(This is almost more of a GQ, but I figured I’d be safe and put it here.)
My step-daughter (age 23), who has spent her entire life in areas of California where snow is something almost mythical, is now living in Chicago. Winter doth approacheth.
We’ve already told her that she needs to get the car into a service station (or a dealer service) to have it “winterized” as far as getting the right anti-freeze, oil, and whatever else the engine needs to have done to enable it to survive the cold.
But what else does she need to do/know/have in order to make it through the snowy months driving a car in Chicago? Do they keep the streets reasonably plowed? Should she have tire chains? What about snow tires? Do most of the natives switch to snow tires, or do they just rely on the plows?
I’m not a native, but rather a native Californian in Illinois. They don’t allow chains out here and most folks in the Chicago area don’t need snow tires. Really there’s only a few days of the year where there is snowfall or snow on the streets, they plow really well out here, better than DC. If she lives in a rural area on the edge of Chicagoland then snow tires might be a good investment, but otherwise not worth it.
Now Papa Chameleon taught me to drive in the snow up in the mountains of Califronia, but for the most part it is pretty similar to driving in the rain. As long as it isn’t too deep, you just need to allow more following distance and slow down more for turns. When it gets really deep you can get stuck into it, so make sure she gets a snow shovel and a nice ice scraper/brush for cleaning off her car.
Just explain to her to only go exactly as fast as she is comfortable with. She will see big SUV’s barreling down the street and the object is not to try and keep up with them. She will get to her destination quicker anyway because they will be off in a ditch or wrapped around a pole a mile down the road. I can’t count how many times I have seen something like that. Lots of people, even the ones that have lived in the area for a long time, will drive above the ability of both themselves and their vehicle especially during the first big storm. Keep it nice and slow with ample following distance. Those jerks never seem to figure out that 4-wheel drive may help you get going but it doesn’t do a thing for stopping or steering. If she has a rear-wheel drive vehicle, a couple of hundred pounds of weight in the trunk can help a lot with traction.
well, as a cali boy living in Michigan, I’ve found that you just need to be a bit more careful- stopping distances, potential for skidding, etc. 4wd or awd does NOT mean you can drive like normal. Real WD might require a couple bags of kitty litter or sand in the trunk. It’s also a good idea to have a blanket in the car.
I agree that it actually doesn’t snow that much here, and the plows are pretty good – the most important advice is to just be more careful when your driving when there’s snow on the street. An ice scraper/brush is a must (get 2, then the passenger can help!), a shovel is a very good idea if you park on the street. Leather gloves are nice too, I wear the knit stretchy kind for walking around but they soak right thru when I’m cleaning off the car.
When slowing down on a slick road, tap the brakes gently several times instead of slamming them down, which will almost certainly cause you to slide.
God, I have lived in snowy climates my whole life and I still fear driving in snow, mostly because other people are such idiots on the road. I really wish SUV drivers wouldn’t get all pissy and tailgate me just because I happen to be going a little slower than them.
She should invest in a good, sturdy ice scraper and snow brush, especially if she parks outdoors. Sometimes the biggest obstacle is getting rid of the thin layer of ice with a thicker layer of snow on top that builds up on the windshield overnight. Cheap scrapers from the convenience store aren’t worth it.
Thanks everyone. I was mostly concerned about whether she needed chains or snow tires; glad to hear she doesn’t. The other advice is also appreciated, especially about the shovel and snow/ice scraper. And leather gloves; I think she’ll be happy to not learn that one the hard way.
This is only true with non-ABS brakes, as far as it’s always been explained to me. If you have ABS, you’re not supposed to tap the brakes–the ABS does that for you.
edit: Although I should add that in heavy snow, ABS can sometimes be less efficient in terms of stopping distance for you, as with locked wheels you can build up a mound of snow that will help you stop.
Make sure her wiper blades are good and she had an extra bottle of wiper solvent. Windshields get dirty and impossible to see out of very quickly in the wintertime.
Boy, is that ever the truth. First time in an ABS car on the road to our house (slight down hill, packed snow over gravel). I nearly missed our turn because of the ABS. It’s happend a number of times since. I always have a WTF moment because the car won’t stop.
Yep, and don’t use the wiper fluid to melt snow or ice on the windshield! It’ll refreeze and annoy you until it warms up. If you’re out of wiper fluid, just rub some snow on the windshield, hit the wipers, and you’re good to go.
