Ice Driving

DJ Cam Cam

I live in northeastern Colorado and you may have seen that we got a huge blizzard up here. I drive a 1990 Subaru Legacy and its not the greatest thing to get through snow with. Anyways when I am at a red light and it turn green I slowly hit the gas. My tires keep spinning and instead of going forwards my car goes sideways. Am I doing something wrong or is there no way to get by this?

Shinto

DJ Cam Cam wrote:

I live in northeastern Colorado and you may have seen that we got a huge blizzard up here. I drive a 1990 Subaru Legacy and its not the greatest thing to get through snow with. Anyways when I am at a red light and it turn green I slowly hit the gas. My tires keep spinning and instead of going forwards my car goes sideways. Am I doing something wrong or is there no way to get by this?

Does your car have snow tires?

Regardless, try tapping the gas in short increments instead of longer acceleration and try to get at least one of the wheels into less flattened snow so there is more traction.

Thanatos

Shinto wrote:

DJ Cam Cam wrote:

I live in northeastern Colorado and you may have seen that we got a huge blizzard up here. I drive a 1990 Subaru Legacy and its not the greatest thing to get through snow with. Anyways when I am at a red light and it turn green I slowly hit the gas. My tires keep spinning and instead of going forwards my car goes sideways. Am I doing something wrong or is there no way to get by this?

Does your car have snow tires?

Regardless, try tapping the gas in short increments instead of longer acceleration and try to get at least one of the wheels into less flattened snow so there is more traction.

If your car doesn't have snow tires, you should look into getting snow chains for it.

DJ Cam Cam

Shinto wrote:

DJ Cam Cam wrote:

I live in northeastern Colorado and you may have seen that we got a huge blizzard up here. I drive a 1990 Subaru Legacy and its not the greatest thing to get through snow with. Anyways when I am at a red light and it turn green I slowly hit the gas. My tires keep spinning and instead of going forwards my car goes sideways. Am I doing something wrong or is there no way to get by this?

Does your car have snow tires?

Regardless, try tapping the gas in short increments instead of longer acceleration and try to get at least one of the wheels into less flattened snow so there is more traction.

I do not have snow tires on the car.

Shinto

I'm a snow driving ninja, but after three winters of being too cheap to upgrade to snow tires even I got tired to cheating death. If you don't have snow tires, get them. Make the appointment right now.

DJ Cam Cam

Thanatos wrote:

Shinto wrote:

DJ Cam Cam wrote:

I live in northeastern Colorado and you may have seen that we got a huge blizzard up here. I drive a 1990 Subaru Legacy and its not the greatest thing to get through snow with. Anyways when I am at a red light and it turn green I slowly hit the gas. My tires keep spinning and instead of going forwards my car goes sideways. Am I doing something wrong or is there no way to get by this?

Does your car have snow tires?

Regardless, try tapping the gas in short increments instead of longer acceleration and try to get at least one of the wheels into less flattened snow so there is more traction.

If your car doesn't have snow tires, you should look into getting snow chains for it.

Well I have to get to work in the morning, and I can't get new tires in a night, or really afford them right now to begin with. This is the fist time it has snowed like this in years.

Thanatos

DJ Cam Cam wrote:

Thanatos wrote:

Shinto wrote:

DJ Cam Cam wrote:

I live in northeastern Colorado and you may have seen that we got a huge blizzard up here. I drive a 1990 Subaru Legacy and its not the greatest thing to get through snow with. Anyways when I am at a red light and it turn green I slowly hit the gas. My tires keep spinning and instead of going forwards my car goes sideways. Am I doing something wrong or is there no way to get by this?

Does your car have snow tires?

Regardless, try tapping the gas in short increments instead of longer acceleration and try to get at least one of the wheels into less flattened snow so there is more traction.

If your car doesn't have snow tires, you should look into getting snow chains for it.

Well I have to get to work in the morning, and I can't get new tires in a night, or really afford them right now to begin with. This is the fist time it has snowed like this in years.

You'd definitely be better off with tire chains, then. They're easier to get on and off, they're much cheaper, and they're good if you only use them once in a rare while. You don't want to leave them on for long periods of time, because you can't drive very fast with them, and they're really bad for your tires (they'll wear them out a lot faster). However, if you only really need them for a few days every few years, chains are the way to go.

Shinto

DJ Cam Cam wrote:

Thanatos wrote:

Shinto wrote:

DJ Cam Cam wrote:

I live in northeastern Colorado and you may have seen that we got a huge blizzard up here. I drive a 1990 Subaru Legacy and its not the greatest thing to get through snow with. Anyways when I am at a red light and it turn green I slowly hit the gas. My tires keep spinning and instead of going forwards my car goes sideways. Am I doing something wrong or is there no way to get by this?

Does your car have snow tires?

Regardless, try tapping the gas in short increments instead of longer acceleration and try to get at least one of the wheels into less flattened snow so there is more traction.

If your car doesn't have snow tires, you should look into getting snow chains for it.

Well I have to get to work in the morning, and I can't get new tires in a night, or really afford them right now to begin with. This is the fist time it has snowed like this in years.

Ask your parents for the money.

blincoln

If you can't get chains or snow tires, I would really recommend against driving at all. Take the bus if you have to.

Driving on ice without them is dangerous as-is, but without experience you are looking to either get in a crash or end up having to abandon your vehicle and have it impounded, both of which will take a big chunk out of your wallet.

Chains are about $30 for semi-decent cables at Schuck's, so you can probably get them cheaper elsewhere if you look around, but even so that's not a bad price.

Dark Moon

Generally when that occurs at a light you just have to maneuver your car onto rougher ground so you can get the friction needed to rocket off. When doing this be sure not to rev too hard, as if you'd red lining and you suddenly hit dry pavement you'll accelerate like mad.

If you do go the tire chain route, make sure they're legal in your area before you put them on. I wasn't able to find a state or county list, but I'm sure there are some local resources you can tap regarding this.

tsmvengy

Dunno if anybody suggested it (maybe because nobody drives a manual transmission). If you have a manual transmission you should start in a higher gear and use slow acceleration. Start in 2nd gear instead of 1st and accelerate slowly. Slamming on the gas and spinning your tires does nothing. You want the tires moving slowly so that they can grip.

matt has a problem

And if you're in an automatic, just let off the brake, and let the car start to slowly roll just from the engine idle speed. Then, once you've moved a few feet, press the gas lightly and gradually pick up speed.

Reiten

As soon as you can afford them, get snow tires. Make sure to get all season tires next time you get new ones. Check your local laws before getting chains. They destroy roads, so some places ban them.

You'll have to very very gradually accelerate.