Exactly!
I used to regularly drive a chunk of I-35 that was relatively straight
for quite a few miles, then a gentle curve of 35-40 degrees or so,
before it went the other way in a big s.
The first snow was quite amusing if you went through about 8 am. There
would be maybe 10-30 (2 WD) cars in the ditches before "SUVs" became
popular.
When the majority of vehicles were high center of gravity 4WD "SUVs" a
few years later, 25=50% of the vehicles were on the side or rolled
over; and with even a slight snow, there would be 50-100 in the
ditches, sometimes so many that anyone sliding off was likely to hit one
or more in the ditch. Most of these people drove the same road to work
every day, but never learned.
4wd has no more contact patches (between the tar and the road) than
2wd. In face, the 4wd usually has bigger/wider tires with not much
change in vehicle weight, resulting in less lb/sq in pressure on those 4
small contact patches. Even though there is more surface area, the
lighter pressure makes it easier to slide. Think about it. does an
ice skater use snowshoes or a blade to make the contact with the ice
surface? could they gain more control with more contact area?
In fact the reverse is true: the slicker it gets, the smaller and
narrower the tire should be. This principle goes for ice and snow
both. You DON'T want to "float" on snow while driving.
The loose nut behind the wheel thinks "I have 4WD, I don't have to slow
down on the snow/ice? When they slide into the ditch at high speed,
the high center of gravity of their "invincible SUV" results in
rollovers where my SDL, had I been as stupid, would have stayed upright.
If you went though about 7:30 am, it was downright scary with idiots
sliding off all around you and going in the ditch. They'd go flying by
, then loose it and slide left or right, bashing anything in the way
fmiser via Mercedes <mailto:mercedes@okiebenz.com>
November 27, 2018 at 1:40 AM
Floyd wrote:
butbutbut they have FOUR WHEEL DRIVE!
Randy wrote:
Don't knock it. 4 wheel drive is a wonderful thing in winter.
I don't think Floyd is saying 4WD is bad - just that the it seems
a lot of people seem to think. "The car has 4WD, so I don't have
to slow down, or drive more carefully just because there is snow.
The 4WD will means I can go anywhere at any speed!"
I find it interesting that during a recent snow here I had to
drive in it - and I saw about 6 vehicles in the ditch - 5 were
four-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. Since I _know_ the
mechanicals improve the performance is those conditions, it sure
suggests its the loose nut behind the wheel that is the source of
the problem.
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