Drivers in Icy conditions

[Welly]

This morning it was -4 degC with a ground frost but certain drivers (mainly young it seemed) were still hooning down the country lanes like it was a summers day

Aren't people taught to drive differently on Ice now? I'm still old school and assume the gritters don't work miracles so it's GENTLE inputs from me, lower speed and leave lots of room.

Are modern cars taking away that feeling you need when the car starts to slide? and all manner of safety* controls sort it all out for them? if so that's a disaster waiting to happen in my view.

Maybe there isn't enough Ice/Snow around for long enough for new drivers to get used to it, or have a 'go' on it. Surely skid pan training should be part of the UK test it must be invaluable at some point to most people.

In my yoof we all ran really sh*t cars with no driver aids and deliberately went out in the snow to test/practice our skills; sure it was a bit of a laugh but getting to feel when a car will break away and what is going to happen to it next is a great skill IMO.

[Doggy]

T'was ever thus, methinks.

Not that I'm a great exponent of today's generation with their skillz honed on the PS4 / Xbox, but I think 'our' generation was in the main every bit as clueless, until Darwin's theory inevitably took effect.

[highlander]

During driving tuition, the instructors will tell you that the braking distance on ice can be more than 10x the distance when driving on dry roads on nice warm days. They tell you to brake early, to grip the wheel firmly whilst you drive, especially when the car is prone to skidding. They tell you to take your foot off the accelerator if your car begins to skid over ice or to aquaplane over puddles.

Unfortunately that's the full extent of it. Plus, "ten times normal distance" is hard to visualise, so your brain tends to gloss over it. I agree that a skid pan day would be invaluable experience as part of standard UK driving tuition.

I never hoon about when it's icy; no way am I risking my own safety, the safety of others, or the state of repair of my car. It's just not worth it. I'd rather arrive safely than not at all.