We own an SUV and a car and whenever we were moving here I envisioned my car getting stuck EVERYWHERE and just flying off the road at the very first snow fall. Well my car can actually keep up pretty well in the snow. The other day I had to take the car out to make it to an appointment on time. I was TERRIFIED! Snow was still coming down pretty hard, the snow plows couldn't keep up, and it was already dark out. I walked out to a car COVERED in snow! I had to clean the car off and THEN shovel all around it. Oh my goodness shoveling is a work out. Snow is not as light as it looks.... But we finally got on the road and here are a few things I learned..
#1 Try to NOT look like a southerner when you are driving. Driving in snow is not as easy as it looks but it's also not nearly as hard as it looks either. Up north they are pretty good at keeping the roads clean but their are times the snow is coming down way faster than the snow plows can plow it. Now for real here are my tips.
You have to slowly accelerate, you can't take off like you're racing Vin Diesel in the Fast and Furious. Your tires will probably just start spinning and you will possibly get stuck and look like a southerner. Just like accelerating, if your going to stop you need to slowly stop... SLOWLY! If you can help it never fully stop. When it comes to a red light I try my best to start slowing down early and HOPEFULLY by the time I get to it, it's green so I can just continue going instead of coming to a full stop. Give yourself space and time. Don't pull out in front of someone like you would on a day in the middle of summer. You wont take off as fast as you normally would and they wont be able to stop as fast as they normally could. In snow weather you don't have to drive like a grandma but you also don't have to drive like an idiot. Remember... Slow and steady wins the race :) Be prepared. Be prepared to get stuck, be prepared to go get groceries and then walk out to a car that is covered in snow. BE PREPARED TO BE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE WITH NO SERVICE IN A BLIZZARD!!!!! I can't say it enough. BE PREPARED! Have a shovel in your car so if you get stuck in a patch of snow or work all day and your car is snowed in you can shovel around it. If it's snowing out or is supposed to snow take your ice scraper/brush into the store with you. Keep blankets, jumper cables, a shovel, waters, snacks, non perishable foods, some handwarmers/footwarmers, first aid stuff, a deck of cards, and whatever else you may need(diapers, wipes, a can of formula, baby food, etc.) You could also invest in a flare gun, an extremely loud horn, etc. You can never have too much if you're ever stranded. BE PREPARED!
Don't get mad at the snow plow drivers, they are just doing their job. Yes they may block your driveway with even more snow for you to shovel but it's not like they were doing it intentionally. They are just trying to clear the streets. Maybe even take some goodies to them at their job. And another thing don't get mad at the "idiots" who are driving too slow. Because they are just being safe and may be new to driving in the snow. At one point in time you were probably just like them.
Just because you have all wheel drive, snow tires, or chains doesn't mean you wont wreck. Also, you don't NEED a truck to live up north. You also don't NEED an AWD vehicle, you can survive just fine with a compact car. BTW I am so not really a pro at driving in the snow but just in the past few months I have learned a lot about how to drive with snow on the ground and not thinking "WE'RE GOING TO DIE!!!"
