A snowy driving anecdote

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1

So, last week when the snow first arrived, I needed to get to the shops at around 17:30. As the snow was settling, it was definitely slippery (even with AWD), so I and others were proceeding carefully.

We live in a rural area about 500m above sea level.

So, I have two cars in front of me doing about 50 in an 80 on the straights and slower on the tight bends (of which there are a handful heading downhill). Keeping two car lengths in front of me we’re making pretty decent progress, though not enough for the gent behind me, about a metre behind. Of course, I can’t see very much with his LEDs burning into my soul, so I was happy to arrive at the shops and park up.

OK, so tailgating in the snow, to be expected I suppose.

On the way back, uphill, the same situation (doing 50 uphill), except I have no cars in front of me. Another car tailgating me.

When there’s a small gap he overtakes, to the surprise of the oncoming car I imagine. So this little Fiat flies past, being flashed by the car on the other side of the road. Crazy I think.

Sure enough, as I come round the next bend I can see the tyre marks in the snow going all over the road, ending up with this Fiat in a snowy ditch having lost control. I slowed and put on my hazards, intending to help, but the guy waved me and the next car behind away.

Now, I honestly didn’t feel any delight at this outcome, only a bit of sadness at how reckless people can be. Perhaps he had come from cleared city streets? Who knows, but at least no one was hurt.

Anyway, thought I’d share.

2 Likes
2

Maybe he’d been on the sauce? I’m surprised how common it is here - couple or more G&Ts and no thought given to the drive home.

1 Like
3

People reading your post are experiencing a warm wave of delight :slight_smile:

3 Likes
4

Do you know, the thought hadn’t even crossed my mind, but you’re probably right. Even more stupid.

5

Probably why he waved you and the other car along - maybe wanted to scoff a packet of mints before the cavalry arrived.

1 Like
6

He was already trying to push it back out, but yes, not wanting help suggests that he was perhaps trying to avoid consequences.

7

It may be just me but in slippery conditions as you describe, being only two car lengths behind the car in front of you doesn’t allow much reaction/thinking time if they suddenly spin out or otherwise lose control.

8

I’m surprised that people want to drive at 50 on small village roads even if the snow has mostly been cleared away. I also saw people doing the same near me. And there were people on the roads riding their bike on the snow.

One guy fell off his bike and was lucky not to be crushed by the Coop van behind him which had not yet got up to speed. There were kids everywhere trying to sled on the side of the road. I had to tell some to move as they were sledding on the outside bend of a road that was downhill and any car losing control on the downhill bend was going to crush them.

1 Like
9

Are you sure you dont feel just a little tickle of delight? I know I would.

10

Yes, probably a bit more now when I think about it. Enough to encourage the guy up my chuff anyway.

1 Like
11

Not really, honestly. It wasn’t serious but it kind of felt like it could have been, and I was thinking whether I’d done anything wrong, should I have stopped even if he didn’t want me to, that kind of thing.

12

“All these idiots with their slow-ass winter tires should make way already”

(the Fiat driver, probably)

1 Like
13

I would have rolled the window down and done a Nelson.

14

I’m the sort to only think about that a week later… :slight_smile:

15

Something I learned about driving in snow some years ago:

I spent the night at 1300 meters and it about 15cms which settled over the roads, which were unploughed but drivable as a few vehicles had already driven over the snow.

At 1300m the dry snow offered my winter tyres good grip as a proceeded down the winding road to the valley below. Driving carefully round a bend at no more than 25kph near the bottom of the valley, I turned the wheel and the car (VW Golf) did not respond, but took me straight into a solid stone wall.

The airbags went off - they stink - and the seat belt tensioned. The airbags deflated almost as soon as the car stopped as it bounced off the wall.

The car was a right-off. But why had this happened? When I got out of the car I nearly slipped over. The light powder at 1300 meters was now a soft wet blanket of typical super slippy heavy new snow. This was not obvious: it looked just the same.

Lesson learned…

1 Like