*Driving on Ice*
When it's in a glass of scotch, it's called rocks... When it's on the street, however, it's called deadly...
Looks like the weather is appropriate for me to throw out a few tips for everyone planning to take their vehicles ice skating. These tips have been tried and tested in the harshest of climates, so I hope they'll be useful to you as well ;-)
Tip # 1: Drive slowly (on ice, 35 mph is highway speed). With speed, traction is reduced.. With ice, traction is reduced.. If enough traction is reduced, your car ceases to be a car and becomes a missile... When you drive on ice, the deck is already stacked against you, don't add to it by putting the pedal to the metal...
Tip # 2: Use the brake pedal as little as possible. Above all, never slam on the breaks. Unlike dry conditions, when on ice, the momentum of your car combined with a sudden slam on the break will cause you to lose all traction instantly (see missile statement above). I have heard that antilock brakes have solved this problem. Last time I personally drove on ice, however, my own antilock brakes acted as though they hadn’t gotten that memo. I do not recommend relying on them… If you need to stop (perhaps at a red light or a stop sign) ease up on the gas pedal waaaaay in advance... Let your car slow naturally.. By the time you reach the stop light, you should already almost be stopped, requiring only gentle pressure on the brake to bring you to a complete stop.
Tip # 3: Hold your steering wheel firmly and steadily. Avoid sudden maneuvers or "jerking" motions with the wheel... Every curve should be done gradually, and every right-angle turn should be taken at an almost-stopped speed. Don’t get in a rush: you’re a driver trying to survive harsh weather, not Scott Hamilton trying for Olympic gold…
Tip # 4: If you start to slide, ease up on the gas, hold the steering wheel firm and level (do not try to turn or maneuver, this will cause you to spin), and let your car come out of it naturally... If you need to worry about hitting the car ahead of you, then you are following the car ahead of you too closely... which brings us to:
Tip # 5: Keep a healthy (read a lot of) distance between you and the car ahead of you... Try to avoid proximity to other traffic around you as well... Remember that hockey game where all the players went for the puck at the same time and wiped out?? It can happen on the highway too...
Tip # 6: Ice scraping: A solid sheet of ice on your windshield is never easy to remove, but removal is necessary in order to drive... Here is the method that works for me: Turn on your car, and switch the defroster to high power (warm of course)... Using the blade of your ice scraper (perpendicular to your windshield, like a knife) cut several "slashes" into the ice in a criss-cross pattern.. Make sure the cuts penetrate the ice all the way to your windshield.. When finished, you'll have a pattern on your window that looks something like a chain linked fence.. After this is done, use the ice scraper (holding it in its traditional manner now) to push away the ice, using the cuts you've just made for leverage... This should strip the ice off in slabs, and will be much less exhausting than simply chiseling it away bit by bit... Always make sure you clear your entire windshield of ice, and not just a small space to see out of. Sunlight shining on your windshield will be amplified by any remaining ice, meaning even a little bit of ice or frost can be blinding…
Now, for a bonus tip... Actually, this one is more of a myth debunking:
Tip # 7: Most common ice-driving myth I've seen in Texas: "Pouring hot water on your windshield will melt away the ice that has accumulated"... This is a myth. Do not try it! Best case result of trying this: The hot water will freeze quickly and you'll have even more ice to remove... Worst case scenario: Ever try that science experiment where you take a glass marble, put it in your freezer for 24 hours, and then drop it into a pot of boiling water?? Remember, your windshield is made out of the same stuff as that marble ;-)
Ya'll be careful out there...
Ashe
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