portraitoftheoddity:

Ok folks, it’s that time of year, so your Northerner friend has some unsolicited wisdom to impart!

If you are a new driver, or have just moved to a snowy area and this is your first winter driving in snow:

Equip your car with:

• A snow brush/ice scraper combo - good for clearing off your windshield, windows, and headlights when it snows. 
• A collapsible snow shovel - good for digging out your car when the snow plow dumps a snowbank on your bumper
• Extra snow gloves. Nothing sucks like frostbite on your fingers from trying to dig your car out with bare hands when you get out of work and it’s been snowing.
• An old towel. If you end up cold and wet, you can at least be less wet. I’ve also used it for traction under a tire when stuck. 
• A blanket. If you break down and have to wait for help, you’ll want to stay warm. (I kept a sleeping bag in my car for years when I regularly drove through the mountains)
• A flashlight. It gets dark early in winter - if you have to get out of the car, you’ll be able to see, and others will be able to see you. 
• Half decent tires. Winter tires are a luxury, don’t worry about that, but make sure your tires aren’t completely bald. 

When driving in the snow:

• Always brake way before you think you need to. Your car will take longer to stop and the slower you brake, the less likely you are to skid. ESPECIALLY if you’re going downhill. 
• Drive slowly. If you lose traction, you will have less inertia and won’t slide as far.
• Keep your headlights on and your high beams off. 
• If you have to change lanes, so do slowly. All movements should be slow and gentle. 
• Keep more distance than usual between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. If you lose traction when braking, you’re less likely to rear end them.
• Before hitting the road – warm your engine up, make sure your exhaust pipe is clear of snow, and scrape the snow off the roof of your car. Heavy roof snow can go flying off when you speed up and blind the person behind you. Don’t be an asshole; scrape it off before you hit the road.
  

AND REMEMBER:

The most dangerous thing on the road is other drivers. Even if you know what you’re doing, they might not. Give them plenty of space, signal clearly, and ALWAYS check both ways before driving through an intersection in case someone else has lost traction – even if you have right of way.