Had my driving test 12.01.22 and I passed. Thank you very much, been following every video on this page because New in Switzerland 🇨🇭and my test is in German language which i can barely understand. This page has really helped.🙏
Hi Jnr Oppong - thank you so much for your kind words. That is *_SUPER DUPER GREAT_* news! Would you stop over at Smart Drive Test, register your success and enter the draw for the $100 Fuel Card - www.smartdrivetest.com/contact/donation Thank you for letting us know. I'm sure you are having a huge celebration, and it is well deserved owing to your study & practice. All the best, Cheers Rick 🏎 PS - where did you go for your first solo trip to celebrate in Switzerland? See this vid too my friend: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-21hBJ49sX-s.html
Hi MaiCohWolf - And you are most welcome. We're happy to hear we could help out. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
I had a understeer situation for my very first snow fall ever. Still had my all season tires on my front wheel drive only sedan. I was making a left turn from a complete stop across two lanes of traffic. I put too heavy a foot on the gas peddle, immediately caught a skid, applied the break and tried to steer out of it.... not a chance. Car didn’t budge and I went over a curb and into a tree. Three lessons I learned. 1. Winter tires early before the snow starts and 2. Never, ever, accelerate into a turn and never hit the breaks when you slide. Good luck this winter !
Tip. Adding more steering input doesn’t help either. Tire only has so much friction. When you’ve already broken, adding more steering input doesn’t help. Just makes your situation worse.
My friend said I need a therapist because I’m too scared to drive. Nobody bothered to teach me in the winter. Here I am watching RU-vid hoping for the best. Looks like this guy knows what he’s doing, so I’m going to take his advice.
Hi Jessica K - Thank you for your comment and confession. And you might find this video too has some good information: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GRX7iW4Jqcs.html&index=50&list=PL0x-bChcUvwENfxb3Gsaj4ZNLWleZCNzG Also, if you're interested, I'm pre-selling my winter driving course for 70% off. Drop me an email: rick@smartdrivetest.com for details. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hi Sarah and Jessica- unfortunately that comment got through. Had I seen it earlier I would have removed it...as I’ve done. Drop us a note if we can help further. All the best, Cheers Rick
I’ve watched your channel before I’ve ever gotten my drivers license. Two years later, I’ve gotten my license and still watch your videos for driving tips. Thank you!☃️❄️
Hi Haneen M - that is a awesome news. Thank you for letting us know, and we're very happy to hear that we could help with your success. I'm sure you are planning/having a huge celebration, and it is well deserved owing to your study & practice. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick 🏎 PS - where in the world did you pass your test and are you planning any road trips to celebrate? Would you stop over at the Smart Drive Test and register your success with our 100K campaign - www.smartdrivetest.com/contact/donation
Another tip: If you see another car ahead of you start to skid, immediately slow down and get as far away from the skidding car as you can. If that driver has lost control, there's no guarantee he won't spin out and collide with your vehicle. I've been in that situation where a car ahead of me spun out and could have hit me if I had been closer.
I was going too fast on the interstate, hit a patch of thick snow, instinctively hit my brakes,& I was suddenly just along for the ride. I wound up in a 180° messing up my front end after striking the concrete median. $5K damages. Lesson learned.
No idea why this came up in my suggested viewing but glad I did! I literally had my first driving lesson in the ice and snow with my dad **mumble** years a go...... Best way in my opinion to learn. He would have me go then grab the wheel and cause a skid when I did't expect it. You learn quick! Great times in the High School parking lot... Miss that man he has been gone 20years now. Key is your point of slow down. Dad always used to say "Slow and go - Fast and crash"
Hi Scott Axton - Thank you for your comment and welcome to the channel. Great advice and mantra from your Dad and a most precious memory - thank you for sharing. That saying will really help other smart drivers on the channel. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
I am from florida i am moving to washington state in 21 days. feeling pretty nervous about driving in the snow but my husband assures me i will have lots of practice and even do these exercises in a parking lot. Today i got firestone weathergrip tires and i was told that it will help a ton
Just moved to South Dakota and today will be my first attempt to drive in snow. I did make sure to get a 4wd truck and snow tires since I’m new to it. My wife is in a fwd with snow tires. We are fortunate to be close to jobs for our first year of driving snow conditions.
Hi David Wooten - you guys are going to be awesome. Just remember to brake back from where you actually want to stop, and then creep up to where you want to stop. Watch this vid too: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-c2frT1EgbpA.html Drop us a note if we can help further my friend. All the best, Cheers Rick
Thank you. I just moved to an place that snows alot. ive lived in a desert all my life and I'm terrified of the first snowfall but you made me more confident.
