rsXboy99:

I entirely agree with you that driving in adverse conditions can be made a lot safer by just slowing down.

Re FWD as opposed to RWD in a skid though , it makes very little difference, once you've lost traction, you're history! same with AWD!

FWD is easier in the snow in many situations because the engine driving the car is pulling the car from the front rather than pushing it from behind.

A hairy situation in the S with SO2s on snow would be any sort of uphill incline.

For a very rough assimilation, take a pencil and grasp the sharp end between your thumb and forefinger and drag it around any sort of 'track' you can imagine on the table top or carpet. You'll find it pretty easy as it's effectively FWD. Now push the pencil around the same track with the tip of your finger from the back end of the pencil, to get a rough assimilation of the basic principle and the big difference!

 

Having just moved to Colorado from Louisiana I had neither snow tires nor ice-driving experience at the time of my "incident." This has since been rectified. I still don't enjoy it, but when necessary I can handle an icy road. Thanks for your kind advice.

 

Driving on ice and snow is an art, this is when you need to have precision, quick reflexes, smoothness and mostly experience.

 

Yes, actually. I've witnessed a Ferrari F355 Berlinetta blasting around in the snow about 4 years ago, and right now, these past 3 or so weeks, I've witnessed a fairly aged fellow in a SWEET 360 Modena Spider zipping around the NorthWest, usually around University Research Park.

I've also seen Lotus Esprit's, S2000's, Porsche 911 996's (Carrera 2, 4, Turbo... there are quite a few in Calgary), and even a couple of NSX's blast around in the snow.

If you doubt me, vacation in Calgary

 

:soapbox on:

As for driving on snow and ice, I may not have an S2000 (yet) BUT I do drive a RWD car, a 1986 Chevy Caprice station wagon (it's my dad's). I have done my fair share of slides and spins in this car. If you think that an ice spin in an S2000 is scary, spin out in a 2.5 ton vehicle that is pure steel and HEAVY... I did have to change my undies that day

What I am trying to get at is too often I see the "invincible syndrome." I was the same last winter. This winter, I've learned to be a shitload more careful. As Former said, driving on ice and snow is an art. Some of us, including myself, still need to master it.

For example, last year near the end of the snow season, being passed by a guy in a Land Rover Discovery, reading a map and yacking on his cell phone. I actually slowed my ass down to let him pull ahead (were were in seperate lanes) and sure enough, as we came to the turn (for those in Calgary, the left hander on John Laurie just before it becomes McKnight) he was going too fast, slid over two lanes and ended up with two severely whacked wheels from jumping the curb at a nearly perpendicular angle.

Basically:
Winter tires are great, BUT IT IS THE SKILL AND MATURITY OF THE DRIVER ABOVE ALL.

:soapbox off:

PS:
But it is fun to go into an iced over parking lot at 4 in the morning and do a few spins