitude to it!
Yes, our winters may not be quite as ‘white’ as other countries, but it doesn’t mean we wouldn’t benefit from running cars with winter, or at the very least, all-season tyres!
I sort of get it. Most people in the U.K. have never driven on winter tyres, and so have no clue of the night and day difference they make - so they continue to live and drive in ignorance.
But this video asks the question ‘ Do you have the necessary skills to drive in snow?’ But honestly, it isn’t down to skill, it’s down to making the right choice to stay at home if your car isn’t equipped to deal with the conditions.
The discussion and comments about driving like you’re on eggshells shouldn’t be happening, there is absolutely no need for it if your car has the correct rubber fitted. Of course take a bit of extra care, but to drive around at 10mph with your wheels spinning and little to no directional control is simply putting yourself and other at unnecessary risk - as I say, it’s bordering on criminal negligence!
There are plenty of cost effective all season tyres on the market now, to not have them, or full winter tyres fitted during the winter months is insane!
In my not so humble opinion!
remember the old Volkswagen with rear wheel drive but the major weight of the car was over the drive axle --best thing for going up hill in the snow other than a full 4x4
@Advanced Driving FWD is massively better than RWD in the snow (if the latter doesn't have a locker). You can get away with crappier tyres and still have decent traction. But it's boring.
@@phil_nicholls The UK is warmer and has less snow than much of mainland Europe that mandates the use of winter tyres. Average winter temperatures in particular here are significantly warmer than in countries like Germany and Denmark which are often at or below freezing for a large portion of winter months. Here in the UK to even get close to freezing is a rare event. Winter tyres become effective below about 7 degrees - daytime winter temps in UK will quite often be at or above that. I am fully aware of the advantages winter tyres offer and am an advocate for them in the right conditions. But me personally I am not spending a fortune on changing to winters, storing the summers and vice versa for the literal week or two every year we have that it gets properly cold, or the odd inch of snow! I'll just drive more defensively or not at all if it's really snowy.
Tips I was given for driving in the snow:
Your car is not a coat, wear warm clothing.
Have ballast in the back of your car/van, it keeps the back wheels down and aids grip.
Always carry a snow shovel in the boot in this weather.
Always have a little bag of rock salt, dead handy if you lose traction and stall. (other tip if you do get stuck you can use car mats as a grip to get going if you really need to).
Even the smallest incline can be treacherous.
Keep your distance.
And as you said, if you don't need to go out, just don't.
If you think Leeds is bad, try Bradford or Sheffield in the snow - good driving John.
Ballast in the back will do more harm than good in a fwd vechicle, aspecially on steep grades. For rwd of course it can be really helpful.
@@piciu256 used to drive a front wheel drive pick up, small Nissan thing. No snow, the rear end would swing out, with snow, no grip on rear end. Put a bag of sand right at the back, made life a lot easier. Drove a transit, same thing. On my new car, no spare wheel, get the pump and fill rubbish, so no weight on the back. Slides out, so put a bit of ballast (not much - small bag of rock salt) and the car handles a lot better.
@@TheFingerman37 sliding out is not much of an issue if you expect it (barely requires a counter if you know how to react) getting up an incline is a much more improtant issue imo. Most cars are made to understeer in normal situations anyway, you need to make them swing the back out one way or the other. Drove an LT28 this winter in the snow and had no issue with the back end swinging out, even though it was empty, and you couldn't call me a cautious driver.
The trouble is that I drive an MX-5. I have no room for a shovel. I guess I have no logical solution that doesn't involve modifying the car or moving to California.
Would a full tank of petrol be ok? Ive been taking it easy when driving today and I've been fine
I wasn’t going to watch this one as a know it all. Invaluable lessons and many thanks to John and yourself. Nightmare for all workers but the idea of driving on numerous side streets in such a day is a non starter. Thanks to all delivery drivers in these times whilst many of us are tucked up warm at home.
Thoughtful comment. Nice one. 👍
Sorry I should have checked spelling -Jon. Thanks again.
Tip from me. Get some winter screen wash into the tank AND don't forget to hit the switch to pump it through to the nozzles so that any non- winter screen wash is forced out so it doesn't freeze in the tubes and nozzles blocking them.
Jon is a rare breed among delivery drivers that's for sure... 😂😂 As said, being gentle and forward planning is the the key to driving in snow/ice. Gentle accelerating, breaking and steering and planning ahead as much as possible.
You can only help so many people, the majority don't think. I myself have enjoyed your videos Ashley. It's made me think about my own driving @ 56yrs.
I grew up in snowy places, watching people get into more or less trouble driving. I will say, excellent snow tires, TC, and ABS make snow a lot less stressful. On flatter conditions, with larger roads, you can even have a bit of sideways fun at intersections without endangering anyone.
We need to get Jon one of those Top Gear shirts that read "I am a Driving God".
Seriously though, if everyone drove like Jon, we'd almost have zero accidents (something the government is hoping to achieve, at much greater cost with all kinds of technology), there would be no need for speed cameras or any kind of traffic calming measures, no tailgating, no speeding, no impatience, no road rage and so many other positive things. Heck, even sitting in a traffic jam would be fun, knowing all the other motorists around you are skilled, considerate and will work with you! What a dream that would be. And all we would have to do to achieve this driving utopia would be to have everyone drive like Jon (notwithstanding his skills need to be aquired over time together with the right attitude).
