Ice rink.....

freehub

I'm gonna have to wlak half the way on my commute on wednesday, nearly every car is wheel spinning, struggling to get up this slight ascent, some even bottle it and reverse, one guy nearly crashed.



He must have span, lucky he never hit the barrier.

Where the **** are the gritters? This is a city center FFS!

nottscobb

Gritters do main roads and bus routes first as the priority is to keep the main routes open. Side streets like yours are not a priority and there is only so much grit available and only a certain number of people to drive the gritting lorries. They can't possibly keep all routes open, not without it putting council tax up considerably at least.

In most places where it snows regularly people clear their own side roads and don't expect other people to do it for them. I have friends in New Hampshire in the states and the done thing when your 4*4 is near the end of it's life is to keep and it stick snow plough on the front in the winter when you can charge people to clear their driveway for them.

hopper1

The roads on the small estate I live on look like that.
Shouldn't be a problem, if you drive appropriately!
I've got a 4x4, but, if I boot it, it'll still spin out!

freehub

Well everyone here is wheel spinning, one guy must have made his car overheat as he sat there for about 10mins with his hazards on and crap loads of smoke coming from his car for a while. Some people manage to get up it normal though, not even spinning, only a few though. It's a rather busy road and when roadworks are on it's like a main road.

shockedsoshocked

I suggest it's because most people can't drive appropriately in the conditions.

freehub

I guess, it's funny seeing how many people nearly crash, first a merc, then royal mail van, then a little nissan micra slamming into the barrier.

MattC59

I'm guessing that the problem lies with the nut between the seat and the steering wheel.

I live on a slightly steeper hill than that, and once people had sat wheelspinning on the fresh snow, it was impossible to get any traction. There were about 5 accidents in the space of 40mins or so, all caused by people not driving according to the conditions. driving in snow isn't difficult, you just have to be careful and gentle with your approach.

nwallace

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

I suggest it's because most people can't drive appropriately in the conditions.

That statement applies all year round.

brucey72

Cars like the mercedes pictured and most other rear wheel drive cars are an absolute nightmare in the snow and ice............there simply isn't enough weight over the driving wheels. My parents have Merc and they can't even get it out of their (flattish) drive at the moment. My clapped out work van, however, is fantastic in the snow.

Mothyman

..are those high fences there to keep you in Will ?

downfader

Autosocks.

(Was it here someone mentioned them? Brother has just ordered a pair and has been telling his workmates about them)

Seriously considering getting a Carrera Sub 1 and "tweaking" the tyres into studded ice tyres. :twisted: Just cant ride the Kona on the ice with normal roadie tyres. I'm like a newborn foal on a frozen lake. Cant rely on the busses here either First Southampton have just announced that they're cutting 4 more local routes.

Forecast for snow here tomorrow, definately gonna be icey at best. -5 last night, and is measuring -4 now. :shock:

MattC59

downfader wrote:

Seriously considering getting a Carrera Sub 1 and "tweaking" the tyres into studded ice tyres. :twisted:

I did that about 19 years ago on a mtb when I was at Uni in sheffield. I put about 200 3/8" self tapping screws through my tires from the inside and then a couple of layers of gaffa tape ove the heads on the inside........... they worked fantastically !!!! I wouldn't have wanted to have been caught by a spinning wheel on an unscheduled dismount !!!!

downfader

MattC59 wrote:

downfader wrote:

Seriously considering getting a Carrera Sub 1 and "tweaking" the tyres into studded ice tyres. :twisted:

I did that about 19 years ago on a mtb when I was at Uni in sheffield. I put about 200 3/8" self tapping screws through my tires from the inside and then a couple of layers of gaffa tape ove the heads on the inside........... they worked fantastically !!!! I wouldn't have wanted to have been caught by a spinning wheel on an unscheduled dismount !!!!

My brother has been trawling the web finding how-to's on it. He said today he is sick of the car and feels he might have a chance of getting to work if he used the bike. Ironic really. :?

I think theres a couple of youtube vids on it too.

cougie

I was using some spikes on my shoes over xmas on the ice round here - bloody brilliant.

Magic Spykers. Well worth looking at.

Bhima

Been experimenting today... I put sandpaper on the bottom of my shoes and was eventually able to run (yes, RUN) on the ice! Got a few funny looks though. It felt as if there was no ice at all. I couldn't skid no matter how hard I tried.

I imagine that, incorporated into tyres somehow, you could get around pretty fast on the ice using this concept. That's where my curiosity for experimentation ends though. I think i'll just wait for it to melt...

mask of sanity

Bhima wrote:

Been experimenting today... I put sandpaper on the bottom of my shoes and was eventually able to run (yes, RUN) on the ice! Got a few funny looks though. It felt as if there was no ice at all. I couldn't skid no matter how hard I tried.

I imagine that, incorporated into tyres somehow, you could get around pretty fast on the ice using this concept. That's where my curiosity for experimentation ends though. I think i'll just wait for it to melt...

Oh dear...

disgruntledgoat

Bhima wrote:

Been experimenting today... I put sandpaper on the bottom of my shoes and was eventually able to run (yes, RUN) on the ice! Got a few funny looks though. It felt as if there was no ice at all. I couldn't skid no matter how hard I tried.

I imagine that, incorporated into tyres somehow, you could get around pretty fast on the ice using this concept. That's where my curiosity for experimentation ends though. I think i'll just wait for it to melt...

The gift that keeps on giving...

SCR Pedro

brucey72 wrote:

Cars like the mercedes pictured and most other rear wheel drive cars are an absolute nightmare in the snow and ice............there simply isn't enough weight over the driving wheels...

Except BMWs because of their 50/50 weight distribution. I used to drive one in weather like this, and it required so much care. Too many revs and the back would step out. I loved that car 8)

Cheers
Pedro

MattC59

SCR Pedro wrote:

brucey72 wrote:

Cars like the mercedes pictured and most other rear wheel drive cars are an absolute nightmare in the snow and ice............there simply isn't enough weight over the driving wheels...

Except BMWs because of their 50/50 weight distribution. I used to drive one in weather like this, and it required so much care. Too many revs and the back would step out. I loved that car 8)

Cheers
Pedro

About 90% of the cars I saw having problems in the snow were BMWs............ that said, it may have just been down to those bl**dy BMW drivers

verylonglegs

I wonder with modern cars that the electronic driver aids have prevented people from learning proper throttle/brake control. Is not the case that learners have no longer been taught about engine braking too?

freehub

On the way home from fixing someone computer my "uncle" cliff told me about using the gearbox to brake, I noticed in this driving game on the pc, when I geared down if I was going slowish, from 2 to 1 I'd wheespin, and gearing down in general dropped the speed, I thought that was something not realistic, turns out the game was more real than I though.

thejesusandsedischain

most people dont know about setting off on ice or snow in 2nd or 3rd gear,(even on hills) this reduces torque and increases traction.although there is some footage of an AA man demosrating how to do this in a mk1 escort and spininnig out.

Runoutofgears

I get the feeling that knowledge about how to drive in the snow that used to be passed on from parents to their off spring isn't done so much these days, similarly with decorating skills and car mechanics.

freehub

They've gritted I think, atleast a gritter came down!! Got over 1 inch of snow here now.

Mothyman

when is the cold snap due to end - I'm booked to play golf in Wales in early Feb ....

freehub

I hope it's soon, It's unlikely the main roads will ever be clear in Manchester whilst there is snow, not judging by what I seen last time this happened.

Anyway we all made a snow man:

MattC59

The snow's gone here in Newbury, but the met office is forcasting heavy snow from about 6pm today and all day tomorrow. It's still -4C and has been for a few days, black ice everywhere, so I'm guessing that this next dump of snow is likely to be a nightmare !!

I love snow

MattC59

It seems that they've renamed the seasons:
Spring, Summer, Autumn and 'The Big Freeze'

Don't people expect it to freeze in winter ? :roll:

Bhima

12cm of snow here. Couldn't open the front gate! :shock: Car drivers in my street are now officially stranded.

freehub

Like 20cm here O_o.

I don't think I'll get into college tomoz, I can't even walk in this I'm soaked, and because walking in 10" deep snow is twice as slow, that'd mean it'd take me 2 hours to get there.

Bhima

You need some knobbly tyres mate!