Scariest. Drive. Home. Ever.

[annwfyn]

I just drove home from the College Arms.

I had no petrol, was driving on untouched snow, and had next to no grip on the road, with the snow falling more and more heavily every moment.

I have never been so scared behind the wheel of a car in my life.

I know a lot of people like snow. I find snow pretty, when I'm inside. I can even be persuaded to play in it when I'm nicely wrapped up and know I have nowhere scary to go.

Driving in snow is close to my idea of hell. I hate it. I hate the way the car has no grip on the road, I hate feeling the brakes crunch underneath my feet, and I hate it more than anything when I turn the steering wheel and nothing happens.

I'm now home and starting to calm down. My toes are numb, but soon they will be warm, and maybe soon I'll start to think of snow as fun instead of Millions Of Mobile Death Traps.

Gods, it's so nice to be able to breathe again...

Comments

[adze.livejournal.com]

I like snow, but hate travelling in it.

Our taxi ride back to King's Cross was 15 minutes late, and hair-raising on the way...

[pmp.livejournal.com]

I'm probably some kind of masochist but I actually enjoy the challenge of driving in the snow. It's the idea of having to think ahead, predict where you want to go and having to make the adjustments at the right time.

[lanfykins.livejournal.com]

You're not actually the only one. But then, I learned to drive in two inches of snow :)

It's the hyperalertness; through the steering wheel you can feel every single movement of the car, and tell by that how much grip you have (if any). And every movement has to be so inchingly slow and cautious...

What I've actually noticed is that I drive slower in snow than a lot of drivers. And I think that part of that is that my car just doesn't hold the road very well, but part of it is that a lot of people just aren't aware of how slippery snow is, and as long as they're going straightish they don't realise how little grip they've got.

[troubleinchina.livejournal.com]

You are braver than I am. I don't even like walking in trecherous snow conditions. :(

[melsner.livejournal.com]

Worst. Idea. EVER:

Next time you're in a bad driving situation like that, just suddenly go in-character as Rosie.

[adze.livejournal.com]

That could be bad - Rosie can't drive!

[melsner.livejournal.com]

It would be like a line from Anya in Buffy (during a dream sequence). "I've learned to drive by gesturing emphatically."

That or she'd somehow try to drive it like it was a pirate ship's wheel...

Yes, she'd be far more likely to crash, but she'd be amazingly more cheerful about it.

[anonymous-james.livejournal.com]

If you think driving in it is bad, try cycling in it. If you slide a bit you risk falling over. Needless to say I shouldn't have bothered, there weren't (m)any trains running anyway.

[satyrica.livejournal.com]

yeah, I'm electing not to try cycling in it despite the fact it's currently my only viable option for getting into work . . .

[anonymous-james.livejournal.com]

Now of course, all the roads with any traffic on are just wet. How long it'll stay that way - who knows.

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

Snow is nasty for driving in (unless you have a vehicle designed for it).

As an odd question is your car ready for snow/bad weather? I always like to have a blanket, coat, stout boots and (ideally, will be going in next time I head to the car) some sort of shovel in the boot. Should pop some water and something chocolate in too - but i keep chocolate in the glove box, as part of my "don't be ill" pack (includes painkillers and red bull...its not a GREAT plan...but...).

Probably not as needed in London as if you're elsewhere - or in the country - but I find it comforting knowing if it comes to it I have these things!