I'd like to brag a little: My Dad was driving on a divided boulevard one spring. A car came out of a side street, ignoring the stop sign, hidden by shrubbery. (Five teenagers, after Prom, still celebrating.) Dad hit the brake, just hard enough to hit their axle. The only injury was a twisted ankle. I say Dad hit the brake "just" hard enough, but he BENT the pedal. The state trooper said he hadn't thought that was possible.
Hi Beth Clemensen - Thank you for your comment and story. We're happy to hear that there were minimal injuries in the crash. That is a lot of power on the brake pedal. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hi Whizzer X - Thank you for your comment. And we're happy to hear that you're okay and it wasn't anything more than some property damage. Vehicles can be fixed, we can't. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hi fastboatster - Thank you for your comment. And nope, if you watch the video to the end there's a Rockford too! ;0) If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
Those pile ups aren't that common. They get a lot of media attention. Often the pile ups occur because driver's are too close in bad weather conditions. And it's tough for anybody when it's snowing or freezing rain. All the best, Cheers Rick
I've had a skid in loose gravel. Lots of fun in dirt in the subie. Thinking of moving to Colorado from California, so I hope when it snows I can learn to do all this on my own without incident. Thanks for the video.
Hi Ashley Krystin - We're happy to hear we could help out. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
Thank you for doing this video, I am still learning how to drive on snow. I have only had my lencse for 1 year and I did the class in the summer time, and I enjoy learn how to drive.
Hi Natalie Marie Baldwin - Thank you for your comment. And you are most welcome. We're happy to hear we could help out and that you're continuing to improve your driving skills. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hi E T - Thank you for your great comment. And you are most welcome. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
I am so happy to see a new video of yours on driving in the snow and ice. Thanks so much from us "nervous nelly" women winter drivers! Please keep making more videos!
Wow, I wouldn't drive on a huge bad conditions, if I were you and anyone else. I like it when plow trucks clean the road. I like it when there is not too much snowy on the road. I have very big scary feeling that it's dangerous, and I consider it very dangerous. Thank you!
Thank you for this! I only have a front wheel drive sedan that I moved with a couple months ago from Arizona to Minnesota. I’m expecting quite the change in winter and these tips are helpful!
Hi Milan Vyas - that is a awesome news. Would you stop over at the Smart Drive Test and register your success with our 100K campaign - www.smartdrivetest.com/contact/donation Thank you for letting us know, and you are most welcome. We're happy to hear we could help out. I'm sure you are planning a huge celebration, and it is well deserved owing to your study, practice, and attention to road conditions. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick 🏎 PS - where in the world did you pass your test and are you planning any road trips to celebrate?
There was one close call last winter. I was going on a highway and I had to take the exit. The road was covered in fresh snow so I started braking early. Then I entered the exit lane and started to brake harder. It was all successful until the actual turn. I was going at 20-30 kilometers per hour at most and my car still started to understeer. No sudden steering wheel turning or anything, the tires were new snow tires. I thaught I was gonna hit the guardrail but at the last second the wheels gained traction again so I managed to avoid the crash. From then on I don't enter turns faster than 10kmh in snowy conditions
Hi mrgecas - Thank you for your comment. And you mistake wasn't your speed my friend; your mistake was that you were applying the brakes and expecting the vehicle to turn at the same time. In order for the steer tires to actually steer, these have to be turning. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
The most interesting part was that I didn't brake at all when I started to turn the steering wheel. I did the braking before the actual turn. I suspect that ice probably formed in that particular spot :)
Hi mrgecas - Thank you for your response. If you didn't touch the brake, then your initial assessment was probably correct. In combination there was ice or other slippery conditions in combination with speed that caused the understeering issue. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hi TRY to HELP you - Thank you for your brilliant comment. We're happy to hear you liked the video and the reference. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
You are correct correct Rockford drove a 1974 Firebird Esprit used during the pilot and first season in 1974. After the first season the studio modified the Formula 400 Firebird to appear like the Esprit. Sorry to bum your guys Nostalgia for late 70s early 80s TV but that manue is called a bootlegger and it was made famous by Bootleggers the term used for gentlemen drivers who transported illegal booze during prohibition. You can pull to a stop at a roadblock nice and gently place the vehicle in reverse and as the officer is walking up to your vehicle when he is just about there you can floor it in reverse flip that 180 and you are gone before that officer even knows what happened! I wonder how many bootleggers Starsky and Hutch did? Did the A-Team ever do bootleggers in that van? Out of all of those TV shows in which car chases were the norm Rockford was the coolest by far!
