Hawkwell driving schools: Southend on Sea, Westcliff, Leigh, and surrounding areas.
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The following sections are all
written by Alan:
essentials
new pupil's page
best driving tips
driving test secrets
independent driving
driving on snow and ice
show me tell me
technique
general
control basics
safety drills
using the mirrors
left & right turns
one way streets
junctions
give way priority
giving warnings
zebra crossings
dual carriageways
roundabouts
mini-roundabouts
country lanes
overtaking parked cars
manoeuvres
general
reversing
parallel parking
bay parking
turn in the road
emergency stop
Hawkwell Driving School
Southend
Westcliff
Shoebury
Leigh
© 2011
Driving technique on snow and ice for new drivers:
The first time you drive on snow or ice can be very scary, and probably the best advice is don't drive unless you have to. The risks of an accident are much greater when the roads are icy. Not necessarily because of you, but because of other drivers. Also it is very difficult to get anywhere, particularly when the snow first settles. Sometimes it can take over an hour to travel a mile or so, due to accidents, breakdowns, and people driving inappropriately. Then there is also the problem of getting stuck. It is best to avoid any major road, particularly any dual-carriageways because you can't turn around and go back the way you have come.
If you can, be prepared if snow is expected. Keep stuff in the car you may need, such as warm clothing, boots, gloves, and even a shovel. Strips of old carpet which can be put under your wheels to get yourself going are a good emergency measure. There is also an aerosol you can buy called spray-on-snow-chains, a chemical you can spray on your tyres to get you unstuck. If you really have to travel any distance you might consider buying snow socks, or chains: These go over your driving wheels and provide excellent grip in slippery conditions.
Driving conditions are often most hazardous after a few days, when the main roads are clear but snow on the side roads has been compacted into ice. This is when most people will be out and driving again.
Keep your distance:
The best way to have an accident when the roads are slippery is to drive too close to the car in front. So try to keep much much further back than you normally do, 3 times the distance is probably a good guideline. But further still if you know it is really icy. Even if the conditions look OK, you can't really tell. And you might be on a slippery section just as the car in front brakes. It is best not to take any chances.
On good road surfaces your separation distance should normally be 2 or 3 seconds, in the wet perhaps 3 or 4 seconds, on ice perhaps 20 seconds! It can take up to 10 times longer to stop on ice!
Often the biggest problem is knowing how slippery the surface is. So try it. When you first go out when the road conditions are bad, find a safe area with no-one behind, no-one coming the other way, and no nearby parked cars. Drive along at a slowish speed, and brake! See how long it takes to stop. At least then you will have an idea of how well your brakes will work.
Skid prevention:
Constantly assess the road surface,and never relax, particularly anywhere where you might have to do something, like brake or turn! Watch out for wet, or icy, looking areas, or any change in road condition. Be particularly careful at night, because these areas are much harder to identify. If you see a suspicious area, try to brake and steer as much as possible before you get to it, while the surface is still good. If it is water you will hear it splash. If it is black ice things will go quiet.
If you go onto ice when you are travelling in a straight line, you will continue in a straight line. If you go onto ice when you are travelling around a bend, you will probably still go in a straight line. So to repeat - brake and steer before you get to it. If you do get onto ice drive smoothly and never do anything suddenly ! If you turn the steering, or brake, while you are on the ice, it will take effect as soon as you come off it. So the less you do the more predictable the outcome.
Approach icy junctions at walking pace (photo above), and even more cautiously if downhill. Slow down to a stop, about 3 or 4 car lenghs before the junction and creep the rest of the way. One of the most dangerous things that could happen is to touch the brake at a junction onto a major road, and skid out into the passing traffic.
Approach icy left and right turns very carefully (photo above). Again slow down to a walking pace 3 or 4 car lengths before you get to the corner, and creep the rest of the way. Make sure that there is no traffic emerging from the side road, because if you slip wide on the turn you may slide into them. Also look out for ridges of ice on the corner which may cause you to slide sideways.
