[at-l] Well, Gee . . .

[spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

Weary wrote:
>>anklebear wrote -
>>"... Having slid into a collision, however gentle, at least twice on ice, 
>>I
>>know that, once the slide begins, you're in it until something else stops 
>>you."
>
>Which is why one has to avoid sliding at all costs.

Actually, I don't agree with that, but you'll see why later - and YMMV.

>I think it has something to
>do with the coefficient of sliding friction being less than that for static
>friction. Jim could tell us for sure.

Well, I "could" - but you did it so well that I don't have to, do I?  <G>


>But the secret to winter driving is to work for a broad margin of safety. 
>Leave
>plenty of room between your car and everything else on the road that would
>tempt one to brake. I commuted close to 100-miles a day for 30 years on 
>Maine
>winter roads. I saw scores of accidents, but never once had even a near 
>miss.
>Defensive driving is the key. Being always on the alert for someone else 
>doing something dumb.

Which is all good advice -

The only thing I'd add is that anklebear's original statement ("once the 
slide begins, you're in it until something else stops you.") isn't something 
that's universally true.  I slid at least 3 times on the way to work this 
morning - and the recovery wasn't all that big a deal for any of them.  Now 
for a long stretch of solid black ice, it might be another story,  But most 
skids are on short patches of ice - or on snow - and are recoverable if you 
know how.  However, it does take a little instruction and some practice to 
learn.  I taught 3 kids how to do it in a large empty parking lot, with some 
snow and/or ice.  I laughed when someone here talked about doing donuts in 
the snow cause that's exactly what I taught the kids to do - and how to be 
safe doing it.  <G>

Walk softly on that slippy slidy stuff,
Jm

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