HS Helsinki “Terrible craters” appeared in the ice as a car bully – Expert now gives five tips on how to drive in Helsinki

Highways are in poor condition in many places in the Helsinki region due to heavy snowfall and temperature fluctuations. You have a lot of lumpy ice on which the vehicle vibrates while driving.

You also have deep grooves formed by ice, very slippery ice covered with water, snow drifts and frost pits.

What should a motorist consider when driving on such roads? We asked for tips from the Automobile Federation Training Manager From Teppo Vesalainen.

Check tire pressures

“It is essential to take care of the right tire pressures. The pressure in the winter tires should be 0.2 bar higher than what the manufacturer has stated, ”reminds Vesalainen.

When the tire pressures are in place, it also protects the car’s rims.

“The rims are hard on sharp transverse ice boulders and frost pits. Once the temperatures have risen from plus to frost, many roads have pretty bad frost pits, terrible craters on the road surface. ”

In the Helsinki metropolitan area, for example, those who have been driving from Ring Road III have noticed numerous bumps, which are forced to slow down.

It’s winter vacation time and many cars are now packed full of people and stuff. “In this case, the pressures specified by the manufacturer for the higher load should be used.”

Focus on driving and look far

Teppo Vesalainen, the training manager of the Finnish Automobile Association, reminds us that in such difficult conditions, it is important to keep the idea and attention in driving all the time. “Focus on the essentials, look away and observe the road surface,” he notes.

Danger locations can be better predicted by looking at the driveway a little beyond the front of the car

“In that case, notice where you want to take the car so you don’t hit those frost craters. Within certain limits, the route can be selected. ”

If you hit a deep pit, a flat tire may break. Wheels, car chassis joints or support arms can also break.

“If an evasive action is made at the very last moment, it is easy for the tire to drift over the sledge and the sledge to take the car. This often results in the loss of control of the car and derailment or collision with an opponent. ”

Drive quieter

There is no obligation to drive at maximum speed on the road.

“When it feels like places are falling out of the teeth, it also puts a strain on the car’s joints, buffers and shock absorbers,” says Vesalainen.

“In that case, you just have to drop the speed, no matter how familiar the road and the familiar place where you are used to driving at a certain speed. Yes, the fact is that the speed of the situation must be chosen according to the prevailing conditions. In such conditions, it means that we have to drive much slower than the maximum speed allowed. ”

Vesalainen also reminds of the safety gap. It reduces the risk of reversing and increases the driver’s ability to react to bad road conditions.

“I recommend a safety interval of four seconds for everyone. It works at all speeds and is easy to calculate like this: when the driver above passes a fixed point, start calmly counting to four. Your driving distance is suitable when you drive to the same place at the earliest at Nelonen. ”

With friction tires on water ice

The friction tire holds well in snow and frost. “But now there are so-called water ice in many places, which is infinitely slippery. It has to be really careful for all motorists, but especially when driving with friction tires, ”points out the head of the Finnish Automobile Association.

Listen to the sounds of the car

Sometimes vibration may cause the plastic bumper to come off its bracket or cause other defects.

It is always worth listening to the car while driving. If it starts to make an unusual ring, buzz, or rattle, the cause must be determined.

“Yes, the sound world of your own car is learning. If you hear a sound in your car that has not been heard before and it is not a scrab in the door [jääraappa] or similar, it is advisable to clarify the matter and make an appointment with a workshop. ”

This is because a small fault can lead to a larger one.

“If a joint or bush starts to get loose, it often gives birth to more problems if not repaired in time. For example, tires may start to sound uneven and costs will increase. ”

It is not advisable to collect faults in the car. The ideal situation is that the car would always be in such a condition that it would go through any inspection.