Getting stuck in a snowdrift or heavy snow is as easy as shelling pears and can only take a couple of seconds. But digging out and getting out of snow captivity is often difficult, and it takes a lot of time. Driving instructors will give detailed instructions on how to minimal costs time and fuel to pull the car out of the snowdrift.
Important “winter” rules
Reduce the tire pressure, which will increase the traction area between the road and the wheels. You can put something under the drive wheels, such as floor mats. Although they don't help often.
The front wheels should be turned straight, especially on a rear-wheel drive vehicle. Even a small angle of deflection will create resistance, and this will lead to slipping.
Concerning front wheel drive car, then the position of the drive wheels is not important here. Moreover, it is recommended to turn the steering wheel before driving so that the tires can grip.
Then we rock the car. To do this, we use the clutch: press it and release it, preventing the car from slipping. Even if it’s just a few centimeters, the car will move. Next, very smoothly add gas, continuing the rocking and, accordingly, movement. It is important that the first rotation of the wheels occurs without slipping.
How to operate a machine gun?
Turn off the traction control system. Place the selector in position “N”, then in “D”, without touching the gas pedal.
Next, press on the gas, and as soon as the car stops, press on the brake, but do not release the gas. At this second, take your foot off the gas, the brake remains pressed, and the gear should be switched to the “R” (reverse) position.
You step on the gas, release the brake, and you roll back. Press the brake at the moment when the car seems to freeze. And so on. With these actions you will rock the car and be able to get out of the snow captivity.
Video about what to do if your car gets stuck in the snow:
Have a good and clean journey!
Image taken from 15minut.org
Almost all car owners sooner or later face problems that arise during snowy winters, the reason for this is heavy snowfalls, prolonged springs, repeated thaws followed by frosts and snowstorms, failure to clear roads of snow in a timely manner. From the possibility of a car getting into snow captivity no one is insured.
A situation that requires serious efforts to free the car can hardly be considered pleasant. Therefore, it makes sense to prepare for the possibility of such a turn of events, as well as find out what preventive measures should be taken. Let's figure out why a shovel, a rope, tow rope- vital necessary tool in harsh Russian winters.
A car can get stuck in the snow for various reasons, most often this happens:
- when turning off the main road
- a snowdrift near the car can form when parking outside on the street if it snows heavily at night
The looseness of the snow and the ice underneath can aggravate the situation; it is very bad if at such a moment there is no one nearby who can provide assistance.
First of all, you should try to drive out of the snow yourself, but before you start the engine, it is recommended to check whether the exhaust pipe, clearing it of snow is mandatory, otherwise exhaust gases may penetrate into the car interior and cause poisoning.
Then you will need to straighten the wheels, i.e. make them parallel to the car body; such an action can greatly simplify the task.
why do you need to lower your car wheels?
If you have a compressor for inflating the wheels, you can bleed some air from them. This action can be quite effective - grip on hard surfaces and ice and snow stuck to it will become a little better.
The chances of getting out safely will increase significantly.
clearing the snow
You will also need to make physical efforts, which should be aimed at removing the maximum possible amount of ice and snow from the drive wheels.
If it happens that your awareness of the drive is not very detailed, then it is quite possible to independently determine which wheels are driven - they are the ones that will slip when you try to move.
Many SUVs are all-wheel drive, i.e. the design of their transmission allows torque to be transmitted to all wheels of the car.
To remove snow and ice, you can use a shovel, of course, if you are a prudent person and put it in the trunk in advance.
If this invaluable tool is not at hand, you will have to use improvised means, in as a last resort- even with a screwdriver or wheel wrench, which can be used to break the ice that has formed under the wheels of the car.
It is recommended to remove snow in the direction of movement of the car at least half a meter, if possible - even further, this is especially important if the thickness of the snow cover exceeds the height ground clearance car.
If the belly of the car is sitting in a snowy mess, then you will need to remove the snow from under the car
Tips that will be useful if you are caught in snow:
Technique for getting out of snow captivity
Leave from snow drift should be in a low gear, the torque transmitted to the wheels should be minimal, then there is a chance that they will stop slipping and the car will move forward very slowly but surely.
As soon as you feel that the wheels are slipping, you will need to stop the car immediately. The most correct option is to repeat the movement back and forth until the wheels start to slip.
You should move backwards as long as possible, then you should engage forward gear, if it is possible to move at least a meter forward - accelerate the car, then try to coast further forward.
When backing up and returning, try to drive along one track; as the track you create increases, the chances of getting out will increase somewhat.
A feature of cars that do not have special traction equipment is the differentiated distribution of torque to all drive (rear or front, depending on the design of the car) wheels. Those. their rotation speed has different frequencies.
This approach eliminates the possibility of tires slipping on the asphalt surface when turning. However, in the case of a car driving out of a snowy slush, it turns out that slipping and slipping of one of the wheels leads to the fact that the others, which could have traction, will not receive any effort.
Rocking the car to the sides can have a certain effect. But such a step should be taken as a last resort, exclusively for cars that are not equipped automatic transmission gears - swaying can very quickly damage it.
In addition, to perform such actions you will need at least two assistants - after all, you will need to stay behind the wheel and try to get out of the snowy mess.
What can you put under the wheels?
Trip to winter time By snowy road always involves some real risks.
Therefore, instructors and experienced drivers strongly advise keeping in the trunk:
- a couple of kilograms of sand, for convenience it can be poured into a bag
- a shovel, which will be convenient for clearing snow near the wheels of a stuck car
- several packs of table salt
- wheel chains.