My abs did not slow me down in time during a storm tonight. I was in a new area during a storm and was headed downhill. I drive an automatic transmission and put it into 3rd gear which saved me from sliding into a wall.
I have my driving test today !! In 2 and a half hours (12:30pm) and it's snowing here. And I have never driven in the snow ❄️ before 😞. I hope 🙏this will go good for me ❤️🫶
Have a look at this vid too my friend: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rlrTAhCFnl0.html Drop us a note if you have questions. Safe travels. Cheers Rick
The only issue I ever had, in 4high, there was a low laying area next to a lake that froze. Slowed to about 20, but the back got loose and it took about 50 yards to recover. Thank God nobody else was on the road. Turns out the snow on the lake had blown onto the road, and went from 2" to about 6" in a matter of 15 yards. Let off the gas, counter steered the whole way. Stayed on the road somehow.
Hi Sneadster - Thank you for your comment and relevant information. It's that patchy snow and ice that often get drivers. I know that it got me at one point and I ended up in the ditch. Still, it was my fault because I was travelling too fast. And roadways near bodies of water are usually iced because of the moisture and snow--as you found out--dropped on the roadway. All the best, Cheers Rick
A month and a half ago, I had a skid on a wet road that resulted in a rollover. I was going under the speed limit (because it was raining, so I was [trying!] to be extra cautious), but it didn't help. The emergency responders told me I was the sixth person to crash in that same spot just that week; they said they suspected there was something on the road, like maybe oil from one of the previous accidents. It was horrible. My first accident in decades of driving. I'd spent years driving in insane city and highway traffic around San Francisco and have never even gotten a ticket, then this happened and now I'm terrified to drive, especially since I lost both my mom and husband (my only close family) in car crashes a few months apart in 2010 and driving was already hard enough for me after that. The worst part about my accident was that doing what I knew I needed to do to correct the skid (turning my front wheels the same direction the back of my car was skidding) was causing my vehicle to slide across the double yellow lines into the opposing lanes and I had no idea how far across it was going to continue to go, but it felt like I was going to keep going across the lanes completely into the guardrail on the opposite side, and on the other side of the guardrail was a steep canyon. Because I was approaching a curve and had no idea if there were any cars coming on the opposite side of the road, and because I also didn't want to slam into that guardrail and possibly (I imagined) go through it or flip over it, I felt I had no choice but to make the conscious decision to abort turning my wheels and allow my car to spin around on my side of the road. My mom and husband were both killed in head-on crashes when people crossed over the double yellow lines on a curve, so the thought was crystal clear in my head: "I absolutely MUST NOT let my car cross onto the wrong side of the road." I've replayed it in my mind hundreds of times since and still feel I had no other choice. The result of that decision was bad, but at least it was only bad for me; I didn't hurt anyone else and I didn't end up dead the way I probably would have if someone had come around the curve and hit me head-on. So I did a complete 180 until I was facing the wrong way on my side of the road, continued going sideways across the bike lane until the car came to a sudden sickening stop when both driver's side tires hit the curb, and my car flipped over and I was upside down in a ditch, watching my windshield shatter as weight of the car pancaked the roof underneath. I was very lucky that I survived with no visible injuries or broken bones. Airbags and seat belts are miraculous things, although hanging upside-down strapped into a seatbelt with it digging across your neck, waist, and chest is surprisingly painful and makes it really hard to breathe. But I was grateful I was still alive! Everything had gone into that weird super slo-mo and I had plenty of time to think, "This is it. These are the last moments of my life." I have forced myself to drive a couple of times since my accident, because I know fear of getting behind the wheel again is normal after a crash and it's important to get back on the horse as quickly as possible, which I had to do anyway since I live out in the middle of nowhere, but I never thought anything like this would happen to me. I've always been such a careful driver, I still can't believe it. Now that I know what a car crash is like and what it FEELS like as it's happening - not to mention the pain and recovery and hospital bills afterward - the flashbacks and terror I feel riding in a car even as a passenger now is intense. I live up a 17-mile-long winding mountain road that adrenaline junkies go tearing along at 70mph, well over the speed limit, and unfortunately that's the road I crashed on. I'm forced to continue to drive it because there's no other way to civilization from my house. So every time I go anywhere, I have to drive past the spot where I crashed and the whole way down the road I'm afraid it's going to happen again at any moment. The panic attacks aren't fun. Being afraid to run basic errands isn't fun. Being afraid to leave the house isn't fun. The cost and hassle of having to pay for a rental car and shop around for a new car when I live so far from civilization was a nightmare, too. In the weeks since the accident, I've been watching every road safety and skid-prevention video I can find, and I made sure to get a car with Electronic Stability Control this time, because if my car had had that, I'm certain that would have prevented the crash. Just my luck, I'd bought my car the year before the manufacturer made ESC standard in all models. I'd never even heard of it until I started researching safety features and crash test ratings of potential replacement vehicles. So that's the story of my skid from which I didn't recover. This channel has been instrumental in helping me deal with a lot of the fears I've had since the accident. I still don't have my confidence back, not even close, but with each video I watch, I'm feeling less afraid about the mere thought of driving. More than anything, I wish I could tell every single driver on the road, "You think a crash like this won't happen to you, but trust me, it can TOTALLY happen to you." Or worse, it can happen to the people you love most in the world. Be careful out there, everyone. And if at all possible, in addition to watching the videos on channels like this, take a defensive driving class so you know what things like correcting a skid feels like BEFORE it happens to you on the road and can practice in a controlled setting with an instructor sitting beside you, because just watching videos or reading about what to do in different scenarios doesn't prepare you for what it feels like when it happens. Trust me on that.
