It's the same story every year -- we get a couple of inches of snow overnight and the entire British road network grinds to a halt.
There is absolutely nothing on Earth more infuriating than being stuck behind a BMW driver -- and, trust us, it is always a BMW driver -- who's suddenly discovering that rear-wheel drive really doesn't work in snowy conditions as he spins his wheels at 3,000rpm in a vain attempt to find some grip.
So, to ensure that you don't get caught out when the roads turn white, we've prepared a handy cut-out-'n'-keep guide to preparing your car for winter, plus a few tips on how to drive in wintry conditions.
Preparation
Make sure that your battery is charged. Cold weather puts extra demands on your car's battery, so if it's getting old, replace it. And if your car doesn't start immediately, try and start it in 5-second bursts, leaving a 30-second gap between attempts, to allow it time to recover.
Put some anti-freeze in your car's cooling system -- you need a 50-50 mix for winter. Failure to do this may lead to your eng
ine coolant freezing, cracking your cylinder block and causing hundreds -- or even thousands -- of pounds worth of damage.
Buy some de-icer. Use it.
Make sure your windscreen is clean and your windscreen-washer reservoir is topped up (with a suitable additive to avoid freezing).
Get some winter tyres as they offer dramatically improved traction in snowy conditions. If you can't afford winter tyres, make sure there's at least 3mm of tread on your regular tyres by doing the 20p test (see left) -- insert a 20p coin into the lowest tread depth of tyres. If you can't see the outer rim of the coin, your tyres are fine.
Driving
Always allow extra time for your journey.
Keep well back from the vehicle in front -- stopping distances are dramatically increased in wintry conditions.
Avoid harsh braking and sharp steering. Get into a lower gear and utilise engine braking if you need to slow down.
Pull away in second gear to avoid wheel spin, and use a low gear when descending hills, trying not to use the brakes if possible.
If you find yourself skidding under braking, release the brakes and declutch until the car grips again.
Use dipped headlights if visibility is reduced.
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