The presence of these simple devices will simplify the task of rescuing a car stuck in the snow from captivity.
Moreover, you shouldn’t throw the shovel out of the trunk even in summer.
Drivers who are well prepared for winter should have special chains in stock - this is an ideal option for what can be placed under the wheels of a stalled car.
How to get out of a snowdrift - let's use the tips of experienced drivers:
If you haven’t stocked up on chains in advance, you’ll have to walk around the neighborhood and collect broken branches, dry weeds, boards, rags, etc.; you can use rugs that are placed under your feet in a car.
The rugs will unfortunately get ruined, but this may be your chance to get back on the hard road quickly.
The accelerator pedal should be handled as carefully as possible; you can begin to act only after making sure that there are no people standing behind the car - everything that was thrown under the wheels can fly out from under them with considerable speed.
Pro Tips: A couple of kilograms of salt in the trunk, why is it needed?
If you have a supply of sand or cat litter in the trunk, great, you should sprinkle it on the road sections under the drive wheels, this will create additional friction and the chance of getting out of the trap will increase significantly.
The second option is to try to melt the snow and ice under the wheels of the car; this can be done with salt, antifreeze, or windshield cleaning fluid.
But it should be noted that it is not advisable to spill antiphysis in residential areas - if a pet drinks from such a puddle, it can be poisoned.
Tugboat, rules for pulling the car
If you feel tired, and the actions taken are still ineffective, then you should think about looking for help.
You can call a special service, or look for a truck or tractor in nearby areas. Towing a car should be as safe as possible.
The best option is a rope cable, such as that used by climbers; it should not be equipped with carabiners. It is not advisable to use metal cables - jerks can damage the towing eye or cause deformation of the body.
The ribbon cable may not be strong enough; it often breaks even under minor loads. The cable carabiner, if it breaks, may high speed fly to Windshield.
Remember that spinning a tire at high speeds can cause it to overheat and become damaged.
Rash actions can cause the hole under the car to deepen, and the chances of getting out of the snow on your own will be reduced to zero.
Moving forward after freeing yourself from a snow drift should continue at a fast pace, then the point where stopping will be safe for the car is best before entering the asphalt road.
If, after driving on a hard road, you feel vibration in the steering wheel or hesitation at high speeds, do not ignore this, the imbalance is most likely caused by snow stuck on the inside of the discs.
You will need to stop and remove the accumulated snow.
After releasing, check to see if the radiator is clogged with snow. If the snow is not removed in a timely manner, the air flow will be blocked, and therefore there will be a risk of overheating.
Winter trips to all-season tires- dangerous, if you often have to travel outside the city - it is best to install studded tires. Winter tires will make driving on snowy roads much easier.
Get out of a snow drift with summer tires It’s unlikely to be possible on your own.
Watch the video about what you should definitely take with you on a country trip in winter:
In winter, you should definitely keep a blanket, a blanket, a warm jacket in your car, as well as a supply of non-perishable products, for example, biscuits and a can of canned food or stew, and a flask of drinking water. The waiting time for help can be quite long.
To feel more confident on a snowy road, always carry a strong rope, a shovel, and a bag of sand in your trunk - these simple things will be necessary if you find yourself in a snowdrift.
A common problem for motorists in the spring and winter is loose snow, under which ice is hidden. The car may skid, and, what’s most unpleasant, there are not always responsive assistants nearby. In this case, let's consider how to cope with this situation yourself.
If you are stuck in a snowdrift, do not try to get out of it at speed. This can lead to the car starting to dig under itself and using the tread to dig a hole all the way to the ice. Then it will be much more difficult to get out. First of all, get out of the car and inspect the place of slipping.
By taking care of the tool in advance, you will make your task much easier in such a situation. In winter, always use only Winter tires. This is safer and reduces the risk of getting stuck in a snowdrift.
Three leading Russian specialists in emergency preparedness:
- Denis Vagin, chief instructor of the BMW driving school,
- Ernst Tsygankov, head of the Center for Advanced Driving Excellence,
- Evgeniy Vasin, chief instructor of the school Audi Quattro
give advice on winter driving.
In most of Russia, the onset of winter adds headaches to motorists. You need to take care of buying winter tires, wait in line at the tire shop, change summer oil for the winter, buy floor mats with high sides for the interior so that street mud flavored with salt from your shoes does not fall onto the floor.
But amid all this trouble, the main thing is not to forget about the most important thing - along with sub-zero temperature Snow and ice appear on the roads, and, therefore, drivers need to reconsider the driving style that has developed over the summer. Otherwise, having unsuccessfully “gasaned”, the first ice can be found in the ditch, or, in worst case, in a hospital bed.
Why three at once? We decided that one head is good, but several are even better. Every professional accumulates own experience, and finding out several authoritative opinions at once is much more useful than just one.
For convenience, we have grouped the experts' answers for each question. But if you want to know the advice of each of them in full - please! Scroll down a little and enjoy.
What is the main difference winter driving from summer?
What are the tips for emergency braking on slippery roads (with ABS, without ABS)?
What is the difference between driving a manual and automatic car in winter conditions?
What is the difference between driving a car with rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive? winter road?
In most cases, the car skids unexpectedly for the driver. How can you learn to anticipate situations in which your wheels may lose traction?
How to leave deep snow by car with manual box gears?
How to get out of deep snow in a car with automatic transmission?
Does it improve cross-country ability? passenger car four-wheel drive?
