Yesterday turned out to be a good opportunity to do some snow driving with people who may not get a chance to do it before they pass their tests.
I wanted to make sure that they understood how easy it is to slide, and how much longer it takes to stop in icy and snowy conditions. It went well for three of them and perhaps not so well (from my perspective) on the fourth.
Of the three who responded well, they all expressed surprise at the ease with which they could skid – and drove accordingly (more slowly). In particular, one pupil (who has a problem planning ahead for junctions and roundabouts) actually handled these better than she had yet.
The fourth pupil though fully recognised the ease with which we could skid – and then proceeded to do nothing about it coming into junctions on quiet side roads (where she lived) which were still icy. So, more work to do with that one before her test.
I’ve noticed a few hits from yesterday asking “are learners allowed to take driving lessons in snow”. The answer is yes… but be careful! It is probably best if you have an instructor with you because you WILL skid and if you panic (either braking, accelerating, or steering too hard) you will more than likely lose control.