One thing that works for me is if the weather is lousy and the streets look terrible, don’t drive if you can possibly avoid it.
Might sound simple, but a whole bunch of folk act as tho snow, ice, and zero visibility shouldn’t put a dent in their plans to drive the speed limit to Blockbuster. The roads will be clearer tomorrow (or the day after.)
This should be repeated - I know everyone thinks it sounds silly, but if you can get away with not driving when the winter weather is bad, JUST DON’T. Too many people ignore this - including my husband (but that’s another story). It messes up the roads, can mess up your car, takes emergency vehicles and personnel away from where they’re needed, and a plethora of other just plain stupid stuff that could be avoided.
Oh - and keep an extra gallon of windshield solvent in the car - always. Even if you just filled it up. Just keep one extra. Trust me.
Windshield solvent. A good, sturdy scraper/brush. A big towel, sometimes you just need to wipe something, even the inside of the windows. Keep a spare hat and gloves in the car.
Go EASY on both the gas and the brakes. Slow down before that turn, not while you’re turning. Be aware of following cars and trucks too closely, one of them will hit a puddle, or a pile of slush that will land on your windshield, blinding you for a few seconds.
Anticipate that most of the clods in the SUV’s don’t realize that the laws of physics apply to them as well. Give them room.
Run your car through a car wash regularly to get the salt off.
Every time you stop for gas, check your headlights and clean them off, salt, mud and whatnot can cover the lens and make them next to useless.
As for driving at all, the CTA is (for now) still great for where young people are likely to live and work, in many cases it is just downright more convenient than driving, especially when it gets sloppy out.
For equipment, I would highly recommend “winter” wiper blades, which cover the hinges and moving parts with a rubber shroud. This keeps melting snow and ice from seeping in there, freezing and reducing the effectiveness of the wiper blades. You can get decent winter blades for ten bucks a piece, or even less. The first time you wake up to a below freezing morning and your wipers work, it will have been worth the money.
Right now while it’s nice out, pick out a nice, wide open parking lot that doesn’t have many light poles and doesn’t have concrete dividers between parking spaces. When it snows, take your car to this parking lot and start sliding all around. Drive too fast and slam on the brakes. Try to turn too sharply. Do all sorts of things so that you learn to feel when the car is starting to lose traction, and work on how to recover when you do start sliding. It’s much better to learn how to drive in snow on an empty parking lot than discovering things the hard way in the middle of traffic.
Just make sure you pick out your parking lot now, because once the snow hits, you won’t know if there are concrete dividers buried under the snow or not.
Avoid the main highways if possible when it’s snowing really hard - they turn into parking lots. It’s not uncommon in really bad conditions for cars to spend so much time trapped on the freeway that they actually run out of gas and clog the highway. Trying to get from downtown to the near west 'burbs (Oak Park in case anyone cares) I once went through 1/2 a tank of gas in a Honda Civic during the 2 hour crawl. I barely made it.
If she absolutely MUST get on a freeway in bad conditions make sure the tank is full, but it’s really best to avoid them if at all possible.
IMHO, it’s not always the snow…the cold is far worse for your car.
Is she going to be living/working downtown? When I lived by Wrigley Field, I had a nice iron shovel in my trunk to dig my flipping car out after the plows had buried it (after the first solid snow, this can happen 2-3 times post-shoveling).
If she parks on side streets, it’s not a bad idea to get a stupid topper for her antenna…it can help her find her car after everyone on the street has been buried.
A bag of salt in the trunk…not for weight (but it’s useful if you have RWD), but for traction if she gets stuck. Sprinkle some under the stuck tires…adds traction and melts the snow/ice.
I like to keep a clean chamois in the glove box…to allow me to clean the inside of my windsheld while the car is warming up.
If it’s really cold (my definition…under 10F) for a prolonged period of time, tell her to go start the car (don’t have to drive it, just start it) once a day. The car won’t start if you let it sit around and allow the oil to gel.
If it’s an older car…I always had good luck with HEET brand gasoline additive…it keeps the gas from gelling, I believe…or removes water vapor.
Gloves (they make a neat ice scraper that has a glove-liek covering), a cold-weather emergency kit (flare, emergency tire inflator/sealant, water, blanket), and tell her to keep a cell phone on her when she drives.