Is it worth buying studless winter tires for the city, more suitable for driving on asphalt than for slippery roads and loose snow? How safe is it to drive out of town on such tires?
Are there any special features when driving a car equipped with ABS systems and ESP, in winter conditions?
What precautions should you take when driving uphill or downhill in winter?
Is it worth preparing yourself for critical situations on a slippery road (attending courses, reading specialized literature)? Or to avoid them, just drive carefully and follow the rules traffic?
What dangers, besides slippery roads and poor visibility, can a driver encounter on a winter road? How to avoid them?
Your most important “winter” advice to all drivers
BMW Driving School.
Denis Vagin, chief instructor of the BMW driving school
A: All the phenomena inherent in the behavior of a car on snow also occur on asphalt. The only question is the intensity of the impact on the car. Therefore, on slippery surfaces the driver must act more carefully. But I don’t see any fundamental differences and I don’t recommend focusing on the fact that you can do something on asphalt, but not on snow.
A: The advice is trivial. If a driver driving a car with ABS finds himself in a critical situation, then it is better to brake hard and with maximum force until he is sure that the braking distance is enough to come to a complete stop. On cars without ABS is better Brake so as to prevent the wheels from locking. If you still feel like the wheels are locking, apply intermittent braking. It is advisable to do this in gear to avoid unnecessary wheel slipping.
O: With an automatic transmission, the beginning of wheel slip is not always clearly felt, because there is no rigid connection between the engine and the wheels. It may happen that the wheels skid, you won’t notice it, leave the gas at the same level and the wheel will begin to slip even more... Doubts arise because the engine does not start to “roar” sharply - after all, gears are switched depending on the speed of rotation of the wheels, and it , due to slipping, can be quite high.
Plus, with an automatic transmission there is less engine braking capability. But with an automatic transmission it is easier to move away on slippery surfaces - the “automatic” always does it smoothly and more reliably.
A: It must be said that if the car is not affected by longitudinal forces caused by acceleration or braking, then the maximum possible speed on the arc depends solely on the coefficient of friction, that is, on the tread pattern and composition of your tires and the condition of the road surface. And this factor, you understand, does not depend on the type of drive.
From the point of view of acceleration, there is no difference in the types of drive - both front and rear. rear wheel drive The drive wheels begin to slide earlier than the others. But, front-wheel drive, due to its design features and weight distribution, on slippery roads allows you to accelerate faster and is more stable when driving in a straight line. But when cornering, front-wheel drive cars demonstrate pronounced understeer. A rear-wheel drive car, on the contrary, behaves less stable in a straight line, but, in my opinion, it is easier to maneuver.
All-wheel drive allows you to press the gas a little harder, since wheel slip occurs even later. And therefore, such cars, naturally, are beyond competition in terms of acceleration dynamics on slippery surfaces. However, in a critical situation, inexperienced drivers four-wheel drive vehicle It’s harder to predict which wheels will slip first, and it’s not always obvious how exactly the car needs to be stabilized. As a result, a surprise effect occurs, which leads to an increase in the driver’s reaction time and other unpleasant consequences.
Although, if the wheels have already lost traction road surface and the car goes into a skid, then the stabilization technique, in an amicable way, does not depend on the drive. The driver’s completely natural reaction to any slip is to release the gas. In this case, all cars behave the same, since there is no traction on the drive wheels. When skidding a front-wheel drive car, the only thing that can be recommended is not to touch the gas and not turn the steering wheel. In the case of rear-wheel drive, the gas actions are the same, plus turning the steering wheel in the direction of skidding.
True, when stabilizing front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive cars, there is one more nuance: sometimes, extremely rarely, but a situation is possible in which you may need to press the gas to stabilize a sliding car. However, in practice this happens very rarely - when the car is in a very deep skid. Most likely, such a situation may arise not due to driver error, but, for example, due to an impact.
But this technique for getting out of a skid is very difficult and I do not recommend using it for untrained drivers. In my practice, for example, even in the warm conditions of a race track, it is very difficult to force a driver in a front-wheel drive car to press the gas exactly when this will actually stabilize the car in a skid. Therefore, I do not recommend touching the gas on either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. It is better for an unprofessional driver to rely on reflex, which requires releasing the accelerator pedal.
A: Theoretically, skidding can occur without any external reasons at all. The culprit may be the different coefficient of adhesion with the road surface under the right and left sides of the car. This is especially true when there is so-called snow “porridge” on the roads: in some places it has already pressed down to the asphalt, and in others there is still snow. Also, the onset of sliding is often caused by crossing a track.
If the road on the right and left is approximately the same, then the skid occurs due to an attempt to maneuver a little sharper than the road conditions allow. A combination of intense turns can also provoke a car into sliding.
Well, rear- and all-wheel drive cars tend to skid due to an overdose of gas at the exit of a turn. But at the entrance, all cars behave approximately the same: a skid is provoked by releasing the gas, so it is better to plan the passage of a curved trajectory at a constant speed, without abusing the “game” with the accelerator pedal.
A: Everyone potentially knows how to do this with a manual transmission, but few know how to do it efficiently, because it is difficult to catch the vibration frequency of the car at which it can be rocked back and forth. I draw your attention to the fact that even a slight slip in this case is disastrous. The car will either bury itself even more, or, turning the snow under the wheel, will dig a slippery hole under it.
In such a situation, by the way, there is no need to turn off the stabilization system. When you need to get out of a snowdrift, maximum traction occurs on the verge of slipping and ESP in this case, on the contrary, helps the driver.