Thanks for showing correct and slow-moving driver control in snow, and ice-packed snow. The backwards manoeuvres surprised me, but they are effective in maintaining control. For me, the best of the manoeuvres was around midway 5:52 showing the driver nudge backward and forward to find the grip spot on the road surface on the hill. This is the ONLY way to get out of slippery wheel spin . You can never power a vehicle from an icy surface: the highly spinning wheels will only heat the snow or ice, making the surface under the wheels more slippery. If necessary carry grit, cat litter, cardboard to jam behind the rear wheels to back out of an icy patch. Rock the car back and forth using the motor, a very small distance each way to gain momentum, and when the momentum increases gently apply speed to pull the car from the ice or snow
Ashley - As always, you have produced an excellent video with good material for all drivers, in all conditions.
I am from Saskatchewan Canada where we have winter conditions for a good 5 months of the year. When I was training my son to drive, I took him to the very large parking lot of our local arena, got him up to flood high speed and then when he was not expecting it, yanked the steering wheel so that the car started to go out of control. Once my son had used all of his cursing adjectives on me and realized he did not need to change his underwear, I explained to him that we were here so that he could experience the feeling of what a vehicle did, under conditions, somewhat controlled, rather than have him experience them for the first time while driving in traffic on city streets.
He calmed down and we proceeded to explore ABS braking, its feel and sounds. He learned not to try and steer and jump on the brakes at the same time. He learned that often the best traction is just a few inches of the paths that most vehicles would travel. There were a lot of exercises we did that day and again another day.
After this, my son told me that he had a great deal more confidence, both in his ability to handle adverse conditions, but by knowing what to do when the vehicle responded abnormally. He learned the art of ‘finessing’ the controls or you you put it, being very gentle with all inputs. He also learned that when starting off from a stop, if the driving wheels started to spin, and he could not get any traction (even with the winter tires) that one way to help was to apply pressure to the brake pedal very slightly, while applying pressure on the accelerator. This action with brake pedal is enough, in most cases, to stop the spinning drive wheel from spinning, and instead, gave traction to the drive wheel that was not otherwise turning (we all know how a differential works). On our standard transmission car, starting out in 2nd gear often accomplished the same thing.
Thanks again Ashley for making such a useful teaching tool.
A technique I use is testing the grip occasionally. Testing your controls. Testing your braking. Just one of these one morning saved my bacon. Road was fine, looked wet. For some reason, sometime made me think to give the steering a tiny jiggle. Not enough to actually move the car, but immediately I felt the steer was very, very light. I knew what was happening, so I began braking, flicked the hazards on and with lots of anti-locks pinging got slowed from 40mph down to about 10mph. Giving the guy behind plenty of warning. Up ahead, the little Mini one I had been following was on it's side through the hedge. Solid "black" Ice. Same for brakes, as long as it's safe behind, give the brake pedal a little prod and see if it feels normal. If you don't decelerate and just get that whrrrr, whrrrr of the antilock pump, it's better to find out that way, that later when you need them. Most of these come from off road and on road cycling and motorcycling. Knowing how much grip you have before you need it, pays.
All are very good advice and a great demonstration 👍🏻, but sadly most people have little interest in learning to drive, they pass the test and thats it. Driving is a skill and we should all constantly be learning new skills. Anticipation, momentum, keeping your distance and planing your route based on what your seeing in front of you (like Jon). There are also 4 things that will hugely improve your ability to make progress in snow and ice… tyres, get rid of the summer tyres that all cars have fitted from new and either get a good set of 4 season tyre replacements, or better still get another set of wheels and fit winter tyres. But alas, its not as simple as that, the tyres will make a huge difference, but learning how to drive in these conditions will mean you will succeed where others fail and stay safe (lots of good videos to learn from). Always be prepared with the kit you carry (shovel, hessian sacks, tow rope) and what you personally have (warm clothing, boots, hat, gloves, phone, flask of hot drink, food and water, even for the shortest journeys). If you do get stuck, please don’t just abandon your vehicle in the road, blocking the road for others to pass, if you do get stuck, there will be plenty who don’t and want to continue. But if you really are not confident, consider yourself not a particularly good driver and have summer tyres fitted, probably best to not venture out in your car in the snow and ice as you’ll quite possibly end up damaging yours and possibly someone else’s vehicle too.
Great video and tips from John. One point I would add to this is tyres. The vast majority of people in the UK drive all year round on summer tyres.
I put cross climate tyres on our car this past year and the difference in the recent wintery conditions has been dramatic.
John is something else behind the wheel. Can imagine he is one chill driver to be a passenger of.
John is the epitome of a professional driver in every sense of the word.
The 1st winter after passing my test (it was icy) I went to an empty car park that I was familiar with and spent a few evenings putting the car into a skid and practicing correcting the skid. I drove around it all night practicing (as you do when your 17!).
I don't know how people or Ash feel about that but when it happened in a real on road situation 2 things happened- I didn't panic and I corrected the skid. Again i don't know if its the right thing to do in a car park or anywhere else? (it was evening, empty and I knew there was no hidden obstacles such as trolley bay's or kerbs separating the car park) but
I would highly recommend it if you can find a safe enough place to practice. Its better to make mistakes in a controlled environment rather than a dual carriageway or on a round a bout! And knowing how your car handles in icy/snowy conditions can give you the confidence to know you can regain control if/When it happens on the road. Stay safe people..
