In Ireland we get a lot of black ice on the back roads and most know about this and drive appropriately. What you really need to watch for is compacted white snow, which we get when we get snow due to insufficient plowing and due to the smaller roads not being plowed or gritted at all. If you suspect a hilly road will have snow on it and a flatter route is available, even if you have to go out of your way, take the flatter route instead.

Here in France the local farmers have a snow plow if they are part of the network that goes into action as soon as it snows, and they use plenty of salt well prepared for Road salt, I drive around with really bad tyres in icy roads and as long as you go slowly and you realise you only have 30% grip you can go out 20% of the normal speed, and the Black Ice can happen if it's sunny on a road without much sort and the ice melts into the night where it freezes

Unless there is black ice (unlikely)

We actually get black ice here quite a bit

Drive slower and leave more space

I'd like to believe that people don't need to be snow experts to understand this.

Always start in second gear as it builds up traction …

If the car starts to slide, do not brake AT ALL! Do not use the engine to brake, do not step on your brakes. Instead step on the clutch so there's zero drag on the wheels and steer into the direction of the slide. Once the wheels start to turn again,  straighten up and/or apply gentle brake pressure. (If you're driving an automatic, I have no clue how to manage this!)

Source: defensive driving course in Scandinavia.

If you find yourself losing control, you dont need to crank the wheel in whatever direction you're trying to adjust to. Small steering wheel movements are your freind when you feel yourself drifting and losing control, if you overturn in your correction, all you're going to do is make yourself drift in the other direction, and that will quickly lead to spinning out and fully losing control of the vehicle.

I understand this can be hard for alot of new drivers, because new drivers tend to panic when things go wrong. If you can help it, try to fight through the panic and keep yourself calm, because panicking can also cause you to misjudge situations.

What kills me is people not clearing their rear window or by the looks of it not turning on the defrost setting! It’s pretty basic winter driving. You can only assume they don’t know the setting exists because who would be too lazy to push a button…

I think a minority of those drivers are just idiots but the majority would have to be newcomers driving in winter conditions for the first time and that’s an issue because they’re essentially a danger to themselves and the public.

If you have ABS, you should hold the brake during a skid

I think these suggestions to newcomers are like giving house league players 1-2-2 trap forecheck tips when they’re still holding their stick with one hand.

Driving class should be as important as ESL.

During winter, it's smart to keep some supplies in the trunk too that don't take up too much space. An emergency roadside kit (including jumper cables), wiper fluid, a snow brush, a small roll blanketn, and if you're car is prone to getting stuck (no 4x4 or AWD) some form of traction sand is good to keep as well. I don't have all of these things in my vehicle, but pick and choose what's necessary for yourself. I also drive down cottage roads in Muskoka for work in the winter so our work van has tire chains as well.

Slow and steady wins the race. Drive at half the speed limit if you need to. Give everyone twice as much room as you usually would.

That’s about it.

You are going to lose control of the car sometimes—you’ll press the gas and the wheels will spin, or you’ll brake and slide a few extra feet.

The secret is to give yourself a large safety margin, so that when this happens you have time to regain control before getting into an accident.

Learn what traction control is, and how it works, and what it looks like in your car when it’s engaged. That’ll help a lot. Also learn the feeling of the anti-lock brakes engaging. (Usually the brake pedal shakes.)

If either of those things are happening, you’re exceeding the grip of the tires and need to adjust your driving.

Everything takes longer — it takes longer to get moving, it takes longer to stop. So be ready for that.

Wait till they clear the roads to drive if u can. Avoid driving on fresh snow.

Coming from a fellow MN’er.

Winters are the toughest to drive in. Make sure your tires are made for winter roads and check them every week/other week to make sure the tire pressure is at a good PSI.

Remember to scrap your car windows so you can clearly see out of them. It’s illegal here to drive with windows covered fully/partly with snow/ice. Cover your car windows if possible with a tarp or in an enclosed space (garage)

Drive slowly, black ice can be very dangerous for even veteran drivers because you cannot see black ice. Don’t take fast turns or go fast in an area with Lots of snow/ice. give lots of space for other drivers (general rule is give at least 3 seconds of space but I would say 6-7 so you don’t hit the back of someone else)

If the road conditions looks bad, try to wait it out or not go out. If you have a blizzard or ice storm in the area sometimes these can last days. Look at the local radar and traffic reports. Some businesses may even close early for these conditions.

