Winter Driving in Duluth

Rear View

Rear View

  1. Snow Tires on all 4
  2. Don't Slip, Get a Grip
  3. See and Be Seen
  4. Really Freaking Cold!
  5. At Sub-Zero Temps
  6. Taxi Courtesy for New Year's Eve
  7. Getting Stuck - What to do before you call a Hooker
  8. Benign Design
  9. Winter Motorsports: An Oxymoron?
  10. More Winter Motorsports
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articles by Tim Winker.

Part 3

See and be seen

One aspect of winter driving that does not get enough attention is visibility. That includes the ability to be seen as well as seeing properly. Snow, ice and road salt can build up on windows and lamp surfaces. Keeping them clean could keep you from having an accident.

Clear all windows of snow and ice before driving.

In addition to the windshield, clear the side windows, back window and mirrors. Find out where the outside air enters the heater and clear the snow from that area as well. Allow enough time for the defroster to clear the inside of the windshield and side windows. Don't try driving with only a small area of visibility; it only leads to accidents.

Remove all snow from the hood and roof. Once underway, that snow will blow onto the windshield and rear window, once again making visibility difficult.

Clear snow and ice from the headlights and taillights. Get into the habit of washing them every time you fuel the car because winter grime accumulates on the headlights and taillights as much as on the windshield, making them less effective.

When temperatures are quite cold, light bulbs are more likely to burn out due to thermal shock. Inspect all of the light bulbs on a regular basis and know how to replace them. Most can be replaced as easily as changing a light bulb in the house. Look up the correct bulb number in the owners manual, or get the number off the base of the burned out bulb.

Check the windshield wiper blades and windshield washer fluid level before you need them. Streaky wipers or an empty washer fluid bottle make visibility difficult, and nearly impossible under certain lighting conditions. Clear any snow and ice from the blades and washer squirters when you are clearing the windows. Make sure the wiper blades are flexible in all of the joints. Wiper blades designed for winter use may be of help. The joints that get clogged with snow and ice are covered by a rubber sleeve. However, the sleeve restricts the flexibility of the blades, so do not work well on windshields with compound curves.

The insides of the windows also need to be clean. Cigarette smoke and chemicals evaporating from plastics in the interior can leave a film on the windows. Rubbing the inside of the windows with your hand or a mitten to remove moisture leaves smudges. Use a streakproof glass cleaner and crumpled newspaper instead of paper towels for best results.

Many cars these days have a button to recirculate the air inside the cabin rather than get fresh air from outside. This sounds like a fast way to heat the interior on a particularly cold day, but it can lead to fogged windows. Snow dragged into the car on your boots and clothes will melt and evaporate, raising the humidity level in the interior. The air we exhale contains more moisture than the air we inhale, so more moisture enters the air. In a short time, the air inside the car is quite humid and it condenses on the inside windows. The more people that travel in the car, the higher the humidity level. Left overnight that moisture freezes to the windows and becomes difficult to remove.

If you are going to use the recirculation feature, use it sparingly, maybe for a few minutes at most. It's best not to use it at all. Even with the recirc off, moisture from exhalation can still collect on the windows. So how do you get rid of it?

The defroster is the obvious solution, though that will not remove the high humidty from the interior air. Make sure there are no obstructions blocking the vents. Open a window or two just slightly to allow the moisture-laden air to escape. If you park your car in a garage, leave the windows partly open when the car is parked to allow the interior air to equalize with outside air. If you have to park out of doors, leave the windows open about a half inch to allow the humidity to escape.

You can also use the air conditioner to help clear fogged windows. When air is cooled with the car's air conditioning, moisture is removed just like with a dehumidifier. Run the A/C for a few minutes, just long enough to clear the glass. If your car has daytime running lights, use them. Or drive with your headlights on. On an overcast day, the

varying shades of gray in the sky, in the trees, on the road, and on a grime covered car make it difficult to distinguish oncoming traffic. If you can't see them, they probably can't see you, so turn on your lights to be seen. Minnesota state law requires the use of headlights whenever it is raining, snowing or foggy. A good rule of thumb is that any time you need to turn on the windshield wipers, turn on the headlights, too.

At night in snow or fog, use the low beams and slow down. The snow or fog droplets reflect the light from high beams, making visibility more difficult. Fog lights mounted near to the ground can be of help, but use them only when weather conditions warrant.

Tim Winker is a freelance automotive writer who lives west of Twig. He has competed in ice races and winter rallies since the 1970s, and in endurance rallies such as One Lap of America, the Alcan Rally and Targa Newfoundland.