Posted on 11/30/2015 5:40:43 PM PST by rickmichaels
"SUV lost control, drove into oncoming traffic," ran the recent headline. Pretty amazing SUV, if you ask me, that it can come unmoored from its pinnings in some driveway or parking lot and make its way onto the roadway, and then lose control.
Unless we get to quote Stephen King from his novel Christine, can we please get back to understanding that cars don't lose (or take) control and kill people? For the purists, there is a slight chance of a mechanical defect occurring, but don't put your money on that. It's driver error; I'm sure by now everybody is sick of my ranting that there are no car accidents, just collisions and crashes, but it's that magical time of year when people will once again start bashing into each other (and things), and start blaming their cars. Or the roadways. Or the weather.
(Excerpt) Read more at driving.ca ...
I blame putting ethanol in gasoline. Whe should use a breathalyzer on our cars before letting them out on the road.
Well, there's yer problem right there, they're speeding. Slow those people down to 55 mph and it'll be much better. Dang metric system.
Too many people in SUV’s think they can safely drive 60 mph on packed snow.
Just had our company Xmas party (on Thanksgiving weekend). Any way, I did something I had never done before.......... knowing I was a little bit loose, I took a taxi home. Three blocks later, I came across a sobriety checkpoint, where because I was in the cab, was waived thru.
I was a little confused this morning however, to find a taxi cab in my garage.
Hilarious!
And at least four or five times every winter, we drive serenely past an SUV or 4x4 pickup, with somewhat worn "all season" tires, sitting forlornly in a ditch by the side of the road.
*Bridgestone Blizzaks for those on a budget, Nokian Hakkapeliittas for those who aren't.
First major snowfall of the season here, today/tonight.
Driving a new rig, first experience with “4WD Auto” setting.
There is no magic involved. You still need to drive like it’s snowing and raining.
And dark.
Almost always, I'll be driving in winter conditions at a reasonable speed and some jerk who wants to go faster will get on my tail, start flashing his lights and making all sorts of facial gestures (I can see in rear view mirror). Pulling to the side of the road is not always an option as there might be several inches of snow there so I just have to wait until one of us makes a turn to get him off my tail.
Thanks, I needed that! First snow under our belt here in Michigan on November 21 - please, let the Global Warming begin....
Packed snow is one thing. Ice is another. Four wheel drive on ice will be better from a traction viewpoint. You still need common sense.
The article is wrong on at least one points.
SUVs aren’t over represented solely due to driver error.
To gain higher milage they are making the things lighter and lighter. All that surface area with insufficient weight leads to problems upon occasion. On ice, high winds can moved some of today’s SUVs even if they are parked.
I have watched this happen.
The vast majority of people can drive on snow or ice without problems. There is an unfortunate minority (is that racist?) who are too dumb to slow down and drive on slick roads. Therein lies the rub (and the hilarious videos).
But your brakes will work no better than the 2wd car next to you.
4W drive vehicles may get better traction on snow packed roads but braking is no different than 2W drive.
Snow tires for the snow. For ice,
studded if you can get ‘em.
“The vast majority of people can drive on snow or ice without problems.”
That is so wrong. There’s a reason a half-inch of snow triggers school closures in Atlanta. Deep southerners don’t see enough snow or ice often enough to learn how to drive on it.
It’s very easy to forget how poor the traction really is with a good AWD system, so much so that overconfidence puts a lot of people in the ditch. Never forget, AWD goes great but it doesn’t stop or turn any better than anything else.
Didn’t waive or honk?
Harumph!!!!!!!!!!!
Been driving 4WD back when had to get out and ‘turn the hubs’ on most vehicles, some (Jeep) were virtually in 4 WD all the time.
That said First word of advice for 4WD
‘That is 4 wheel drive, NOT 4 wheel stop.’
Of course the ONLY people who know how to drive in the snow/ice/etc are ‘(fill in your name)’ and the person you are talking to at the time.
And I am not to sure he/she knows what he/she is talking about.
IS it still OK to use he/she/ or do we had to add /IT?????
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