Winter driving

Hi

Have been getting very subjective, confusing feedback from various source. Some say ok, some say definitely NO! Travel agents in Singapore are reluctant to talior any self-drive package for Singaporeans to selfdrive in Winter. Each time I enquire, seems like banging the wall and get dampen I've email to the hokkaido Road Planning Division, Construction Department, Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau
Ministry of Land, Inflastructure, Transport and Tourism, on routes that we'll be driving sou$th - sapporo, otaru, niseko, noboribestsu & hakodate, and was told these national road has enough width and will be clear and safe to drive.

Can someone with experince driving in winter, please share your valuable experiences. Isn't REALLY so difficult and dangerous to drive in winter???

THANK YOU

Every winter we have the chance of driving in the snow and it is not fun. There are publications devoted solely on winter driving techniques.

I think travel agencies are being very responsible for not offering any self-drive package for Singaporeans. Not to say drivers in Singapore are bad drivers but it is wise to advise against driving in the snow under unfamiliar road conditions in a foreign country, especially if one does not have any winter driving experience.

Here is a link to Hokkaido driving including some pointers on winter driving.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g298143-c87465/Hokkaido:Japan:Drivin...

A few things to remember (lived in Colorado for 12 years):

- as mentioned in the article, get a 4-wheel drive vehicle
- 4-wheel drive vehicles become 2-wheel drive vehicles when slamming on the brakes, use your engine and downshift and brake lightly.
- drive slower for road conditions. You may be driving on dry pavement and find yourself on an icy patch in no time, especially around curves that are shaded from the sun.
- carry extra food and water in the car in case you get stranded.
- it is also wise to pack cold-weather sleeping bags in you car, just in case.
- it would be best to not drive in bad snowstorms, visibility can go to zero very quickly and you might end up at the bottom of a canyon or in a river. Not good.

This site has plenty of information including road closures and conditions:

http://northern-road.jp/navi/eng/howto.htm

I get the sense that you're looking for people to tell you "Winter driving is no big deal, don't worry about it." But even if you are offered such opinions, you have to decide who to listen to. You can find people to tell you anything.

Out of necessity, I drive every winter, and I frankly hate it. I would never choose to do it on a vacation. The truth is, both steering and braking can be significantly affected by winter road conditions. When you live in a place where it snows, normally you learn the theory of how to compensate, and then you get real-world experience over time. And even then, it can be just plain treacherous. Plus, there are a lot of idiots out there who think they know how to drive in the snow but really don't. (I tend to worry more about other drivers than about my own driving.) This is human nature, and I'm sure the Japanese are not immune. Just be aware that you would be exposing yourself to many risks that you have no control over.

If you want to drive in Hokkaido, consider going in another season. Or if you are keen on driving there in the winter, consider doing it at speeds where a collision would be non-fatal, at least. Could you maybe stay off the highways? Use trains and buses to cover the longer distances.