Some admit to doing it, some don't.

[Donkmeister]

I raised this one at work today, some people grinned and looked sheepish, some people looked confused. What activity am I talking about?

Yes, it's making your wheels spin in the snow!

How many here are prone to "accidentally" prodding at the accelerator as they are creeping along an icy road or carpark in order to make the wheels go "WHEEEEEE!" for a second? How many people take the a**ing about to the next level?

 

[securespark]

I have occasionally prodded the right pedal to see how quickly the traction control kicks in.

I have in the past chucked the car around closed car parks (when I worked in retail, many moons ago).

Best fun was a 1979 RWD automatic Opel Rekord....

 

[terryhnwr]

i admit to it I sometimes like to try a doughnut or two..... or 3

i blame the car being rear wheel drive and auto

 

[Donkmeister]

Sounds like fun, I always spot CCTV or staff whenever I'm tempted to try a doughnut and decide not to...

Unlike SWMBO - the discussion started because several people witnessed her completing a "half-doughnut" into a parking space at work! She also blamed the rear-wheel drive

 

[RedHerring]

Difficult to do doughnuts with front wheel drive though. Handbrake turns have to suffice.

 

[AndrewSchofield]

I have to admit when i was younger and drove an old car which wasn't worth much more than the fuel in the tank, i used to mess about when there was snow about - even had a little bump doing handbrake turns once - ooops! However, now i've got a semi-decent car i'm too scared to risk having to fork out for the excess on the insurance!

We used to have a Freelander which we got rid of last February (turns out that was a huge mistake!) - tried a couple of times to 'mess about' in empty car parks in the snow with that but with 4-wheel indpendant drive and braking it was next to impossible to have fun in - jumping on the brakes didn't even amount to as much as a little bit of a skid!

 

[gas112]

I think everyone should get up to the empty car parks and practise and play in it ,then it may give them a clue on how to handle skids when out on the actual roads.

 

[Steve]

I witnessed a complete moron come sailing into the car park at work, in a small van. The snow was untouched, freshly fallen. The driver was on his mobile phone, and seemed completely oblivious to that white **** on the ground.

He turned the wheel in order to turn the van round, but went into a sideways slide (where there could have been cars parked). Still on his mobile, he then accellerated, wheels spinning, back to the car park exit. What I want to know, is why isnt he dead from stupidity? Isnt it natures job to iron out these idiots?

Then I and my manager, and 3 other staff, spent all afternoon shovelling several tonnes of snow (using spare metal shop shelves) and gritting the car park.

Something I have been wondering. Does the snow on your car roof (which nobody seems arsed to clear) help handling by pushing your car down? Or does it hinder handling by making it less stable? Answers on a postcard (or the forum).

All these people complaining about the lack of grit - they just dont know how to drive in snow! Its completely possible! They just panic when they loose traction.

I did have a hairy moment the other day, approached the end of a road a little fast, put the brakes on, not realising the road must have been covered in ice, the ABS kicked in way too early for my liking, and I only just stopped at the road end.

 

[RedHerring]

Does ABS work in the snow & ice then
Bet it wouldn't work on a conveyor

 

[ColJack]

there's no option for "tried it as a younger man and wrecked my car, so never again" option..

went into a kerb with the front wheels on full lock and bent the front wheel under the car....

 

[foxhole]

Still driving sensibly I'm afraid, given up even going to work on my scooter in this weather, though I have in the past.

 

[Donkmeister]

Does the snow on your car roof (which nobody seems a***d to clear) help handling by pushing your car down? Or does it hinder handling by making it less stable? Answers on a postcard (or the forum).

It definitely makes it harder for me to put the roof down

I removed the 6 inches of snow from my roof after I realised the weight wasn't doing the fabric much good!

I want to hear more from the 2 people who answered "I'm the reason car insurance is so expensive!"