Thats definitely the way to go, even though you might get cops called upon you (technically it might be considered reckless driving...) so better to choose a remote area. Doing trhis made me a much better driver, Im still young and stupid, but at least I understand now that even if you have skills, you cannot control and/ or prevent everything, so you have to do everyhting possible for lowering risk, at least risk of hurting others, me myself or my car, I don't care so much ;) didnt crash it yet in 2 years of driving though, and it doesnt seem that it'll happen of my fault- starting to drive a bit more cautiously as I gain more experience (expecting others doing stupid things)
I done the same thing at a car park today. My first time driving in snow, I've been driving for 3 months now. Personally I agree, I'd rather be in a 'dangerous situation' where it's very unlikely I'll cause a collision or injury
@@piciu256 I was led to believe when I started driving your just as likely to go into a skid when it's really roasting hot as it softens the rubber on your tyres! That's happened a few times as well.
I don't think it's something anyone Could recommend doing being honest in case they hurt themselves, I'm not a professional. I'm just saying I did it as safely as I could and it helped me on the roads when it happened for real. Stay safe m8
@@robertoulton7357 dunno about that, mayby wasnt hot enought where I live 35 degrees max) but the grip definitely is much improved the hotter it gets, provided you have summer tires fitted, winter and all season can actually start to "flow" when it gets toasty, felt it myself. Thats why I believe in summer tires+ all season for winter, in areas where snow is not very common (like where I live, thought this winter made me question that :P havent seen more than one day of snow past 5 years, and now its been snowing on and off for 2 months already)
very sensible. great idea as it lets you hone these techniques in a controlled space without other traffic
The correct tyres are single most important car factor. Smooth gentle inputs and lots of forward thinking ahead, are the key driver skills.
I am from Canada and live in the UK. Those conditions aren't too bad to my eye but it's an example of experience to me. Winter tyres aren't a thing in the UK. I put them on most years and have very few problems. I think people in the UK think they are only for snow. I don't understand it. The grip from winter tyres is so good, it really is remarkable. The cost of winter tyres and safety the lend far outweighs their cost. Add to that safety and it's a no brainer. I currently reside in Scotland in the countryside and feel they are a great investment. Even in the years it snows little, the performance in cold, wet and icey conditions is so improved, I can't understand why they are not mandatory during the winter.
I live near Consett in County Durham which is horrendous for snow in the winter.
Another great video, thanks Ashley & Jon. I've been driving for 45 years and seen some really nasty conditions (e.g. Kent 1986). Modern cars with ABS, fwd etc really don't help IMHO. I still found your video really useful and has great tips to keep some people out of trouble. Interesting point - I drove a service bus in snow a year or two ago. I did the same route every hour throughout the day. Each trip had totally different standards of grip at the same points e'g 9.00 deep snow full traction, 10.00 rain, ice, 11:00 slush limited traction etc. Most interesting for me.
I once had to park a delivery pick-up truck on a slope with packed snow because someone had taken the parking spot dedicated for me at the shop. It was fine, as I just had to quickly drop off some things then head back out. When I came back outside, i was annoyed that someone had moved my truck (there were other keys and pranks were common) but I soon saw that it had simply slid down the hill into the car that had taken my spot when the heat from the tires melted the snow they were sat upon.
@ 1:50 - I recognise this place, that's Batley, or more specifically Upper Batley. In the vid, the junction seems relatively flat but it isn't, I often get wheel spin trying to get out of there on a good day!
Excellent timing. Watched this video from a place which has been hit with the worst snowfall in 10 years. I have a Volvo with winter tyres fitted but that doesn't give magical road hold holding. Many thanks for this video.
If I was driving my car in the snow the same way I walked in the snow, the car would end upside down on its roof.
Superb driving, snow due tonight so I’ll put some of this into practice on my way to work. Driving for 38 years and you never stop learning.
Shelter from the Pennines mountains to the East and the Welsh mountains to the west, as well as usual mild air from the Irish sea to the North. Means Liverpool very rarely gets snow. There was very little sledging and snowman fun for us growing up. :):):) The only time Liverpool gets snow is those very rare occasions the Irish sea sends in very cold air.
Great video with great driving by Jon.
Quite useful video, thanks. With the fog lights thing I'd say some cars have poor standard lighting like the one in the video and my Mégane 2. On a straight dark road you can't see more than 15 metres even after fitting new bulbs and adjusting the angle. Not necessary in the day but sometimes crucial at night.
HGV's are fitted with an engine brake ( exhauster) an absolute godsend in those condition's I drove from Aberdeen to Glasgow in these conditions and only used the brakes to let people know I was stopping just gently touching them without bringing them on. the exhauster if used properly saves on brake and gearbox repairs as a bonus.
In Norway, it's obligatory to have a day at a slippery driving course where you get to drive around, do some hill starts, try to avoid things and generally feel how the car acts in icy conditions. It's actually a lot of fun and very useful.
I'm quite surprised that winter tyres are so uncommon in the UK though. We live in Scotland and get quite a few snowy days every winter, and it's often cold enough for black ice. Of course you still have to drive carefully, but they make a huge difference.
I learned to drive when I lived in Germany in the 80s. One lesson was on a cold snowy day in January 82. I think I learned more in that lesson than all the others combined. In Germany, winter tyres are compulsory between October and April (I think the months are correct) and tyre chains are also compulsory in heavy snow but must be removed once the snow has thawed.
@@ianl1052 they're compulsory in Norway too (obviously), so when I moved to the UK, we got them for our car straight away. They're so good to use in winter. I understand people in the south of England might not want them, but definitely necessary in Scotland!
Really useful! Your dialogue was calm, commonsense and really clear; I learnt a lot. Merry Christmas
Work with a guy who called in last time it snowed and said he couldn't get out of his drive so I had to go pick him up in a work van. Once I dropped him off at his van he jumped in, burried his foot in the accelerator and dumped the clutch.
