Driving in snow/ice in FWD!!!?

Few questions that I can't find a straight answer to driving in snow/ice. First, I drive a 1998 honda civic FWD. Not sure if it has ABS or not. I also have winter tires. A couple questions though





1. Would pouring salt/sand on all four of my tires BEFORE I even start driving (like my car is sitting in the drive-way warming up) will that help at all? Or will the salt/sand basically fall of the tire before I even pull out of the drive-way?





2. If coming up towards a stop-light and it appears extremely icy up ahead and the regular super-slow breaking from a distance doesn't seem like it will be enough - what if I pushed on the brakes (slightly of course) but also pulled up very gently and slightly on the e-brake/parking brake at the same time? My co-worker once told me if done properly it almost makes it like a AWD for that spilt moment, as all four tires are being engaged. (the regular brakes slowing down the front tires and the e-brake slowing down the rear tires). Is this true? Or would this possibly simply lead to the back end losing control and spinning out?





3. If making say a left hand turn and the car starts to lose control, what is the PROPER thing to do? I've heard: A) let go off the gas and turn the steering wheel in the direction it's already headed, hoping it'll be able to correct itself in it. B) slightly push on the gas and turn the steering wheel the way YOU want the car to go, so that when it gains traction it will head that way. C). I've also heard to press on the gas slightly AND the brake slightly at the same time, then to steer in the way you want the car too go. Supposedly this helps all four tires work together or something along those lines.





So anyone know what's the truth?|||1. Would pouring salt/sand on all four of my tires BEFORE I even start driving (like my car is sitting in the drive-way warming up) will that help at all? Or will the salt/sand basically fall of the tire before I even pull out of the drive-way?





Only help for a foot or less in your own driveway to get you moving if you couldn't otherwise. It won't "stick" to your tires if that's what you're asking





2. If coming up towards a stop-light and it appears extremely icy up ahead and the regular super-slow breaking from a distance doesn't seem like it will be enough - what if I pushed on the brakes (slightly of course) but also pulled up very gently and slightly on the e-brake/parking brake at the same time? My co-worker once told me if done properly it almost makes it like a AWD for that spilt moment, as all four tires are being engaged. (the regular brakes slowing down the front tires and the e-brake slowing down the rear tires). Is this true? Or would this possibly simply lead to the back end losing control and spinning out?





When you step on the normal brake, all the tires have brakes, and they are all working together. Applying the parking brake could lock your rear tires, leading to a spin out and loss of control. Main thing is to be slow enough that you CAN stop, and if you can't, try to steer out of harms way, don't lock up the brakes and lose the ability to steer.





3. If making say a left hand turn and the car starts to lose control, what is the PROPER thing to do? I've heard: A) let go off the gas and turn the steering wheel in the direction it's already headed, hoping it'll be able to correct itself in it. B) slightly push on the gas and turn the steering wheel the way YOU want the car to go, so that when it gains traction it will head that way. C). I've also heard to press on the gas slightly AND the brake slightly at the same time, then to steer in the way you want the car too go. Supposedly this helps all four tires work together or something along those lines





If your car begins to skid, don't panic. Keep alert and look ahead. Do not overcorrect your steering. This can cause you to skid in the opposite direction even more uncontrollably. Try to avoid applying the brake. Carefully turn your steering wheel, pointing the front wheels in the direction you want to go on the road and slowly accelerate. This should bring your car back in line with the road and counteract the skid.





Read more: What Causes a Car to Skid | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5418088_cau鈥?/a>|||1) Forget sand and salt or even salt rock. Throw kitty litter along your driveway and carry a bag for traction in case you go off the road or can't move on black ice.



2) Don't use the brake. ABS does little in snow and ice. Pump your brakes in a slow manor to get a fresh tire print to brake again.... I pump the brake until slide is detected, then release and push again. Never hold the break pedal to the floor to try and stop, you will only slide further.



3) Sliding in a turn will continue until you steer into the direction you are sliding. Don't brake in a slide.



As long as you have 2 set's of tires, I strongly suggest having your winter tires studded at a REPUTABLE tire shop. All Sheriffs patrol car tires are studded for cornering on icy roads.



Here is a video of winter studded tires.|||1. It will not stay on the car. It may help you get started and go the first few inches, if the car is initially stuck. It will not help you keep going. Also, some of it will get on the bottom of the car, and make the car rust.





2. The regular brakes do slow down all four tires. Using the e-brake at the same time will not make the car stop is less distance, but it may lock the wheels and make the car go farther before it stops.





3. Let go of the gas and turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid.|||1. Complete nonsnese





2. Definately no. Most likely you will cause the car to spin out by locking up the rear wheels and cause an accident. Don't keep trying to make everything so complicated. If you have proper tires on the car and are paying proper attention and driving at reasonable speeds you should not be having any drama. The key is to look ahead - and I don't mean just at the car in front of you like everyone else on the road but FAR ahead - as far as you can see. That way you can anticipate situations and deal with them before you get there, not when you are on top of the trouble like the moron next to you texting while putting on her makeup in the middle of a blizzard.





3. Steer into the skid - but steer no faster than the car is skidding. Don't do anything abrupt like stomping on the brakes (which unloads the rear axle and will make things worse). Personally when I get sideways I keep my foot steady on the throttle (accelerating transfers weight to the rear axle) and just counter steer out of it. But then again, with 4 good winter tires on the car this almost never happens. Nor do I have much problem stopping.|||Note: You can find out if your civic has abs by the sub-model. The ex/hybrid are the models that do.





1. Putting salt on your tires is virtually useless as salt takes time (not much but it does) to melt ice/snow and it would fall off your tire anyway. Plus even if it did stick, you would only have as much as your tires could "Hold". If you need extra traction, either get studded snow tires, or chains. Chains are for extreme use only and very low speeds.





2. Never pull the emergency brake when driving, unless of course, your primary brakes fail. Pulling the e-brake does not make it AWD, AWD and FWD have to do with how many wheels are "hooked up" to the transmission. In FWD the front two are, and RWD the back two and AWD all four are. If you anticipate icy conditions and are trying to slow down you should try to avoid sudden braking/steering and downshift before you reach the ice. Downshifting will raise engine rpm's, however it will drastically increase engine braking (the wheels turn the engine more than the engine turns the wheels basically). This in turn reduces the amount of braking you need to do because you are going at a lower speed and the engine is doing most of the work.





3. If make a turn in any direction, and it's icy turn in the direction you are already sliding because if you turn in the opposite direction, the back end will continue to slide that way and you will most likely spin out. Also, let off the accelerator.





Note: Pressing the brake and gas at the same time does essentially nothing but loss of control. This is because you are trying to force the car forward and stop it at the same time which makes for unpredictable results.