If you can’t pull the car out by rocking, and the snow under the wheels is shallow, in principle, there is another good way- “dig” to the asphalt. Sometimes it’s worth spending 10 minutes on this and turning several kilograms of snow into steam. But, of course, it is better to do without such mockery of the car.
A: On an automatic, everything is a little more complicated, since it takes a long time to switch gears from reverse to drive and back. You press the gas, move the car forward, for example, and when it freezes, without releasing the gas, press the brake. The car stops at top dead point, release the gas and, with the brake pressed, engage reverse gear. We press on the gas again and then release the brake - the car goes backwards with slight acceleration. As soon as it freezes at the rear dead center, we press the brake - and so on until these amplitudes become large enough. The important thing is that at a certain moment you brake the car without releasing the gas, because while you move your right foot from the gas to the brake, the car will roll down again. This is a basic technique, but you need to understand that it, of course, does not guarantee getting out of the snowdrift.
Yes, of course, the cross-country ability of such vehicles is much better. An all-wheel drive vehicle has the main and undeniable advantage - most of the weight is concentrated on the front wheels, which are also driving. And the more weight there is on the drive wheels, the more they are loaded and the more difficult it is for them to slip.
On front-wheel drive cars, the load on the front axle, as a rule, is also higher than on the rear - it accounts for about 60 percent of the vehicle's weight. But for rear-wheel drive cars (for example, BMW), designers usually try to create an “ideal” weight distribution - 50:50. And not without success. As a result, only half the car's weight is on the drive wheels, which is why BMW often loses front wheel drive cars both in cross-country ability and when driving on ice. Therefore, to increase cross-country ability, you can sometimes throw something heavy into the trunk of a rear-wheel drive car, for example, a hundred kilogram sheet of metal.
A: Ambiguous question. Much has already been said and written about this. The question here is, rather, where and on what surface it is possible to get into a difficult situation. In a situation where there is deep snow or slippery ice on the streets, and everyone around is driving at a speed of five to ten kilometers per hour, it is unlikely that any super-quality soft “rubber” or studs will be required. And when driving along the Moscow Ring Road at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour, the need for good grip and controllability of the “rubber” can be very useful.
We can summarize it this way: you should be guided by what kind of surface - snow or asphalt - you often have to take more intense actions on. The right to choose is up to the driver.
A: Let me emphasize once again that the speed of movement along the arc, as well as braking distances, depend only on the friction coefficient. Moreover, braking with ABS on loose roads usually requires a greater distance to brake than without. The reason is that the blocked wheels get buried in the “mess”, but the ones braking using the ABS algorithm actually don’t do this. It can be said that sometimes systems active safety even limit the capabilities of the car.
On the other hand, thanks to these systems, in a critical situation the machine requires a simpler stabilization technique. Thanks to the presence of ABS and ESP, nothing changes dramatically, but driving a car with them is easier - there is less chance of making a mistake.
A: It must be taken into account that descent has a much more serious effect on increasing the braking distance than ascent does on reducing it. Bright physical example: on ice with a friction coefficient of about 0.1, the maximum descent angle at which you can brake at all is about five degrees. If the angle is greater, when the wheels lock, the car will move downward with acceleration. And on a five-degree climb, the braking distance will be half as long as on a flat road.
Plus, when descending, even to move at a constant speed, you often need to let off the gas. And this leads to unstable behavior of the car.
Q: Is it worth preparing yourself for critical situations on a slippery road (attending courses, reading specialized literature)? Or is it enough to avoid them by driving carefully and following traffic rules?
A: If I say no, considering my position, you might be surprised. So I'll say yes. You need to understand that although the emergency braking skill is useful, another solution to the problem is theoretically possible. If your driving distance is two to three times greater than the potential braking distance, then you will not need emergency braking. If you are able to create so much around yourself free space that you can get out of any difficult situation without problems - this is only welcome.
But sometimes other road users act inappropriately, and the driver himself does not always have an accurate idea of the braking distance or the features of the upcoming maneuver. And when panic sets in, reflexes often work against us. Therefore, in order to deepen your understanding of the car, it is still worth devoting at least one day to winter preparation.
You can even do this yourself, without an instructor - real ideas about the braking distance and the capabilities of the car when turning on a slippery road are always useful. But you should not test the stability of the car on public roads.
A: Dangers... For example, the very thought that a car might break down is often uncomfortable for me. In winter, this can be so critical from the point of view of your own health that technical condition you should watch a little more closely than when driving in the warm season. As for the movement itself - the windows and brushes are frozen, there is dirt all around, it gets dark early, it gets light late - there are common factors that force the driver to behave more carefully.
A: The main “winter” advice is to reduce the intensity of your acceleration, braking and turning by two to three times, and then there will be no problems on slippery roads.
This is how classes are held at Tsygankov’s school.
Ernst Tsygankov, head of the Center for Advanced Driving Excellence
Q: What is the main difference between winter driving and summer driving?
A: To adapt to new road conditions it takes time: for some two weeks, for others three. The driver must drive very carefully during the first week to simply understand the behavior of the car. All sharp maneuvers and sudden braking should be excluded for now. In addition, it is necessary to “lengthen” the distance, as the braking distance increases.
