http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Basic Winter Driving Skills... en Sun, 31 May 2026 10:42:50 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-19014 Thu, 09 Dec 2010 22:48:56 +0000 ruggtomcat 19014@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>slow news day </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18988 Thu, 09 Dec 2010 18:20:02 +0000 Arellcat 18988@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Meanwhile in Middlesborough, <a href="http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20101209/toddly-bus-driver-shows-motorists-how-to-cl-cc3a409.html">bus driver shows motorists how to climb icy hill</a>.</p> <p><em>"One person who worked with him and drove the route regularly, praised him for 'a brilliant piece of driving'. A local resident also felt compelled to Facebook about his 'magnificent achievement'."</em> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18829 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 21:07:15 +0000 chdot 18829@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p> "It’s hard not to be a smug cyclist when you can ride up ice."</p> <p><a href="http://quickrelease.tv/?p=1448" rel="nofollow">http://quickrelease.tv/?p=1448</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18819 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 18:42:30 +0000 wee folding bike 18819@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks. I'm not in a rush to get one... probably be saying that next year too much like spiked tyres which I've been meaning to get round to. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18817 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 18:17:31 +0000 Smudge 18817@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Worth having a look at the SORC (Scottish Off Road Club)* website rather than auto-trader. More likely yo get an honest deal!</p> <p>*or other owner clubs, I only mention SORC because I know it :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18810 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:12:54 +0000 wee folding bike 18810@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've never seen a Series with 6 forward facing seats and I'm not allowed to put the kids on a crew bench. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18809 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:11:22 +0000 wee folding bike 18809@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Memsahib is fed up being stuck when the weather gets bad. Nobody is getting out of this estate... except me. Lots of cars are sitting at the bottom of the hill. Some of the 4x4 looking cars are actually front wheel drive only.</p> <p>My only small problem is that the 6 forward facing seats in some Defenders don't all have three point belts. I have 4 weans. I wouldn't be using it much when the weather was OK.</p> <p> I'm really not bothered what they look like. Beat up is fine. I like how there is no part which can't be cut out or unbolted and replaced.</p> <p>Ohh, need to talk to the bank too but you can get coil spring 2.5l diesel Land Rovers for around £2K in Autotrader if you don't mind them being from the early/mid 90s. This is probably the wrong time to buy one so I'll leave it till spring/summer before I look seriously. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18806 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:04:34 +0000 recombodna 18806@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>there's a few really nice old series 1's kicking about town at the moment. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18805 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:57:04 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 18805@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ah, an old Defender. Now that is a <em>proper</em> 4x4! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18797 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:33:55 +0000 wee folding bike 18797@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've never owned anything but rear wheel drive cars. I find a lot of people blame RWD for them not being able to move their car but if you're careful with the gas and don't expect to move off with your front wheels angled it's usually fine.</p> <p>I've got kid seats in the trunk so they weigh the back end down a bit.</p> <p>When I reported to the school for some reason today there were a dozen or so cars still in the car park from Monday. A thick % were RWD Mercs and Mazdas. I may have been watching a PE teacher with a big flashy Merc fail to get out of a space on Monday. At least I told her that she had knocked her wiper blades off by trying to get rid of snow the easy way.</p> <p>And yes. 4x4 is not a magic bullet. However I have been authorised to look for a cheap old Defender. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18788 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:07:21 +0000 Smudge 18788@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>50/50 weight distribution is a good thing for not spinning whilst moving, and easily changed to rear weighted if required by putting some sand/logs/whatever in the boot.</p> <p>A drift on the brakes with your left foot and bags of throttle with the right is great fun but not recommended for public roads as it's rather easy for us mere mortals to overdue... (damhikijkok!!)<br /> But on a video game.. go for it! :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18779 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:52:26 +0000 steveo 18779@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Its great except them moved the well(?) at the bottom of Victoria street into the Grassmarket to keep the racing line. Typical even the computer game road planners are philistines </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18777 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:49:11 +0000 Cyclingmollie 18777@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'd heard Project Gotham Racing had modelled central Edinburgh in some detail but I've never played it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846&page=2#post-18774 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:40:23 +0000 recombodna 18774@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>........AND gotham racing 2 which has very realistic Edinburgh tracks on it. In the words of my 12 year old....AWESOMMMMEEEEEE! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18772 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:34:35 +0000 Cyclingmollie 18772@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>recombodna: nose into the corner handbrake on back end out steer into the skid and power on!!!! </em></p> <p>That's exactly how to play Outrun 2006 Coast to Coast. Drifting! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18769 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:30:25 +0000 kaputnik 18769@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://shop.bmwgroup.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/Store-BMWShop-Site/en_GB/-/EUR/ViewProductDetail-Start;pgid=GV1gCraITAhSR0EMuPXoCU410000NYpNYqKr;sid=2PNjZayq-KtmZeBVTepykIIKMKCqrET5ETo=?ProductUUID=asKgMthKoIgAAAEmo.hZR3p3&amp;CatalogCategoryID=ggqgMthKn8AAAAEWNQxA7I.Q&amp;noReload=true&amp;SecondCurrency=">I wonder how <em>this</em> BMW copes in the snow?