The temperature plunges
and the forecasters predict flurries. Winter's just around the corner.
If you're dreading the frigid months ahead, traveling on slippery
roadways and worrying about morning drives to work you're like the
rest of us. Your encounters probably won't be as slick as the ice
rink I drove on, but if you follow these experts' techniques for
driving under these conditions, you'll maneuver through winter more
safely.
I met with driving professionals including racecar driver and
certified auto mechanic Pat Lazzaro, and Mark Cox, director
of Bridgestone Winter Driving School, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
when I signed up to try my skill on the most perilous winter condition:
ice. Along with colleagues, I was asked to evaluate and compare
the differences between winter and all-season tires on dry pavement
and on a simulated winter surface. Our road was the most slippery
ice imaginable and deemed the fastest in the world if you ask
the international speed skaters who compete on the Olympic Oval
at the University of Calgary.
I was confident about my driving skills when friends and coworkers
quizzed me before leaving. Why you? What makes you an expert?
My college-age son rolled his eyes and laughed aloud as he imagined
me driving on the ice skating rink. Why me? As a working female,
the automotive industry is, interested in cornering our market
segment as well as assisting older women with updated techniques
to make our journeys safer.
Some reasons for my inclusion in the Winter Driving School
course were that I drive thousands of more miles annually than
the average motorist of either gender, I'm not a professional,
and I've been driving for, gulp, 38 years to be nearly exact.
And my goal is just like yours - to get from here to there and
back safely.
In addition, winter driving in our Midwest region can and does
change without a moment's notice. Not knowing if weather conditions
will change while I'm en route or will delay my departure play
havoc with stress levels during this unpredictable season. I was
secretly hoping to learn some tricks to give me confidence and
reduce my white-knuckled anxiety behind the wheel. So I defended
Bridgestone's invitation with my inquisitors and headed toward
the airport.
Calgary's a charming city, one that I enjoy visiting and as a
travel writer, a place I could easily explore and tell readers
about. That would have been an easy assignment. Learning about
tread construction, multi-cell compounds and how they all relate
to the laws of physics was more challenging and so were the driving
tests.
My task was to focus on the way the Bridgestone tires performed
during three components of the driving course: acceleration, braking
and steering. I found, in retrospect, that the most difficult
part of the test was maintaining the required speed which felt
too fast and aggressive to me during some trials. "Take as many
laps as you need to feel comfortable," my instructor, Tanner Foust,
had told me. "We don't want you to be concerned that you're driving
on the fastest ice in the world," he added, smiling. Funny he
should mention that, just after I inched my way to the car, taking
tiny baby steps. I drove cautiously and too slowly. After
several tries, though, my confidence grew and I was able to follow
the directions set forth by Foust, my personal trainer for the
day.
My fellow journalists and I partnered up in teams of two to compare
three popular types of vehicles and the two kinds of tires. Using
an indoor track, we drove front wheel minivans, all wheel sport
utility vehicles and luxury sedans equipped with traction control.
One set of vehicles was equipped with premium all-season tires
(all terrain, in the case of the SUV) superior to standard original
equipment. The other vehicles were riding on Bridgestone's latest
Blizzak models. And all had the ABS braking system to be employed
during each icy stop.
I drove each car, not knowing told how it was equipped before
I slid behind the wheel. Foust, an instructor at Bridgestone Winter
Driving School based in Steamboat, Colorado, accompanied me and
as an added bonus, provided hands-on tips and driving strategies
his regular students have paid for.
Turning my first corner, I knocked down several pylons, with
one actually lodging between the tire and bumper. "That's a scenario
we call 'understeering,' when the front tires break loose' - you
were going through a turn a little faster than the tires and the
grip would allow," he explained, describing my first steering
error. The tendency is to turn the wheel more, even though the
tires aren't complying and you're still going straight. The difficult
fix for that is to actually unwind the wheel toward straight until
you regain grip on the tires and then continue the turn." The
winter tires on my next try enabled me to make the turns without
difficulty and I was on my way to becoming a believer in these
techniques.
Next we tested the braking process and the ABS (Automatic Braking
System) system almost immediately sensed the stopping difficulties
and took over. But what is it that should I be doing? "In
an emergency situation, the proper technique is to keep the pressure
on the brake peddle letting it do its job," Foust said. The bottom
of the tire uses static friction to grip the surface. When sliding,
you're losing friction and it will take much longer to stop. ABS
uses sensors to sense wheel lockup. Later, while testing the luxury
model, I learned that drivers of cars equipped with traction control
gained the additional bonus of having the sensors identify wheel
spin and then automatically change performance electronically
to control each wheel and the tires.
While discovering for myself how much better winter tires performed
and the sense of confidence I gained, I learned something about
wet and dry snow and ice. Ice closest to freezing temperatures
is the most dangerous, either as the temperature is dropping or
when it is beginning to melt. Foust explained that the water
on top acts as a lubricant and doesn't allow the tire's rubber
compound to react with the ice directly.
On the outdoor track, the mission was to try to notice the difference
between winter and all season treads on dry pavement. Nuances
between the two were so subtle that in most cases my opinions
were really hunches, not firm facts. Professionals instruct consumers
who purchase winter treads to 'share the wear' by installing winter
tires in late fall and removing them during early spring to extend
the wear on both sets. Generally, expect three seasons of wear,
but depending on the conditions, you may get four or five years
from the winter treads. Check various manufacturers' recommendations
against the type of driving and conditions you usually encounter
to assess your individual needs.