Some people literally have no idea how to drive in the snow.
Interestingly, burying foot on the accelerator is a good, reliable way to get a bus out of a snow drift. (No it doesn't work for light vehicles!) The weight on the rear axle means that the wheels don't create too much ice and 'mill' down through the slush or snow until they hit solid tarmac. Unfortunately if you get it wrong it's like winding up a kid's clockwork car and dropping it - the wheels suddenly grip at speed and the bus exits at warp 8!
Thanks for the advice! We had a load of snow yesterday and today here in the Netherlands, and I'll have to drive tomorrow. Your tips will help keep me safe.
Thanks Jon and Ashley!
Remember to still drive on the wrong side of the road though.
@@hlund73 I would've thought the country with the language where right also means correct would drive on that side, but alas. 😛
The tips were helpful. With our country being as flat (no issues with inclines) and densely populated (well maintained roads) as it is, it wasn't nearly as bad as Jon had it.
My biggest fear of driving is in the snow so I’m grateful that we don’t get much. As a fairly new driver, I think it should be more emphasised in lessons about snow and how to drive in them. Thanks for this video! And thanks to John
I'm the same, after 30+ years of driving I try to avoid driving in the snow as much as possible. If I had somewhere to store a second set of tyres I would purchase some winter tyres.
I've only been driving just over a year now and I love driving in the snow. I'm more confident in those conditions than normal..
Biggest issue is that you can’t create the conditions, i’m a driving instructor in France and we did had one snowy day, that day was used for the training of my students, they could safely practice and realize how much they have to anticipate slowing down etc....
It's really scary if you have summer tyres on your car. Here in Sweden we have to put proper winter tyres on our cars by law during the winter months, and then it's not so bad to drive in the snow.
But one year snow came unusually early, before the date we have to change tyres, so I still had summer tyres on.
Driving home from work that day was horrible.
@@MrTchouMy driving test was cancelled due to snow. My driving instructor, whose car I was going to use, offered to give me a lesson on driving in the snow and ice instead. It was the best lesson I ever had!
Wish this had popped up in my feed when it was released; as it is I only saw it now but John, you are a credit to our profession sir. I like to think I'm a good driver but you make me look like a wally in comparison.
A very helpfull insight for many who havel ittle experience driving in such conditions. I had to smirk when you described the conditions as atrocious, but I suppose they are to some. Not everyone experiences the practically arctic conditions we can get in the north east especially on the Scotish borders.
I have to say I’m a very experienced driver in snow. I’ve been driving near on 20years. Every time it snows I’ll be out playing on empty industrial estates.
I’ve noticed more and more car tires have become less able in snow over the years, further enhanced by lower profile tires and sporty biased tires being OEM fitment these days. I’m very aware of this and have a set of Michelin all season tires in the garage ready to go. On Monday morning I tried to get off the drive on Michelin pilot sports and couldn’t move. So Jack the car up and swap to the other tires. Straight off and no problem. I’ve been able to do full hill start fairly steep icy hills without issue and had no hairy moments, additionally I can still make very good pace. A chap on UA-cam did a really good video explaining the science behind this - Engineering Explained. I can testify it’s worth the £600 it cost to be able to drive safely in those conditions.
Here in Perth, western Australia we don't get snow or ice, but I recall driving in Britain and walking down London Road in Leicester with thick ice on the pavement, nice to see the snow!
I had specialist training at a police training centre. The example you're showing above is perfect. I always get a set of winter tyres and carry snow socks, grit and a shovel. The problem I get is that unprepared drivers block the roads and then we get stuck anyway.
Hiking boots and ice/show springs are my first choice for getting into town or work with that much snow.
After 40 years in traffic, which means about 15 years accumulated of winter roads, I would say studded tires with good threads (minimum 3 mm) makes a great difference. Tyre threads are the most important. Studs only makes a difference on ice. And of course driving with your head, like Jon. Good work.
I just passed my test in May this year. I’ve never driven in snow, however, I live in a very snowy village in Scotland. This video has gave me some peace of mind for driving this winter 🥰
This is pretty interesting for someone who lives in the Northern Europe country, so snow and ice are basically just _everyday life_ for about 4-6 months in a year.
I absolutely love driving in the winter, it has somewhat relaxing and chill atmosphere when driving in snowy conditions.
Excellent video, Excellent driving by John. I know it might sound absolutely nuts but I enjoy driving in snow. It separates the men from the boys and as John demonstrated it's not about crawling at a walking pace, it's driving at a speed that should not cause any reason for sudden braking etc. Also keeping moving is important more so with a van or an HGV the problem is that most car drivers only think about themselves and their car. but then drive poorly in conditions like these, I was taught years ago "in snow drive slow and smooth with no sudden movements"
Very good. Nothing I didn’t know, but I’ve been driving for over fifty years. I once got up a very steep and snowy hill by reversing all the way up. Only works with front wheel drive as the weight transfer ‘increases’ the weight over the driving wheels at the, now, back. It’s necessary to ensure there are no other cars about of course. I really do recommend quality all weather tyres though and, in properly cold places, winter tyres.
In the snow last week I was behind a 'P' plate car going possibly a little too slow, 8mph along a 30, they were probably terrified so I left loads of room behind as to not put them off. Sadly I had a taxi come up behind me, and taxis can't see past the end of their bonnet it seems so he sat inches from the back of my car (dangerously close in the middle of summer) to bully me into going faster, despite not being able to. P plater turned off and I sped up to about 25, faster than I'd like but thought it may deter the tailgating, it didn't and he was still up my arse.
