I thought it would be interesting to share a bit of knowledge here regarding driving in such circumstances before it really goes all white out there. The more weary can feel a little more confident and people unfamiliar with rear wheel drive can learn about the physics of it all.
Most of the people I know tell me 'you have rear wheel drive! it must be hell driving in snow!' I can only reply 'yo have no idea, care to go for a spin?' Only then do they understand why they have to yank on the hand brake of their mum's Fiesta only to go knocking curbs all over the place...
When it comes to choosing the right winter shoes for your beloved beemer, I do believe that thinner is better. I remember wafting along in the snow on stock tires with my first E30, while all the other recent cars including beemers and mercs were stuck in the middle of the road on their fat rubbers, acting more like skis than anything else.
Think of it this way, a wider tire covers more surface, so supports the weight it is carrying on a larger area, thus avoiding it to 'dig' into the surface.
A thinner tire on the other hand, supports the same weight over a smaller area, making it dig deeper into snow, squashing it down and giving better traction.
Of course, the way you drive (especially with RWD configuration) is essential. The trick is to drive on torque, give it as much as it can take without losing too much grip or revving like an idiot. Keeping revs low in 2nd or even 3rd should keep you going, even sideways, keeping a sensitive right foot to ease off or give it some power as soon as adjustments are required to either keep going sideways or avoid spinning off.
It came naturally for me, I am sure it did for most of you too.
Also, when you are in movement, keeping momentum is very important. If you have to stop, there is a fair chance you'll get stuck, especially when climbing a hill. A trick of mine to get rolling is to steer widely from right to left in a swift manner, clearing snow away from the front tires while starting off in second under 2k rpm. This works with front or rear wheel drive, and is an excellent technique to tackle slopes. You won't be moving fast, but you'll be moving anyway.
Do bear in mind that your trajectory can suddenly be modified by potholes or damaged road surfaces, worse even: ice. In such an event, the only thing you can positively do is try to aim for something that doesn't look too expensive and wait for the thump. With cars who don't have ABS, pumping the brake pedal lightly but quickly is better than locking the wheels, which will only make you pick up speed and hit things harder. You can sometimes make corrections to the slide with brief handbrake bursts to control solely the rear wheels. This has saved me many times from going uncontrollably wrong. I did hit a kerb or two I must admit, but nothing to write home about.
Remember, take it easy and don't be overconfident because once you have lost control, you are definitely going to damage your car, someone else's or knock somebody over if all comes to the worst.
Common sense, wits and good judgement are the key to driving responsibly while having fun and not putting other people's integrity at stake. If you must go drifting in the snow, do it in the evening when all these scaredy cats are sitting snugly in front of the fire place warming their toes, and not during the school run.
Enough from me, now let's hear how you do it!
