E53 on Ice!

[Riggodeaux]

Readers up north surely know this, but I had my first experience with the E53 on ice/snow with this week's Atlanta snowmaggedon. Atlanta traffic is terrible, generally, and the locals are absolutely clueless as to proper driving technique. Naturally, it was a disaster Tuesday when the white stuff arrived and everyone [who had gone to work or school] left at the same time - only to meet the normal semi traffic on the interstates around the city, now sliding and jack-knifing. I avoided that Tuesday, but got up early yesterday to rescue my stepson stuck overnight with many others on the west side of Atlanta's loop highway [I-285, south of exit 5]. I avoided the highways/connectors and had no problems, really. As for the E53:

If you follow the standard ice driving protocols [slow, keep your distance, stay off the brakes, keep the rpms low], with good condition all-season tires [fresh Conti DWS, 5k+ miles of wear], the E53 is an excellent ride. I slipped exactly once - when I had to brake because the dufus well in front of me stopped [going uphill, no less ...] short of an intersection. The e53 recovered well when I dropped down a gear and applied a gentle touch to the accelerator. Sweet! The DWS aren't snow tires, by any measure, but were great in this rare meteorologic event in the Southeast. Thank you, BMW and Continental!

[X5SND]

If you think it's good on DWS' you should go for a spin in one on a set of real winter tires!

Nice to hear some praise for the ol'E53 though!

[tmv]

I totally agree with the part that says people here are clueless about how to drive in this condition. My wife got home Tuesday afternoon fine. I left work around 6pm and sliding my way home in an hour. The 275 Conti on the rear of my 540i act like a snowboard since they are wide. We both took yesterday off.

[Brandon002]

I can't believe what has happened in Atlanta. The amount of snow and ice they got is a weekly occurance here. Yes I understand snow and ice can make driving difficult, but people down there flat out lost their minds.

I guess if anything Atlanta may learn from this and actually have snow/salt trucks on stand by in the future.

[Brandon002]

I can't believe what has happened in Atlanta. The amount of snow and ice they got is a weekly occurance here. Yes I understand snow and ice can make driving difficult, but people down there flat out lost their minds.

I guess if anything Atlanta may learn from this and actually have snow/salt trucks on stand by in the future.

[Riggodeaux]

Not with my tax dollars, Brandon! Trucks, plows, etc. to sit idle for use one day every three years or so? No thanks. Guv'mit, media should just learn from this to be more willing to recommend 'stay home' - though if they do it too often, its crying wolf.

[Brandon002]

Um... With how the entire city turned in to a post war wasteland? You do realize this is just the beginning, weather will get worse each winter.

You honestly can't expect the city to have people stay home because of a little snow and ice? we had -50 wind chills a few times already this winter and people still went to work.

[Brandon002]

Either you guys need plows and salt or your driving test should include a snow/ice portion before you can get a license. I have a friend that lives in Georgia and he posted pics during this complete melt down of society. I couldn't believe what I saw.

[tmv]

Originally Posted by Brandon002

Either you guys need plows and salt or your driving test should include a snow/ice portion before you can get a license. I have a friend that lives in Georgia and he posted pics during this complete melt down of society. I couldn't believe what I saw.

where would we have this test at?

[StephenVA]

Having lived in the Wash DC area all my life, I thought this area was full of termainally stupid winter drivers. 3 - 4 times each year we get a freezing snow layer with powder snow on top, making the streets icy and slippery. No real big deal. The local population drives with one of two options:
1. No clue there is snow and it changes the dynamics of start/stopping?
2. Creepers, no cleaning of windows (just the porthole in the windshield). 15 miles an hour all the time. Slow up hills (insert the word crawl) and stops on top so if you are behind your butt is now dead on the uphill side.

I figured that since they only see snow a few times a year that it must be a local thing.

Then I flew up to Boston for business on the first snow day a few years ago. Same thing. One of the locals said this happens every year. "The bad drivers wreck early in the winter. Their cars are repaired by late winter so they never learn how to drive in bad weather. The next season it starts all over again."

As these words came out of his mouth we watched a driver (female) slide down a three block hill with all four wheels locked up, waving her arms franticly (def: Action characterized by great haste and excitement and a great deal of usually disorganized activity), slides through the intersection, then slaps the car into park as it bounces off the curb on the the sidewalk. Gets out, slams the door, hits the car with her purse, while yelling to no one in particular, that the "damn car would not be moving until spring". Case closed, Bad drivers are everywhere. The weather just brings out Darwin's gene pool loosers into full display. No training, no experience, no driver skills, just stab, steer, and text while driving. Situation awareness - not required. The classic "Cars are just transportation" crowd. In the DC area we call them granola eating Prisus owners....

Oh, my X5 loves the snow and is ROCK solid on traction and handling in the stuff. New Michelins all season tires were the trick to play.. Nothing more fun than seeing the rooster tails coming off those monster rear tires on take off in the rearview mirror. Now it is washing time as they use salt around here like it is free.