Motoring
Tips for the cold weather & travelling in snow
:: Frozen door locks
Do not use hot water to free stuck locks, instead use warm water or squirt de-icer.
:: Doors unlock but remain stuck
Again, use warm water, not hot, to melt the ice bonding the door seal to the car body.
:: Frozen wiper blades
Ideally, leave wiper blades retracted from the glass the night before. If they are stuck in the morning, do not turn on the wipers as this may blow the fuse or rip the blades. Instead, use warm water to gently melt the ice bonding rubber to glass.
:: Frozen windscreen washers
Fuses can be blown if the washer is activated while the delivery pipe or tank is frozen, so manually wash the glass with warm water. Although frozen pipes might operate after the car is warm, if travelling long distances also take a bottle of water to apply manually to the windscreen, if necessary.
:: Driving from the parked position
Accelerate very slowly to avoid wheel spin. In a manual car, change gears as quickly as possible to reduce revs, while in an auto transmission apply gentle accelerator pressure. Avoid black ice patches while driving.
:: Stuck on ice
Make sure the parking brake is engaged otherwise, once free, the car may move. Use salt, gravel or even old carpet mats under the drive wheels - some cars are front-wheel drive while others are rear - to gain initial traction.
:: Driving in traffic
Keep vigilant and expect braking distances to be much greater. Skidding in icy conditions is a critical risk and exacerbated by sudden movements by accelerator or brakes.