Buying tires isn't like buying shoes - we can't try them on nor
do many of us desire a collection. And unlike grocery store shopping,
there are no free samples. I was lucky because I was able to try
both varieties under the exactly the same conditions and I could
measure the differences during adverse conditions. That part was
easy because there is a great deal of difference between all-season
and winter tires.
Consult your local dealer for additional information or check
online at www.bridgestonetire.com or www.tirerack.com, an Internet
retailer, with good prices. They are running the results of their
independent winter tire tests at www.tirerack/winter/wintertesting.html.
The pros offer readers more tips for safe winter driving
"About 37 percent of women cite traffic as a source of stress
in the lives, with 19 percent saying they feel unsafe in their
vehicles sometimes," Pat Lazzaro said. "Compound that stress and
uncertainty with the unpredictability of snow and ice and we have
winter drivers potentially at risk," she said. Their tips will
get you ready for winter while helping to lower your stress levels,
whether you're male or female.
- If you can move a nighttime trip to daylight hours, do so.
Not only is visibility better, but if your vehicle is stalled,
you're more likely to receive prompt assistance.
- Before you shift into gear, plan your best route, avoiding
hills, high congestion areas and bridges when possible.
- Be alert to other drivers. Put extra distance between your
vehicle and the one in front of you. If someone is too close
behind you, don't speed up; slow down and let him or her pass
you.
- In many situations better grip or traction can be gained
by placing the outside wheels toward the shoulder of the road,
out of the center ruts. The difference in traction can unbalance
the car during transition from rut to shoulder - be alert.
- In everyday driving, keep a smooth, progressive and light
touch on the brakes, even in a car equipped with ABS (Anti Lock
Braking System). In an emergency in an ABS-equipped car, press
the pedal HARD and hold it down. In a car with ABS, it's possible
to steer around many obstacles while breaking. Think of ABS
as "Allows you to Brake and Steer."
- Keep hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position on the
steering wheel and steer smoothly in the direction that you
want to go. Avoid the "hand over hand technique." It may sound
overly simple, but using this shuffle technique can help you
in a skid.
- While manual transmissions may provide greater control to
assist with braking, be careful when using downshifting as a
way to slow the vehicle. Gear changes should always be made
smoothly in the straightway before the corner. Abrupt gear changes
may upset a vehicle's balance and cause a skid to occur, especially
while cornering.
As a mechanic, Pat suggests making sure your car is ready for winter.
Here are her additional tips:
- Check windshield wiper blades - in some areas, snow blades
are an effective alternative to conventional wiper blades.
- Have your mechanic test the antifreeze coolant for the correct
level of protection in your driving area.
- Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Decreasing tire
pressure to drive on snow can reduce the gripping action of
tires because the tread will not meet the road surface as it
was designed to do. Over-inflation has the same affect.
- If you live where snow and ice are certainties, use snow
and ice tires. Their unique tread compound and design provides
enhanced traction and road-gripping capabilities.
- Keep your gas tank at least half full. The extra volume can
help reduce moisture problems within your fuel system. It also
adds helpful weight to your vehicle.
- Before you leave, scrape the ice and snow from every window
and exterior mirrors. Don't just scrape a small patch on the
windshield. And don't forget to scrape headlights and brake
lights.
- Try to remove excess ice and snow from your shoes before
getting into the car. Believe it or not, you'll reduce moisture
build-up that causes your windows to fog. To reduce the problem,
also turn the air recirculation to OFF; bringing drier, fresh
air in. Run your air conditioner for a few minutes. It will
act as a dehumidifier.
- Remember to always use safety belts, both lap and shoulder.
Adjust headrests, making sure the back of the head rests squarely
in the center of the headrest. Rear end collisions are common
in winter driving and a properly adjusted headrest can prevent,
or reduce, neck injuries.
- Don't use a cellular phone when driving on ice or snow -
even if you have a hands free model, you need to concentrate
on driving, not on a telephone conversation.
- If you do have trouble, run the engine briefly not continuously
to operate the heater. Carbon monoxide can accumulate more easily
in a non-moving vehicle.
Stock your vehicle with simple emergency equipment, should you
get stalled or have an accident. Consider keeping these items
in your car:
1. A blanket or extra clothes
2. Candle and matches
3. Snacks
4. Beverages (never alcohol)
5. Flares
6. CB radio or cellular phone
7. Long jumper cables
8. Small shovel
9. A flashlight
10. A windshield scraper
11. A tow rope
12. A bag of sand or cat litter for traction
Jill Angelini, an Ohio-based certified mechanic and service station
owner stresses the importance of pre-season maintenance, before
"the snow flies." Angelini advises car owners
to include these checkpoints when scheduling a winter inspection:
- Flush the radiator if needed and make sure to test the temperature,
adding new anti-freeze in a 50-50 ratio.
- Definitely test the battery - cold weather will trigger problems.
- If you aren't installing winter tires, make sure to rotate
all-season tires, placing the best two upfront on front-wheel
drive vehicles.
- Change to winter windshield blades. "A lot of people switch
over because the winter ones are insulated to reduce ice and
snow build-up," she explains.
- An engine tune-up to help prevent flooding during cold conditions.
