Icy conditions demand total
concentration from drivers

DESPITE A relatively mild
fall, winter will soon be here,
bringing with it a whole new
set of driving hazards.

_ By Frank Allers

Contributing Writer

Icy conditions can be extremely
hazardous for Urivers, but a little
thought beforehand can make a

_ world of difference.

For instance, 1 often see people ~

on icy mornings, driving to work
with their car windows still frozen
over. Take an extra 15 minutes or
so to warm up your car, scrape your
windows and check your. wiper

“Repairs to most

makes,

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blades.

1 often have cars in my shop for
repairs that, when I go to road test
them, have smeared windshields
that I can barely see through. If you
can't clearly see where you are
going, you are halfway to an acci-
dent.

Driving in icy conditions
demands your total concentration,
particularly on the North Shore
with all the steep hills.

Before you get out into heavy
traffic, check how much traction is
available. In a safe location, get up
to speed and then try braking fairly
heavily until you can feel when the
tires lock up or the ABS takes over.

Now you should have some idea

of your car's braking capabilities on
that day. This should he!p you in
coming to a nice, controllable stop.

Unfortunately, surprises can
happen, especially during rush
hour. It is absolutely essential that
you watch traffic well ahead of you
and not just the car in front.

By the way. earlier 1 mentioned
ABS. For those unfamiliar with the
term, it means anti-lock braking
system. It makes itself known by a
buzzing feeling through the brake
pedal, and is a big plus in adverse
conditions.

Frank Allers, of Allers Auto
Sport in North Vancouver, is a race
car driver and auto mechanic.

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street-proofing cars

for cold winter weather

THE NORTH Shore, along
with the rest of the Lower
Mainland, was blessed with
warm summer weather for
most of the months of
September and October, even
though we are now into the
fall season.

By Surj Rattan

News Reporter

But the winter season is not far
away and motor vehicle owners
should now start to think about
street-proofing their vehicles for
what some predict will be a very
cold winter.

As winter approaches, car
owners are spending more time

| winterizing their cars and prepar-

ing them for safe driving.

Snow tires, anti-freeze, scrap-
ers and tuneups are just some of
the tools used to battle winter dri-
ving. ,

But few people consider win-
ter's impact on the windshield
wipers. -

Pat Curran, public relations
officer for the Canadian
Automobile Association, said
wipers are probably the most
neglected safety feature of a car
and should be checked regularly.

“Drivers will go to great
lengths to tuneup and prepare

their cars for a new season of dri-.

ving conditions but usually don't
include something as important as
their wipers,” says Curran.

Curran adds that fall and win-

66 Few people.
consider winter's

impact on the
windshield
wipers. 99

ter are the hardest on wipers.
Leaves, snow and ice have a pro-
found impact on wipers’ ability to
provide adequate visibility.

In most regions in Canada, dri-
vers experience difficulty with
snow and ice on their windshields
in the winter. ;

Many drivers damage their
wipers by not clearing ice and
snow properly. Problems will
occur when drivers do not clear
enough snow off the windshield
in the winter.

Curran said the partially
scraped ice is likely to have
jagged edges that may shred or
damage the wiper squeegee.

Winter blades are also an
option for drivers who live in
areas with heavy snowfall.

These blades feature a heavy
duty squeegee for harsh winter
conditions and are encased in a
rubber "boot" to prevent snow
build-up that affects the flexibility
ofthe blade. —

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