Tom's Top Tale: tips for winter travel

Grateful to Willie, perennial correspondent, for the following very useful tips on how to deal with snow from a driver's point of view. I would add simply this: Don't go out.

1) Do your best to match your wheel speed to your ground speed - spinning wheels, apart from wearing off the tread and wasting petrol causes snow to melt a little and thus lubricates the surface below your wheels....

2)if you are planning to have the vehicle for more than two years it really is worth buying two wheels and putting on Winter tyres for the season ( part of the payback will be in increased other season wear from your normal tyres) If thinking of getting Winter tyres then you could almost forget it by November - too late - AND the prices seem to go up!

3) Avoid doing more than one thing at a time - let the speed off well before corners and THEN turn (without further braking)- this much reduces chances skid risks ....and there are only four little approximately hand sized pieces of rubber between you and potential disaster.

- and the old but VERY true 'Start off significantly earlier and just going steadily at it'.....If nothing else this reduces any stress for yourself and others if things don't go well and one eventually slips just a little behind....

If you want to add more I would suggest try to maintain slow forward momentum as the problems of overcoming inertia once stopped tend to make things worse.....unless you can wheech a shovel or two full of grit under your driving wheels.....

These and the others - i.e. preparation and attitude - shovel (probably metal edged to overcome ice -plastic isn't enough!)



- WELLIES - IN THE CAR AND NOT THE BOOT !

- and it's about the only time i use a mobile phone ( with a cigarette-lighter charger permanantly IN the car.

Warning triangles - torch - HiVis vest - tow rope -a litre or more water - windscreen wash IN the car...two or three carpet samples - good for when you fit chains/change tyres/or even to help get away if spinning on ice or soft snow.....etc, etc

I am sure as a person not living in the urbancentral Belt you have most - if not all- of these already - but preparation and attitude are key.

The Tom Morton Show: Mondays - Thursdays 1430-1600, and Fridays 1400-1600.

Here are a couple of other useful web pages with tips on driving in the ice and snow:

BBC News - How to drive safely in the snow

AA winter driving tips