The car also needs to be prepared for winter. Those who have a car “sleeping” on the street, and not in a warm garage, should fill it with “synthetic”. But you need to start by installing winter tires. And if a person has a car with ABS, then studs are a must! In general, it is advisable to “change your shoes” to studded tires. Although everyone says that there is more asphalt in the city than ice, they are still needed. On asphalt, a car will stop with or without studs, but on ice there is nothing better than studs.
Q: What are the tips for emergency braking on slippery roads (with ABS, without ABS)?
A: If the car is not equipped with ABS, then on slippery roads you need to use impulse braking techniques. For example, there is an intermittent method - in order to effectively slow down the car where asphalt and ice alternate, you need to press the brake, release it completely, press it again. The impulse technique - short, quick presses on the brake pedal - should also be used on very slippery roads.
With ABS, stopping in icy conditions is easier because the sensors of this system themselves recognize the condition of the road surface. However, if your ABS turns on very often - several times during the day - this is a bad symptom. This means that you are simply late with the start of braking. A professional's ABS comes on only a few times during the winter. And non-professionals do it a dozen times every day. We at the Center believe that ABS is like an ambulance - why does it need to travel with you all the time?
Besides, anti-lock braking system changes the braking dynamics - when it is turned on, the car brakes better or worse, depending on what is under the wheels. On roads with uneven grip - such as asphalt-ice-asphalt-ice - the electronics sometimes stop braking to maintain vehicle stability. But the driver turns out to be not ready for this. That is, he expects stable braking, but it turns out that the car either slows down well, or the brakes do not work. This often leads to stress and panic.
Therefore, I advise even those who have modern car with active safety systems, learn to drive without them turning on. ABS begins to work when the pedal force is from 15 to 25 kg, depending on the car model. You must be able to brake both smoothly and impulsively, without activating the electronics. ABS is a result of despair, when you have to hit the brakes and hope that the car itself will do everything right.
Q: What is the difference between driving a manual and automatic transmission car in winter conditions?
A: There is a fundamental difference. A manual transmission, if, of course, a person owns it, allows one to more actively resist a critical situation. "Automatic" is more passive. The latest machines also have manual switching gears, but usually, when a person gets used to an “automatic”, he stops switching anything at all and, so to speak, “gets untrained”.
Secondly, to stabilize the car in emergency situations, there are unique techniques, such as “gas-brake”: when one foot presses the gas, the other presses the brake. But you can’t do this “automatically”. An automatic transmission does not like it when two pedals are pressed at once - this is contrary to the principle of its operation.
Although, if a person has a car with an automatic transmission, then it would be good if he learned to brake with his left foot, releasing the gas pedal with his right at that moment. This skill can be useful in a critical situation, since moving your foot from one pedal to another leads to the loss of precious time - on average half a second.
However, it must be noted that there may be problems with such a technique. For an ordinary person left leg not prepared for braking. And the right one, even for people who have been driving for just a short time, constantly works - they press the gas, then the brake - and the person knows how to dose its force on the pedals. But the left foot, if the driver has a manual car, only presses and releases the clutch, and if it is an automatic, it does nothing at all. Therefore, it does not “feel” the pedals and if the driver presses the brake with his left foot, then, out of habit, he will immediately block the wheels.
Q: What is the difference between driving a car with rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive on a winter road?
This difference can easily be illustrated in a situation where the car has skidded. Reaction to the gas pedal and steering in cars with different types drive will be very different. On rear-wheel drive, you need to turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid, and completely release the accelerator at the first moment.
In a front-wheel drive car, you should never let go of the gas pedal while skidding, because this will provoke rotation. On the contrary, you need to add a little gas. In all-wheel drive, if you get on clean ice or find yourself in a skid, you need to release the gas pedal, but only partially. If you leave the accelerator completely, the effect of front-wheel drive will appear - you will trust yourself. And if you press too hard, the wheels will start to slip, and you will throw yourself off the trajectory. Three drives - three different human reactions.
Q: In most cases, the car skids unexpectedly for the driver. How can you learn to anticipate situations in which your wheels may lose traction?
A: For this you need to undergo special training. Special winter riding courses are offered not only by our Center. And we, for example, conduct it only on ice - this is learning “through error.” At our training ground, a student tries to overcome 200 skids and thus develops the necessary reflex. Even if you know theoretically how to act in a critical situation, this does not mean that you will be able to react correctly - automatic skills are needed here.
What is the difference between a professional and a non-professional? A professional begins to react either to the earliest stage of a skid, or takes corrective action even before it begins. But a non-professional reacts to sliding only when the car has already spun. That is, when it is too late to do anything.
I would also like to say about the taxi speed. At our Center we believe that active driver, which, so to speak, is protected from negative consequences critical situations, makes four steering movements per second. At the same time, a professional racer can make eight movements in the same second, and an unprepared motorist - God forbid, one.
Q: How to drive out of deep snow in a car with a manual transmission?
A: First of all, you should never skid! A rapidly rotating wheel heats up the snow - it begins to melt, water forms, then ice, and traction is completely lost. To prevent this from happening, you need to roll out of the snowdrift, accelerating so that the wheels do not start to spin.
Q: How to drive out of deep snow in a car with an automatic transmission?
A: If a car with an automatic transmission is stuck in the snow, it will be very difficult to get out while the car is rocking. First of all, due to the fact that it takes a lot of time to change gears.
Teacher at the Ernest Tsygankov Center for Advanced Driving Excellence.
Q: Does all-wheel drive improve the cross-country ability of a passenger car?
