Any tips for slowing on icy roads?

What @TankerP said

I made that mistake my first year on the road. Fortunately, it had a happy ending because nothing happened, I was able to recover. But honestly I just should not have drove that night.

After a storm in South Dakota I was only going about 35 mph. But when I braked my trailer or my truck jackknifed, not sure which. Maybe it was both.

You have to be gentle with your controls. No jerking or peddle stomping. Avoid the engine brake. I haven't figured out any clear answer, you just have to feel it out. You stop feeling the road beneath you, that's bad. It feels like zero gravity. That's when I started sliding.

It sucks. It's like your mind goes into auto-pilot almost. That enormous stress response. It makes it hard to think. I was lucky I didn't do anything stupid.

The only other time I felt stress like that the same way was when I lost my steer tire. Since then everything has been smooth.. or smoother at least.

 

In winter I learned to drive like you have no brakes. You SLOWLY accelerate and you lift off the "gas" and coast to a stop, downshifting GENTLY into each gear.

 

Tire socks are terrible on ice. I used them last year out West. Tire socks are great on snow COVERED roads. On Ice or wet roads you might as well cover your tires with paper towels. They shred easily on anything but snow. I never could go faster than 20 mph or they fly right off the tire, never to be seen again. I was being passed routinely by trucks wearing chains goring 30-40 mph. Socks are easier install than chains.

 

Drag chain on the trailer

 

Avoid socks, they are a lame gimmick.

Buy Trygg triples. Ask for the logger specials, I don't know the real name of them. Any Trygg chain dealer will know what logger specials means.
They make a truck into a ice crusher.

 

I think you intrinsic-ly understand. It does seem like you are open to learning also. You saw something that could have potentially gone worse, and came here asking about it. So in the future you can do better.

Remember from Isacc Newton, systems in motion want to stay in motion. So if you use your engine brake, your trailer wants to push on you because that engine brake only brakes your drives. I didn't understand that at first. It's a needy system. If you use your service brakes it's suppose to brake your trailer equally. Whether or not that happens, I dont know. I'm not a mechanic.

 

Still in PG?

If so I'll buy you a hot chocolate at Second Cup someday.

 

Slow and steady is good. Watch your oncoming traffic and what they're doing too. Head-ons are worse than sliding off by yourself.

There will always be someone flying by you. Have your arm warmed up so you can wave as you go by them sitting down in the median somewhere down the road a bit.

Another possibility is an alternate route. Ice + hills + curves usually = stressful driving. Flatter + straighter + a few extra miles seem to be less risky.

If you are fortunate to have a rumble strip cut just outside the fog line, thats a higher traction area to run. Noisy but less slick.

 

If you don't have to drive on ice, don't do it....if you have to, you better respect it, and take your time.