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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 30, 1975)
thursday, October 30, 1975 page 8 daily nebraskan w inter roads magnify car response By Jim Williams My first introduction to the subtle nu ances of winter driving came just a few months after getting my driver's license. Headed down the snow-covered hairpin a few blocks from my house, I tried to slow by stepping on the brakes. My 1968 Falcon responded by whipping into a three-quarter spin and coming to rest against a curb about two feet from a new Riviera. It was a thought-provoking experience. Winter is a sort of car-response magni fier. Funny things happen at 20 m.p Ji. that usually appear in the more exclusive neigh borhood of 90-plus on dry pavement. You need to think ahead when roads get slick -way ahead. Slick tricks-Think of yourself behind the wheel of a wild 300-h.p. firebreather, maybe a Ferrari Daytona. Now picture yourself blasting around your local roads at about 150 m.p.h. You know you're going to have to make adjustments. That stop sign ahead-get on the brakes a lot earlier than you're used to. But not too hard, or they'll lock. That tricky corner-take it easy turning the steering wheel-too much and you'll skid. And watch the traffic very, very carefully! Just keep the Italian-supercar image in mind and you know what you're up against. The key word in winter driving is finesse. Change of plan-You need to re-train your reflexes to cope with the different needs of winter driving so emergencies don't take you by surprise. This means giving your car a lot more space in traffic. The traction of an icy road is about eight per cent that of a normal road. A stop from 70 m.pji., to pick an illegal example, would take about 2,500 feet-unless you hit something. To slow down, pump brakes gently, be ginning well in advance of where you need to stop. Sometimes it helps to shift into a lower gear. Simultaneously braking and turning is just asking for a spin. Once you're spinning, there's not much to do but take your foot off the gas and hope you don't hit any parked Rivieras. If the car in front of you spins, racing writer Paul Petersen suggests you aim right at him -he probably won't be there anymore when you get there. Steering efficiency diminishes drastically on slick raods. Turn too sharply and the car's front "plows" straight ahead. When starting your trip, it pays to test yourself on a quiet street to see just how far you can turn the wheel. Un-ticking-No matter how careful you are during the winter, you're bound to get stuck at least a few times. The emergency stuff mentioned in the car-preparation section can help. Scoop away snow from all four wheels with the shovel. Spread out the kitty litter or sand for traction. Broken twigs, dry leaves, cardboard-any thing you can stuff under the wheels is probably better than snow. Then drive forward, applying just enough power to spin the tires slightly. If you can't force your way out, try rocking the car-shifting into reverse and backing as far as possible, then powering forward "on the rebound." But don't do this for over a minute or so, for your trans mission may overheat. Failing all else, there's no substitute for manpower, unless it's a tow truck. The bright side Now I've told you how lousy winter driving is. In fairness, it has some advantages. Do you know how to get out of a skid? Really? Hae you ever tried it? Sure, prac tically everybody knows that you turn in the direction the rear wheels are skidding. This is a reaction only practice can train. But it's hard to find a safe place to prac tice in the summer-a place where you can toss your car sideways at 50 m.p.h, and not hit anything if you goof. A snow-covered parking lot is an unbeatable "skid pad" where you can swing the car into the most bizarre attitudes at 10 or 15 m.pji. It's a great way to practice skid control -and if you choose a place free of ob structions like light poles, cars and pedestrians, it's quite safe. A drift is a high-speed cornering tech nique involving the controlled sliding of all four wheels. The car is steered into the turn. Then the driver steps hard on the gas pedal, swinging the rear wheels out into a skid. Still applying power, he steers the front wheels away from the turn-"opposite lock"-and slides through under perfect control, with the car's nose pointing down the road at the turn's exit. It's difficult, challenging and not every car has enough power to perform on a dry track. But on the snowy skidpad you can while away hours practicing it. Then there are the maniacs whose fav orite sport is bundling up in drafty