How to drive in winter

There is no one size fits all speed. Too many variables exist. It's just something you have to develop a feel for.

 

As far as speed. Go a speed you feel comfortable, then go 5 mph less

 

Just drive slow down to the speed which you feel comfortable with. dont mind those supertruckers passing you by with 60mph and honking you for going slow. you ll see them again 5 miles down the road jack knifed. try to understand the road. if its covered with snow or there is ice under it. i usually get off the road if its night time and its snowing. cause you ll not be able to go much further and when you wake up in the morning the road will be salted, free of ice. just find your own comfort zone, dont try to prove anything to anybody. you are responsible for your own life and only you can make your job as safe as possible.

 

There's no simple answer to speed. How are your tires? How heavy are you loaded? Is the load distributed evenly? Visibility? Compact snow when 40 below is different than when near the freezing mark.

Basically, the same rules apply always. Correct speed for the conditions. Pay proper attention. Ample following distance. Check the weather forecast.

There's so many good threads on this topic I'd suggest your search the forum and read as many as you can.

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...s/advice-for-snow-and-ice-this-winter.328754/
http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/threads/winter-weather-driving-tips.304663/
http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...er-advice-from-veteran-drivers-please.198817/
http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/threads/winter-driving.221679/
http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...ies-its-almost-winter-heres-some-tips.191836/
http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/threads/winter-driving-little-nervous.158093/

 

I just floor it and hope for the best

 

A spinning or sliding tire will always want to lead. So if you give truck to much power and spin the tires you just take foot of pedal and let the tire slow down to get traction. If you have brakes on and tire spot spinning. Take your good off the brake, to get control back or to stop jackknife. Just get the tires rolling and you will get Controll back.

 

I use other vehicles as a gauge. I tend to keep right, go slightly slower than everyone else. And keep a lot of room in front of you.
This whole business is not about working fast, its about working steady.
If it's not feeling right, just park it.

 

Go uphill with high engine RPM to keep from the high torque rang and the breaking traction because of to much torque.

Hear one lots of people don't do. It might sound crazy. You go downhill with low engine RPMs. The reason is because if the trailer starts to slide you only have a short time to react and save yourself from trailer jackknife. You don't want to waste your time shifting gears.

To save yourself you have to get control of the trailer. You would take you foot off the brakes to get the trailer tire spinning. Now the crazy part. You step on the throttle and pull the trailer going down hill. You are going to pull the trailer back behind your tractor. Once you do that and have control of trailer. Then you put the brakes back on and try slowing down again.

You can use the same action to get control of trailer when stopping for a Red light. If trailer starts to slide, you have to stop that by getting off the brakes. Get the tire rolling and if needed step on throttle and pull the trailer back behind your tractor. Then work on stopping again for the red light. It will save you from sliding trailer into parked cars.