When we reached a red light I really had to stop myself getting out and asking if he was stupid, and even getting his reg to report to the council, I stayed calm and fought the urge, but it really annoyed me, if he'd gone into the back of me I'd have given him some very choice words.
@Biking Bazil when driving in fog as the trailblazer and there’s someone right up your arse I’ll let them go by, and it amuses me to see them speed away and then realise that actually, I was going at about the right speed and they slow down and we all continue as before, but now they’re doing all the hard work!!
Had pretty much the same thing happen on occasions and yes it's interesting when the other driver suddenly realizes the reason for the slower pace. Amazes me they were too stupid to realise it earlier.
Taxists are yhe worst drivers on the road. Always have been always will be.
New driver here, really helpful. Thanks Ashley and Jon!
I’m a learner and today went out to the shops for a little practice in the slushy conditions, and as I was waiting at the traffic lights at the bottom of my street I saw a car I’m my mirror it wasn’t stopping and was coming towards me quite quickly, it couldn’t stop and instead had to swerve into the curb, and I’ve seen quite a lot of drivers who think they are experienced enough to go at normal speeds in snowy conditions, for me the more experienced drivers in snow can pose a bigger danger because they think they have the experience do drive quickly in the conditions, today proved to me that that is not the case, love the videos by the way very informative and in many cases entertaining to see poor driving at its best 👍🏼
Good video. Far rather go UPhill than DOWN hill in Snow. My basic 26 year old car, with no electronic anything is a great tool in such conditions.
I'm from Scotland, so we get a little more snow than the average for the UK.
A couple of things I was taught for winter driving:
1. Engine braking. Sometimes, engaging the brakes in snowy and icy conditions can be dangerous, but you can slow down by dropping into a lower gear (obviously this is easier in manuals than automatics) without braking. I also dab the brake pedal so that the brake lights will turn on but the brakes won't really engage, to give a visual indication to any drivers behind me that I'm slowing down, just in case. Engine braking is especially useful when going down steep hills, to curb gravity assisted acceleration.
2. Snow equipment. In winter, I usually keep a bit of spare carpet that's wide enough to fit under both front or rear tyres (whichever are the drive wheels). If you get stuck, you can put it behind the drive wheels, roll back onto it, and it should give you enough grip to get moving. Hopefully you can also recover the carpet once you're in a safe position and can move off without aid.
I also keep my grandpa's old coal shovel, so I can dig my way out of snow (for anyone who's not seen one before, a coal shovel is a short handled shovel that is wider than a standard spade, and has a raised lip around the edge, making it quite similar to a snow shovel, but without having to deal with the extra handle length). Between those two items, they have got me out of a few tricky situations in snow.
Hope this helps.
I wonder how "engine" braking might work in an electric vehicle? Maybe if you turned on higher levels of energy recovery and lift off, it might have the same effect? I'd be interested to know if anyone has any data on how a BEV behaves in snow/ice
Edit: Forgot to say that I totally agree that Jon's driving was top notch throughout that video
One tip I have to get a stuck car going, is reverse the car so both rear wheels are touching the kerb, and then use the kerb as a launch pad, setting off with the clutch dipped low in third gear or the highest that does not stall the engine and loads of revs. I discovered this method when I realised my tyres had next to no tread left (I'd not had the car long).
In the early 1960s we leaned our snow & ice driving by going out in it. We did a lot of deliberate sliding about so learned from experience. Try it these days there is a chance you would be nicked for dangerous driving.
Nice timely episode. Turn your patience on and I would add: equip yourself. Sleeping bag, water, shovel, old carpets, tow rope, torch and snacks. It took me 14 hours to get home from work once, a journey of 40miles.
Mainly due to lorries jackknifed, other cars blocking the road and idiots overtaking lines of traffic because ‘I’m turning at the next turning’ - so are other people.
I also know people who have had to spend the whole night in the car.
For me it took 3 hours to drive 100km home with *ice* on the road 2 months ago, 80km to the city was no issues really, 60-70kph in a straight line (slower in the bends ofc.), not too much traffic, 2 lannes, but at the entrance to the city nobody was moving pretty much, ended up turning around and going the last 20km around throught a forest, otherwise I would have wasted another 2 hours in traffic most probably.
Surprisingly, didnt see any tailgaters, thought most peopple were following way too close (2-3 car lenghts), considering it took me well over 100 meters to stop from 70 at a set of lights :P
Only saw one car crashed and 3 trying to get up a grade with no success (a grade I was descending, fortunately I didnt panic and the reason for their demise was proibably summer tires)
@@piciu256 maybe. Was this in the U.K. though? We have some rapid temperature changes sometimes within an hour.
It snowed, thawed and then froze to black ice inside an hour. I come to a major roundabout put the brakes on and just went straight over. From then on it was pandemonium. Cars everywhere. Abandoned, in ditches etc
@@TimRsn Poland, the conditions were exactly as you described though, cold night, barely above zero day and snowfall (in the middle of the day, out of nowhere) with a bit of rain, it turned to ice immidiately and stayed that way till the enxt day, when they spread stupid salt everywhere. the road in mention goes mainly in a straight line, thats probably the reason I didnt encounter many crashed cars, that and the fact that a majority of peopple seem to be smart enough to put at least all season tires on for the winter, we get the odd idiots saying "it never snows anyway" and leaving the summers on, of course. As I understand the "it never snows" group is much more numerous in UK.
@@piciu256 yes. We might get 3 days of snow a year. If it does snow the snow may stay for 2 or 3 days. But usually good to drive the next day.
@@piciu256 unless you’re right up north.
