Another technique we used to use in off-road testing [again pre ABS / Traction Control] was to pulse the brakes whilst throttling gently to mimic what would now be Traction Control

Cadence braking

That how I still do even with ABS

Yes, cadence braking but used to reduce wheelspin whilst driving uphill.

LOL ABS. Wouldn’t like to be that guys insurance company.

Avoid touching brakes, steering wheel or throttle as much as possible.

If you have to touch them touch them gently. Caress them like you would a fine women.

Can’t turn ABS off in pretty much all cars

Taking the fuse out does the job on most cars if you don’t want ABS.

My car’s not got ABS either so at least it’s doing some things right.

In snow and ice ONLY. Otherwise, not good.

Like a motorbike in the rain
– plan further ahead than you would normally
– ride/drive well within your plan
– do everything slowly, smoothly and gently
– remember if it goes wrong, it’ll probably be horribly wrong
– don’t do it if you don’t have to

Caress them like you would a fine ugly women.

ie as little as possible

I’m with theotherjonv and others, high gears when your moving off and going uphill (to avoid wheels spin), the uphill bit requiring some anticipation of which gear to be in, so as not to have to change down halfway up. Going downhill, I’ve always used low gears to maintain a steady slow speed, whilst not having to use the brakes to stop the car increasing its momentum. Changing down a gear whilst going downhill, I engage the lower gear really gently, just letting the clutch out a touch, then pressing it back in and repeating until the car is slowed to fully engage the lower gear without causing it to lurch. On steep downhills, I stop at the top, engage 1st and let the car crawl down, resisting the temptation to touch the brakes, never had a problem.
Like someone says above, it’s also nice having a diesel car where you can move off and drive around at slow speeds without ever having to touch the accelerator.

As an aside, I drove a spanking new freelander hse td4 last night in pretty horrendous conditions. I’ve no idea how much they cost but wow! The electrics in this car are very good indeed. Even driving in a manner that should’ve unruffled it, it was difficult to bamboozle it. The Hill Descent Control is incredible; on hills where even the slightest touch of the brakes had us mimicking a sledge, it never failed to control it. Cafe creme leather was horrible though.

If you drive everywhere in snow and ice as if your car as no brakes , and only engine braking to bring it to a standstill, you stand a much better chance of arriving at your destination intact.
In freash snow it is sometimes better to try to slow with the handbrake , if your ABS is having a fit, as the locked wheel should push a ramp of snow in front of it . Beware fishtailing , altough normally releasing the handbrake will allow the car to straighten.
If its going orribly wrong in a slow mo ‘ Im not slowing despite the fact i’m only doing 20mph way’, and the abs is not doing any retardation ,then the handbrake can help by steering the rear of the car away from impending doom. Use the handbrake to lock the rears to put the rear in a ditch / hedge / bank sideways before smashing into the queue of stationary traffic. Locked rears will follow the camber , this is last resort only , and might keep your no claims intact.

Defenders have old tech transmission handbrakes so applying while rolling could be ermmm interesting…

Watched a guy using his ABS to get him round a corner today.

Unfortunately he ended up in the hedge.

I actually almost got my brother to soil his boxers when I slammed on the brakes earlier today. The ABS kicked in and juddered the car. He was “impressed” (he doesn’t do scared, he drives a Punto). Gonna take it to the Tesco carpark later for some spins to go shopping.

all the **** behind in 4wds can just sit there fuming

I tend to just fly down the middle of the road, overtaking people in their measly 2wd cars, showering them in snow and slush in the process.

Surely the key is to drive at a constant 22mph, slowing gradually to 2mph to take any corner and touch the brake numerous times on straights whenever another vehicle approaches?
EVEN WHEN IT’S ONLY A BIT WET!!!

I get stuck behind drivers like this on the A4 to Bath in summer…
I’ve used engine braking as long as I’ve been driving, February 1977 in fact, and my first car was a ’54 Morris Minor, fitted with a 1300 engine, van rear axle, Riley 1500 front brakes and 5jx13″ wheels. Drove it to Basingstoke in the winter of ’81-2 with snow on the A4 piled higher than the roof and never had the car out of shape, or any subsequent cars in snow or heavy rain. Still use engine braking in my Octi TDi, and only had one little incident last winter turning into a country road at around 10mph after using the engine and the car slid into the grass verge as I turned the wheels. Nothing I could do, and it was a bugger getting it off the verge as there was the beginning of a ditch there. A lot of rocking back and forth with the gearbox got me back on the road after ten minutes or so, but it was close to getting stuck. Taking it even easier this year.

I tend to just fly down the middle of the road, overtaking people in their measly 2wd cars, showering them in snow and slush in the process.

And like most others in 4x4s, you soon discover the laws of physics apply to you too

And like most others in 4x4s, you soon discover the laws of physics apply to you too

There was a tad of sarcasm behind my post 😉

Not everyone who owns a car, that has drive to all 4 of the wheels, is an idiot. The same way that there is plenty of idiots who drive normal cars amongst the sensible people out there.

Why are you buting a 4×4 for work I was asked nearly a year ago.

1) I wasn’t stuck on a verge for an hour today trying to dig my Transit out today like the bloke I was working with.

2) I wanted one.

3) I’m working in the North East and am not really worried about my journey home tomorrow to 3ft of snow in Derbyshire.

4) I wanted one.

5) If it gets me to work for just one week where I’d normally be stranded in a van, then it has saved me £1500 off it’s purchase price straight away.

Saying that, it’s bloody scary in 2wd/RWD and even in 4wd with SUV semi-road/off road tyres it has to be treated with care, as the back end will come out. Even on dual carriageways I take it steady when switching lanes and only overtake at a reasonable speed if there’s snow on the tarmac.

Ideally need some new tyres, but am loathed to ditch the current ones with a couple of thousand miles still left on them

Buting a 4wd can only end in a headache. 8)