I'm so sorry you had to go through that :( I've been in a roll over accident also and it's something you never forget. It gets better though and you will just always be more cautious. But you will be okay :) Praying for you.
I had the scariest drive to work today. I was going so so slow and was panicking the entire time. After work I bought 200 pounds of sand and a shovel. Next up, I'm saving for the safest car 🤞
Sounds like you probably encountered "Black Ice," which is pretty much invisible - and slicker than snot. Driving slowly enough is the only remedy to avoid skidding on Black Ice. You may be able to steer into a skid and get out of it, but don't count on it with Black ice. You'll find Black Ice at night and in the shaded areas of the road even when the sunlit areas are melted. Rule 1: Speed kills.
Omg i have never driven in snow or ice. Im actually terrified right now seeing videos of others getting in to accidents 😫 I have a jeep automatic I really dont know how i will do. All i know dont speed do not apply break steer on the direction where i want to go and dont steer fast left or right like others God bless me 😫
Hi Big Rich - Thank you for your comment. In the years that I drove professionally I had a few close calls too my friend. Like you, no crashes...just learning experiences. Stay safe my friend there in the great frozen North Star State. All the best, Cheers Rick
Yes went into a skid that lasted over a quarter mile with my foot off brake and accelerator it wasn't until after going into ditch and getting out of car that I realized how drastically the wind speed had changed. Learned how fast things can change when driving.
I watched something like this on tv about if your in a slide and a few days later I had a wreck buttttt I feel Im alive because it was sliding toward a hill so i went with the slide and it turned all the way around and rolled up the embankment on the other side and we landed back in a ditch on our top we were not hurt Thank goodness
Thank You for this Video. We got 6 inches of snow last Friday so a family member and I went to practice in the parking lot doing these exercises to try to feel both understeer and oversteer situations . For some reason was a lot easier to understeer than oversteer not sure why? Once in a oversteer or understeer was not always easy to figure out how to correct it. I will defiantly need to practice this more and when driving on the roadway will try to drive as careful as possible to try to prevent oversteer or understeer situations. Thanks again for all your help and guidance.
Hi Hunter James - Thank you for your comment and correction. You're correct and what I should have said was reduces wheel spin and increases traction. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hi James, it actually does. Just make a difference between torque and horsepower. To obtain the maximum amount of HP of a car, you need to rev up your car. Higher revs > more HP. Torque is actually the opposite of HP, your car will start driving by TORQUE, not by HP. Check some car specifications for example. A diesel car with a 2.0L engine (Europe) has the maximum amount of torque (~320NM) at ~1800RPM.
Hi Hunter James - Thank you everyone for you comments. Personally, I have a rudimentary understanding of torque and horsepower - even after watching videos on the topic. To keep it simple, if you shift up a gear in a manual transmission, it often increases traction and will get you going in snow and mud. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hi Oswald Spengler - Thank you for your comment. You know that I should be on the news, I know that I should be on the news - we now just need to convince the news people my friend. ;-) All the best, Cheers Rick
@@smartdrivetest I will see what I can do? Where would be the most convenient for you? If I can get this video on a station I will surely contact you! I will hit the LA metro area first and work my way east.
Hi Authority can Suck it with Authority - Apologies for the late response. Thank you for your support. With today's internet access we could do it remotely. Thank you for your generous offer to help my friend. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hi Jorge Loya - And you are most welcome. We're happy to hear we could help out. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
My 2011 Ford Escape AWD is great in snow with the BF Goodrich winter slalom tires. I have had to panic brake before but never ran into trouble. Tires are everything next to proper driving habits, great video! :-)
Hi AlfredB12films - Thank you for your comment. Happy to hear that you're doing well in the winter. Yes, winter tires with AWD are a good combination. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hey Rick! Awesome video! I also love the back-end swings, they look super cool! Very important info for new drivers and also veteran drivers in this case. Not enough experienced drivers know this stuff. It's vital to know how to control a skid. I would believe the majority of drivers on the road right now, the average driver, would proceed to the brake pedal when they realize they are in a skid because that's the first thing we do instinctively. Since skids don't have to us everyday, not enough drivers know what to do when it does happen. Very useful video! Happy New Year!
