Erin Baker: How to be safe in the snow
Erin Baker
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. For those of us with four-wheel drive SUVs, the white stuff is in many ways a blessed relief. No longer do we look out of place on suburban streets, parading around in our status symbols, lugging needless, heavy, expensive 4WD powertrains along with us.
I’m now the envy of my Middlesex neighbours. So smug am I, I’m actively looking for someone to save. Unfortunately, everyone is skidding along quite happily in towny slush… I’d have to head out to the countryside proper to tow out someone who is stuck and I don’t want to do that… might get stuck myself, which would be doubly embarrassing in a rugged SUV.
I’ve had a Land Rover Discovery for six months and this is the first time it’s come in handy for something other than its seven seats. First time, too, that I’ve twiddled the knob to select anything from the terrain response system. Ah, that little picture of the snowflake.. at last illuminated.
If these extreme weather conditions are going to be an ongoing feature for the UK’s weather outlook, we’re all going to have to start planning for seasonal driving. Of course, the more effective solution to snowy weather than 4WD is winter tyres. I had a Bentley Bentayga on winter tyres on an ice drive in Austria two weeks ago.
That’s the stuff of magic. The grip is tremendous, as long as the treads don’t fill up with powder, but they’re designed to disperse it, as far as possible. Where you really notice it is the stopping distance - I failed to stop for 50 yards yesterday in my Renault Kadjar 2WD (admittedly, I was messing about on a snowy private track trying to do Scandi flicks). But that Bentayga came to a stop on a pin with the winter tyres and ABS kicking in.
In the meantime, for those of us back in the UK, struggling on, woefully ill-equipped to deal with #snowmaggedon, think before you drive. Have you got: a bit of old blanket, matting or cardboard in the back to slip under the wheels if you lose traction, a torch, food and drink, scraper (stop using that credit card), jump leads, gloves, hat, hi-vis jacket and tow rope? Have you checked your anti-freeze and screen-wash levels, your blades, your tyre grip, your battery (our Nissan Qashqai died yesterday and the RAC wait time was a forecast 4-6 hours given the weather; luckily they arrived within the hour)?
I know it’s all nanny-state stuff, but it’s worth a reminder; this weather might be fun for Land Rovers, but it’s not for the rest of us.
Erin Baker
