Amidst the cheer of family, friends, and holiday tunes, winter driving is truly the repentance that reminds us all of reality. In a weather-fluctuating city like Calgary, winter driving can be an absolute nightmare. I am hopeful that most of you have taken a safety driving course in your lifetime. So today, I want to share with you some of the life lessons I have learned about winter driving in short driving career:
1. Take your time– I know some of you, especially our newer drivers, want to appear cool and steadfast. But really, are two extra minutes worth it? If you think about the time that you are actually trying to “save” by going fast, it is not a whole lot. That red light is still going to mean the same thing. Safety is everything, so on a slippery day, take your time with it. Let the other manic drivers speed past you. Do not let others pressure you into going faster. We, the decent human beings, understand that on a winter morning, it’s better to take it slow. With that said, please, let’s not try to be that overbearing turtle that is causing more damage than good.
2. Winter tires– Changing your tires is a must when living in a wintry city. Even if you drive a 4×4 and are confident that nothing will happen to you, it is always better to be safe than sorry. During our way to a winter hike last year, one of the cars, a Subaru 4-wheeler, skidded off of the road and got stuck in a ditch. Do not think that you will be an exception to the chaos of winter driving.
3. Wash those windows– Calgary has a unique snow removal program and it’s referred to as a chinook (thank you Ms. B. for the wonderful joke). With the stark changes of the weather in our city, always be prepared for those muddy days on the road, where all the ice has melted and has created a splendid masterpiece all over your windshield. Trust me, you want to be prepared with litres of windshield washer fluid. Do it, do it right now.
4. Park wisely– This sounds quite obvious, but be cautious of where you choose to park. Do not be the one that everyone mocks because you were the one to park on the side nearest to the ditch. Also, be cautious of the city’s policy on snow route parking bans. These are areas that are marked off for parking to aid the city’s efforts in snow removal. To truly park wisely, you need to factor in weather, shelter and position. If there is a blizzard, try to park near some sort of shelter or nearer other cars. This way, you will not have to worry too much about cleaning your car off afterwards. Also, winter is not the time to be doing close-call parallel parking. Be wary of how you are parking. The icy conditions may not look favourably upon your adventurous skills.
Try to avoid this…
5. Emergency winter kit– You never know what is going to happen out on the road, especially during this time of year. So keep a kit of essentials, such as, food, water and a first aid kit. Your emergency winter kit should also stock a shovel to possibly dig yourself out of a snowbank. In addition, keep your ice scraper, salt, and chains handy. These are the tools that you will mostly need to help you on your winter’s drive. Hopefully, you will not need all of them. For more tips, check out this link.
The last and more obvious tip is to think safe and logically. If you are even doubting something, do not spontaneously go for it. Be confident in the moves that you make as a driver. Also remember that sometimes you cannot control everything. As much as you are a good driver, inevitably, there are going to be unsafe drivers out there. Just try your best, and always be safe.