# driving thru snow-question?



## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

Im wondering about the snow thrown up by city plows at the end of your driveway.
would a front-wheel drive car do better getting out thru it in reverse? ie kinda making it a 'rear-wheel' drive machine? or would you do better backing the car into the driveway & heading out in Drive? or do you think it makes any difference?
I do have a reason for asking this BTW...:smiley_simmons:


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Try it both ways and let us know!


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

Neither works if the vehicle high centers on the windrow and the wheels lose all traction. I've seen 4WD and AWD vehicles high-centered. Then a tow is required. Shovel it enough instead.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

AltaRed said:


> Shovel it enough instead.


....thats the problemo...I'm just recovering from some minor surgery & not allowed to do anything like that.
were expecting first snowstorm overnight. normally, im one of the first out & id have the driveway cleaned down to the pavement.
we do have to go out early in the morning & the thought about which way to park occurred to me.
yeah , prob. doesnt make much diff., bur for those of us old enough to remember when all cars were RWD, they def. handled snow better...


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## humble_pie (Jun 7, 2009)

here in quebec we'd 1) sort the spouse outside w the shovel; 2) start slow in low gear; 3) rock the vehicle back & forth if it sticks; 4) small blocks behind spinning rear wheels can help (if front driving)

jargey what you going to do the rest of the winter? snow is coming, you could get stuck away from home w no spouse in car to wield the shovel. Maybe get to know your friendly neighbourhood taxi company for a few weeks, until you are stronger?

best wishes for speedy recovery thru the holidays


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

I'd back* into the driveway so that you can give it a good run and because 'pulling' via FWD is better than 'pushing' via RWD...and because it is safer with better vision and control going forward. 

That said, if you high center halfway through, your goose is cooked and you are going nowhere.

* An exception might be if your vehicle has a front air dam that hangs low. Then it is going to do nothing other than act like a plow and could stop you cold. My AWD Infiniti has a low front air dam that bulldozes in deep snow.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

maybe the forecast'll be wrong...:love_heart::satellite:


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## Earl (Apr 5, 2016)

Just get a lot of momentum going!


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

Go buy a Jeep Wrangler...trust me you'll never get stuck....never.


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## off.by.10 (Mar 16, 2014)

Earl said:


> Just get a lot of momentum going!


But first, make sure the snow hasn't become too hard overnight. You could easily damage your car if it has.

Otherwise yeah, momentum trumps everything else.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Eder said:


> Go buy a Jeep Wrangler...trust me you'll never get stuck....never.


Having seen Wranglers stuck first hand I wouldn't say never ... but it is far less likely.


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

Eder said:


> Go buy a Jeep Wrangler...trust me you'll never get stuck....never.


I second that commotion.

Great for the winter and put the convertible top down to cruise the summer. In some places you can drive down the beach. Not bad for logging trails either......no black flies.

I got my eye out for a good used one for a fun vehicle........but dang, they are expensive.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

sags said:


> I got my eye out for a good used one for a fun vehicle........but dang, they are expensive.


Here you go -> https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/447844479455361/


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## Prairie Guy (Oct 30, 2018)

Eder said:


> Go buy a Jeep Wrangler...trust me you'll never get stuck....never.


You could say that about most AWD vehicles. I pulled a Jeep Wrangler out of the ditch a few years ago with my Subaru Impreza.


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## Earl (Apr 5, 2016)

Prairie Guy said:


> You could say that about most AWD vehicles. I pulled a Jeep Wrangler out of the ditch a few years ago with my Subaru Impreza.


So he didn't get stuck, he slid off the road.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Prairie Guy said:


> You could say that about most AWD vehicles.


Actually a fair number of AWD systems are badly designed, they won't transfer power to all wheels.


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

cainvest said:


> Actually a fair number of AWD systems are badly designed, they won't transfer power to all wheels.


AWD and 4WD seems to be the latest feature that the industry has convinced everyone that they simply must have. Silly, unless you're into off-road. It's just a profit maker for car manufacturers.

It doesn't help with braking and does little to nothing for handling. It helps somewhat with acceleration in the winter, but if you're taking the family car to Farm Boy, why are we all pining for this wasted extra cost feature?

ltr


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

like_to_retire said:


> AWD and 4WD seems to be the latest feature that the industry has convinced everyone that they simply must have. Silly, unless you're into off-road. It's just a profit maker for car manufacturers.
> 
> It doesn't help with braking and does little to nothing for handling. It helps somewhat with acceleration in the winter, but if you're taking the family car to Farm Boy, why are we all pining for this wasted extra cost feature?


Really depends on where you live and the road conditions there. Yes, it doesn't help with braking but both handling and acceleration are improved with a good AWD system. Of course many get into trouble for not having the correct tires for the season.


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

cainvest said:


> Really depends on where you live and the road conditions there. Yes, it doesn't help with braking but both handling and acceleration are improved with a good AWD system. Of course many get into trouble for not having the correct tires for the season.


Get snow tires, be a reasonable driver, and this is a feature that is simply not required.

ltr


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

like_to_retire said:


> Get snow tires, be a reasonable driver, and this is a feature that is simply not required.
> 
> ltr


It depends on where one lives. Lots of issues on the hilly streets in BC. Where we live on the side of an ancient mountain, virtually everyone has snow (or all weather) tires and AWD to navigate the steep grades until sanding and salting can restore some grip.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

like_to_retire said:


> Get snow tires, be a reasonable driver, and this is a feature that is simply not required.


