On 11/22/07 12:48 AM, in article
7817d16b-e50f-4dd8-8c1d-09ed3a20cefd@e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com,

Leave it in the garage and take the bus.

Good snow tires, preferably studded. Clear the snow and ice off the
windshield before you drive off, keep warm cloths in the car in case of
emergency. And, of course, all that other stuff about driving safely,
keeping a distance to car in front, etc.

Ulf

On Nov 21, 11:48 pm, b...@coolgroups.com wrote:

Good tires would be about the first four things on the list.
Depending on what kind of winter we're talking about, that could mean
one or more of:  a mud-and-snow-rated all-season with plenty of tread
remaining; a dedicated winter tire (perhaps on a separate set of
usually stamped-steel rims); either of the above with studs (which
could be unnecessary and annoying, or illegal, or practically a
necessity, depending on the locale; or a set of tire chains in the
trunk.  Pick one or more per local custom. tirerack.com or a reputable
local tire store that's used to answering these questions can be
consulted.

Make sure all your lights work and your wiper blades are decent.  A
squeegee/scrubber, a good ice scraper, and a spray can of that ice-
melting stuff for the windshield are good to keep in the trunk.

Driving skills -- good advice at the Triple-A website, tirerack.com
again, and state trooper or vehicle department websites will give you
a theoretical knowledge of how to handle winter traction (or its
lack).  Practicing in an abandoned parking lot on a snowy Sunday
morning is one of the classics, as much of this is "knowledge in the
hands" as well as "knowledge in the head."

Keep your distance from other traffic both laterally and
longitudinally so that your fortunes are not too tightly coupled to
other people's.   Moderate your speed and cultivate smoothness.  Keep
a good lookout so that the actions of others don't take you by
surprise and force you into unsmoothness -- and leave yourself an
"out" in case things start to go sour anyway.   Think well in advance
and give information to others with brake lights and turn signals in
plenty of time.    (Sound advice in any weather!)

If in doubt, use headlights.    When the snow flies thickly or fog
descends, use low beams -- high beams can cost you more in glare than
they give you in illumination.  And make sure all the lights work.

Learn where "gray/black ice" can lurk even under otherwise
nonthreatening conditions.

Jumper cables are a must.    Depending on how mechanically self-
sufficient you are, a piece of plastic to lie on, warm old clothes you
don't mind getting dirty, and gloves you can work in, along with
whatever toolkit you choose to carry, are advisable.

In case you get stranded somewhere, you'll want something warm to wear
and some nonperishable ready-to-eat food like those energy bars.

At least a good, bright, reliable flashlight within the car (where it
stays warmer) and preferably one in the trunk as well.  If you have to
get out of the car at night or in foul weather, it needs to be in your
hand and lit and visible to the threats.  Something like a yellow or
orange rain poncho sure doesn't hurt, and also helps solve the warm-
and-dry problem.

So how do you get out of the car survivably  if you must?  A few road
flares in the trunk are a Good Thing, or a couple of those reflective
triangles, or both.    I've also found places to put a fair bit of
reflector tape in places where it is normally hidden but becomes
visible just when you most want it, like on the backsides of doors
(the part hidden by the car body) and the inside of the trunk lid and
the body lip  that it covers, as applicable.  See and be seen!  ("See"
includes never quite taking your mind off approaching cars, and always
having an idea of an escape route so you don't get sent to the
hereafter in a two dimensional state, courtesy of someone who was in a
heads-down mode dialing the cellphone or fishing the last French fry
out of the bag and never even saw you until he heard the thump.)  Keep
ever in mind that the immediate vicinity of a busy highway is never an
inherently safe place for a pedestrian or even a stalled car --  if
you can, take your problem to an exit or a proper turnout, or at least
get as far from traffic as is reasonable.

Winter sometimes means getting stuck.  Some people carry a pair of
store-bought or homemade contraptions to give them traction for those
first few crucial feet, should they get stuck.   Or a sandbag (the
concrete, etc. area at the local do it yourself store has bags of
"play sand").  Or both.  One of those collapsible camping spades from
the army-navy store can be useful as well. So can a "recovery strap"
or tow chain.     To avoid having to use  these things, keep your
wheels on a traction surface if you can; keep up momentum until you
regain one  if you do find yourself  about to get stuck (e.g., if a
place you meant to stop turns out to be worse than it appeared).  All
subject to the First Law of Driving, of course ("don't run into
things").

Speaking of cell phones, knowing that yours is well charged is a good
feeling when, as the saying goes, the engine starts making sounds you
can only hear at night.

Oh, yes, and  keeping plenty of gas in the tank eliminates one more
silly reason why people spend a cold night at the side of the road
instead of getting where they were going.

Finally, one of the things the old-timers know is when to stay home
and let a bad one blow over.  Sometimes being out on the road at all,
unless you *have* to, is just asking for trouble.  If you do have to
venture out into marginal conditions, make sure somebody knows where
you're headed, by what route, and when to expect you there.

Safe driving,
--Joe

1. TIRES
    A lot of people think you need snow tires in the winter, but in
fact snow tires are the worst thing you can drive on.  You look at people
with snow tires, and a lot of them also have chains on... this is because
the snow tires don't get a good grip on the ice.  To get a good grip, you
need as much surface area as possible, and that means racing slicks.  A good
set of racing slicks are the best thing for winter driving.  It's a little
harder to keep the car on the road but that's okay.

2. FRONT WHEEL DRIVE
   Everybody knows front wheel drive is safer.  It says so in all the car
magazines so make sure you have it.  

3. DRIVER SAFETY
    A lot of accidents in the winter are caused because the driver is too
cold to properly operate the vehicle.  When you are cold, your fingers get
frozen up and your reaction time slows.  You can prevent this by taking a
big slug of bourbon before you get behind the wheel in the winter.  It warms
you up from the inside.  Make sure you leave some in the bottle so you can
offer some to the police officer if you happen to be stopped.

2. ANTIFREEZE
    Antifreeze keeps your coolant from freezing, but the problem is that
it freezes at only -20'F.  Gasoline freezes at a much lower temperature, so
always make sure to drain your coolant out and replace it with gasoline.

3. VISIBILITY
    One of the real problems on the road is that mist and snow make it
hard to see where you are driving.  That's why you should always install
high power military-surplus aircraft landing lights on your roof.  Sure, it
may completely blind drivers coming in the other direction, but that is
a small price to pay for your personal safety.

I hope this information has been helpful.
--scott