If everybody on the road could drive a free 4 wheel drive SUV with all-weather tires and the largest V8 engine possible most of them wouldn't wreck either.
Driving in snow is not that hard. Yes 4 wheel drive helps but most modern cars are front wheel drive. Which means the weight of the engine is over the drive wheels which helps increase traction immensely. Throttle control, keeping a safe following distance and knowing to shift into neutral on down hills (evenly biased braking) is all you really need to make it home. It’s really not that difficult at all and it baffles me when people crash all the time. Especially midwesterners who have never seen an actual hill before.
Also, a more powerful engine doesn't equate to making a car easier to drive in the snow. Getting all that power to the wheels while maintaining traction is actually more difficult than in a 4 banger. It really all comes down to how good the driver is at feathering the throttle to keep the vehicle moving forward and not spinning the tires.
I live in the far interior northeast and drive a little manual Chevy Aveo. That thing is a trooper and even with summer tires (I have winters now) it barely slips or slides unless there's a lot of ice. Keep your distance, drive slowly, and anticipate the next dangerous spot. In other words, respect the winter.
I have a four wheel drive and have yet to need to use it, and my area was hit with freezing rain an snow a few days ago, I leave for work late at night and get home early morning often when the plows aren't running yet. Driving skills and common sense can go just as far as the best equipment, I've been in a position in my life where I've had to drive all winter with bald tires because of lacking the money to buy them and that was a two wheel drive car.
Four wheel/all wheel drive is NOT an invincibility force field... and that's the problem. People think it is and drive like absolute idiots.
It all comes down to driving appropriately for the conditions. If that means stay home, stay your ass the fuck at home. Buuut people don't and that's why states like Massachusetts put in place travel bans when it gets "bad." They say it's for "public safety," but it's more likely so they don't have to put up with you non driving dumb ass on the street.
3Reply
deleted
· 6 years ago
Shit and they have way more distractions than anyone else
It all comes down to driving appropriately for the conditions. If that means stay home, stay your ass the fuck at home. Buuut people don't and that's why states like Massachusetts put in place travel bans when it gets "bad." They say it's for "public safety," but it's more likely so they don't have to put up with you non driving dumb ass on the street.