Driving Into A Skid

[Tilly2]

Can you just tell me the answer to this, please? If I am driving along on ice and front of my car veers towards the pavement/ lampost, do I turn the wheel towards the pavement as well, ie anti-clock wise?

I know that my instinctive reaction would be to turn the wheel clockwise to try to prevent hitting the lamp post.


I have looked at Youtube but still don't get it.

[douglas9401]

Handbrake? Why not just floor the throttle until something solid halts your progress.

Saints preserve us and save us from experts.

[Hymie]

My understanding of the advice that you steer into the skid (point the wheels in the same direction to that you are skidding), is that once they are in that direction (gaining traction), by now turning the steering wheel (slowly), the car will follow the direction of the wheels, getting you out of the skid.

The main problem with this advice when driving on UK roads is that by the time you have regained control of the car, you have already hit something.

So the best advice is not to get into a skid in the first place; when driving on ice/snow, use gears to slow down, drive in a high gear and at an appropriate speed for the conditions.

[sapelesam]

Vauxhall Meriva is front wheel drive. The advice on steering is not really for ice and snow. It came about when cars were mainly rearwheel drive and the back end lost traction on a bend. Wet or going too fast. If the back end skidded left you steer right. On ice and snow I would gently press the brake until I felt traction, then steer away.

[chrissa1]

https://www.facebook.com/tony.grisedale/posts/10215691032009146

If this works, this is how you do it, Tilly2. :)

[sapelesam]

Always had probs with left and right. I should have said, back end skids left you steer left. Apologies.

[Tilly2]

Thank you all for trying to sort me out. Now the snow's gone, I'm not so concerned.

[TWR]

Doug, 22.03, I take it you have never experienced a brake Failure, "Gear" "Handbrake"