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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Lepton1, post: 4281225, member: 101602&quot;]I know Watkins and Shepard require being able to up and downshift uphill and downhill on their hiring road test.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>I ran over the Rockies on I-70 a couple dozen times last year and HAD to be able to up and downshift on the downgrades.&nbsp; At times I wished they had the chain law in effect, it was bare and dry but then getting toward the top it would be snowing hard.&nbsp; Then it was a delicate balance trying to control speed downhill without chains and without breaking some semblance of traction and without having your trailer get to the bottom before you do.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>&quot;They&quot; also say to never use jakes on snow and ice.&nbsp; Coming down Vail or Eisenhower pass in slick conditions I used them, but you have to be smart about it.&nbsp; Don&#039;t just jam it on high setting at high rpm&#039;s and expect to be okay, that&#039;s a recipe for getting into a jackknife.&nbsp; Learn to EASE into it at low rpm&#039;s on low setting with EASY and SMOOTH brake application and the INSTANT you feel it getting greasy you have to cancel the jake and let it coast a bit (picking up a bit of speed) to straighten out and start easy braking down to low rpm&#039;s and start over.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>I think the mantra&#039;s that you never shift on a downhill or never use the jakes on snow or ice are ideas that the good idea fairy came up with to prevent new drivers from getting into trouble.&nbsp; Instead of actually teaching proper technique in these situations they simply avoid the topic altogether and end up getting new drivers in trouble the moment they are faced with a situation they don&#039;t know how to control.</p><p><br /></p><p>Seeing that CR England trailer burned to the ground at the bottom of Vail Pass from a fire that started from overheated brakes is an example of what can go horribly wrong with not teaching how to downshift on a downgrade.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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