Useful Information from Rowes Honda

Driving in Fog : Rowes Honda best advice for Safe driving in fog and reduced visibility

According to the Highway Code, you must use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced – generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet) or the length of a football pitch. There's no obligation to use fog lights, but they must be switched off when visibility improves. However, if your car is involved in an accident in reduced visibility and its fog lights weren't on, then it may be queried by an insurer.

Heavy traffic is challenging enough, but you should be extra vigilant when driving in fog, as visibility can seriously deteriorate in a matter of seconds. Use common sense when it comes to fog lights. Some drivers are worried about dazzling other motorists, and some simply don't know how to turn them on. Generally speaking, it's better to be safe than sorry, so use them when appropriate.
Don't keep switching them on and off, though – this can be a distraction, so wait for a consistent improvement in visibility before switching them off.

Rowes Honda suggests:
• Use dipped headlights at all times and windscreen wipers and demisters.
• Familiarise yourself with your front and rear fog lights – know how to switch them on and off – and use them when appropriate.
• Beware of other drivers not using headlights. • Only drive as fast as conditions allow and maintain a greater distance between you and the car in front (follow a three-second rule) – tailing someone's rear lights can give a false sense of security and is dangerous.
• If the road has street lights on, then you probably don't need fog lights on.
• Be able to stop within the distance you can see clearly – this is particularly important on motorways and dual carriageways, as vehicles are travelling faster.
• Do not accelerate to get away from a vehicle that is too close behind you.
• Check your mirrors before you slow down.
• At a junction with limited visibility, stop, wind down the window, and listen for traffic. When you are sure it is safe to emerge, do so positively and do not hesitate in a position that puts you directly in the path of approaching vehicles.

Winter Tyres

Rowes Best Advice - All you need to know about Winter tyres

Driving in winter is always more demanding than at other times. The road is more unpredictable than in summer; whether it is covered with snow, ice or is simply wet, the surface gives less grip. Also, at temperatures below 7°C, the grip and handling performance of your summer tyre is greatly reduced.
Yet, despite these facts, the winter tyre still remains an undiscovered piece of winter equipment for many drivers. With no legislation in the UK and little advice it’s often very confusing. What are winter tyres and more importantly, who should buy them?
Regular questions Rowes Honda hear:

Winter or cold weather tyres are made of special silica rubber compounds and often have a deeper tread than some summer and all season tyres. These tyres better adapt to cold and wet conditions, enabling better braking and better grip.

It’s a common misconception that because the majority of the UK rarely sees snow that winter tyres are a waste of time and money.
This is not the case. Although it doesn’t always feel like it, typical UK temperatures range from 32oC+ to -15oC every year. It’s unreasonable to expect one type of tyre to cope with such diversity in conditions and temperature.
Colder temperatures affect the performance of normal tyres. When the temperature drops below 7oC the rubber in your normal tyres will begin to harden meaning tyres are less able to adapt to road contours, giving you less grip. Between October and March each year, the temperatures falls below the crucial 7oC mark seriously affecting the ability of your normal tyres.
However, the increased rubber content of winter tyres minimises the hardening effect giving them extra grip in cold conditions. As a result, stopping distances are significantly reduced.
And, winter tyres aren’t just designed to cope with slush and ice – modern advances in tyre technology means the winter tyre provides higher levels of road safety in all types of cold and poor weather conditions.
Specialist rubber compound and advanced tread patterns also offer enhanced performance on wet roads. Longitudinal grooves are designed to displace water passing under the tyre, reducing the risk of aquaplaning. The tread on winter tyres is usually deeper and covered with very small cuts known as sipes. These sipes create jagged edges which aid snow traction by increasing grip to the road surface.
In short, with all of these advantages, everyone should consider using winter tyres, particularly if you find yourself driving on untreated roads and trudging through mud and slush. Although this requires and additional cost, it is worth remembering each mile travelled is a mile saved on your summer tyres, and the increased mobility obtained as a benefit from the use of winter tyres could save both time and money, not to mention greater safety. Many winter tyres now boast substantially increased mileage performance, less weight, reduced rolling resistance and considerably shorter braking distances.
All season tyres are a good compromise if you’re an urban driver who makes short trips on properly treated roads. These tyres work well on all types of roads but are not specialised for any particular conditions. For instance, compared with summer tyres, on dry ground all-season tyres do not perform as well and lack road holding ability. They have less grips than winter tyres on snow. If you opt for all season tyres make sure they are always in excellent condition so that they give an optimum performance in any situation.
If you’re considering buying winter or cold weather tyres this winter have a chat with your local tyre fitter who can advise you on the best option for your vehicle.