Great tip but one of the most important features i want to learn from you how to use the climate control functions properly for heating, cooling and defrosting. I live in Canada always struggle to use the climate control for heating and defrosting in the winter season. I hope you will make a video for educating the people how to use the climate control properly for all the season.
Hi Shanto Kalappurakkal - Thank you for your comment. And we'll put that on the list and get that done for you my friend. In the interim, this video will get you started: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cym0WKWolOQ.html&list=PL0x-bChcUvwGXH4VbLmO0gJJpeIqLrs2T If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
See this vid my friend: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BPpRKeheX00.html Good luck on your test tomorrow. Drop back and. let us know how it goes. All the best, Cheers Rick
I'm from texas going to be moving to snowy area so figured I'd get an idea of what I'm gona be dealing with. I I seriously only seen snow 3 or 4times in my entire life ... I'm 32yrs old -_- does that give some of you an idea how clueless I am about really dealing with snow!
Welcome back Lardsky - Happy to hear we could help out. And we're happy to hear that you're being part of the smart driver community is making you a safer, smarter driver. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers!
Hi Zachery Santa - you are most welcome my friend. Consider our Winter Driving Smart course my friend: www.smartdrivetest.com/driver-improvement/winter-driving-course All the best, Cheers Rick
I am a young driver so here is one mess up I learned a lot from. This is going to be a bit of a longer story so buckle up. When I was 20 I bought my first turbocharged Subaru legacy gt and knew nothing about the importance of learning the car and how it reacts to these situations; plus my ego got in my way because I was a new driver and was half way decent at the time. I knew a little of throttle control from wet grass slides but had yet to really test the car under real winter conditions (learn from my mistakes this is a decent crash story). Up to this point in my life this happened I had driven either economy cars or cars that were automatic and I one of my first cars with a hydraulic power steering rack. The first sticking snow day was early December which was late as far as Vermont and there was a large amount of nice hidden black ice from the previous light showers before and I had the bright Idea to leave the house with performance all season tires and to go with a group of friends who liked "practicing" or snow drifting. We ended up piling several people in the car and headed off for a bit. At this point we had not seen any black ice on the road but there was a small area with a stretch of road (and a turn I wanted to impress them on to show my new manual driving skills). The first run went great but exposed black ice. We found that out as the car started to over steer really rapidly in the second run due to the black ice and no snow to give the allusion of control. As the car entered a slide I tried a trick I learned from a friend who had an older 80s rwd car (my Vermont hipster friend.) but as we entered the turn I tried to stab my brakes to slow and get the car to rotate and my ABS Kicked in. Originally my intention was to let the car rotate and then clutch kick the car to correct for but the car stalled. (later that day I did some research and if your car is older and doesn't have ABS, what I tried would have potentially worked however dangerous that may have been.) When the car stalled it pointed us towards a curb we ended up hitting at low speed. The one issue is that particular curb happened to be about a foot high and hit my sub-frame at an extremely low speed about 5 miles an hour. The only reason why I learned so much from this particular incident was the fact that even at a low speed if your sub-frame hits a material that is concrete or similar density, it may cause you to have your frame to be damaged and 4 months of insurance work to be done. Now I do my testing in large empty parking lots with out anyone in the car so I can focus. ( I recommend trying with and without using music I find engine rpm can tell you a lot and I tend to listen to what the car is doing a lot more now during the winter.) If I had taken the time to save for winter tires and had taken the time to actually learn the car instead of putting the car in intentional slides it may have not been such an important lesson to me. I hope this story of my shenanigans helps with everyone's winter driving.
Could you please explain the logic and demonstrate the concept of jiggling the steering wheel to prevent skidding. I was shown this at a driving school that teaches people how to use their car, going around corners at 40 kms, of banked snow roads made for this purpose. I once had need to use this lesson in real life, when passing a truck in slippery conditions and it worked so well (we were all going slow enough). This method helps to lessen the panic when the road feels slippery, sure enough I drove calmly steadily past the truck without any swerving. I'm asking you because after a couple hours of researching no one so far has mentioned it. This was the lesson as I remember it…... "don’t slow down when passing if you start skidding… that makes it more slippery…. and to gain control jiggle the steering wheel a bit and lightly accelerate".