Parked cars at the roadside can be a real hazard (photo above). Try to ensure that your speed is steady before nearing them, because acceleration may cause your front to hop sideways. Your steering should be done very early so that you are not pointing at the car, then trying to steer away, but pointing at the gap you are trying to drive through. Then if the steering doesn't grip immediately you've got a chance to adjust it. If you can avoid ridges, between the car tracks, as they may cause you to slip sideways.
Skid control, if you skid: remove the cause:
Braking: Your car will be much more manageable if you have got anti-lock-brakes (most cars manufactured after 2005). ABS releases and re-applies your brakes 12-15 times a second, prevents your wheels locking-up, and enables you to steer. However ABS only prevents locking-up in the direction of rotation: This is very important to know, as it is still very easy to skid your front wheels sideways if you turn too sharply. You will not be able to stop quickly with ABS on ice, it just gives you a bit more control, and enables a certain amount of steering. For the ABS to work on ice you must have the clutch down*. Also ABS does not work if braking is initiated below about 5mph: So at very low speeds come off the brake, if you skid, to enable you to steer. The same as if you don't have ABS (paragraph below).
No ABS: If you have a car without ABS, the wheels will lock-up solidly if you brake too hard. If your wheels do lock then come off the brake, and brake again more gently. In ice you will find that you stop most effectively by pushing down the clutch*, and tapping the brake firmly and repeatedly, as rapidly as possible (in essence simulating ABS). This method will also give you some steering control.
* Theory:
When braking in normal grip conditions, dry or wet, keep the clutch up as much as possible because there is enough traction between your car and the road to keep the wheels turning against the compression of the engine. So if your wheels lock, and you release the brake (or the ABS does), the engine will be turned by the wheels.
In ice, if the wheels lock, with the clutch up, the engine stops. Then releasing the brakes has no effect because there is not enough grip between the tyre and the road to overcome the engine compression. The engine will not turn, the wheels will remain locked, and there will be no control over where the car goes. Prevent this from happening by having the clutch down when braking on ice! .
Acceleration: Excess acceleration in a bend will cause the front to drift out in a front-wheel drive car, so just ease off the gas, and steer gently. Front wheel drive cars generally don't suffer a rear wheel skid. If you accelerate too much in a straight line; for example, to try to get up a hill; the front wheels will spin, and you may hop sideways - ease off the gas until they stop spinning.
In a rear wheel drive car the back will slide out if you accelerate too harshly. If this happens, ease off the gas very carefully and steer the way you want to go (turn into the skid). It is also important to look the way you want to go: If you look at what you are trying to avoid, you will probably drive into it. Whatever you do, don't jump off the gas, because that will cause you to fishtail - swing from side to side.
If you can't pull away because the wheels are spinning. Stop and try again, but without any gas, just very careful clutch control. You could also try pulling away in 2nd gear. If you get stuck in a rut you may need to rock the car back and forth, by using forward and reverse. Driving in a high gear (3rd or 4th) will reduce wheelspin due to over-acceleration. But driving in a low gear (1st or 2nd) will enable you to slow more easily using engine braking, and hence brake less. Generally the less you use the brake the better.
Steering: If you turn the steering and nothing happens, it is because you have turned too tightly and broken your grip. Try backing off the steering to regain traction, and turn in again more gently. If you are on the gas, ease off. If you can't steer whilst braking, even with ABS, come off the brake. This will allow your wheels to rotate again, and begin to grip.
Speed: Probably the most dangerous situation you can get into is a 4-wheel drift on a bend, it means that you are going a smidgeon too fast. if you were going much too fast you would already have crashed! To deal with a 4-wheel drift, just ease off the gas very gingerly, and slightly straighten the steering if you have the space. If you come off the gas too suddenly, or touch the brake, or steer suddenly you will probably spin off the road. A VERY gradual reduction in speed will let your car regain grip. To avoid this situation drive extremely carefully on bends.
Skid control video: