Ice rink.....

freehub

Still would be unridable.

a_n_t

easily 8 to 10 inches here near the trafford centre.

still, day off work!!!

Anonymous

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...

You have got me laughing out loud, SOLID GOLD.

a_n_t

if this freezes tonight there'll be no riding till march!!

freehub

I notice how bad the roads look, but do you reckon if I kept to the clearest part of the road, or the middle of the road I'd be safe on a road bike for commuting? Apparently there are lots of cyclists in Manchester today getting round still on road bikes.

MattC59

personaly I wouldn't risk it. the roads around here look clear, but the ice is treacherous !

freehub

Just abit irritating hearing about other people on road bikes going around manchester, and I'm sat here thinking no way in hell, makes me feel I'm lacking in bike skillz.

woodford2barbican

verylonglegs wrote:

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?

I only learnt to drive in 2004 and was not taught engine braking. I think the reason why was that it uses up too much fuel = not green.

MattC59

woodford2barbican wrote:

verylonglegs wrote:

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?

I only learnt to drive in 2004 and was not taught engine braking. I think the reason why was that it uses up too much fuel = not green.

Engine braking doesn't use any more fuel. On older cars especially with carbs. the carb just continues to feed the engine with fuel, (my kit car spits flames out of the exhaust on over run if I'm usingthe engine to brake at higher revs )
Modern cars with fuel injection, shut off the fuel if you are coasting in gear, engine braking) so, in fact, you use less fuel.

I used to think the same, ie change down a gear to engine brake, the revs go higher therefore you use more fuel. As I said, with carbs this is the case, but not with fuel injection.

So engine brake away, safe in the knowledge that you're doing your bit to save the planet........ unless you have a dirty great V8, with a 4 barrel holly and racing heads

Infamous

Pre op transexual snowman of the year imo.

Ollieda

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. 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.

Modern cars, especially rear wheel drive automatic cars can be a nightmare in the ice, most of them however should have a switch somewhere to change them into winter mode. Mercs normally have a switch near the shifter labeled W / S (Winter / Standard) flicking it to winter means the car will pull away in 2nd and the reactive throttle is turned off (In S mode a lot of mercs have a reactive throttle in that light touches differ to flooring it, i.e. lower rev gear changes compared to higher rev changes etc.)

It's not a be all solution to ice roads though, cars like this will always struggle it's more up to the drivers experience, which unless we go abroad we never get any proper experience.

shockedsoshocked

woodford2barbican wrote:

verylonglegs wrote:

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?

I only learnt to drive in 2004 and was not taught engine braking. I think the reason why was that it uses up too much fuel = not green.

I was pretty much taught from the start to engine break. However learning to drive in the snow/ice came from my dad. Start or go straight into second, or even start in third if your car can handle it.