Love you vid I was in my tractor clearing the snow 🌨️ . Nice vid . I got say it was good vid. Keep bit of space helps a lot
Top quality driving by Jon.
I was in Leeds, probably on the same day as the clips. The road conditions were terrible, even the ring road I travelled on (A6120) from Bradford to Leeds (Roundhay) hadn't been gritted properly. But the journey I made, From Manchester to Leeds, normally one hour, took around 1 1/2 hours, so not too bad, as the snow was only heavy between Pudsey and Roundhay (around 10 miles), previously it was just rain.
However, the return journey was considerably longer, as my route via the ring road was blocked (due to an accident), I had to go via the A58 into Leed city centre, top speed 20 mph, whereupon I came to a grinding halt. The M621 was also blocked, due to a bad accident, as evidenced by the blues and twos of the police cars and ambulances weaving thorough the traffic jam.
I eventually managed to get to the M62 via the A 62 at Morley, the M62 was OK. Total return journey time 4 hours, not the usual 1 hour, but at least I got home in one piece, with no damage to the car.
Glad to hear you got home safely, it wasn't an easy day to be out for sure.👍
Good advice as always in your videos Ashley, I personally don't mind driving in snow, take it steady use the tips in the video and you can't go wrong.
About 10 years ago me and the wife had been out for the night, whilst we was in the pub it snowed and we came out to a white blanket of fresh snow and it was still snowing heavily, my journey home was a really good drive, only had to go around 3 miles, don't think I went above 10mph all the way home but got home relaxed, I'll always remember that drive, ain't driven in anything like since
Half the battle are good tires. I was advised years ago to drive as if you have an egg between your foot and the petals. And it all about traction, so resist hitting the accelerator if you loose traction and ease off until the tries find traction. Works for me.
Some excellent skills; quick thinking on turning the wheel into the kerb to stop the slide. 7:20; I would have probably gone past onto the level ground before parking to make moving off easier (and walked twenty paces). 10:00 - excellent planning for driving on the wrong side - John's right, if its safer, do it! My only other tip in snow and ice, learn how to turn OFF any traction control or stability program on your vehicle - often I see cars stuck because they have no drive, but often by spinning the wheels you can cut through the snow and some ice to get down to tarmac, and make progress. Only do this when it is going to help though, not recommended for most of your drive. And the best tip of all, make sure you have appropriate tyres, at least with adequate grip and properly inflated, but preferably winter rated (all seasons at a push); I love sailing part people in 4WD's on summer tyres in my RWD BMW on gentle inclines (5 mph gets me there, 0 mph means they have to either go another route, or walk) - tyres make a MASSIVE difference, and the number of people who expect a BMW to stop dead on an incline is amusing.
Brilliant driving
Thanks David.
Brilliant video 👍 like John's driving ---- many full license drivers should be like him Unfortunately most are just concerned with their own most important journey ---- Top Class mate
People need to think about tyres if they are going to have to drive in these conditions. There is a world of difference between summer tyres and say 3PMS rated all-season tyres in snow and ice. Even new SUVs and 4x4s generally come fitted with summer tyres unless you specify otherwise. As we saw here only a light covering of snow can turn you into a fully paid up member of the Torvil and Dean appreciation society on summer grade tyres. I may be a bit of a fuss-pot but living in the Peak District I run a Subaru with 3PMS tyres and still carry a full set of 4 snow chains, shovel, blankets, extra clothes etc in winter.
Hi Colin, interesting post. Have you compared all-season tyres to winter tyres? I've read a lot of criticism of all-season tyres as "no-season" tyres and that they are the worst of all worlds.
I was planning on winter tyres until I recently discovered all-season and now I'm confused!
@@cockpiss9260 I cant speak for Colin, but I have used a set of winters for over a decade now, and they completely transform the car in snow and ice. However, I have been keeping a close eye on all seasons, and for my next car I will probably go that way to avoid storing a second set of wheels (now I have the wheels for this car, I might as well get winters as they are undoubtedly better). All seasons have come a very long way in just the last 2-3 years, and for the odd days, they are almost certainly good enough for all but the worst UK conditions (sustained lying snow in remote and high areas). Don't be put off by out-of-date views on all seasons, but if you want the best grip and safety, and have somewhere for a second set to be stored, still go full winter. There are some very good tests shown on UA-cam - I think "Tyre Reviews" do a thorough range of tests at appropriate sites (Finland for these tyres) and have good, reasoned conclusions.
@@cockpiss9260 the modern allvseason tyres like the Michelin cross climate, Conti all season etc are excellent tyres and frankly should be a first choice tyre for almost everyone instead of the pure summer tyres the manufacturers fit. part of the reason they fit summer tyres is because they have marginally less rolling resistance and are a wee bit cheaper so they can save a few pence and reduce the emissions. unless you have something with really high performance you probably dont need "summer" tyres.
@@cockpiss9260 Interesting question. I certainly would not endorse the view that "all-season" tyres are "no-season" tyres (especially with the later evolutions of the type such as the Michelin Cross-Climates etc) and would not be that happy to ride with someone who, on public roads, relied on the margin of performance between these and summer tyres. Since I do a fairly low mileage (about 3000/year) the use of two sets, summer and winter would be rather wasteful as I would undoubtedly be disposing of part worn tyres on a time basis (especially as I'm rather light on tyres). If you do a high mileage this isn't a consideration and using two sets probably saves money because of the higher wear rate of all-season tyres relative to summer tyres.
As others have mentioned there are some good comparisons on UA-cam such as:-
ua-cam.com/video/bKtnczk8Mxk/v-deo.html
Of course our less than predictable climate does make deciding on the switch-over date between summer and winter tyres slightly tricky.