sports cars on freezing days, then driving from no where to nowhere on rotten secondary roads according to a strict schedule and route directions. This is winter rallying. It's also called a lot of other things, particularly when the contestants take a wrong turn into a ditch full of ice water. Winter rallies are silly and ridiculous, and I'd sign up to participate in one tomorrow if I could. If this appeals to you (ya weirdoi), you might write to national headquarters of Sports Car Club of America. Their address is P.O. Box 22476, Denver, Colo. 22476. And if that's not challenging enough for your winter-driving skills, there's still the Trans-Nebraska Open-enter at your own risk. Emargancy telsphona numbers for motorists' yun or wailst: -American Autoroobila Association nation wide road condition raport and 24-hour towing sarvica 477-8931 -Emergency road conditions, Novambar- April 477-9202 -Emargancy road conditions .... 477-6012 -Weather forecast service, 24-hour 432-9211 -Towing services: A-1 Wrecker Service, 24-hour , . 475-8441 AAA Truck Service Inc., 24-hour 477-71(38 Above Standard Service ..... 466-9927 Auto Ambulance Co., 24-hour . . . .477-8340 Glenn Hiilhouse euto body and towing, 24-hour 475-8441 Hickman Motor Co., 24-hour . , 782-2025 Iramlman Garage 435-2739 Kaar Service, 24-hour. 464-741 Lewis Service Center Inc., 24-hour 475-8471 Misle Chavroiet Co. . 483-2281 Owen's Red Horn Mobil Service 477-6765 Pierson's Texaco . ...... . 475-0384 Royal Motors 435-2138 Scanlofl Crash Service 432-1810 70th and Adams APCO, 24-hour 464-9917 Van's Auto Repair , 475-9947 Ward Body Shop ......... 432-6059 Wedgewood Conoco ....... 433 -854 Whitney's Commercial Wrecker Service, 24-hour 432-4413 State Patrol service Tapes report on roods If you plan to drive in Lincoln or state roads this winter, rest assured the people in charge of informing you of the conditions of those roads and of trying to help motor ists in trouble are preparing to do their jobs. If you travel state highways between Nov. 1 and April 1, but are not sure of road conditions, dial 477-9202 (or 553 5000, in Omaha) and a one-minute, re corded message will give you current road conditions, said Capt. D.W. Scharnp, direc tor of communication for the State Patrol. The messages "change as conditions change," he said and are based on informa tion collected from troopers on the road. Scharnp said the tapes, in the third year of use, free State Patrol personnel from answering the same questions that callers often ask. The phone number in Lincoln can handle three callers at a time and the Omaha number can handle 20, he said. The American Auto Association (AAA) - eajaaeiaiejeieie .. . . )PmmmmZI!Zmmmmm pamammmmsxamammmamKaBmmBnmmmmmmmmmammmmm r - - - rir . , . m m iwwwwwww !j JUDSON CUSHING STEVE BARBER utomotive J I FOREIGN also helps inform drivers of road conditions as well as those who may have trouble with their automobiles. AAA, a non-profit motor club, distri butes pamphlets, brochures and notices in monthly billings to inform members of procedures for winterizing their cars, said Larry Erdkamp, Lincoln's AAA branch manager. But members are not the only ones who can benefit from AAA services, he said. Like the State Patrol, AAA also has reports on road conditions, as well as sur veys on gasoline availability which are broadcast frequently on local radio stations, he said. ( Lincoln's AAA pays local service sta tions which have towing services to assist motorists, especially during winter months, . he said. AAA members receive free towing and starting services in most instances, Erdkamp said, adding that long distance towing or special repair services may cost more. Wants you to start the winter out right,.. from tune-ups to brake work call Pete Peterson and get winterized. Carl A. Anderson Co. distributor of parts and accessories needed to keep your car going. 1627 P St. 432.7596 Get the AC-Dc!co tune-up habit and cure the common cough in i i.i. .u.h.. - pi t I 1 A(-JL : XT W m U A uhe up J Condon Auto Electric I 1821 N St. 477-41CS I I I HI ! " Ml.,1.1, ,,, , Just tho namo (should tell you that we'll Qivo your car tho finest coro in toirjn. complete winterization tune-ups brake work Tho Complete KViachino Shop at 1710 O Et, Ph. 432-1 B1 G CAR SPECIALISTS l m 475-9022 r" tangrj'ijrfrijxifiii Wnterize your car now! Front end alignment Suspension work Tune-up Brake work Lincoin Safety Service 2010 O St. 432-4565 27th and T nrrraTmYmraTrTYmraTm run rana I he sure to... I s s I r r i t B I n r UUyy J U K. '! t i i n ft t .3 1-3 0 LaJ li.--m.iwaj --'- with automotive parts from Car Parts Inc. Ik 11 p A 132-33733 1 8 srmYTrmrn