Winter Driving Tips

When it comes to driving during winter, there is really only one concern you need have: safety. It's not miles of rubber on the road that you should concern yourself over; it's what gets between the rubber and the road that causes most of the problems. Here are some tips on how to get ready for winter driving conditions, and how to handle them once you're in the thick of a winter storm.

1. Put some extra clothing and emergency items in your vehicle; these will come in handy if you break down in very cold weather. It doesn't take much -- assemble a basic kit including a pair of gloves, weather-resistant pants and/or coat, maybe an old pair of boots, a blanket, jumper cables, a flashlight with some extra batteries, and a windshield scraper (and maybe a de-icer), and you should be in good shape. You might also toss a few nutrition bars in as well; those things won't spoil until the next millennium, are packed with calories and can bail you out in a pinch.

2. Make sure your car is checked over for winter weather readiness. In particular, you or a mechanic should inspect your tires before the first big winter storm. For folks living in northern regions, checking tires during the fall is an almost sacrosanct ritual, and it's a good idea even if you're just a weekender in the snowy parts of the country.

3. Once your vehicle is inspected and equipped, follow this advice we heard a while back from Montana's snowplow drivers: "See and be seen. Keep your headlights and taillights clean, especially in stormy weather. Keep windows clean and make sure defrosters work well. If snow has built up on your vehicle overnight or after a break from driving, clear it away so it doesn't blow off and obscure your windows."

4. Slow down. The U.S. Department of Transportation recommends slowing down by about 50 percent in bad weather; additionally, leave extra space between you and the car in front of you. You'll want to use your best judgment, but the slow tend to survive this race.

5. Remember that not all stretches of road are created alike. For example, many recently built small bridges and overpasses have been designed to blend into the surroundings, with a gradual or nonexistent change in elevation. These bridges nonetheless remain susceptible to icing over much more rapidly than regular blacktop. Look out and look ahead for these short stretches of road when temperatures approach or drop below freezing. If you don't know the ropes of driving on icy surfaces, read this primer on how to drive on black ice.

6. Some features of modern automobiles may actually serve you poorly in bad conditions. In some SUVs and four-wheel-drive vehicles, for example, you may have better traction when the vehicle is under way, but the four-wheel drive won't help you stop any faster. Also, skip the cruise control; your cruise control feature may accelerate when you least want it to, such as when you are climbing an icy bridge.

7. Some safety experts recommend putting a bag of kitty litter in the trunk, both for added ballast to offer better traction, and to put under the wheels if you need to get yourself out of a slippery spot. (This can get messy in a minivan or other trunk-less vehicles, of course.)

8. If you are stranded and have to stay in your car, you can run the engine for heat, but make sure the exhaust pipe is not obstructed by snow or mud. If you prefer not to have the engine running the whole time, close the windows to keep heat in, and run the car for 10 minutes every hour, crackign open a front window when you do so.

9. If you are parking at your hotel or near attractions in bad weather, opt for a spot in an indoor parking garage when available.

Winter Air Travel Tips

I have written repeatedly and at length about excessive delays and cancellations, passenger strandings, and airport woes, and these can happen anywhere. Although there are now federal regulations to prevent delays in excess of three hours, we are essentially still at the mercy of the airlines when snow and storms strike. Below are some tips to help you avoid some of the worst weather-related air travel problems.

1. I have found that the biggest, meanest problems for travelers frequently occur at connecting airports. If your first outbound flight is canceled and you end up returning to your own home from your local airport, that's one thing; if you are stuck in your vacation hotel hoping to get a flight home, that's a bit worse. But when you're stuck in a connecting airport in Texas calling hotels and praying for a place to stay, you're in what we call yer worst-case scenario, pardner.

For this reason, you should fly nonstop whenever possible. To find nonstop flights, do all your initial flight searches with the "Nonstop Flights Only" button checked. If you also use search options like "Show Nearby Airports" and "My Dates Are Flexible," you'll have a very good sense of how best (and how much) to get from Point A to B without Point C for Connection.

2. If you absolutely must fly with a connection, watch your layover times carefully. If a weather delay causes you to miss your connection, you might be out of luck, as the airline is not necessarily obligated to find you a seat on the next flight, and often cannot logistically do so if flights are full or unavailable. If you have a really tight connection time and your flight is running late, let your flight attendant know, and he or she may be able to make arrangements to hold your next flight, or at least get you off your first flight quickly.

How to Pack for a Winter Vacation

Shoes -- Your One Heavy Item

Given that your feet are on the front line of most weather you will encounter, this is the one area that I recommend you be unafraid to go big. A solid, decent-looking pair of low-frills winter boots that you wear right onto the airplane will come through for you again and again during a winter trip.

Requirements for good winter travel shoes:

- Weatherproof -- Gore-Tex gear can be pretty styling these days
- Light on lacing -- you still need to get through security, so a pair of shoes or boots that can be worn loosely and don't require a lot of tying and untying will help
- Dark colored, so they won't show stains from mud, slush or getting thrown on filthy security belts

There are plenty of decent boots that hold up well enough to hike through snow in, but look good enough to wear to dinner; find them and wear them when you walk out the door for the airport. Examples include this option for women and this pair for men.

Requirements for a good winter travel hat:

- Covers your ears
- At least partly covers the back of your neck
- Has no flaps, fluffballs or other wasted mass
- Is made of thin, modern materials for maximum warmth