Slip 'n Spin

[robpur]

This person spent an hour trying to get back out on the highway. I bet they were regretting their decision to pull over

Over the years living here I have been in the same situation many times, until I bought a more appropriate winter vehicle. My method to get out on the highway was to get a running start from my driveway, and hope that no cars were coming when I got to the highway. If there was traffic then I backed up and tried again. If not, then I hoped for enough momentum to carry me through. If you have to stop at the highway then you are not getting out in a small vehicle.

Watching the video I see that my old habit persists since I didn't stop at the highway even though my Subaru could easily handle the conditions.

 

[TonyR]

Oh, yeah...those Suburu's sell like hotcakes I imagine in the areas that most always get winter snow. Up in Boone, NC, a city of only 18,000, they get plenty of snow each winter season and they have their own Suburu dealership!

https://www.modernsubaru.com/

 

[fergenheimer]

I just spent over 4 minutes rooting for that poor guy! I can imagine his frustration for an hour of dealing with that.

 

[Starglow]

When I lived in Ohio I put burlap bags filled with 200 pounds of sand in the bed of my truck to get better traction since it didn't have 4-wheel drive. I drove to my sisters house making turns by memory because both the roads and sidewalks were buried in snow and couldn't be seen.

 

[CanCuba]

10/10 @Arjun read the title as "Slip in and Spin"

 

[TonyR]

When I lived in Ohio I put burlap bags filled with 200 pounds of sand in the bed of my truck to get better traction since it didn't have 4-wheel drive. I drove to my sisters house making turns by memory because both the roads and sidewalks were buried in snow and couldn't be seen.

It doesn't snow much down here but if you tow stuff, like a 7,000 lb. travel trailer or even a good-sized boat, having 4WD is invaluable...so many boat ramps are slick with algae and mud and equalizer hitches for bigger loads transfer much weight to the front...an encounter with morning dew on a grassy, sloped area of a campground can stop you and that 28 ft. travel trailer dead unless you can also drive the front wheels with 4WD, I've found.

 

[JDreaming]

I just spent over 4 minutes rooting for that poor guy! I can imagine his frustration for an hour of dealing with that.

Yeah... watching the video make me feel like reaching into the computer monitor and give that car a little push from behind.

 

[Tinman]

Time to leave that car in the garage till spring, that one is worthless in the snow!

 

[Xeddog]

Snow is one thing, Ice is another. If that snowfall melted and then refroze making an ice sheet, even Suburu's are gonna have a hard time.

 

[MrSurly]

Upgrading to a limited-slip diff would be on my list if I was limited to a Miata

 

[TonyR]

Upgrading to a limited-slip diff would be on my list if I was limited to a Miata

I believe that's a BMW Z3 but it wouldn't hurt any 2 wheel, rear-drive car.

 

[MrSurly]

Every year when these topics come up i see so many folks suggest that if only they had four-wheel drive, yada yada yada.
I make it a point to mention that ALL of the cars they see off in the median or at the bottom of the hill.....those cars had "all wheel brakes" yet look where they are.

I'm a big proponent of four- or at least some version of All- wheel drive, but too many people think having the feature makes them immune to physics...

 

[OICU2]

Every year when these topics come up i see so many folks suggest that if only they had four-wheel drive, yada yada yada.
I make it a point to mention that ALL of the cars they see off in the median or at the bottom of the hill.....those cars had "all wheel brakes" yet look where they are.

I'm a big proponent of four- or at least some version of All- wheel drive, but too many people think having the feature makes them immune to physics...

So true, the get going part is easy... the stopping part is what people forget about

 

[looney2ns]

Don't bring a sports car to a snowstorm maybe?

Couple or 3 bags of sand in the trunk would have helped.

 

[TonyR]

Every year when these topics come up i see so many folks suggest that if only they had four-wheel drive, yada yada yada.
I make it a point to mention that ALL of the cars they see off in the median or at the bottom of the hill.....those cars had "all wheel brakes" yet look where they are.

I'm a big proponent of four- or at least some version of All- wheel drive, but too many people think having the feature makes them immune to physics...

Yep, it doesn't matter how many wheels you have on the ground and that all are driven....if ya got no grip, ya got no go....OR stop!

 

[TonyR]

Don't bring a sports car to a snowstorm maybe?

Couple or 3 bags of sand in the trunk would have helped.

Oh, yeah...I don't know about your Ford Ranger but the one I had was a 4.0 liter V6 with factory towing so it was geared low and was 2 WD. Even with a 250 lb. fiberglass shell on it if the road was even the tiniest bit wet and you went around a corner or tried to accelerate hard from a stop you were going NOWHERE...it'd break loose in a heart beat and you'd find yourself doing either a 360 or standing still.

 

[97JeepXJ]

If there’s ice and you don’t have metal on pavement you’re just riding on hopes and dreams

 

[bigredfish]

^^^^^
Oh man, making me miss my old '91 2Dr Cherokee....

 

[SIR VEYOR]

4WD is nice, but without a way to make both sides turn together, you’re still likely to be in trouble. You have just 2 2WD systems working, kinda together, kinda not.

without a limited slip or locking hubs, you can be stuck on wet grass with 4WD.

 

[looney2ns]

Oh, yeah...I don't know about your Ford Ranger but the one I had was a 4.0 liter V6 with factory towing so it was geared low and was 2 WD. Even with a 250 lb. fiberglass shell on it if the road was even the tiniest bit wet and you went around a corner or tried to accelerate hard from a stop you were going NOWHERE...it'd break loose in a heart beat and you'd find yourself doing either a 360 or standing still.

I could fill the bed with snow, and go about anywhere with out problems.