[Marc]

Well, it's finally feeling more like winter in the UK.

Hope everyone is staying as warm as possible.

We've recently shared an article on the RAC website about money-saving driving tips this winter. This includes avoiding engine idling, being more wary of potholes, carrying out basic car checks.

Does anyone in our community have any tips for winter driving, or for generally staying warm in winter?

I, for one, have dug out some 'base layer' clothing. Driving-wise, I'm definitely using the car less when possible, such as walking to the local shops.

[Santa]

Modern cars are pretty reliable, but they do need regular maintenance, so be sure to get yours serviced at the correct intervals and check tyres and fluids frequently.

If you are going on a long journey, especially on a motorway, be prepared for holdups that can take hours. Be sure to have something to drink, hot is best, but water is okay. Put a blanket in the back in case it gets really cold, but if you are stationary, run the engine every half hour to warm the car up. Of course, that needs fuel, so don't let the fuel level get too low, even if it means buying some at motorway prices.

Also, be sure to keep your phone charged and working.

[Marc]

Some great tips there @Santa 👍

be sure to keep your phone charged and working.

Yep, that gets a +1 from me!

[Rolebama]

Depending on conditions, I would also have the type of tyres fitted to your vehicle checked. I saw too many crashed cars over the years because they were fitted with 'Sport' or semi-slicks and driven on icy roads.

[Marc]

Good shout @Rolebama but I wonder if people struggling with costs of living will consider winter tyres? I mean, your point is 100% spot on, but I reckon many would decline forking out (even if it could prevent a collision, or worse).

Are snow chains still a thing? They used to be fairly common in winter, but I hardly ever see them now.

[Rolebama]

I don'think we have had the depth of snow for them to be worthwhile. Maybe in Scotland or northern counties, but not, to my mind, since early 80s in the south.

[Marc]

Originally Posted by Rolebama

I don'think we have had the depth of snow for them to be worthwhile. Maybe in Scotland or northern counties, but not, to my mind, since early 80s in the south.

Yes indeed @Rolebama there was 2009 I think, when we were hit with snow in the South. I remember having to drive from Somerset to Wales for a wedding (in a disused mine, in January!) and it was v snowy.
But that's a one-off. Back in the 80s it would snow pretty much every year, right?

I guess annual snowfalls have gone the way of quiet Sundays, insects on your windscreen, and the Sinclair C5!!

[Elio]

1. Layer up: Wear multiple layers of clothing to stay warm when temperatures drop. Start with a thin base layer, add a warmer mid-layer, and top it off with a thicker outer layer. 2. Protect your extremities: Wear a hat, scarf, and gloves to cover your ears, head, and hands. These areas are most susceptible to the cold. 3. Wear waterproof boots: Invest in a good pair of waterproof boots with good traction to keep your feet warm and dry. 4. Eat warm and hearty meals: Eating warm and nourishing meals will help to keep your body temperature regulated. 5. Drink warm beverages: Drinking warm liquids such as tea or hot chocolate will help to keep your body temperature up. 6. Keep your home warm: Make sure to keep your home warm by using a space heater or adding extra insulation.

[Anawilliam850]

@Rolebama Hi! thanks for the tips

[Marc]

Giving this one a nudge as it seems that winter is, well maybe not here just yet, but around the corner.
I guess we're in the "wet season" anyway...
Wish people would slow down a little when there's massive puddles on the roads.

[Rolebama]

Check your antifreeze content. I have attended breakdowns because of frozen radiators caused by the wind chill factor at motorway speeds.
Give all your locks a squirt of WD40 or a similar fish-oil lubricant to stop them freezing up.
Rub gelatine on door rubbers to stop the sticking. (Get it from the cookery aisle at local supermarket.)

[Marc]

Good tips @Rolebama 🙂

[Marc]

Be careful out there today everyone, it's a stormy one!

[NMNeil]

Old school.
Cut a potato in half and rub it on the windscreen. The starch and sugars will limit or stop the ice sticking to the windscreen overnight. Don't forget to wipe the screen under the wiper blades as well.
Seen quite a few times the (plastic) gears inside a wiper motor stripped because the wiper blades were ice 'welded' to the screen.

[Rolebama]

NMNeil's post above reminded me of the times I've changed wiper mechanisms because the wipers were frozen to the screen. People had tried to use their wipers to clear ice from the screens when the blades were stuck. A jug of cold water from the tap will clear an icy screen, but you've got to wipe the screen dry before driving or it will just ice over again.

[Santa]

@Rolebama No problem for me as my current ride has a heated windscreen (and a heated steering wheel - love those warm hands)

Back last century, I was a manager in Birmingham. One of my labourers was a Sihk who, while an excellent worker was not the sharpest knife in the block. One cold and frosty morning he arrived, muffled up to the eyebrows and blue with cold. He had driven in with no windscreen in his car because he had 'defrosted' it with a kettle of boiling water.

[Drivingforfun]

I made the mistake, as a new driver, of using my wipers when the windscreen was frosted. I just assumed the easiest way to clear the frost was to sue the windscreen wipers. Like driving in the dark without my lights on and getting flashed at to remind me to put them on, I only made the mistake once, but would have preferred to learn from others' mistakes rather than make it myself...

[Rolebama]

I have been told that when the older 'safety glass' windscreens went because of using hot water, they went with a bang. Apparently laminated ones sound like a cross between nails on a blackboard and tearing metal as the cracks make their way around the screen.

[Marc]

Here's a new RAC video about being prepared for Winter driving.

Reminds me.... I must get some more screen wash 🙄