Hard braking: My dad taught me, always be prepared to go OFF the road / onto the shoulder if someone suddenly brakes in front of you. I've had to do that three times (I'm 66) to prevent ending up in the trunk of the car ahead of me. (I THOUGHT I had left enough room in front of me, but they had braked hard and there wasn't enough room.)
Hi Beth Clemensen - Thank you for your comment. And you are correct my friend - move to the outside and go off the road to avoid rear-ending the vehicle in front of you. As you said however, you were a bit too close, and it might be suggested to increase your following distance as road conditions deteriorate - some times out to five seconds. Have a look at this video to determine following distance: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-J_UKNOGJ2tU.html&list=PL0x-bChcUvwF6aN8__AUogN1amq2d0K9u&index=16 If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
What kind of car is that that you have? Is it two wheel drive, all wheel drive, or 4x4? What kind of tires do you have on it? Anything else special about your vehicle that I might not have in a place that gets an average annual snowfall of 1 in?
Just had a crazy experience, We didn't have winter tyres on and decided to try and drive up a mountain - BAD idea - get your winter tyres and go slow. On the way back down we went totally out of control, breaks were dead, had to put full lock on and hope, just managed to slide round the hairpin bend on the other side of the road, pretty scary, USE A WINTER TYRE.
Hey, great video 👍🏻 I’ve been driving for 24/25 years in warm weather (living in Southern California most of my life). I’m probably going to be moving soon to Aspen, Colorado for a new job opportunity (8,000 ft of altitude with plenty of snow & ice...). I’m always looking for more knowledge and information about winter weather driving... Any tips and/or tricks for winter weather driving would be great! Thanks 😎, Cheers 🥂- John
Hi John007 - Thank you for your comment. And you are in luck my friend; I'm currently selling my Winter Driving Smart Course for $7 - you can find it here: www.smartdrivetest.com/winter-driving-course If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
I have an automatic car with paddle shifters, should I use the shifters to stay in a high gear at low rpm in the snow and ice? Or just leave it in drive, thank you.
Snow tires make a difference. Reducing speed is import big time and always increase following distances. Another thing I do is down shift gears at times when coming to a stop or riding down a hill. Most modern automatic cars even have the ability to downshift. Like you said light touches to the accelerator and one thing to add not to use cruise control. One thing people don’t always do is clear the car very well so you can see out all windows. Visibly Is also important
Hi Kelsea Nova - Thank you for your comment. That is a very, very exciting move. You're going to do awesome my friend. Good winter tires, winter washer fluid in your vehicle. And start to slow early, and then creep up to where you actually want to stop my friend. Also, have a look at this video for pertinent information: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rlrTAhCFnl0.html If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
If I brake in snow my back end goes into a fishtail but could be as my car is 15 years old. Yes and this may have been my stupidity going downhill on 1 day old snow so ice too but I was going straight but the next minute I was facing the way I had been driving. It was 6am on a hill on an untreated country road so not my wisest move and the fact it was on an empty road meant after about a 40 point turn I was able to continue with the only harm to my pride.
Hi Hefty Alan - Thank you for your comment. And we're happy to hear that you're okay - nothing damaged but the pride. Those by far are the best lessons. This video might help too: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sCnKlodlv_g.html If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
People yell at me but I run all season right through the winter. I know I’m bad but I believe it’s a waste of money if your not a regular highway or backroad traveler. Just driving in the city your usually okay but it still comes down to driver skills. It sounds crazy but I almost do t get winter tires so I can test the safety features on my car like the ABS and Traction Control is working like it should. I also sometimes park in high snow drifts so I can test the transmissions lower gears to see if it’s works enough to get out. I might sound crazy but it’s the only time you can test this. In the summer it’s dry roads these features don’t get used
Hey, happened to me this morning going down a freeway ramp. I didn't break nor accelerate but my car was completely out of control and spun 360 degrees. Thankfully no cars were behind me. I might have over corrected a little too much, but, I managed to do it 5 to 7 different time and still failed. Phew.
I was told when my 4x4 ABS kicks in I should brake and not let go. Is that correct? and when my car skids I was told to let go of the throttle and brake and steer in quarters. im just confused. so should i brake or not?
