Alarming number of car collisions in Calgary highways

[jamesalbert]

Recently CBC news reported alarming number of collisions on the Calgary highways. 350 collisions in a day, I happened to see the video on TV. Why do we get into so much of trouble driving in winter ? Aren’t we aware ! or is it our negligence. May be its that we need to be trained ? I am not sure guys! But I went through this link, about someone who was interviewed in the series – I think this is worth reading. It gives you tips on how to drive safe on snow, and how to prepare your vehicle for snowy conditions.

Please share your thoughts!Click Here for more info on how to drive in winter weather (http://www.fleetsafetyinternational.com/blog/default.aspx)

[TomcoPDR]

A lot of people who don't know how to drive moving to Calgary.

[scat19]

You'd think it's a pretty easy task - you know, something you do everyday.

[inline6turbo]

Fear. Most people will blindly follow the pack of people doing whatever speed on the highways and be stricken with terror, with no confidence in themselves. Then will over do everything, overbrake, oversteer, overcorrect and be spun in a ditch. Blowing winds make visibility difficult so they'll follow closer to someone to avoid steering off course. Then they don't have enough braking distance, and rear end someone. I would say 70-80% of the people I know are scared (most won't admit it), some are panicked, in situations that feel they have no control over, like in the wicked slippery conditions it's been lately. The last couple weeks have, in my opinion, been the most slippery that I can remember. It's a terrible combination.

People need to understand their cars, and the physics of momentum better. We don't offer mandatory winter driving courses here. If you've driven 20kmph the whole winter and never encountered a slip, how are you supposed to know how to react when you slip at 100kmph without notice. "OMG I'm SLIPPING! BRAKEE!!" :facepalm:

Winter driving courses should be mandatory in winter climates like ours. IMO

[heavyD]

Yep people especially older drivers get so scared that their driving performance actually suffers. I see some cars moving very slow wallowing in and out, partially veering into the other lane which makes it difficult to pass them on the other lane of a one-way two lane road such as Jean Laurie Blvd. When you go by you see an old women (or man) with her hands at the 11:00 and 1:00 positions of the sterring wheel and her face hunched forward over the wheel. That's not a proper driving position and you can see that if she loses control she's not going to be able to make corrective action and risks more injury by leaning forward, not having her back agains the seat. I see so many white knuckle drivers and they worry me just as much if not more than the aggresive puckup truck drivers that think their big 4x4 is invincible in poor conditions. Lots of really, really poor drivers in this city.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

The only rules I use during the winter:

1. Double all distances from cars in front
2. Clutch in, look where you want to go if your sliding
3. Drive for the conditions

Havent had any issues so far, im more worried about some ritard smacking into me.

[dansmith11]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo
The only rules I use during the winter:

1. Double all distances from cars in front
2. Clutch in, look where you want to go if your sliding
3. Drive for the conditions

Havent had any issues so far, im more worried about some ritard smacking into me.

whats with #2? ive heard so many people this winter tell me that they clutch in when they start to slide.. clutching in takes away your drive wheels.. which takes away your ability to manipulate weight transfer.. by clutching in your basically saying "screw it, i give up.. do with me what you will road! im just along for the ride now!"

its all about weight transfer and smooth transitions.. in low traction situations you dont ever want to do anything suddenly. and clutching in is a pretty sudden removal of power from your drive wheels.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by dansmith11


whats with #2? ive heard so many people this winter tell me that they clutch in when they start to slide.. clutching in takes away your drive wheels.. which takes away your ability to manipulate weight transfer.. by clutching in your basically saying "screw it, i give up.. do with me what you will road! im just along for the ride now!"

its all about weight transfer and smooth transitions.. in low traction situations you dont ever want to do anything suddenly. and clutching in is a pretty sudden removal of power from your drive wheels.

:werd:

if you are sliding it is all going to be dependent on the draintrain the the car and the type of slide (understeer/oversteer) but in almost all cases you will need to have throttle input

[inline6turbo]

Originally posted by dansmith11


whats with #2? ive heard so many people this winter tell me that they clutch in when they start to slide.. clutching in takes away your drive wheels.. which takes away your ability to manipulate weight transfer.. by clutching in your basically saying "screw it, i give up.. do with me what you will road! im just along for the ride now!"

its all about weight transfer and smooth transitions.. in low traction situations you dont ever want to do anything suddenly. and clutching in is a pretty sudden removal of power from your drive wheels.

It's how you get your traction back because your slipping wheel will be your drive wheels. Usually applies to RWD vehicles like my mustang. Braking happens on the front two tires, power is on the back two. To correct my back end from slidding out under load, I clutch in and it corrects back to center. If I just let off the gas then it would go into engine braking, or the rear wheel going slower then the car, and loss of traction. Clutch in makes the wheel instantly travel at the speed the car is moving and results in traction. I can then slowly re-engage the clutch and give power back gradually to the tires.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Clutching allows you wheels to start turning at road speed again, allowing you to have more grip. I only use that under braking situations where the back breaks loose.

[Tik-Tok]

Although this has obviously provoked some thought from our members, I just thought I'd let you all know...