All-wheel drive in winter has an advantage not only because it increases the vehicle's cross-country ability. Such a car brakes more effectively, since the engine helps stop all four wheels. But if we talk about maneuvering, then it is much more difficult to control a four-wheel drive vehicle on a slippery road than a car with a single drive axle, since it requires a very quick reaction.
It is worth remembering here that all-wheel drive transmissions are very different from each other. For example, there are cars in which torque is always equally distributed between the front and rear axles. There are cars with smart all-wheel drive. For example, Mercedes has 4Matic, which transfers most of the thrust from the engine to rear wheels. This is done so that the front wheels do not make it difficult to control the car when maneuvering.
Q: Is it worth buying studless winter tires for the city, more suitable for driving on asphalt than for slippery roads and loose snow? How safe is it to drive out of town on such tires?
A: The fact is that on asphalt you will stop even on spikes, but on ice no one has yet come up with anything better than spikes. Of course, in a warmer climate than ours, studded tires are not really needed. For example, such tires are prohibited on autobahns in Germany. But they simply won’t let you into Finland on non-studded tires. At the border they will send you to the store to buy spikes.
Q: Are there any special considerations when driving a car equipped with ABS and ESP systems in winter conditions?
A: Now there are many modern additional electronic systems active safety and for an unprepared person this is very good - such systems help him not to make mistakes. But in some cases these mechanisms can be harmful. For example, you get into a spin and you need to “turn” the car in order to continue going straight. To do this, you need to force the drive wheels to slip, but the traction control device will not allow you to do this.
Q: What precautions should I take when driving uphill or downhill in winter?
A: If the climb is very steep, then it is advisable to take advantage of the inertia of the car. That is, enter with acceleration. Otherwise, at a certain point on the slide the wheels may not have enough traction and they will start to slip.
The descent has its own difficulties. When driving downhill, in response to braking, the wheels lock earlier than on a flat surface - it is easier for the car to “slip.” Therefore, under no circumstances should you descend the mountain in neutral or coast. It is very dangerous. And the gear should be turned down lower in order to move “pull”.
Q: Is it worth preparing yourself for critical situations on a slippery road (attending courses, reading specialized literature), or to avoid them, drive carefully and follow the rules of the road?
A: For safe management driving a car on a slippery surface special training necessary. In such conditions, knowledge of how to drive a car safely does not save a person. Reflexes and automated skills are needed. If you have to think first and then do something, you don't have enough time to act.
Q: What dangers, besides slippery roads and poor visibility, can a driver encounter on a winter road? How to avoid them?
A: In general, the main danger is low level driving skill. As a result, a person reacts inadequately to emergency situations. For example, when skidding, it takes actions that not only do not help stabilize the car, but, on the contrary, “spin” it even more.
In addition, there is another problem that has become especially relevant recently - many people do not follow the rules on the roads. As a result, motorists make maneuvers that are unexpected for other road users and create emergency situations.
Q: Your most important “winter” advice to all drivers
A: The main advice is that you need to prepare both your car and yourself for the winter road. Then everything will work out.
Audi Quattro school lesson.
Evgeniy Vasin, chief instructor of the Audi Quattro school
Q: What is the main difference between winter driving and summer driving?
ABOUT: Fundamental difference is that on a winter road all actions to drive a car must be carried out much earlier than in the summer. It must be taken into account that when braking, the car can slide with the wheels locked, and when moving in an arc, it can be pulled to the outside of the turn. If in summer water poses a danger to the driver - aquaplaning can begin, then in winter the snow that lies in the form of porridge on the road is even more dangerous. In addition, leaving a well-trodden track can cause a lot of trouble. Therefore, you need to monitor the road very carefully and choose one that is adequate to the road conditions. speed mode.
Q: What are the tips for emergency braking on slippery roads (with ABS, without ABS)?
A: First about ABS. Many automakers advise drivers to press the brakes as hard as they can and let the ABS do its job. But I would not recommend acting this way, because even experienced driver the activation of this system causes discomfort and incorrect reactions. Feeling impacts on the brake pedal, any person reflexively releases it briefly, and due to this, the braking distance increases. Therefore, on a slippery road, I would advise keeping your distance and trying to dose braking force so as not to trigger the anti-lock braking system.
When braking on a slippery road in a car without auxiliary systems it is necessary to imitate the force on the pedal ABS operation. To do this, when you feel the wheels locking, you must not release the brake, but only release it a little. This technique works well and athletes usually turn off ABS on their cars, because the electronics can make mistakes in some situations.
Q: What is the difference between driving a manual and automatic transmission car in winter conditions?
A: On vehicles with a manual transmission, the driver has a greater range of countermeasures to deal with extreme situations on a winter road. For example, in this case, the motorist has a gearbox in his arsenal, on which he can turn on downshift and, thus, when braking, help the car with “engine” braking.
In addition, in some emergency situations You can stabilize the car using the clutch pedal. For example, when a car does not obey the steering wheel during a turn and goes out of the arc, briefly squeezing the clutch can completely remove traction from the wheels, thereby allowing them to cling to the road surface again.
In a car with an automatic transmission, if necessary, you can also switch to a lower gear by sharply pressing the gas. But, compared to a manual transmission, this is less effective, because any, even the most modern “automatic”, has a certain phase of thoughtfulness.
Q: What is the difference between driving a car with rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive on a winter road?
A: Depending on the type of drive, the car behaves differently on slippery roads. Rear wheel drive car It can be schematically represented as a person pushing a cart in front of him. Therefore, any support on the front axle, even a minor one - a bump or snow slurry - spins the car. Inertia on rear axle we have to go somewhere. As a result, loss of traction on the rear-wheel drive wheels leads to skidding.
