I try to go slow, but braking makes the car (and therefore me) feel nervous. any ideas?
It’s a common sight when the cold stuff sets in: a ‘‘Chains must be carried’’ sign. But that’s the easy bit; carrying them, we mean. When should you actually fit them?
The good news is that where there’s a sign telling you to carry chains, there will usually be another further up the road telling you to fit them when required.
But basically, the appropriate conditions for chains are when there’s enough of a layer of ice and/or snow to provide a compacted surface of white stuff for those chains to dig into and do their job – which is to provide extra traction and stop you skidding around when you accelerate (gently of course).
Chains and tarmac aren’t a happy combination, because when they meet both can be damaged. They’re not for doing hot laps, either: maximum speed on a set of chains is really only about 50kmh.
It goes without saying that chains should be fitted to the driven wheels. So if you have a front-drive car, they go on the front. Rear-drive, on the back. Which is our way of saying it’s a good idea to know what type of drivetrain you’re running before you set out on that winter It takes a lot of air conditioning power to keep windows clear in winter driving, especially when you first set out on a journey. If you’re lucky enough to have a new or recent-model car, you’re better off than those with older vehicles in which the air-con has lost its power and might be in need of a good re-gas.
When the windows get foggy, it’s tempting to give them a big swirly wipe with your hands. Best not to: oil from your skin creates streaks that are really hard to get rid of, and makes the fogging problem worse in the long run, because you get distracting patterns all over the glass as it clears.
Solution: make sure the inside of your car’s glass is clean to start with, preferably by using warm water or an automotive glasscleaner when conditions are not as extreme. It’ll help the de-fogging process immensely.
Better still, wait a few minutes before you set out to give the car’s air-con time to clear the air. You have to reduce and/or control your speed more carefully in winter conditions – both in urban