If you are driving farther away or traveling, tuck in your car some emergency supplies, if you get stranded off the road these can save your life. There are emergency kits that come with supplies but I recommend the following :

-blanket and a small pillow -quick snack bars -plastic water bottles -Candles and matches -portable flashlight/glow sticks -hothands (hand/feet warmers) -first aid kit -portable charger (battery powered that you can charge ) -Handheld radio -a portable snow shovel -ice scraper -extra batteries

Don’t ever try to get out of the car if your trapped on the side or in the ditch. There is a 7 minute rule : if you get outside during below temperatures (negatives) you can lose 7 degrees of body warmth in 1 minute. Takes only 7 minutes to hypothermia (and sometimes even less!) only get out when you have the means to do so (if your being rescued mostly). Always let someone know where you are going.

Stay safe!

Equip your car with actual winter tires during winter. It's a game-changer.

Go to a large empty parking lot, early in the morning 4-6am. (Emphasis on large and empty) get up to speed (30+mph), then slam on your brakes/start a skid. Then, come either to a safe stop, or straighten out. This is all to learn how your vehicle handles.

Keep using washer fluid (make sure the reservoir is full) and when you turn the defroster on, make sure there is nothing blocking the heat from the windshield.

Good luck

I have found that p putting the sun visor down can "trap" the hot air against the window helping with the buildup. It also takes time for the car to get fully up to temp, especially with the heat going full blast. In my truck it is generally about 15 minutes into the drive that it can hold it's own, prior to that it will freeze up like you found.

Other than that, I bought rainx washer fluid, it is awesome at clearing ice, while also coating the windshield to cause the water to bead off - I'm not sure I would pay full price for it, but it's pretty slick.

In addition to driving fast, I like to follow traffic closely that way snow doesn’t build up in their freshly carved tracks.

Clean ALL of the snow off of your car.

When you are coming to a stop the snow can slide forward onto your windshield and block your view or break your wipers. If you are driving with a bunch of snow and ice chunks on top it can reduce visibility for those behind you, or even damage their car if it’s ice. A push broom works well if you can’t reach.

First, if the roads are bad and you don't absolutely NEED to drive, then don't.

Main tips:

Use your brakes to slow down BEFORE turns, not during. Brake to slow down before you turn the wheel, but while turning let up on the brakes to avoid locking up your wheels and sliding.

When starting from a stop on slick roads, accelerate slowly. Don't jam on the accelerator, you'll just spin the wheels and go nowhere.

Be patient and don't hurry. More important to get there safely than quickly.

Actual snow tires not all seasons or mud terrains

Driving fast up a hill is counter intuitive perhaps. My rule is “hustle-up!” ⬆️

Find a nice open parking lot nearby to practice in, learn how your car will react when it’s icy and how far it can actually slide.

Don’t wait until the first powder day at Bachelor to give it a try. 👍🏼

Actual snow tires make a world of difference, and decent ones will last you a few seasons making the investment worth it.

Go slow and be sure not to pull out in front of someone. Because if you do you’re not really being safe you’re actually a hazard.

The salt wouldn't have helped this guy, Salt slushes up the ice over time. If you really needed it drivable you'd back a plow with salt/sand mix slowly UP it while spreading heavy salt/sand.

I drove a plow with salt/sand spreader for a while.

Got go up the hill in reverse, salt before driving on it

Looked like the trucks legs were kickin at the end!

Got that corner finished tho

I didnt read the caption at first. So I didn't recognize the slide for my depth perception and for a second I thought the truck was just shrinking somehow. That really messed with my head.

Brookline had no plowing and no salt today. Roads were very slick also. I dunno what happened

Newton has always sucked at snow removal. There was a storm like 15 years ago, it took me 2 hours to get from Newton Corner to Newtonville. For such a wealthy town, the suck at road maintenance/snow removal.

I prefer old-fashioned salt as at least you can see whether or not it's there.

Man if only newton could afford to salt their roads

Gotta drive in S3

One thing I learned from living in Alberta: Winter tires are phenomenal.

People can barely drive here when the streets are clear

Love a helpful guide for people

Lots of sketchy people on the road that have no business being out there!

And if you do need to go out - clear the damn snow off your car and windows so you aren’t an additional hazard to everybody else.

Every Maine ice road has a road/route around it.

Also small scouts can drive across ice roads.

my strategy is avoid it at all cost. i drive over solid ice, edges, or just take a totally different route but never over breakable ice

And if you have to use them, keep a capable truck parked nearby to help pull across. CAT 745c is a great choice for this, especially with the fuel tank.

Edge: safe to drive on as long as you don't hit an ice chunk landmine

Azov arctic goes brrr… straight through knee deep ice😎🤘