Hi Givenchy - Thank you for your comment and query. Yes, all the information you received is correct. Have a look at this video for ABS: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-lSYHQqEytxI.html and this video for steering control: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-niMLwSvRQSU.html And if you go into a skid, NO - do not brake. Join our Mastermind Group and there is a video in there that will show you why you shouldn't brake: goo.gl/h5Q8Vd If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
hello smart drive test i need you to upload a video on 5 or 10 driving technique use on the road like holding the clutch and the breake with ur feet to keep the car still with ur foot on the clutch plz do as much as u can thanks
Hi Mervin Jones - Thank you for your questions. Have a look at these videos my friend: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iW2Q7lIxrRo.html If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
In Canada is it also required to go a course for this? In Sweden we have two requirement, risk 1 which is few hours education where they talk about risks with drugs in traffic, and then we have the practical risk 2 which is driving in slippery condition and get to feel the car when losing control. I did risk 2 several weeks ago and it sure was very fun and educational course.
Hi Emil N - Thank you for your informative comment. No, unfortunately it's not a requirement here in Canada, but our country should follow your country's lead. And yes, these courses are a lot of fun and teach you a lot about handling the vehicle. I did a skid course some years ago in the tractor-trailer - that was indeed a lot of fun. All the best my friend, Cheers Rick
We have a dedicated proper Winter Driving course that will show all drivers how to maintain or regain control of their vehicle in extreme limited conditions. This video only touches on the technique of control. Our one full day Winter Driving course at our iced facility north of Toronto will show you the skills you need to be safe on winter roads. There is a LOT more to it than what this video shows. ILR Car Control School
Hi Andrew Davidson Jr. - Thank you for your comment. And you are most welcome. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
Nope- increase your following distance and brake early. And know that you have to brake first and then steer. These are separate action on slippery roads. Drop us a note if we can help further. Cheers Rick
I am very good on ice and snow, however a couple of years ago I did experience a situation that I never encountered before and did not have a "natural" reaction for it. Coming from a stop at a light and a dead stop. I had to make a right turn uphill, going home on the block that i live, I hit a thin layer of ice and the car slide very slowly into the car waiting at the light. It was very slow and at 2 to 4 mph side swiped another car waiting at his red light. What could I have done to avoid this?
Hi Bruce Calendrillo - Thank you for your comment and query. Always assume there is going to be ice at the intersection. In the winter, always brake back from where you want to stop and then creep up to where you actually want to stop. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
I was a driving instructor before I earned my doctorate degree. The online business is more lucrative than teaching at university. All the best, Cheers Rick
I am going up to Leavenworth Washington this December. I live in Louisiana and have never even seen snow much less know how to drive in it. Do I need snow chains? And if yes, which ones do you recommend for a F-150 2 wheel drive. Thank you for the driving lesson, it looks like fun. Oh yes, I will also be pulling a 30' RV! TERRIFYING FUN!
Thank you for your query. A good set of snow tires should be sufficient. I would suggest you take the route through New Mexico, Utah, and Southern Idaho. You should miss most of the snow.This video may help too: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0TC2KeXF2VU.html All the best, Cheers Rick
I've got a 2020 Silverado with 340 pounds of sand by my rear wheel well. No matter how slow I go with these doggone ice ribbons on the highway, I feel it no longer in contact with the road. It's that nauseating, drop in my stomach as I mumble out loud, "Hold the wheel, hold it..." After a couple seconds, the truck finds its footing. (I stop breathing and it feels like at least a half minute). I'm not a speedy type on icy, snowy roads. On the highway if it's coated in glare ice, 30-37 mph. If it's packed snow and ice, 40-45 mph. If it's more pavement than snow and ice then I go 52-58 mph. The speed limit is 60. With only 100 lbs of sand, my backend was wavering frequently on the glare ice at 30 - 37 mph range. Other trucks were passing me blazing down the road, with no wavering. It's the same in the other conditions too. Except today, there was more road available and dry with salt. Only an occasional area with leftover ice ribbons, of which I slowed for. Is coasting over these ribbons bad before driving on them? That empty feeling of dread occurs in both ways with coasting or with pressure on the pedal. I get sick of holding up traffic. But! I noticed when my truck slides, the people behind me back way off! Lol! Glass half full, I guess.
This is my first winter and I've been trying these already in an empty parking lot. Except the braking since I engine brake all the time. I only use foot brake when the speed is low. Is there any problems with engine braking? Will that cause a skid?
Edit: I think I found the answer to my question further down in the comments. Guess it would have been a smart idea to check before asking hehe Thanks for the videos by the way! So if you lose control at a decent speed, you just get off the gas, don't touch the break, and focus on recovering from the slide with counter-steering? Would I be correct in assuming that you are going too fast if you ever do lose control? Or is it assumed that you will eventually lose control one day regardless of speed? And does anything change if you're driving a rear wheel drive pickup truck besides being extra gentle with the pedals? I learned how to drive in Germany, but I never got the chance to drive in snow unfortunately. Kinda disappointed in the lack of advanced instruction I got to be honest...