THE OP IS SPAMMING US

[ercchry]

^^^ haha i was thinking of saying something, but it did start a good thread

you guys have to get some throttle control....

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

I do have throttle control :) Thats why I drive an S13! Like I said, I only use it under braking, because if im sliding sideways, ill just let it drift out in my car.

[inline6turbo]

Originally posted by ercchry
^^^ haha i was thinking of saying something, but it did start a good thread

you guys have to get some throttle control.... \

This isn't a drift competition you dork haha.

Clutch in is during brake situations. Not power. Ie going up a hill I use throttle to straighten me out or not, depends on my mood and level of playfullness and desire for fuel mileage.
Why would you need throttle to take a corner gradually or come to a stop.

[ercchry]

not throttle... control of throttle... but why would you NOT want to use throttle during a turn haha

EDIT: without braking i am able to just barely slide around a corner (like no countersteer needed) and not touch the brakes, keeps my momentum up and i do not even give myself a chance to understeer into a curb

[Mar]

Foreigners. That about sums it up.
It's their first time seeing snow and it's a damn blizzard, they're lost. That and the fact they (for some reason) buy a 4000 pound front wheel drive van with all season tires on it and wonder why they're all over the road. :whipped:

[inline6turbo]

Originally posted by ercchry
not throttle... control of throttle... but why would you NOT want to use throttle during a turn haha

Because I don't have the thought "Hey I'm starting to understeer, let's see if I can turn this into a sick drift *clutch kick* WeeEEeEee"

tsk tsk.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by inline6turbo


Because I don't have the thought "Hey I'm starting to understeer, let's see if I can turn this into a sick drift *clutch kick* WeeEEeEee"

tsk tsk.

well... true.... i have seem you try to drift haha... read my edit though because i knew you would say that :D

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Originally posted by inline6turbo


Because I don't have the thought "Hey I'm starting to understeer, let's see if I can turn this into a sick drift *clutch kick* WeeEEeEee"

tsk tsk.

You dont even need to clutch kick, just giver some gas, youll know right away if it works or not. That being said im usually sideways before I even enter the corner.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo


You dont even need to clutch kick, just giver some gas, youll know right away if it works or not. That being said im usually sideways before I even enter the corner.

haha i have been linking some pretty crazy turns this winter in the Q45 haha, sideways about a block before the corner, love the long wheelbase

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Im sideways even on the straight aways in my 180.

The Jeep is very hard to drift though, give it more gas, and most of the time it will understeer more. Needs more LSD.

[inline6turbo]

Originally posted by ercchry


well... true.... i have seem you try to drift haha... read my edit though because i knew you would say that :D


Haha see, you know why I instead try to keep er' straight and in control, normal kind of control. My drifting abilities are on par with 99.9% of the general population. But my record is free of accidents after 6 years of negotiating winters in RWD sports cars, sometimes with winters, sometimes with summers :S So I think I'm doing ok :)

[ercchry]

yeah i guess you are doing okay... for a girl :D haha....

i love winter driving, lets me work on my rally skills... but really i have to rally it through the corners near my place or i would get stuck in the 2ft of snow we still have in places :nut:

[inline6turbo]

Me too :) I always seek out the backroads and baren places to be stupid and see how far I can push my luck before I have to bust out a shovel... or cell phone...
You like the slidding around part, I like the deep powdery knee high stuff. Reminds me of the offroading days. Need a winch on the stang haha.

[Abeo]

When riding in other people's cars, I'm amazed at the jabby inputs they do... smooth application of the throttle, smooth application of the brakes, leave plenty of room, etc.

When my truck accidentally gets a little sideways in 3rd gear at 50 km/h on the bare but icy pavement (yes, I have winter tires and weight over the rear wheels), only about half the people around me back off and adjust their distances... the other half seems to be oblivious that they are driving on a skating rink.

[inline6turbo]

Originally posted by inline6turbo


But my record is free of accidents after 6 years of negotiating winters in RWD sports cars, sometimes with winters, sometimes with summers :S So I think I'm doing ok :)

Is it ironic I JUST got into an accident on heritage hahaha

Poor mustang :(


Disregard all posts by me about driving in winter hahaha
:rofl: :rofl: :burnout:

[max_boost]

Originally posted by inline6turbo


Is it ironic I JUST got into an accident on heritage hahaha

Poor mustang :(


Disregard all posts by me about driving in winter hahaha
:rofl: :rofl: :burnout:

Did you have winters on? :devil:

OK I just hope you are alright more than anything.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

That is ironic, hope everybody is ok!

[inline6turbo]

Ya all's well :p Some jackass doing like 100 on heritage cut a guy off and he swerved in front of me and I just plowed into him!

Luckily he was driving a jacked up F250 and barely had a scratch! He got out, looked at his truck, look at my car and said "Oh your poor car!" I chuckled. He wished me a merry christmas as we split ways. Not going to bother with insurance. Only thing injured is my car. But I do have a raging head ache now and a really hurting neck :(

Tis life!

[Schwa]

will it buff out :poosie: