Compiled by Tyler Barnes
Winter conditions call for different driving tactics, just like different snow conditions and terrain require different skiing and riding tactics. Here are a few gentle reminders (some funny, some serious) as you prepare for the up-coming winter season:
- Leave early for the mountain. It’s not worth putting yourself and others in a dangerous situation just to save time. Plus, if you’re late to line-up your instructor peers will be more ticked off at you than management because they had to take your assigned class … boo!
- Chill with the road rage. If the conditions are challenging for you, just think how they are for everyone else. The multi-week busses and your 9am private will probably be late too, so relax!
- Don’t be overconfident with four/all-wheel drive. It won’t help you stop any faster, and the body panels dent just as easily as two-wheel drive when you hit the snow bank, making you even more late and your peers even more ticked off (see #1 above).
- The car behind you can’t stop. Winter road conditions result in longer stopping distances for you and the car behind you! Just because you have ABS does not mean the car behind does!
- Expect the unexpected. Slow down when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges or shady spots. These all have potential to develop black ice and people who are unfamiliar with the mountain do weird things here … like make unexpected u-turns, stop in the middle of the road when deciding whether to turn here or park there and etc. Be ready for the flat landers to surprise you!
- Think tray of food. Avoid abrupt actions while steering, braking or accelerating to reduce the chances of losing control of your vehicle!
- Look past the car ahead of you. Actions by other drivers (#5 above) will alert you to problems and give you extra time to react.
- Don’t use cruise control or overdrive. Don’t let your car make a bad decision for you like downshifting on ice. Been there, not cool!
- Watch for visual cues of temperature and snow condition changes. The transition zone from deep packed snow to deep slush can be the most treacherous, like on the way home when you are tired!
- Pass with courtesy. If you pass another vehicle be sure you have adequate distance to travel well ahead them before you move back into the their lane, because the shower of sand, gravel and rocks you spray damages the vehicle you just passed. And you may be parking next to this person once at the mountain, and they may even be your client! A ding in the windshield caused by your instructor is great way to insure no tip. True story.