Wedding bells better than snow tires?

Posted Jan 26, 2012 By Brian Turner

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(See hard copy for illustration).

(See hard copy for illustration).

EMC Lifestyle - I, like many of you, am constantly amazed at the lack of winter driving skills demonstrated every year by a good portion of our motoring public. We see them every day, passing on snow and slush covered roads, tailgating when the traction on the road is but a fraction of its norm, and we always smile when we see them in the ditch or the median (usually in a four-wheel drive) because of their carelessness and lack of respect for Mother Nature's grumpy cousin, Old Man Winter. But cheer up, things are getting better.

Ford of Canada commissioned Leger Marketing to complete a poll of Canadians on their preparation and practises for winter driving. Atlantic Canada tops the winter-tire use in a non-legislated jurisdiction at 79 per cent, but Ontarians are way behind at 44 per cent, the lowest in the country. As you might suspect, Albertans are the most confident when it comes to winter driving and Manitoba and Saskatchewan residents are the most likely to pack an emergency survival kit in their vehicle. Having a wedding ring apparently does a lot to improve your chances of making it through the winter unscathed. Ninety per cent of married drivers decrease their road speed in snowy conditions versus 78 per cent of singles. And wedded drivers are more likely to install winter tires than singles at rates of 68 per cent and 51 per cent respectively.

While heading to the chapel and getting a rugged set of snow tires will statistically improve your winter survival rate, a local group of auto enthusiasts have developed an almost sure-fire method of getting you and your car to spring in one piece without matrimony. The Motorsport Club of Ottawa has returned to the snow and ice covered track of Capital City Speedway near Stittsville this season (Saturdays in January and February) to offer their winter driving course and I had a chance to pay a visit on a recent frosty Saturday.

For over 16 years members of the Motorsport Club of Ottawa (MCO) have volunteered to serve as expert instructors to any licensed driver who wants to learn how to beat Canadian winter driving. These avid club members bring one major common skill set to the classroom and track: they have all learned exactly where the envelope of control is for their autos and more importantly how to regain that control when road or track conditions take it away.

The day long course is split between classroom sessions (covering such critical topics as braking, slalom, skid control, cornering, and accident avoidance) and track sessions where two students pair up with an instructor to get some first-hand experience on each topic. Students bring and drive their own vehicles, even some without snow tires (although the few that didn't on my Saturday were most likely heading to the tire store on Monday for a better grip). During each classroom session, instructors like Sam Mandia take time to encourage questions and comments and this feedback is used to tweak the course to meet drivers' needs.

My car session was with veteran instructor Craig Lee and he took his two students through a track layout that provided just about every winter challenge you might face on Canadian roads. The students quickly learned when too much throttle or brake would cause a lack of traction and steering control, and more importantly, how to regain that control in a quick and safe manner. They got very familiar with their vehicle strengths and weaknesses and how to use all their senses to stay focused on the task at hand and to spot trouble before it got the best of them.

The class size is limited to 20 students to control the number of vehicles on the track at any given time and maximize safety. This requires at least 10 volunteer instructors plus a team of track marshals who make sure traffic is smooth and well spaced. There was a wide variety of ages of students and both sexes were well represented. One of the students I rode with stated her employer required regular driver training and she believed there was more value in getting useful winter training instruction than simply 'touring around city streets having her driving style critiqued'. Almost everyone in attendance shared the goal of gaining the skills to reduce the risk of collision or getting ditched during our sometimes wild winter weather.

The course costs $150 plus HST for MCO members, students, or seniors and $175 for non-member adults. Drivers must provide their own vehicle (with a full tank of fuel), and proof of license and insurance. Winter tires are recommended but not mandatory. Classes are held on Saturdays throughout January and February (weather and minimum registrations dependant). The club's website at www.mco.org has all the details. When you consider the costs of one winter collision or ditching in terms of insurance deductibles (and probable premium increases) along with incidental costs and missed wages, the MCO course fee is probably the best money you could spend this winter.

If you have any questions, opinions, or stories on anything automotive please drop me a line, (By email to emc@perfprint.ca or directly to bjoeturner@hotmail.com listing 'Question for the Car Counselor' on the subject line or by post to Record News Communications, 5 Lorne St., P.O. Box 158, Smiths Falls, Ont. K7A 4T1).

Yours in service

Brian Turner