I suspect one factor in all this is that many countries have a winter/all-season tyre legal requirement during parts of the year/under certain weather conditions so this has driven the evolution of the summer tyre - with no need for any performance in snow and ice they have evolved to maximise their performance in all other areas to the detriment of performance in snow/ice. Certainly, I would rather drive in snow on the 5.20 x 12 cross-ply tyres fitted to my first car - a 1962 Fiat 600D Multipla (as my parents did during the famous winter of 1962/3) than on modern summer tyres.
@@ibs5080 I have a 2006 manual Outback. In the UK this was equipped as standard with limited slip rear and centre diffs and a 5 speed high/low range box. Original equipment tyres were Yokohama Geolandar G600s (that I believe was an all-season tyre before the formal 3PMSF testing became standard) and they worked well in snow but had a reputation for a high wear rate.
I'm not sure but I seem to remember that the LSD rear diff was not standard in North America so that might be something to look into. Also, the autos have a different arrangement for front-rear torque split to the manual cars. Of course current models have seemingly all gone to CVT - not to everyone's approval!
12 years living in the snowbelt of Ontario Canada was an experience.
Snow tyres and AWD for traction and drew on my 15 years plus professional motorcycle riding experience for braking control in less than ideal conditions.
Thankfully I live in a part of the UK (London-ish), where snow like this is quite rare and brief. I'm taking my test in January and yeah, not looking forward to ever facing these sorts of driving conditions. Great video as usual!
I do home delivery for a supermarket and driving in these conditions is no fun whatsoever. Even more so when you get out into the country. Our vans are rear wheel drive so you have to be so careful with the steering because it can bite you so quickly if you're to harsh. One thing I have learned is to use the speed limiter to help control myself a bit more. I'd much rather get there late but in one piece.
Good advice. Being from Finland, these conditions look not particularly exciting, but recognizing you don't have winter tires makes it a whole other ballgame.
tyres*
@@jfluffydog2110 ah yes, I keep forgetting I need to adapt my vernacular based on if I'm commenting on a murican or bri'ish video.
@@ihmesekoilua I mean, "tyre" is international English, not just British.
This is truly advanced driving at its best.
Nothing advanced about. its just using one's brain!
4:10 not sure if you said this in the video but it's also a good idea to be in the position the car is in just in case someone coming towards the T junction cant stop and hits into the side of you as you're stopped. Also very informative video.
I turned off a motorway in thick snow only to find it was not a proper exit but a works lay-bye with a huge pile of material in it. Fortunately it was in the days before ABS so heavy braking soon built up a wall of snow to stop me.
I had a lot of experience driving in snow and ice when I was young, and often on roads that had not been ploughed or used by other vehicles. The only time I had trouble was when driving on a road that was completely snowed over and the verges were indistinguishable from the road. I was happily driving along at about 15 mph, but I failed to realise that the camber was gradually taking me to the left. Suddenly, the nearside front wheel touched the grass verge and spun me round. No damage done, but I had to get a farmer to pull me back onto the road with his tractor.
I run a mobile tyre van, spend all day driving to appointments. Good tyres make the difference. So many drivers wear their tyres down to the minimum and wonder why no grip! Quality all season tyres are my advice for all year use now. Some good driving in that video.
I found this video really enlightening thank you for your continued efforts toward educating road users, experience or not.
Thanks for watching and your kind words 👍🏼
I’ve been driving 50 years this year. The first winter’s heavy snow ❄️ ❄️ and ice 🧊 I went and drove up and down a country road I knew would have no or very little traffic, spend quite a time see how the car reacted, which has helped me cope with wintery conditions.
The main problem today as there is a lot less snow ⛄️ these winters, drivers don’t encounter snow ❄️ and ice 🧊 driving conditions, so as soon as there is any, a panic sets in and all traffic comes to a stop.
Modern cars are crap too: heavy, fat tyres, ABS none of it improves driving on snow.
Proper winter tyre are not only an eye opener in these conditions but also in more common cool and wet conditions. In snow I often passed stuck 4x4's on there M&S tyres in my colt with winter tyres.
First experience was during 2 weeks of vehicles testing in Sweden in the winter, could not believe you could drive across black ice at normal speeds. (these were not studded tyres).
In 2012 when it was snowed in here for over a month, I made it to work all but 1 morning, in a Clio with cheap unbranded tyres. Of course I always went over the hills which weren't even plowed and was hard pack snow and ice the whole way. That one morning a snow drift through a gate into a field had piled up a bank about 1 foot high and I just couldn't get the little clio over it. Turned around and was heading home, down a hill, when a branch fell out of the tree up ahead, obviously overloaded with snow. Not a big deal it was about 100 yards ahead down the hill... well... I tried braking and there wasn't much happening except the car sliding around. 15mph, but all the brakes did was cause the car to slide towards the verge into the bank. A car coming the other way and two heavy snow banks either side, so no room to drive around it. I had the most pathetically slow accident with the tree branch. I mean it was comical. I was watch the thing coming for what seemed like ages. I was even signally with my hand to the other driver to "COME ON!!!" pass me, so I can drive around it. Nope. Drove "over" it. Got home wondering why people were giving me funny looks and someone flashed me. Found the branch sticking out the front of the car, it had gone through the grill and missed the radiator by an inch. Has a similar "no braking action" on a bigger hill, again doing about 15mph, but just no brakes at all. Hill was about to get steeper and I could already see 3 cars that had slid down the armco barrier that morning parked up ahead. I put my hazards on to warn the driver behind, who seen my issues and stopped before joining me. In a moments "Ah ha!" I knew that the nice flat grass verge would not have ice on it, so I moved over one wheel onto it, got the car slowed to about 5mph and then crept down the rest. The issue was it had got up to 5*C over night and then straight back to -8*C by morning. Melting a layer of snow, freezing it again into a layer of ice, then snowed over the top to hide it.