On front-wheel drive, slipping of the wheels of the drive axle leads to the car pulling to the outside of the turn. And in all-wheel drive vehicles, when there is an overdose of gas in a turn on a slippery surface, something between the reaction of the rear and front wheel drive. To summarize, I would probably say that a car with all-wheel drive behaves more stable.
To cope with loss of control on any type of drive, you must always turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid. In addition, it is necessary to gradually increase engine thrust - when the car is sliding, the drive wheels should never be left without torque. Otherwise, those inertial forces that have already arisen due to loss of adhesion to the road surface will develop chaotically.
True, on cars with different types of drive, the “meeting the skid” phase with the steering wheel will be different. On rear-wheel drive, you will have to work longer with the steering wheel, on front-wheel drive it is a very short, measured movement - just meet a skid, and immediately the wheels are set straight. And in an all-wheel drive car, the steering wheel will have to do something in between the two above-mentioned movements.
Q: In most cases, the car skids unexpectedly for the driver. How can you learn to anticipate situations in which your wheels may lose traction?
A: To foresee means to acquire a skill, to learn to act automatically. That is, first a person acquires knowledge, then skills and then skill. Therefore, explain in words how one can foresee dangerous situations on the road, impossible. You can say: “Welcome to driving schools, come and study.”
If we still talk about advice, I can go back to where I started: you need to “see” the road as best as possible, look ahead as far as possible. And in order to learn to foresee critical situations, you need training, training and more training...
Q: How to drive out of deep snow in a car with a manual transmission?
A: A car with a manual transmission always has a clutch that can be used to rock the car - pressing and releasing it on the verge of closing and unlocking the drive and driven disks, and thereby preventing the wheels from slipping.
Excellent snowy weather is marred for the motorist by long warm-ups, difficulties with parking and especially digging the car out of the snowdrifts in the morning. And of course, there is always the chance of simply getting stuck on an unclean path or even getting into an accident due to slippery roads and poor visibility. If it is difficult to park or “park” back onto the road, then, of course, you can always work with a shovel, but not everyone likes physical exercise in the fresh air. So our task for today is – learn to “understand snow” and figure out how to deal with it.
Snow cover is not at all as simple as many are accustomed to perceive it. In fact, this is not just another slippery surface. Depending on temperature and density, it is capable of creating entire sets of surfaces with different properties. For a city driver, snow most often appears in the form of rolling snow, compacted snow in ruts, or rather dense drifts of wet or stale snow. And very rarely, unfortunately, in the form of a sparkling soft blanket on the ground.
The insidiousness of any snow covering is that while the snow is loose, its load-bearing capacity is low. It brakes the car perfectly and is not able to keep it on the surface; it literally falls into it to the harder layers. But this does not prevent the snow from delaying its movement, especially if it reaches the body and suspension parts. The dense layer of snow seems to form a good surface, behind which winter tires they cling well, and the “combat” spikes for athletes with huge spikes are absolutely excellent.
But literally in the blink of an eye, such snow cover can turn into a thin and very slippery layer of ice on the surface of compacted snow, on which ordinary studs no longer work very well, especially at temperatures around zero. Such a surface may turn out to be too slippery for the wheel to “dig” through it, and even if there are only a few millimeters to the asphalt, the car will remain in place.
In addition, the snowdrifts freeze, hard layers alternate with loose ones, the road surface becomes uneven, causing the load on the wheels to be different, and all these factors together usually mean that the car is stuck and will not get out without outside help. Or is there still a chance? Let's consider several typical situations.
Morning surprise
Since cars are now mostly front-wheel drive and winter tires is widely available, then I will assume that your car has exactly this configuration and is not on racing slicks. And if in the morning you are afraid to find that you are separated from the road by a snow parapet and half a meter of less dense and not so deep snow, then I have good news for you.
A typical driver mistake is to try to overcome an obstacle “like dry land.” That is, start moving, turning the wheels and trying to jump out onto the road. Usually the car moves slightly and immediately begins to slip with the inner wheel relative to the turning radius. After which the driver presses the gas a little more, turns the steering wheel, and now the car is sitting in a deep snow hole, from where it cannot get out without outside help without special techniques.
The best way to understand how to proceed is to have a good idea of how the wheel stays on the snow in the first place if it does not reach the asphalt. As the wheel rotates and moves forward, it forms a “wedge” in front of it, in which any loose coating is compacted before it ends up under the wheel.
The larger the diameter of the wheel, the longer the wedge, and the wider the tire, the larger the area it covers. If the snow is dense enough, as happens in our climatic conditions, then the usual passenger car on wheels of a typical diameter has the potential to compact the snow “wedge” to such an extent that it forms a path that can support the car and on which the tire tread can cling.
But all this idyll falls apart as soon as the wheel starts to slip a little. In this case, the compaction zone will immediately fly out behind the wheel, and it will end up in a hole, and the more it slips, the deeper the hole it will open for itself. But moving through loose and heavy snow requires a lot of traction. Fortunately, a solution to the problem has long been found, you just need to move faster and overcome the difficult part of the section “on the fly.” But how to do this when leaving the parking lot?
Take a closer look at the car after a snowfall. The wheels are not located at the very corners of the car, and usually under them there is space with compacted snow or even clean asphalt - this is what should be used for acceleration. It’s just that you won’t be able to jump through the entire difficult section at once. To begin with, it is best to back up the distance rear overhang cars. Then speed up a little and “press” the first section of the road to freedom.