In most cities you're right but those out of town on questionable winter roads or in mountain areas can benefit from AWD.


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

Anyone stuck in a Wrangler is a soccer mom!


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## moderator2 (Sep 20, 2017)

jargey3000 said:


> ....thats the problemo...I'm just recovering from some minor surgery & not allowed to do anything like that.


You could also try the kicking method. Sometimes I just reduce the snow barrier by kicking and then walking over the edges. Minimizes the need for shoveling, and then get some momentum and drive over it.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Eh sure you can get through with momentum but what are you gonna do when that snow bank freezes solid. You'll spend more on plastic bumpers than paying the neighbour's kid to shovel it


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## Prairie Guy (Oct 30, 2018)

Earl said:


> So he didn't get stuck, he slid off the road.


...and was stuck in the ditch


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## Prairie Guy (Oct 30, 2018)

AltaRed said:


> It depends on where one lives. Lots of issues on the hilly streets in BC. Where we live on the side of an ancient mountain, virtually everyone has snow (or all weather) tires and AWD to navigate the steep grades until sanding and salting can restore some grip.


You can also clear through intersections faster after the light changes with AWD which prevent traffic backups.


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## lonewolf :) (Sep 13, 2016)

Jargey If you have directional tires I would drive forward out.


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

lonewolf :) said:


> Jargey If you have directional tires I would drive forward out.


Only if mounted correctly....


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## peterk (May 16, 2010)

I would think ramming through with the front end is likely to be more successful.

The car is heavier in the front, so less likely to ride up on the snow bank and high center. And if it does it only has to go a little farther fowards before teetering frontward onto the driving wheels. Likely the driveway also slopes slightly downward to the street, helping this. I also have the impression that the front bumper/underside is less fragile that the rear and exhaust, though I might be wrong on that...

Edit: But I agree with the above. $10 - $20 to the neighbour kid is the proper solution to your problem.


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

I would back into the driveway as far as possible. Watch carefully for an opportunity to pull out, and barrel through the snow drift easing off the gas as I hit it so as not to spin the wheels. Also, so as not to go barrelling right across the street into the ditch. Been doing this successfully for years. You want to let momentum carry you through. Of course you have to use your judgement here. It's not going to work too good with a 3 foot high drift unless you have an SUV or 4 wheel drive with lots of ground clearance.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Rusty O'Toole said:


> It's not going to work too good with a 3 foot high drift unless you have an SUV or 4 wheel drive with lots of ground clearance.


Jargey mentioned a FWD car but didin't say what is was ... my guess, mint condition '84 K car.


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

At one time, he was talking about some cheap winter tires I think for a Toyota, but not sure. Think he would have sold that K car by now....hehe.


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

cainvest said:


> Jargey mentioned a FWD car but didin't say what is was ... my guess, mint condition '84 K car.







ltr


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

THIS JUST IN....
storm started a bit later than forecast...so wasn't much accumulation when we went out.Back home now & its coming down pretty good, but car (NOT a K-car!) is safely back in driveway where it'll hopefully stay put for a few days.
thanks for all the input guys!
Merry Christmas To All!!!
j.


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

^^^ verified! http://ntv.ca/web-cams/skycam/

Have a Happy White Christmas. We're having a mostly 'clear' Christmas ( snow melted yesterday, then turned to ice overnight ). :^)


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## Earl (Apr 5, 2016)

like_to_retire said:


> AWD and 4WD seems to be the latest feature that the industry has convinced everyone that they simply must have. Silly, unless you're into off-road. It's just a profit maker for car manufacturers.
> 
> It doesn't help with braking and does little to nothing for handling. It helps somewhat with acceleration in the winter, but if you're taking the family car to Farm Boy, why are we all pining for this wasted extra cost feature?
> 
> ltr


I agree. I drive a RWD car (Mustang GT) and have yet to get stuck in the snow. There is sometimes a little bit of wheel spin when starting from a stop (especially up an incline) but it still gets going without a problem. The biggest issue with winter driving isn't getting stuck, it's losing control and sliding after you get moving, and AWD doesn't help with that under most circumstances. You just need winter tires.

That said, I live in a pretty flat area. I'd probably need AWD if I lived somewhere hilly. I know someone whose house sits on a hill and he has a steep winding driveway, he can't even get up his own driveway without AWD.


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## GreatLaker (Mar 23, 2014)

If the snow windrow at the end of your driveway is deep enough you need to think if backing out or going forward out is less likely to get you stuck it is too deep. Time to clear it or stay home.


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

jargey3000 said:


> THIS JUST IN....
> storm started a bit later than forecast...so wasn't much accumulation when we went out.Back home now & its coming down pretty good, but car (NOT a K-car!) is safely back in driveway where it'll hopefully stay put for a few days.
> thanks for all the input guys!
> Merry Christmas To All!!!
> j.


Merry Christmas jargey. I saw some coverage of your snow storm on TV


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## Earl (Apr 5, 2016)

This topic reminds me of

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F62EEybpZQQ


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## GreatLaker (Mar 23, 2014)

But no matter how bad winter gets in whatever part of this great country we live in, it behooves us to remember that other places have had to suffer through unimaginably worse conditions:






Merry Christmas everyone!


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

Well since this seems to be a Christmas thread now I'd like to wish all of CMF a Merry Christmas & profitable New Year.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

....perpetuating the stereotype here....ah, but what odds? its Christmas...


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

....an' dis....


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