Hi Noscopes Allowed - Thank you for your comment and query. Most of the time, if you release the brake and the throttle, you can recover the vehicle. However, if you're going to fast for the conditions, it's unlikely that you're going to recover. If you want more information, I have a winter driving course over at the website. You can learn more here: www.smartdrivetest.com/winter-driving-course If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
driving schools should have snow days where they have their students do donuts in the parking lot to learn car control in the snow I wish driving practice like that was legal, more people need to do it. also last time it snowed, I saw a cop drift a corner on accident. it's okay when it happens to them
Hi Big$MoneyBoss - thanks for your comment. Glad we could get a vid up for you. Question: I’ve done highlights of Monday’s love feed. What’s your thinking 🤔 on putting those on YT? Greatly appreciate your feedback and anyone else that reads the comment. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hi I am just wondering if you can let me know how you managed to stop on time before hitting the 'cones'? Like did you use your clutch then hit the breaks?And how do you stop your car when rolling down the hill on a snowy road?Thank you so much.
Hi Via Marie Genodifa - Thank you for your comment and query. Stopping before I hit the cones in the video was simply luck - I really did "give er" and then I pushed in the clutch and slammed on the brakes. And going down a hill when it's slippery is about have a low speed before you start going over. This video will help with the downhill braking: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sCnKlodlv_g.html&list=PL0x-bChcUvwGXH4VbLmO0gJJpeIqLrs2T&index=10 If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hi Hs -ASMR 348 Gaming - Thank you for your comment. Welcome to the smart driver community my friend. We're happy to hear we could help out. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hi dontusehername - LMAO - you might incur "the pucker factor", which is often a thumbs down on the ole' road test! Thank you for your amusing comment. If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
Hi Gavin White - Thank you for your comment. And yes, it's always hard to get back to driving after a crash. Have a look at this video for more information: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GRX7iW4Jqcs.html If there is anything further we can do, drop us a note. Always happy to help. All the best, Cheers Rick
Based on a front wheel drive petrol engine, driving on pure "Sheet Ice", (that offers far less grip than snow).. 1. Engage 1st gear 2. WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL slowly raise the Clutch until you can remove foot off Clutch altogether 3. Quickly, but smoothly and with concentration before you lose momentum, change into second gear and repeat number 2 3A. If on side streets, just steer the car, DO NOT ACCELERATE! 3B. If on a road or highway or freeway, STAY IN THE SLOW LANE AND LET THE IDIOTS PASS YOU BY AND HONK THEIR HORN... work your way up the gears until you hit 4th gear. NOW, you add a little gas BUT DO NOT, (repeat), DO NOT,.. DRIVE AT THE SAME SPEED AS THE IDIOTS. You will arrive in one piece and if you're lucky, you get the chance to proceed past the crashed idiot while smiling and giving him/her "The Middle Finger". KARMA is a feel good factor. ....but that takes care of acceleration & steering only. Braking: This video is GOOD, but on sheet ice, NOTHING will help you other than car maintenance, distance and low speed. ABS is rendered useless. 1+ ton of metal, speeding on ice having to perform an Emergeny Stop ends in disaster....Period, Fact, No Denying! Just take you hands off the steering wheel, fold your arms, take feet off the pedals AND BRACE YOURSELF! (There is now little to nothing you can do other than stay at home, or do the above. NOTE: The above advice applied to driving in fresh snow, gives even better results.... and outcomes. Take Care!
All is correct, all is true. this is such (or similar) information and people do not have enough. yes, it will not be asked for exams, it's (I think so) additional lessons, but these techniques will help in different situations. thanks for trying to somehow explain to people how this works and how to cope with it. more such information. my sincere respect. Thank you.
Rick, I am traumatized. I witnessed the most horrifying scene in the highway today. Five cars and a massive tractor trailer were involved in an accident. The driver of one of the cars died. We were about 4-5 cars behind. My husband was driving. A baby was in one of the cars. I don’t think I can drive on the highway again. I can't stop thinking about it and crying. I am so sad for the deceased driver's family. He was alone in the car. Absolutely horrific!!!
Hi Val S. - Thanks for reaching out. I'm going to strongly, strongly encourage you to talk to a professional ASAP. What you're experiencing is Post-Traumatic Stress and you need to talk to someone who specializes in post-trauma counselling. Please do that, otherwise it may haunt you for a very long time. I'm so sorry that you witness that crash - especially when someone was killed and a child was involved. Sincerely, Rick
Hi Val - I happy to hear that you're going to talk to someone - that is going to help! If there's anything further I can do, drop me a note. All the best, Cheers Rick