It's all about smooth, smooth, smooth and thinking well, well, well ahead for everything.
The keep momentum was the best advice and finding a spot with traction. I was in a car park and decided to go up the hill to part (first mistake) .
Secondly I went up to slow which caused me to get suck. I had to reverse the way I came and park lower down.
If your in MINI pressing the traction control button once helps alot if your in fresh snow.
Excellent video. I definitely agree with the observations and was impressed with John's handling but I'm betting John's employer doesn't put winter tyres on the van. They _really_ make a difference, even all seasons. Also, re: the rules sometimes go out of the window, I discovered in northern Germany in winter that especially on hills, the imperative to keep moving meant that traffic lights were often ignored and the drivers zip-merged rather than stopped for a red light - never saw any aggro about it either. Don't recommend that here, far too many jobsworths and knobsworths. In fact outside my apartment on the hill, pedestrians would sometimes get behind cars crawling uphill and give them an extra push. This is a nation that makes it a legal requirement to clear the snow from in front of your property. In far worse winter conditions than shown in the clip, I only ever saw one car that had crashed because of conditions. The prevalence of winter tyres and a co-operative effort must have made huge difference.
Some of my earliest driving experience was in snow, on crossply tyres, in a Reliant Robin. Finding a line where you had traction & steering was "fun". I've been reasonably OK in snowy conditions on 4 wheels since. I think the extra power modern cars have compared to 30 or 40 years ago makes avoiding wheelspin significantly more difficult. Starting off gently in 2nd gear definitely helps.
Are winter/all weather tires and snow chains available? I think that in these conditions they will help massively to prevent loss of grip especially for heavy vehicles and for ppl like John who have to drive all day even in these conditions.
Got 4 winter tyres on my car it's a must in the western highlands of Scotland. Summer tyres are for summer as is shorts and flip-flops.
Thank you fe this video! I haven't had to drive in snow yet but feeling better about it if I need to now thanks
Also well done to this drover! He is great at handling this!
Excellent video and excellent review of the camera, I've been thinking about getting a new one for my channel for a long time, but I don't really know what they are, but I realized something through the video and I will change the current one..
Was a van delivery driver in the Peak District early this year
My god I had some challenges driving in the snow
And proud to accomplish them
Now I’m a goods driver and “looking forward” to this seasons wrath or winter
Glad you made this, I asked for this when it snowed the first time.
I'm always going to avoid driving in the snow but if I have too then i'll re-watch this video just before I leave!
It’s all about knowledge, keeping a cool and calm collected head and ensuring you have the correct equipment to tackle the situations that, given the conditions will most likely arise. Tyres are a main concern, if you have summer tyres, especially worn ones do not consider taking your car out. Even slush is thicker than water so your tyres cannot “clean” their tread and effectively act as if they were bald. AWD and 4WD is definitely not necessary if you have the correct winter tyres, but it is a very good thing to have. Careful, steady inputs as you say Ashley are absolutely key, a car will never react the same on snow as it’s never going to have the friction capabilities or traction potential as dry, or even wet tarmac. Sometimes starting in second gear smoothly will reduce the chance of wheel spin. To add onto your point too Ashley, you drive in the highest gear possible on roads to ensure engine braking doesn’t drag your wheels and cause them to lock or unsettle the vehicles momentum, it may cause a spin if the wheels start travelling at different speeds. If you’re going to be going uphill on a slippy snowy bank, sometimes turning your vehicles traction control off can help as it stops the car cutting power you may need and allows for greater momentum, but don’t abuse it as if you spin them too much up a hill that doesn’t require it you may lose momentum by reducing grip you may have currently. Braking too down a steep, or even general snowy descent, don’t take the vehicle out of first gear and especially do not put your clutch in. It will reduce any resistance against your brakes and cause your ABS to come on, keep it rolling in first using the brake only to stop the car increasing speed. Hopefully these tips are useful for some people, I’m only 18 so ideally it will help someone who isn’t sure!
Excellent clips, driving skills and analysis here. Although familiar with these, albeit rare, conditions I would choose not to travel if it can be avoided.
The beast from the east has just hit us today so I anticipate some trouble ahead for many.
That reminds me.....
Several years ago I had a 5series BMW (rear wheel drive); she had a Ford Fiesta (FWD)......
Long story short; safely arrived at work with 6" of snow...... she turned up half an hour late due to an unintended 180 degree spin on the same road I had travelled - detour was the result. By rights, my car should've had issues with those conditions but didn't. Goes to show that driving skills really are key. What amused me most was her attitude the night before - it showed her up big time 😜.
Stay safe everyone 👍
Quality as usual Graham. 🤣
Last year was my first year driving in snow, this year in Scottish Highlands I feel like I've mastered it now, i drive coaches and I have not skidded once and they don't even have winter tyeres on them. Generally wanna drive around 45 to 50 and just drive very smoothly and brake and accelerate very gently, I also live on a steep hill and I drive my car with nobwi ter tyres on it up the hill and not skidded once, all about knowing the feel in the steering wheel on hoe much power to put down and what I mean by that is hoe light is your steering and u can also feel when just sitting in drivers seat when your car is about to skid