</a></p> <p>€1,300 for an aluminium framed tourer? You can get a proper Reynolds-tubed steel tourer for less, with proper kit on it too. The Specifications seem to make quite a lot of the "integrated BMW logo" feature. Worth every Euro.</p> <p>Seems the advice from BWM RWD exec saloon owners to improve snow performance is bags of builder's sand and a shovel in the boot to increase weight over the driving wheels and if that fails, to dig / sand your way out. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18766 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:19:51 +0000 alibali 18766@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>BMWs do have a built-in weakness in low-traction situations: their much boasted about 50/50 weight distribution. This means they don't have much resistance to rotation and don't have much weight over the driving wheels. It's easy to end up facing the wrong way..ask me how I know! The fat tyres with no transverse features don't help..... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18757 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:46:40 +0000 PS 18757@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It's the wee hatchback/sporty mercs that seem to be over powered - I helped pushed a number of mercs up a lightly snowed hill a couple of weekends ago (there had been a golf-related event on) and by far the worst was a hatchback. it didn't seem to have enough weight on the rear to push the rearwheels down. The fact the driver had a heavy right foot didn't really help though. Fully agree that driver education is the way to go. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18755 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:41:30 +0000 ruggtomcat 18755@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>anyone with a garage wanna help me knock up a two person plough/gritter quadricycle? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18754 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:23:52 +0000 kaputnik 18754@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I have heard of BMWs being unable to move across an entirely flat icy carpark</em></p> <p>I pushed a BMW 5-series turbo diesel out of the work carpark. On the flat. How much of that was down to the driver's skill (or lack of) and his choice of vehicle, I couldn't say. But he did have those silly oversize alloy wheels with low-profile faux-slick tyres on. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18751 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:17:09 +0000 ruggtomcat 18751@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Private hires, defiantly. Van Boy next. Then the Rich. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18750 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:15:54 +0000 cb 18750@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have heard of BMWs being unable to move across an entirely flat icy carpark. Any possible combination of gear/throttle just produces wheelspin. Seems bizarre that a car could be that rubbish, but I've heard enough stories through the grapevine so it must be true. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18748 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:11:39 +0000 recombodna 18748@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>nose into the corner handbrake on back end out steer into the skid and power on!!!! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18736 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:10:35 +0000 Smudge 18736@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@PS, I've driven an unladen 500+hp tractor unit in snow, it only spins when you press the pedal ;-)<br /> "Overpowered" vehicles are sometimes easier in poor conditions as you can ignore the throttle and just ease the clutch out to pull away, good example is the 2litre turbo-diesel saloon we have which is a doddle to pull away in snow whereas a friends 1.3 puddlejumper requires much more careful balance, no throttle = stall, a hair too much = wheelspin.</p> <p>Driver education is the best traction control there is! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18732 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:04:34 +0000 PS 18732@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Mercs and BMWs are often overpowered for their size/weight as well, which doesn't help them put the grip down. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18730 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:03:08 +0000 wingpig 18730@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote><em>"...the 'get out of my way I'm in a Volvo with my lights on so you must be able to see me' menace..."</em></blockquote></p> <p>I never noticed that one. How long ago was this the case? In Lincolnshire the general rule appears to be that anyone driving wearing a flat cap is liable to try and kill you. True when I was a kid and still applying every time I go back.</p> <p><blockquote><em>"I'm currently finding private hire taxis more of a pain, but maybe I've just been lucky?"</em></blockquote></p> <p>In the town centre they don't seem to be as much of a problem but they infest the side roads of EH6 and any road anywhere which could conceivably be used to head to or from the airport. Whereas most traffic going past the house has been doing so extremely slowly since the snow landed pseudotaxis are still insisting on not dropping below 25. They're very bad at passing far too closely, possibly even as much as Beemers. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18724 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:48:00 +0000 Smudge 18724@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm currently finding private hire taxis more of a pain, but maybe I've just been lucky :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18723 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:32:57 +0000 chdot 18723@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"has Edinburgh become infested by bad BMW drivers since I last looked"</p> <p>Depends when you last looked...</p> <p>There was a thread here a while ago that seemed to conclude that BMW drivers had taken over from the 'get out of my way I'm in a Volvo with my lights on so you must be able to see me' menace. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18722 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:32:40 +0000 steveo 18722@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think the BMW issue they are "relatively" cheap and rwd so people put silly wheel/tyres on them and drive them like well BMW drivers. Where they promptly slide straight into a snow mound. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1846#post-18720 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:30:08 +0000 Smudge 18720@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>4x4's should come with a big sign saying "4WD is not a magic button to make your car brake and turn better than 2WD vehicles!"<br /> (Not anti 4X4, I'm an sometime off road driver for fun and used to train 4 and 6WD drivers at work in a former life)</p> <p>As to the BMW thing, are they really any worse than any other drivers of Jag/Merc/etc? Certainly there's nothing wrong with the cars, has Edinburgh become infested by bad BMW drivers since I last looked?? </p>