 Poster: A snowHead
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Could be a snowy weekend in some parts so what do we all think about driving up and down the resort mountain roads?
I do this everyday in the winter so my view is;
If in doubt put snow chains on before you start the climb/descent. Have a practice also and carry a shovel/gloves/mat......not a plastic spade as I tried to use last year!
If causing a queue behind you then usually you can find a spot to pull to the side to let other cars pass....saves on stress levels all round. I wish coaches/lorries would do this more.
I try and give priority to cars coming up hill if part of the road is blocked due to a car being stuck or fitting chains. It's easier for me to get going again than for the cars coming up.
Clear snow off your vehicle including the roof.
Any other tips?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@howiet, all sound but go stronger on the up downhill in that aiui vehicles ascending have right of way over vehicles descending, for just that reason.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Not sure if I agree with your last one, if it's that bad it's easier for the car coming up hill to stop so when I'm in that position if I'm coming up the hill I usually give way to those coming down. (but there again I've usually got snow tyres/chains on and all of my previous cars were 4 wheel drive so no real issue with getting going again) (I know that this is contrary to the highway code)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Always slip stream the car in front, it saves fuel.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Always pull out and overtake several cars when there is no space to pull in on approach to corners 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| blahblahblah wrote: |
| Always slip stream the car in front, it saves fuel. |
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Always pull over to let a local pass before he overtakes you on the next bend!
If you see a yellow van with la Poste written on it let it pass you before it overtakes you in an impossible spot!
On hair pin bends remember the locals have already checked out whats coming (they know the sightlines).
The edge of a hairpin bend is NOT the place to stop to put chains on.
Remember to take chains off driving very slowly on tarmac with chains on is not good for tyres your car or the temprament of the queue of drivers behind you.
If in doubt delay your departure until the roads clear/are cleared. Or delay your ascent until the crowds thin out...
and finally...you don't need full beam on when its snowing! (or rear fog lights!)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| howiet wrote: |
Could be a snowy weekend in some parts so what do we all think about driving up and down the resort mountain roads?
If causing a queue behind you then usually you can find a spot to pull to the side to let other cars pass....saves on stress levels all round. I wish coaches/lorries would do this more.
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Any other tips? |
It can be much harder, and possibly more dangerous, to restart with a truck, especially an artic, or bus, even with chains than it is with a car, although I agree with you in principle, if there is enough space.
One thing that really annoys me is people coming downhill towards a hairpin and they do not spot the truck or bus that has already started, or just about to start, coming up round the bend that needs the whole road to get round. Stopping and waiting for it to get round is just simple manners to me, let alone any rules there are.
Having said that I did it one day coming down from Alpe d'Huez and some Parisian numpty on summer tyres slid into the back of me, fortunately I had the tow ball on so he ended up with a nice tow ball shaped dent in his numberplate.
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| Quote: |
Always pull over to let a local pass before he overtakes you on the next bend!
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This. 
Go slow past people who have been foolish and are now trying to put their snowchains on in the middle of the road.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@skitow, technically, the damage from your tow ball, if you weren't reasonably going to be towing anything anytime soon, should have been at your expense. You're not allowed to drive around with a tow ball attached if you aren't on your way to or from towing something... my s-i-l has been fined for it.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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...and on no account move over if there is an ambulance behind you with blue lights and horns!
For those of you that know the road up to Flaine, we stopped to allow an ambulance to start up the road in front of us at the bottom, by the Super U. Ahead of them at that point were four cars, then a coach then another four cars and another coach. The ambulance (preceded by a 'quick off the mark' car) managed to get past a couple of cars and the first bus on a straight bit about 1km in.
All the remaining vehicles steadfastly refused to pull over, despite there being loads of opportunities to do so. Almost 7km later, the ambulance was still following the cars and coach when it pulled in at Araches to meet the sapeur pompiers who appeared to have the patient that they were there to fetch.
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You know it makes sense.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @skitow, technically, the damage from your tow ball, if you weren't reasonably going to be towing anything anytime soon, should have been at your expense. You're not allowed to drive around with a tow ball attached if you aren't on your way to or from towing something... my s-i-l has been fined for it. |
Are you sure about this 
What about non removable tow bars, I'm pretty sure the French have some fixed ones.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@skitow, I hadn't until s-i-l was fined for it and had to cover the damage on the car that ran into her.
| Quote: |
Are you sure about this
What about non removable tow bars
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Only as sure as it cost s-i-l cash. Which is not, I appreciate, cast iron evidence. But there's no likely mix up in translation as her mother tongue is French and her French husband agreed.
Non-removable? no idea.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Not mountain related, but 1000 years ago I was going out with a girl who was a terrible driver and a proper danger on the road. She turned up late for a drink in the pub and looked a bit shaken, she had driven into a car and pretty much taken one side off. She was at fault but was beside herself at how rude the old boy driving the car was, in her words some old car and looked like it should be at the junk yard.
I had some sympathy when she took the note with all his details on out of her bag, she had basically t-boned a pre war Bugatti. I would have probably killed her if it had been mine.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Always be prepared at hairpins for vehicles to take up the entire road, especially East European coaches.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I always take the public bus up and down the Otztal and the drivers have little patience for numpties on hairpins. They just force them to reverse.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I wonder why people don't let/help others over take them, is it a pride thing that 'no one must pass me on this road'.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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If tonight was anything to go by then tomorrow will be a challenge!
Usual story of cars chancing it on the way up. They get stuck then hold up traffic as they try and work out how to put snow chains on. Coaches in both directions get stuck because of this. Drivers then chance driving uphill on other side of road only to be met with cars coming down the mountain 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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If somebody in front of you slows down or stops for a genuine reason, blast your horn several times and save your hands at them.
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Don't hitch hike in Finland, they will be in trading for the WRC or poss8bly already competing in a local rally.
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Don't drive for km after km of dry tarmac with snow chains on, especially if you're going to travel at 8kph 
And breath.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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My favourite is spotting people pulled over, in the dark, staring blankly at the instructions for how to put on the chains.... before we drove out the first time we spent an afternoon practicing putting them on in the gentler environment of a streatham car park.
Also DONT FUDGING STOP GOING UPHILL- keep going unless you're at risk of death 
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| howiet wrote: |
| I wonder why people don't let/help others over take them, is it a pride thing that 'no one must pass me on this road'. |
In Canada, I do precisely this. If you don't, then they'll pull in quickly in front of you, and the chances are you'll chip your windscreen. If they catch you up, they're going quicker, it makes sense to let them past. A race it isn't.
As someone else there, it helps me if the people in front are a long way away from me. If they get close, then I really, really don't want them to cause me to lose my momentum whilst I'm going uphill, thanks. I've never had the problem myself, but I think if you're about to completely lose traction then maybe it would be polite to get out of the way so you don't block the road for everyone else, if you can.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| howiet wrote: |
| I wonder why people don't let/help others over take them, is it a pride thing that 'no one must pass me on this road'. |
I wonder if you trying to overtake makes them think that they could have been going faster before.
I had somebody speed up when I pulled level with them today.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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In Austria a lot of people seem to drive in the middle of the road, or at least with a wheel over the centre line even when you are behind them with your indicater flashing and hte road is clear of snow and ice. Makes overtaking them annoyingly difficult and leads to much horn blasting to get them to move out of the way.
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FAQ
