Winter tyres saved me three times!!!!

[Borys]

Yesterday was travelling thru Germany.Late night 3am,raining a bit keeping 90mph on cruize.Temp outside dropped to 1 degree,not worried at that stage.Suddenly I noticed a white cover on the road,literally ice!!!!!Seconds after three cars smashed fast lane,slow lane and carriage way (bumpers,smashed glass all over the autobahn).Brake gently ish ABS comes on but I stopped instantly with a bit of a wobble.My heart nearly stopped.Nobody got hurt but those cars were on summer tyres.Police and response units arrived in no time-impressive!!!
Ice came on the road two times more but car went thru it no probs and no further cars sufffered while I was passing.

 

[Igurisu]

I think you may have experienced "blitzEis" as the Germans call it. A sudden drop in temps almost instantly turning all the surface water to ice. I experienced it last year driving to Prague from Germany, literally in the space of 5 minutes the road surface turned to ice.

I discussed it with a German friend the following day and he said, ah yes, welcome to blitz ice.

Glad to hear you avoided any trouble.

 

[renault12ts]

90mph, using CC and showing a temp of 1 degree...extremely foolish in my book. Did you learn after the first smash? I do not believe what you have written.

At 1 degree you can have a slippery surface...and you MUST expect ice at some stage.

 

[BTB 500]

Outside temp readout also lags a bit ... so you can be into an area with lower temps. before you realise it.

Meanwhile here in the UK, on the news today they said it's been the 2nd warmest winter since records began in 1910.

 

[spike60]

In my winter driving experience always be wary of bridges, they can be the only icy bit when just above freezing. I guess a fraction colder because shaded in daytime going underneath or cold air under as well above if an overpass. I've had a couple of Torville and Dean moments!

 

[Harrythedog]

Travelling at that speed you can go from near sea level to altitude in a matter of minutes , the M6 around Shap in Cumbria is a good example, so an appreciation of your surroundings is wise.

That's a thought, an Alt meter on Sat Navs

 

[Borys]

90mph, using CC and showing a temp of 1 degree...extremely foolish in my book. Did you learn after the first smash? I do not believe what you have written.

At 1 degree you can have a slippery surface...and you MUST expect ice at some stage.

Foolish???
What is your experiance driving in winter in Europe?I driven thru freezes about -25 and snow up to your hips Mr.I use CC when I feel is safe to do spen road, no traffic, etc.
I would like 2 C U doing 1000 mile trip whitout using CC.Point of my post was to tell how winter tyres really good are.
Thank you U R a real gentelman

 

[Igurisu]

That's a thought, an Alt meter on Sat Navs

My command has an altimeter readout, it seems to increase/decrease in increments of 200m though. I was surprised when I saw it, not seen this function in a satnav before.

 

[ray_hennig]

Happy memories ..

Yesterday was travelling thru Germany.Late night 3am,raining a bit keeping 90mph on cruize.Temp outside dropped to 1 degree,not worried at that stage.Suddenly I noticed a white cover on the road,literally ice!!!!!Seconds after three cars smashed fast lane,slow lane and carriage way (bumpers,smashed glass all over the autobahn).Brake gently ish ABS comes on but I stopped instantly with a bit of a wobble.My heart nearly stopped.Nobody got hurt but those cars were on summer tyres.Police and response units arrived in no time-impressive!!!
Ice came on the road two times more but car went thru it no probs and no further cars sufffered while I was passing.

Yes, I remember early evening dashes from meetings in Augsburg to dinner in Amsterdam and easing down to below 100 mph as the altitude rose and the temperature fell. I recall a Porsche 928 with crazy wide wheels and me in my stock 500SL charging towards destruction until sanity prevailed. We came down off the hills and were soon back up to 130+.

Damn good curry in a Nepalese restaurant in Amsterdam, though.

All this on summer tyres, of course.

RayH

 

[Dieselman]

Foolish???

Yes, which is why the mandatory limit in rain in Germany is 110kmh.

I would like 2 C U doing 1000 mile trip whitout using CC.Point of my post was to tell how winter tyres really good are.

Where are you driving to in Germany that is 1,000 miles from London? I've done none stop to the Danish border from further North than London and that's only 850 miles?

I once had a situation running onto sudden black ice doing about 70mph. Six vehicles round me went off the road and joined the others already there, but I stayed on.
Maybe my summer tyres were just better than theirs...or maybe I was a better driver and able to react to the slide better.

 

[Howard]

Did you get on your knees and scope out their 'summer tyres' before or after you had checked if you cold help anyne who may have been injured ?

I have to say , credit to you , the couple of times in my life i have witnessed a big smash , checking the debris for what tyres they were on was the last thing on my mind.

Good job.

 

[moonloops]

Did you get on your knees and scope out their 'summer tyres' before or after you had checked if you cold help anyne who may have been injured ?

I thought that Germany mandated winter tyres for this season, what are the chances of coming across 3+ cars there with summer tyres ??

 

[Dieselman]

I thought that Germany mandated winter tyres for this season,

Only in mountain regions.

 

[Borys]

Only in mountain regions.

Like usuall you don't have a clue what you are talking about...
I was going to Poland which is 1100 miles from were I am.
I'm tired of your comments .... Useless

 

[Borys]

Did you get on your knees and scope out their 'summer tyres' before or after you had checked if you cold help anyne who may have been injured ?

I have to say , credit to you , the couple of times in my life i have witnessed a big smash , checking the debris for what tyres they were on was the last thing on my mind.

Good job.

I stopped and checked if everyone is ok-all good.
I'm not English to pass by without checking

 

[Borys]

Did you get on your knees and scope out their 'summer tyres' before or after you had checked if you cold help anyne who may have been injured ?

I have to say , credit to you , the couple of times in my life i have witnessed a big smash , checking the debris for what tyres they were on was the last thing on my mind.

Good job.

Only in mountain regions.

******** 75 euros fine and you go to the garage till you have Winter tires fitted....again useless comments

 

[renault12ts]

Borys...give it up...no tyre will save you in black ice...I don't care how often you have done this...luck saved you.

Howard was asking how you knew the other cars were on summer tyres...did you have a look while helping.

And, if using CC in these conditions you are tempting fate...you would have to have extremely quick reactions to switch if off if a wheel started sliding.

Yes...FOOLISH.

 

[ringway]

I've never got involved in any of the winter tyres threads, I've never even read any of them and if I'm honest I'd never heard of winter tyres before joining this forum.

However, IF one bears in mind the prevailing conditions I can't see why a good quality tyre wouldn't suffice. It's not as though my Michelin PS3's come with a warning "Not to be used in winter conditions".

Looking and thinking ahead and driving at a sensible pace for the conditions is the name of the game IMHO.

 

[renault12ts]

Agreed...but I don't think that applies to the op in post#1.

 

[Dieselman]

Like usuall you don't have a clue what you are talking about...
I was going to Poland which is 1100 miles from were I am.
I'm tired of your comments .... Useless

There's always the Off button...