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LOL! I do the same thing.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Greg wrote:
> First thing I do in any snowfall or ice is hit the brake, and hit the gas,
> my wife always thinks I just want to play, but I acually just want to find
> what I can do before I HAVE to do it. Plus I like to play :)
>
> "The Merg" <greg.mergner@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1168845044.631449.139650@m58g2000cwm.googlegr oups.com...
>>> How many people here have had the chance to observe people who own
>>> 4x4's, but do not know how to use them in winter driving conditions like
>>> ice and snow?
>> I moved from Philly, where we had good snow on a regular basis (used
>> to, anyway), to southern Maryland where people don't have a clue how to
>> drive in snow. If snow is in the forecast, even something like
>> flurries, everyone cleans out the grocery stores and bunker up in their
>> homes. The brave few who venture out end up skidding all over the
>> place and wind up in drainage ditches.
>>
>> One of the greatest driving lessons I've ever learned was going out in
>> about six inches of snow and just screwing around - it taught me what
>> my vehicle can handle and what it can't. Most people learn this lesson
>> the hard way in the wrong scenario and end up wrecking their vehicles.
>>
>> When it snows here (not very often) we go to my friend's farm and run
>> our jeeps rally-style around the fields, usually in 2wd (more fun that
>> way, and the snow's never deep enough to be a problem). It's the best
>> off-roading to be had down here.
>>
>> Brett Ryan wrote:
>>> Question,
>>> How many people here have had the chance to observe people who own
>>> 4x4's, but do not know how to use them in winter driving conditions like
>>> ice and snow? Down here in Houston, and Texas in general these
>>> conditions create all kinds of fun situations for people who think they
>>> can drive, but really can't, get into.
>>> I really love it when someone who has a jeep ends up on an icy road,
>>> thinking that the engaged 4x4 will help them maintain control only to
>>> find out that it does not make a difference.
>>> Ok, my two cents worth now that the ice, sleet, and snow have arrived
>>> in Texas.
>>>
>>> Having Fun,
>>> Brett
>
>

In the frozen northland with snow on a regular basis, the first snowfall
is a relearning experince for half the population. Cars and SUV's parked
all over the place on the freeway. If it happens during rush hour, most
of the victims will be younger drivers, typically in a FWD car. If it
happens non rush hour, it will SUV's driven by folks who don't realize
that 4wd goes fine, just doesn't stop any better.

Brett Ryan wrote:

> Question,
> How many people here have had the chance to observe people who own
> 4x4's, but do not know how to use them in winter driving conditions like
> ice and snow? Down here in Houston, and Texas in general these
> conditions create all kinds of fun situations for people who think they
> can drive, but really can't, get into.
> I really love it when someone who has a jeep ends up on an icy road,
> thinking that the engaged 4x4 will help them maintain control only to
> find out that it does not make a difference.
> Ok, my two cents worth now that the ice, sleet, and snow have
> arrived in Texas.
>
> Having Fun,
> Brett

And as I hit the send key, I watch the neighbor kid put his Blazer
sideways around the curve outside my window on the PLOWED street after
4" of new snow last night.

RoyJ wrote:

> In the frozen northland with snow on a regular basis, the first snowfall
> is a relearning experince for half the population. Cars and SUV's parked
> all over the place on the freeway. If it happens during rush hour, most
> of the victims will be younger drivers, typically in a FWD car. If it
> happens non rush hour, it will SUV's driven by folks who don't realize
> that 4wd goes fine, just doesn't stop any better.
>
> Brett Ryan wrote:
>
>> Question,
>> How many people here have had the chance to observe people who own
>> 4x4's, but do not know how to use them in winter driving conditions
>> like ice and snow? Down here in Houston, and Texas in general these
>> conditions create all kinds of fun situations for people who think
>> they can drive, but really can't, get into.
>> I really love it when someone who has a jeep ends up on an icy
>> road, thinking that the engaged 4x4 will help them maintain control
>> only to find out that it does not make a difference.
>> Ok, my two cents worth now that the ice, sleet, and snow have
>> arrived in Texas.
>>
>> Having Fun,
>> Brett

Driving a 4x4 is a learning experience. They handle like no other
vehicle when in 'part time' 4x4.

To stop when in part time 4x4, my owners manual says to 'stay off the
brakes' and to use the gears and steering for slowing down or avoiding
something. I have found that my Jeeps will stop amazingly fast like
that and practice it off road all the time. Just need the brakes for
the final stop. Folks are always told to stay off the brakes and use
the gears when in PT 4x4 off road. Same deal when in PT 4x4 on road in
a snowstorm!

The problem with using the brakes is the front and rear axles are locked
together. In a normal 2 wheel drive vehicle when you hit the brakes in
snow, the steering usually just locks up so you track straight ahead.
Jeeps and most SUV's have a combination or proportioning valve that is
supposed to prevent rear wheel lock up to avoid the vehicle swapping
ends for this.

However when you are in part time 4x4, when the front wheels lock up...
so do the rear wheels because of the nature of the locked center
differential.

This means a Jeep or any vehicle in part time 4x4 will slide sideways
faster than you can blink with all 4 wheels locked up. Instant off the
high side of the curve ditch fodder.

I highly recommend folks use their 'shift on the fly' at any legal speed
feature of the 4x4 so they get used to treating it 'just like any other
shift'. See snow coming, shift into 4x4, see clear coming shift back to
2 WD. This way in an emergency, shifting into or out of 4x4 comes naturally.

I find 2 WD better when doing left turn at snowy or slushy
intersections. I use 2WD then as I come out of the turn, I hit 4x4 to
pull me into the straight. I find this because when turning in PT 4x4
one wheel has to scuff the ground because the front wheels and rear
travel different distances around a corner. When this happens, the
front wheels tend to get up on top of the snow and the Jeep just wants
to go straight around the long corner unless you goose it to grab which
isn't always a good thing to do.

I highly recommend an empty parking lot or open trail come first snow to
find out just how your 4x4 does handle.

On our last New Years trip last year it was insane the number of SUV's
that passed me in a snowstorm on the highway only to be found in the
ditch off the top side of a corner aways along. I think we counted 8 in
about a hundred miles. I was doing a nice 55-60 mph in 4x4 part time or
keeping with the transport truck's speed.

Then if you see 'all' the transport trucks parked at the truck stops,
it's time to rethink the timing of the trip and maybe stop for a break
too.....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Brett Ryan wrote:
> Question,
> How many people here have had the chance to observe people who own
> 4x4's, but do not know how to use them in winter driving conditions like
> ice and snow? Down here in Houston, and Texas in general these
> conditions create all kinds of fun situations for people who think they
> can drive, but really can't, get into.
> I really love it when someone who has a jeep ends up on an icy road,
> thinking that the engaged 4x4 will help them maintain control only to
> find out that it does not make a difference.
> Ok, my two cents worth now that the ice, sleet, and snow have
> arrived in Texas.
>
> Having Fun,
> Brett