If you’re planning a winter trip to the continent or hitting a ski resort this winter, you should seriously consider winter tyres for your vehicle. In fact, a number of other EU countries have made the use of winter tyres a legal requirement and many more offer specific winter recommendations.
While you should always check foreign motoring legislation before embarking on driving there, pay particular attention to the tyre aspects of the legislation if you are travelling to the following destinations:

• France
• Switzerland
• Austria
• Italy
• Finland
• Latvia
• Norway
• Sweden
• Slovenia
• Germany

Tyres can be stored until the following year when they’re not in use. Remember it is recommended that tyres should be no older than ten years old so all tyres older than this should be replaced even if they look useable.
It’s also worth buying a cheap set of wheels and having the winter tyres mounted on them. This makes life easier in spring and autumn when it comes to changing the tyres. Steel wheels are a better option in winter than alloys as they won’t be affected by the grit and chemicals that go on to treated roads.

1. Note the position of the tyres on your car as you remove them. This will allow you to swap your front tyres to the back next winter, to balance their wear
2. Check for cuts and bulges and also the tread level to ensure the tyres are in a good enough condition to be kept until the following year
3. Remove stones and debris from the tread
4. Clean your wheels and tyres with water and dry them well. This will reduce the chance of corrosion

When it comes to storing tyres, those mounted on rims should be stored either hanging up or lying down. Tyres which are not mounted on rims should be stored standing up or flat. Make sure the stored tyres are:

• kept in a cool dry area
• away from light
• stored away from all solvents

Hazardous weather conditions can affect the road surface. Therefore, you will need to adjust your driving accordingly.

• Braking distances are increased in rain, ice and snow so reduce your speed and allow extra room between you and the car in front.
• Remember to take regular rest and refreshment breaks, particularly on long journeys.

There are also a number of weather related driving issues which are unique to winter driving. So when driving in:

• Snow and Ice – allow speed to fall gently when breaking to stop wheels locking and in heavy snow or hail use dipped headlights.
• Fog – drive slowly and use dipped headlights. If visibility is severely reduced, use fog lights until the visibility improves.
• Flooding – cross water slowly in the shallowest area, usually by the kerb. Remember to test your breaks on the way out. Do not attempt to cross deep waters.
• Winter Sun – the sun is lower in the sky than usual and can be an unexpected hazard. Keep a pair of sunglasses in the car but remember to remove them when they are no longer required.
• Breakdown – stay with the car as abandoned vehicles slow up the snow plough. On the motorway use the road side emergency phone on the hard shoulder so you can be easily located. If you do use your mobile, note the number on the marker posts.

Can snow chains be fitted?

Many cars are offered for sale with a range of different wheel/tyre options some of which may not be suitable for snow chains.
The problem is that fitting chains adds both to the width and diameter of the tyre. It may not be possible to fit chains to some wider/lower profile wheel/tyre combinations without risking contact with bodywork, suspension or brake parts with potentially serious consequences.
If you're buying a new car that you intend to use for travel to winter resorts it's important to check with the sales person or the handbook that chains can be fitted to the wheel/tyre option that you've specified.
Similarly, if buying used, check advice in the vehicle handbook if fitting chains is an important consideration.

Rowes Best Advice - All you need to know about car tyres for safe driving
Four small patches of rubber each about the size of your hand are the only parts of the car in touch with the road.
The right tyres, in good condition and correctly inflated are vital for braking and cornering safety – and the only things keeping the car on the road.

For new cars the car maker and tyre manufacturers work closely together to select a make, size and tread pattern that suits the car – styling, handling, noise and many other factors are taken into account.
When replacing tyres you must stick to the same size and type of tyre and ideally should stick to the same brand and tread pattern too as this is likely to be the tyre best suited to the car. Changing brand or pattern could result in increased noise or adversely affect cornering characteristics for example.
Rowes Honda, should I fit new tyres to the front or rear?
Check the car handbook first as some vehicle manufacturers give specific advice on this. If there is no information in the handbook, then it's good practice for safety to fit the best/newest tyres on the rear – in wet conditions, this favours understeer rather than oversteer. So if you have the front tyres renewed it's best to have the rear ones moved to the front and the new tyres fitted to the rear.
Regular checks and maintenance will help to prolong the life of the tyres and keep you on the right side of the law too.

