4 Wheel Drive means NOTHING! DRIVE CAREFULLY!

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Hey folks...

For those of you up in snowy climates, I just wanted to offer some words of advise...

Just because you may have an SUV with Four Wheel Drive... doesn't mean you are invincible. I remember when I was living up north, those SUV'ers would zoom right on by thinking their 4WD would glue them to the road, and get them anywhere. Often times, I'd then seem them a mile down the road, stuck in some ditch.

Well... just the other day, my parents were driving in thier SUV with full time 4WD on a back road... and they hit a patch of black ice, and slammed into a tree. Thier SUV is completely totalled. Airbags went off, and seatbelts held them in place... Thankfully, they are very much okay.

But I just wanted to remind everyone... PLEASE... Drive carefully.

Have a safe, and happy holiday season.

 

[ducklite]

Glad to hear your parents are OK.

There was a day a few weeks ago here in NJ that out of about 100 accidents on the NJ Turnpike, 80+ involved SUV's. (My usband calls them Subrban Assault Vehicles)

They are not cars, they are trucks. They do not handle like cars, they handle like trucks. And frankly unless you have the need to tow something really heavy or have three bull mastiffs to carry around, there's no need to own one. I'll take my FWD car anyday. It goes as fast, handles better, rides better, has more (and more secure) storage space, costs less, uses less fuel, and will take me through bad weather juat as well if not better than any SUV.

Anne

 

[mrsapalm]

Thanks for the advice Tyler. I'm very, very glad that your parents are okay! Vehicles are disposable, people are not.
Sorry we missed ya last week in The World!
-MrsAPalm

 

[Uncleromulus]

Point about safe driving is well taken. That's the main problem with these vehicles--the drivers who think they can maintain remotely normal driving habits in ice, snow, and even rain.
But have to disagree with Ducklite. Rely heavily on our 4-wheel drive S-10 , and our Santa Fe with it's full time all-wheel drive and ABS. We moved up to S. Central Pa.(from Baltimore) 9 years ago, with 2 front-wheel drive Toyotas. Didn't take us long to see who "got around" in winter and who didn't. Traded in the Toyotas within 2 months of each other that second winter.

 

[inkkognito]

Great post, Tyler! As someone who lives in Chicago and witnesses the craziness firsthand all winter, I know exactly what you mean. It was very snowy and slippery on Christmas Eve. I drove very slowly, as did most drivers, but there were a few who tail-gated and zipped along as though it were a clear summer day. Another thing they forget about SUVs is that they might go better than cars in the snow, but they don't stop any better...as a matter of fact, their weight makes it worse. Speeding and tailgating are a recipe for disaster.
I'm glad your parents are okay, and I hope everyone will heed your warning this winter!
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[laf0165]

I too am happy that your parents are ok. I love my all-wheel drive car and as long as I live up north, will always have one if I am able to afford it. It handles great in the snow and still handles like a car. Living in the most northern part of NJ, I have too much experience with bad weather (snow, ice, etc.). I am experienced enough to know that no matter how a vehicle's drive train is set up, ice is ice and all vehicles slide on ice. I try to be extra careful. Ya know, slow and steady.

I had an experience a few weeks ago going home down an extremely steep mountain road. The car in front of me, a honda accord, was going 10 mph and sliding all over the place. I really felt sorry for the person. I kept plenty of distance and I too was only going 10 mph. If the Honda lost total control I didn't want to hit him. My car wasn't sliding, but felt like it could at any moment. It was a very uncomfortable feeling. What was more uncomfortable, was the idiot tailgating me in his Toyota SUV. If I had to stop suddenly, he would have hit me and it would have been his fault for not keeping a safe distance and not being in control of his vehicle. When we got to the bottom of the hill, I got into the left turn lane to turn onto the street I take to go home. The Toyota SUV increased is speed and before you knew it, he was sliding out of control. He regained control and didn't have an accident, but what an idiot. Guess he figured out why I was being so cautious.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Yes, SUVs will typically be able to manuever better than a typical sedan... however, my point is that a lot of folks think they are invincible on the road... and that they can drive normally.

However... hit a patch of black ice... doesnt matter what you're driving... (Unless you have studded snow tires... that might help)

 

[hercamore]

Hi, glad your parents are ok, and wow, they took a good hit!

Living in Minnesota, I see plenty of nutty drivers fooling around on the snowy roads in their big trucks. People don't realalize how easily these SUVs can flip over.

Herc.

 

[Bichon Barb]

I'm glad that you're parents are okay!

I think I can claim an expertise on this subject as I live in Syracuse, NY. I also drive an urban assault vehicle (a GMC Yukon). Although the weather is a good enough reason to drive a four wheel drive up here, believe me, we didn't buy the Yukon for that purpose or for a fashion statement. We are campers and pull a trailer. I complain all summer about gas guzzling, handling and parking, but it sure gets us around in the winter. Like Christmas day when we had to drive to my in-laws' in a foot of unplowed snow.

I always tell people, yes, you can get through the white stuff a lot easier with a 4WD, but it STOPS just like another vehicle. Actually, it may be worse, because when you are sliding in a Yukon, you are sliding in a 2 1/2 ton vehicle.

Be safe folks.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Certainly nothing beats safe driving. How people can still insist on going 70+ MPH in rain or snow is beyond me. But they do--.

Anyway-- a plug for my Santa Fe (and previous Subaru) all wheel drive--it's a great saftey feature on patches of hard snow/ice. It won't help on a solid sheet of ice, but on those patches of unplowed and then frozen snow that we always have around here (like right now), it's a godsend. No need to worry about shifting, etc. You can immediately "feel" the wheel(s) with traction getting a grip if other wheels are slipping.

 

[laf0165]

You are 100% correct, Uncleromulus. That all-wheel drive and traction control combination cannot be beat. I had a subaru AWD before my current car (BMW 3 series with AWD & Traction Control), and have felt many an accident avoided when the traction control kicked in. Definately a good thing to have on slippery patches. Hopefully I will never have to be without it.

 

[dtuleya]

Glad to hear your parents are ok. I too live in southcentral PA and am a non-tailgating, speed conscious, watching out for the "other guy", FWD driving mom.

 

[goofy4tink]

Yikes Tyler! That picture sure showed that the results could have been a lot different. I'm glad your folks are okay. My step-sister is now a card carrying member of the slow down club! She had a Jeep, 4-wheel drive. Well, she hit a patch of ice and away she went!! Totaled that puppy. She says to my father.."But I had 4-wheel drive!!" Not on ice she didn't. Thanks for the reminder. It's been pretty nasty here in Mass.