It is important here not to stall, to immediately release traction as soon as the car hits hard snow with a wheel. And if possible, it is better not to turn right away - then rear wheels you will have to make your own path in the snow, and this greatly slows down the car. Make 10-15 centimeters of track at a time, roll back and accelerate the car again, this time more boldly.
If you act correctly, then those half a meter of snow and another 30-50 centimeters of acceleration in the space occupied by the car will make it possible to immediately jump through a denser and heavier snow parapet without stalling and without resorting to the help of a shovel. However, do not forget that you can simply trample the track a little, and simply kick the parapet with your feet, thereby making it much easier to leave. And you should always remember the risk of tearing off the bumper if you push the snow too hard.
Still stuck
The cold voice of reason does not always allow you to pass a difficult section. Sometimes there is not enough visibility, sometimes the snow is a little denser than it seemed... Or, trivially, your foot gets caught, the rug under your heel slips, someone suddenly passes in front of the car - and now it stands up and doesn’t want to move. The main thing at this moment is not to panic and not to completely bury the car. Chances will appear as soon as the car gains at least a little mobility.
The first thing to do is get out of the car and assess how bad things are. If the tires are toothy, the snow is deep and the engine is powerful, then the car can immediately “sit on its belly,” which means that only a cable will help. But if the car is still on wheels, there is a chance. The first step is to outline the trajectory of further movement - forward or backward.
Put the wheels straight if they suddenly turn, and use a snow scraper or shovel to clear out the snow that the car managed to “dig up” under itself. And rock her back and forth a little, try to understand whether she is going in any direction. If you are driving, then it’s time to try the “swing”.
The meaning of this technique is to gain speed due to pendulum movements. Having set off in one direction, the car slightly drives up the hill and begins to roll back. She doesn’t need to be disturbed, it’s better to even help by turning on reverse gear, if you are good with the clutch and manual transmission lever or are confident in the reliability of your “automatic”. When the car rolls onto the opposite edge of the hole and changes direction again, you need to change gear again and help the car in its movement. This is roughly how you swing a heavy swing. With a little effort in right moment you can rock our four-wheeled “swing” until it leaves the snow trap and rolls through the snow. So we will return to the first case.
And a little about slipping
Many drivers expect that if they skid for a long time, the wheels will dig through the snow to the asphalt and the car will get out. This very rarely happens, but usually the wheel manages to heat the snow and it forms a dense ice “bed”, from which it is difficult to get out. And the chances that the differential will overheat are very high - it is not designed for long-term slipping of one wheel.
A typical light car There is a regular cross-axle symmetrical differential. It divides the engine power in half, and if one of the wheels does not have torque (it rotates freely), but the other does (it clings to the road), then it will divide the revolutions so that the power is equal. This means that a wheel on which there is no torque will rotate. And the one at which there is a moment will be almost stopped.
Yes, it’s illogical that the differential behaves off-road. But it is made for convenient and economical movement of the machine on hard surfaces, and in this matter it is a master. If you find yourself in a difficult situation traffic situation, you'll have to somehow get out. It is unlikely that you have a viscous coupling lock, a screw lock, some kind of Thorsen or a smart traction control system. You will have to rely strictly on your own strength.
In fact, from the principle of operation of the differential it is clear what needs to be done. All you have to do is slow down the rapidly spinning wheel. If hand brake acted on the drive wheels, then everything would be simple - pull the handbrake and move off. But this is convenient on rear-wheel drive cars or, for example, on very old Saabs from the 80s, where the handbrake tightens the front wheels.
Since there are few rear-wheel drive cars, and even fewer old Saabs, the handbrake will not help us in most cases. But modern cars There is ABS, and that can help a little. When slipping, simply press the brake slightly with your heel. There is a very good chance that the braking force on the front wheels will be greater than on the rear wheels. After all, the load on them is less, and the brakes are weaker, and the traction from the only “hooked” wheel is enough to start moving... And then you need to release the brake and quickly leave the stuck place. The method works especially well on machines with any type all-wheel drive– unless, of course, it turns off when the brakes are pressed, which, unfortunately, is not the case passenger cars happens very often.
If rocking and focusing with ABS do not help, but there is an assistant, then others will do cunning ways. For example, you can brake a spinning wheel. The simplest thing is to ask an assistant to insert the wheel wrench into the holes rim, resting it on the caliper brake mechanism, and try to move off very carefully. Of course, the previously standing wheel will begin to spin.
But this method is dangerous - there is a chance of damaging the disk, stopping support or the hands of an assistant. You can try to do the same with a strong long stick, for example, a shovel handle. On the other hand, if you have a shovel, then it is better to use it in the usual way. Less reliable, but safe, ask an assistant to load the corner of the car whose wheel is slipping. Stand on the bumper or hood. Sometimes even 40 kilograms of live weight is enough for the car to move, and in this case the risk is minimal.
If the car classic automatic transmission, then even without assistants the driver can push his car. However, there are risks here too. Besides the obvious chance that the car will drive away without a driver, it can also easily slam the doors when driving off (hello central lock!), and if it’s winter outside and the phone is in the car, then it’s definitely not very pleasant.
But I hope everything goes well for you parking places will not be covered with snow and it will beautifully cover houses, fields and forests... but not roads. And just in case, read again the material about how you can use ABS on a winter road in an unusual way, when braking in corners and when.
