We got 4-5 inches of nice powder last night. This morning I had fun with self embraced fallacy sliding around in my wife's MINI. Went around the block a few times doing 180 turns for the neighbors.
The Blizzak's are great!

 

sounds like fun. i had to yank the e-brake a little coming into our complex last night as the front tire was just not gripping as well as it should have at the higher speed in the snow.

no issue sliding the rear a little to encourage rotation. was home in no time. if that was a novice in the snow, probably braked inducing more understeer into the curb into the tree into the ditch ending up with cold dinner. not good.

 

This. There is a reason why the Finnish are such good drivers. Skidpad courses are part of the standard driver training. You can only know the traction and handling limits of your car when you exceed them.

 

Hey, I don't mind if people do go slide their car around on Ice and Snow, I just think we need to be honest as to the primary reason we are doing so...
And I think in MOST cases, it's because it's fun, not because we think it's going to make us such great snow or ice drivers.

This isn't Finland, and I don't see a lot of people slapping "Drivers Ed" signs on the side of their vehicles and going out to slide their vehicles.

I do see people doing donuts, slides, fast starts and hard braking in empty parking lots. And while it may produce some level of benefit in "familiarity" ....I really don't think it's happening as an educational exercise.

 

Think people are being... disingenuous? Hmmmm? Lol.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. But the reality is, in the Fit, maybe 8 times out of 10 I do it to test road conditions. I can't speak to the motivations of others.

In a front wheel drive car, hooning in the snow isn't all that fun. Rear or all-wheel drive is another matter.

I live in a rather Finnish-like climate. I think it would be hugely useful if skidpad training existed here in the normal drivers education courses. Since it is not, I have to practice myself.
If you're trying to argue against the value of sliding intentionally to get the feel for the car and the road, well, you're entitled to your opinion.

 

My honest answer. Not being disingenuous at all. It's so darned much fun. I'm no Hannu Mikkola, but I ain't bad. I need to use the e-brake where Hannu can do the Scandinavian flick.

 

For those of us who live in a warmer climate locations, I am pretty sure that the Fit doesn't have enough power to do donuts, certainly not with the CVT.

 

Fun...enjoyable, is a perfectly valid reason.

I need to go slide my vehicle in order to test road conditions or to become as skilled as a Finnish Driver...seems far less valid to me.

 

You are limited by too much traction. Maybe bolting on 4 temporary spares will get you sliding. Wish it was warm here, I'd gladly trade my slick roads for some warm weather.

 

fwd donuts are going in reverse. but its not all dat fun. when i was a teen a buddy of mine took me in his mirage or watever mitsu crap it was, to do donuts in the parking lot in the snow. yah we spun but then it was more or less no different than a tea-cup ride at a local carnival + risking hitting light pole.

ive never done donuts in the Fit knowing how boring it is.

 

FWD donuts are only for those who like under-steer. Handbrake turns & Scandinavian flicks are where it's at. Truth be told these days I'd rather stay inside where it's warm. ;-p

 

They won't do donuts but they do throttle lift oversteer nicely in the wet with VSA off. Dry too if you're in a safe enough environment and are ballsy.

 

Recent cold and very snowy conditions calls for a very different driving style. I find that sliding allows me to again get used to the Fit's understeer as well as turning/sliding in corners. After 8 months of great traction everything changes with 10cm of snow, slush and ice on the road. There is somewhat of a learning curve one needs every year.

If you do not purposely slide a bit, how will you gain practice when you encounter the same conditions while daily driving? Being unprepared for understeer can be dangerous.

 

Just curious. Do they salt your roads? They do here and I hate it.

 

They salt the piss out of the roads here, my black fit is chalked white with salt right now lol

 

Toronto uses a combination of beet juice as an ainti-icing marinade, followed by copious amounts of salt.

However it snows, my small street is one of the last to get plowed, so there is usually a good and slick surface for up to 3 days after the initial dump. This allows me at least 3 local corners and up to 3 days to practice my slides.

My Fit, as well, is streaked with lots of salt.

 

I will say going out & sliding by oneself without a clear goal in mind, probably not hugely helpful.

BUT, there are gains to be had in driver safety from knowing what your car will do at and beyond its limits.