# Driving down an icy slope. What gear? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 11, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-down-an-icy-slope-what-gear/712397 "2015-02-11T17:23:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CGav8r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@CGav8r](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CGav8r)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-down-an-icy-slope-what-gear/712397/41 "2015-02-12T17:42:56Z")
Dude, you’re a total wuss if you don’t accellerate down that hill, doing a few 360s, ending up perfectly parked facing the other direction. Please take video. ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-down-an-icy-slope-what-gear/712397/42 "2015-02-12T18:19:43Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Who is correct here? (I threw some ice-melt, and the temperature is hitting 40F today) She had it wrong. Neutral only cuts momentum, if the car is accelerating under its own power, and even then, it’s not best used for that purpose. You can push a car in neutral, so one rolling down a hill won’t be stopped by it. I’ve seen people try to stop a car faster by throwing it in neutral, and I think it’s a pretty bad misconception for how their vehicle works. After proper tires, I’d just control momentum with the brakes. They’re best equipped for the task, and as **Machine Elf** said, keep everything smooth and predictable as possible. > [@control-z](#): > > What about using the hand brake? That slows the rear wheels only. Or does it tend to just brake one rear wheel? Since most people don’t have experience with using a hand brake like that, I’d avoid it. You’d sooner spin the rear of the car around, as opposed to saving yourself from anything. A controlled slow roll is best (actually, staying at home may be :D). ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-down-an-icy-slope-what-gear/712397/43 "2015-02-12T19:08:22Z")
I had some fun in a snowy (empty) parking lot a few weeks ago, started a left turn and pulled the hand brake. I did a 180 before I knew it. Need more practice. Anyway I do indeed think it could be useful to slow a descent down a slippery slope and hopefully keep the rear of the car facing uphill. And with power steering I don’t think you would need both hands to keep steering control. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-down-an-icy-slope-what-gear/712397/44 "2015-02-12T20:39:34Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Firstly, you should have proper winter tyres on. That is pretty much a given if you are going to drive on sheet ice. [Here’s an instructive video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlYEMH10Z4s) on what difference proper snow tyres make to a sheet ice situation. Seriously, those are the one thing, above all, that’ll help you. > > Then just go as low and as slow as you can and avoid the brakes entirely if at all possible. You don’t want to do anything to break traction, that includes downshifting and sharp steering motions. Be smooth, be slow. Don’t build up so much speed that you are forced into sudden movements. > > As long as the wheels are rolling, however slowly, you have the ability to steer and in any case, should it all turn to shit (as it can do on sheet ice) you want to be going very slowly so that any impact is minimised. This! Winter tires! Buy the good ones, do not scrimp here. Your life is worth buying good winter tires. Try to crest the hill in the gear that you want to be in when you hit the bottom. Slow is good on icy roads & driveways. Since the Subaru has AWD, low or 2nd would be the best choice. Same with the Jeep, but it will not do as well as the Subaru. I have both Willys, Jeep, and Subaru. In the winter for strictly transportation, I prefer the Subaru. For fun, The Willys! Do not use the park brake, if you must use brakes, use the regular ones. Think of the brakes as being a negative force, avoid their use as much as possible. When you do need them, having the ABS working is a BIG plus. Not really mentioned is chains, those are a different animal altogether. I will only say here, that they are like gas left in the pump, they are of no use if you do not have them. My Willys has a pair in the bed, as do all of my rigs. The Dodge service truck that I use for work, has two sets of chains, just in case. I have never needed them, but if I ever do, they are there. BTW, they are uber cheap in the spring time. The Subaru chains came with the Subaru & are still in the plastic bag they came in with the recept from the same year that the Suabru was made. They have only been installed in the summer when I bought the new winter tires. I made sure that they fit the new tires. While the box said that they would fit, I wanted to be sure, as this is my wifes car. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-down-an-icy-slope-what-gear/712397/45 "2015-02-12T21:22:02Z")
> [@CGav8r](#): > > Dude, you’re a total wuss if you don’t accellerate down that hill, doing a few 360s, ending up perfectly parked facing the other direction. OK, now I am experiencing shortness of breath. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2015, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-down-an-icy-slope-what-gear/712397/46 "2015-02-13T02:08:49Z")
Lost a longer post. Folks, read the OP. We are talking about 25 yards of a slippery slope. Not descending a mountain pass at speed. Never put your car in neutral when moving. Neutral is for towing or pulling it out of a ditch. Want to do it at a traffic light? Fine, whatever. Not going to go there. Don’t use the parking brake for this. You may very well make a ‘Rockford Files’ turn. For descending 25 yards of a slippery slope, you have your driving abilities, and your brakes. Of course tires make a big difference. But that’s not the OP’s question. - enipla, 23 years at 11,200 feet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-down-an-icy-slope-what-gear/712397.md?page=2)