• Tyres must be compatible with others on the car and generally in good physical condition
• Tyres must be correctly inflated to the vehicle manufacturer's recommended pressure
• Tread depth must be above the legal minimum which for passenger cars is 1.6mm throughout a continuous band in the centre 3/4 of the tread and around the entire circumference
• You don't have to carry a spare and it doesn't have to meet the legal requirements while it's stowed away

Tyres are often a neglected area of routine checks and maintenance. Considering that your tyres are the only part of the vehicle gripping the road, tyres also need to be properly checked regularly especially in winter when roads are often wet or icey.

• Check the tyre pressure
• Look for signs of irregular wear
• Check tread depth of each tyre
• Check the overall condition of the tyre including sidewalls
• Ensure tyres are clean
• Examine the spare tyre

Rowes Honda advice for coping with cold, snow, ice and floods
Winter motoring requires special care and a little preparation if you're to avoid a breakdown or accident.

• Lights, heaters and windscreen wipers put high demands on the car battery. If the car is driven mainly in dark rush-hour trips, the battery will give out eventually.
• Batteries rarely last longer than five years, so replacing them near the end of their life can save a lot of time and inconvenience at the side of the road when they finally fizzle out.
• Avoid running car electrics any longer than necessary – turn the heater fan down and switch the heated rear window off once windows are clear.
• If the car stands idle most of the weekend a regular overnight trickle charge is a good idea to give the battery a chance to revive.
• When you're starting up the car ensure that non-essentials like lights, rear screen heater and wipers are turned off.
• Use the starter in short five-second bursts if the engine doesn't start quickly, leaving thirty seconds between attempts to allow the battery to recover.

• Antifreeze costs only a few pounds, but a cracked engine block will cost hundreds of pounds to repair.
• The majority of modern cars use long-life antifreeze, and it is absolutely essential that you don't mix these with other types as this can cause a sludge to form in the engine. If you're not sure what type of antifreeze is in your car, take it to a dealer.
• Traditional glycol-based antifreeze should be changed at least every two years.
• A 50-50 mix of antifreeze and water in the cooling system is needed in winter. This gives maximum protection down to -34° centigrade, and without it, severe engine damage costing hundreds of pounds can occur.
• If the fan belt squeals continually as soon as the engine is started, that is a sign the water pump is frozen. The cylinder block could be frozen too. Stop the engine immediately and allow it to thaw out. This may take several days unless you can get the car moved to a heated garage.
• Most commonly, it is just the radiator that freezes. The car will begin to overheat within a few miles of home, as the coolant is unable to circulate. Stop the car immediately and allow the radiator to thaw.

• Through the winter months dazzle from the low sun can be a particular problem.
• Improve vision significantly by making sure that the windscreen is clean – inside and out. Scratches, abrasion and chips on the outside can also worsen the dazzling effect of the sun.
• If you're suffering from greasy smears on the screen that don't go with use of a normal screenwash additive then a little elbow grease is required. First try using a cream glass polish with a slight abrasive action. If that doesn't work then try dishwasher powder dissolved in a little water – Use clean kitchen paper to clean a small area at a time and try not to go back over a patch you've just done.
• Use air conditioning for faster demisting and to reduce condensation on cold windows.
• Keep the windscreen and other windows clear – if your vision is obscured through dirt, snow or even sticker-infested car windows you could face a hefty fine.
• Check windscreen wipers and replace if necessary.
• Make sure that wipers are switched off in the park position when leaving the car, when there's risk of freezing. If you don't and the blades freeze to the screen, you could damage the blades or wiper motor when you turn the ignition on.
• Windscreen washer fluid should be topped up and treated with a proprietary additive to reduce the chance of freezing in frosty weather. Don't use ordinary engine antifreeze as it will damage paintwork.
• Clear snow from the roof as well as from windows. Snow piled up on the roof can fall onto the windscreen obscuring your view and can also be a hazard to other road users.

• Check that all bulbs are working and that headlights are clean and aimed correctly.
• You must use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced. You may also use front or rear fog lights but these must be switched off when visibility improves as they can dazzle other road users and obscure your brake lights.
• Keep the number plates clean too, as you can be fined if they are dirty and illegible.

