On Sun, 2 Feb 1997, Jeff Layton wrote:

> I will be driving my 89 Westy(non syncro) from Florida to Colorado and
> back for vacation.  I have very little experience driving in snow and no
> experience driving a vanagon or Westy in  the snow.  Will this only be a

Some snow driving tips from an Iowan. :)

1. If you find yourself sliding and/or skidding, turn the wheel into the
   direction of the skid, not against it, which will just make matters
   worse.

2. Never jam on the brakes. Instead, pump them - hit them, release them,
   hit them, etc. This is called 'pumping'. If you're driving something
   with ABS, though, you SHOULD jam them -- the ABS pumps for you.

3. Don't try sudden stops, starts, or lane changes in icy weather or if
   the visibility is bad. You might find yourself going somewhere you don't
   want to.

4. In bad weather, don't try to drive faster than everybody else. This
   causes a traffic hazard, is a nuisance to other drivers, and is very
   good cause for winding up in a ditch.

5. If it starts to rain or snow, or there's lots of fog, flip on your
   headlights. This makes you much more visible to oncoming traffic. (Or
   have aftermarket daytime running lights installed, which will turn
   your headlights on whenever the motor is running.)

6. Don't cut other drivers off. Rule of thumb: when passing, don't move
   back in front of the other vehicle until you can see both of their lights
   in both your right-hand and rearview mirrors. Double this for trucks.

7. Keep your wiper fluid full (you'll need lots of it) and refill the gas
   tank when it's half empty. Keep a first-aid kit, jumper cables, and cat
   litter in your van (this last is to put under the wheels if you get
   stuck. It really increases traction.) And don't forget a snow shovel!

Hope these are helpful.

- J

 +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 | [CC] This message has been closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired.    |
 +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 | Jennifer Sarantites                |                     Buran@FurryMUCK |
 | sarantit@math.grin.edu             | http://www.math.grin.edu/~sarantit/ |
 +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+