For almost a week now, the planet has been feeling the full force of good old fashion winter storms. Europe and North America have been covered in a white, think blanket of cold water dust, millions of passengers were stranded on airports and traffic in many regions came to a halt.
But, just as everything else in life, this too will pass. One day, it will stop snowing (if it hasn't already) and you will have to dig through various layers of snow and ice to get to your car.
In this little guide here, we'll try to show you the best and safest ways to clear the car from the snow trap it was caught under and give you a few tips on how to get your trip going on the yet snow-covered roads in your neighborhood.
DIGGING FOR YOUR CAR
Armed with a shovel, you can begin digging the car out, starting from where ever you feel like starting. Before doing so though, you might want to clear the back of the car, where the exhaust is located. By doing so, you can then start the engine of the car and turn on the heater.
As the engine runs and the interior begins to warm, the snow on the car will begin to melt. This will help you at a later time, when you'll have to shave off all the snow on the vehicle. The snow-cleared exhaust will ensure the engine will keep running.
After you have dug up the car completely, you may start removing the snow and ice from the vehicle. Having already started the engine and letting it run for a while as you shoveled around it, the ice and snow should be easy to remove. Pay extra attention to the windows and mirrors, as they will be essential for a safe trip under the current weather conditions.
All of the above tasks can be completed with a minimum equipment. The shovel is important, but not essential, as you can improvise using anything that can scoop the snow. An ice scraper for the windows is also required, as is a clean, dry piece of cloth for cleaning the interior of the glass.
GETTING READY FOR THE ROAD
Make sure the lights are functioning and the battery level is within its comfort zone. The car should already be fitted with winter tires, to help you navigate the snowy roads ahead. Check the trunk to see if you have tire chains or other device that would help you, when needed, to get out from a slippery situation. A bag or two of salt or sand wouldn't hurt to have around.
Make sure you place the shovel and the ice scraper you used earlier in the car, and not in the garage, because you will most definitely need them in the following morning.
THE FIRST SPIN OF THE WHEEL
Assuming you had no way of clearing the entire road ahead, you will most definitely get stuck at one point. Patience, calm and a simple understanding of the laws of physics should get you out of the jam.
First of all, place the car in a low gear, but not necessarily the first. In manual transmission models, the second gear can be used with a higher degree of success to make the wheel spin. This is because the second gear will not try and spin it as fast as the first one, allowing the wheel enough time to get a grip.
When this doesn't work, you may try rocking the car. This can be done in one of two ways. The first and simplest is accelerating until the car manages to move an inch or two forward or backward (to be used when trying to climb small, but incredibly slippery bumps made of snow or ice). Let the throttle loose and allow the car to fall back to its initial position. Accelerate again. Do this over and over, until the car has enough momentum to climb over the bump.
The second way to make the car rock is alternating forward and backward movement to get the same result as above. This method, with inches-long movement to either direction, can also be used in compact snow.
There are, of course, more dangers ahead for you daring motorist who plan a road trip these days. You may get stuck in snow for days, reach very slippery roads or just reach a point where you really need to put those tire chains on. But, at least, all that snow is a sight to die for.
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