• Check all tyres for condition, pressure and tread depth. At least 3mm of tread is recommended for winter motoring, and certainly no less than 2mm.
• Don't reduce tyre pressures to get more grip – it doesn't work, and reduces stability.
• Check you have a working jack and wheel brace, and that you know how to change a wheel if necessary.
• It's rare to need snow chains unless you live in an isolated area hit with heavy snow, and where the roads are not cleared. They must be removed to drive on a metalled road without a reasonable covering of snow.
• Buy snow chains from a specialist supplier to ensure that they're right for your vehicle, and practice fitting them in good dry conditions.
• Consider changing to winter or all season tyres – these have a higher silicone content in the tread which prevents it hardening at lower temperatures, and therefore gives better grip in cold wet conditions.

• Get up at least 10 minutes early to give you time to prepare the car.
• Don't drive off like a tank-commander, with a tiny hole cleared in your windscreen. Clear all windows of snow and ice using a scraper and de-icer.
• Use a cigarette lighter to warm a key for a frozen lock. Don't breathe on the lock, as the moisture will condense and freeze.
• Besides an ice scraper and de-icer, it's worth carrying a mobile phone with fully charged battery, torch, first-aid kit, tow rope, blankets, warm coat and boots, jump leads, snow shovel, warning triangle, an old sack or rug (to put under the wheels if you do get stuck) and water repellent spray.
• Plan routes to favour major roads which are more likely to have been gritted.
• Put safety before punctuality when the bad weather closes in. While it's always a good idea to allow extra time in winter for your journey, drivers must accept the inevitability of being late for work if they are caught up in an unexpected delay.

• Stopping distances are 10 times longer in ice and snow.
• Gentle manoeuvres are the key to safe driving.
• Wear comfortable, dry shoes: cumbersome, snow-covered boots will slip on the pedals.
• Select second gear when pulling away, easing your foot off the clutch gently to avoid wheel-spin.
• When climbing a hill it's important to avoid having to stop on the hill by waiting until it is clear of other cars or by leaving plenty of room between you and the car in front. Try to maintain a constant speed, choosing the most suitable gear well in advance to avoid having to change down on the hill.
• When driving downhill, reduce your speed before the hill, use a low gear and try to avoid using the brakes. Leave as much room as possible between you and the car in front.
• Always apply brakes gently. Release them and de-clutch if the car skids.
• If you have an automatic, then under normal driving conditions (motorways, etc) it's best to select 'Drive' and let the gearbox do the work throughout the full gear range. In slippery, snowy conditions you can make driving much safer by selecting '2', which limits the gear changes and also makes you less reliant on the brakes. Many modern autos have a 'Winter' mode which locks out first gear to reduce the risk of wheel spin. Check the handbook if you're not sure.
• If you do get stuck, straighten the steering and clear the snow from the wheels. Put a sack or old rug in front of the driving wheels to give the tyres some grip. Once on the move again, try not to stop until you reach firmer ground.

• Only drive through water if you know that it's not too deep for your car.
• Drive slowly and steadily to avoid creating a bow wave. Allow oncoming traffic to pass first and test your brakes as soon as you can after leaving the water.
• Don't try driving through fast-moving water, such as at a flooded bridge approach – your car could easily be swept away.
• Driving fast through standing water is dangerous – tyres lose contact with the road and you lose steering control in what's known as 'aquaplaning'. Watch out for standing water, trying to avoid it if you can, and adjust your speed to the conditions. If you do experience aquaplaning, hold the steering wheel lightly and lift off the throttle until the tyres regain grip.
• Driving fast through standing water is inconsiderate –driving through water at speeds above a slow crawl can result in water being thrown onto pavements, soaking pedestrians or cyclists. You could face a hefty fine and between three and nine penalty points if the police believe you were driving without reasonable consideration to other road users.
• Driving fast through standing water can cause expensive damage – the air intake on many cars is low down at the front of the engine bay and it only takes a small quantity of water sucked into the engine to cause serious damage. All engines are affected but turbo-charged and diesel engines are most vulnerable.
• As you drive slowly through standing water keep the engine rev's high by using a lower gear, otherwise water in the exhaust could damage the catalytic convertor.
• If you break down in heavy rain don't prop the bonnet open while you wait for the patrol to arrive – the engine will be more difficult to start again if the electrics are all rain-soaked.