As the possibility of snowy weather grows, so does the chance that you will get stuck in it. We've all been there, and depending on how well you drive, some more than others. Even if you have never wound up in a snowy ditch you have probably tried to help someone who did.
"Keep your wheels straight is one tip," says Lee Deadmond of South Bend.
"Rock it back and forth as best you can and push with all your might. And get help," says John Entstrasser of South Bend.
"Or just put it in 4-wheel-drive and get out I would say," says Tracy Loloar of Buchanan.
While we all have our own tricks, we wanted to know what the experts had to say. Matt Edmonds is the Vice President at The Tire Rack. There, they know a thing or two about staying out of a snowy ditch because they test tires and cars for a living.
"A dedicated winter tire is designed and built to give you the absolute best in winter's worst conditions," says Edmonds.
Edmonds also knows what to do if you do end up going where many have gone before.
First, says Edmonds, examine the outside of your car. Make sure there is no damage. Also, make sure all your wheels are touching the ground.
"Very gently, put the gear into reverse and without even really getting on the gas, see if you can get the vehicle to roll back idle back. If you are stuck beyond that. Then you need to try some alternative methods," says Edmonds.
That could include gently rocking the car back and forth. Or having someone push.
"You want to be gentle as you try to back out and accelerate out," says Edmonds, "If your foot is on the gas hard and you are spinning that tire, you are spinning it generally twice as fast as you think you are, or you may think you are by the speedometer. That is just polishing the snow, heating it up, really turning it into ice and you will never get a grip on that."
If that doesn't work. Try this:
"Pull the floor mat out of the vehicle and stick it under the tire. And that would give us our surface and our grip and give the tire something to grab a hold of and bite verses the snow where we slip and slide," says Edmonds.
All good suggestions, but sometimes:
"When all else fails, the phone and AAA," says Edmonds.
We want to hear your suggestions. How were you able to make it out of a snowy ditch. Comment on this story or on facebook.
"Keep your wheels straight is one tip," says Lee Deadmond of South Bend.
"Rock it back and forth as best you can and push with all your might. And get help," says John Entstrasser of South Bend.
"Or just put it in 4-wheel-drive and get out I would say," says Tracy Loloar of Buchanan.
While we all have our own tricks, we wanted to know what the experts had to say. Matt Edmonds is the Vice President at The Tire Rack. There, they know a thing or two about staying out of a snowy ditch because they test tires and cars for a living.
"A dedicated winter tire is designed and built to give you the absolute best in winter's worst conditions," says Edmonds.
Edmonds also knows what to do if you do end up going where many have gone before.
First, says Edmonds, examine the outside of your car. Make sure there is no damage. Also, make sure all your wheels are touching the ground.
"Very gently, put the gear into reverse and without even really getting on the gas, see if you can get the vehicle to roll back idle back. If you are stuck beyond that. Then you need to try some alternative methods," says Edmonds.
That could include gently rocking the car back and forth. Or having someone push.
"You want to be gentle as you try to back out and accelerate out," says Edmonds, "If your foot is on the gas hard and you are spinning that tire, you are spinning it generally twice as fast as you think you are, or you may think you are by the speedometer. That is just polishing the snow, heating it up, really turning it into ice and you will never get a grip on that."
If that doesn't work. Try this:
"Pull the floor mat out of the vehicle and stick it under the tire. And that would give us our surface and our grip and give the tire something to grab a hold of and bite verses the snow where we slip and slide," says Edmonds.
All good suggestions, but sometimes:
"When all else fails, the phone and AAA," says Edmonds.
We want to hear your suggestions. How were you able to make it out of a snowy ditch. Comment on this story or on facebook.
