These Are Your Favorite Things About Driving In Winter

Can you feel that? A whispering of chill creeping in through your toes and fingers. That's winter, and it's approaching quickly. So, before we all start moaning about scraping ice from our cars, chaos on the roads and how early it gets dark, we thought we'd charge head first into the chilly season with some positivity.

So, we turned to you and asked what's the best thing about driving in winter? We were pleasantly surprised to get some great responses back. So, let's relax, mix up a hot chocolate and look ahead to everything we can enjoy on the roads in the coming months.

"1. No Harleys

"2. Fewer people in general

"3. Quiet

"4. Occasionally see a bro truck skidding off the road and hopelessly stuck in a snow drift."

A few good highlights about winter driving to kick things off.

Suggested by: the-nsx-was-only-in-development-for-4-years

"Seeing the snow in a beautiful landscape with climate control and heated seats."

Question for the group, do you prefer driving past snow-covered mountains or sun-bleached mountains? Answers on a postcard, please.

Suggested by: Charles Klinetobe (Facebook)

"I spent 12 years driving cars with broken AC, but the heat always worked. So winter meant actually being comfortable in my vehicle without showing up everywhere drenched in sweat. I'm a very warm-natured person, my ideal outside temp is about 50-60 degrees. Even in weather like today (low-mid 30s), as long as I have warm clothes on, I love it.

"Also, being able to keep car snacks/candy in the car without them melting."

You don't have to worry about staying cool when it's below zero out.

Suggested by: dbeach84

"🤔... It usually involves skiing! 😃"

Is winter one of those rare times when it's about the destination, rather than the journey?

Suggested by: @LilToot62 (Twitter)

"It's the adventure!

"Snowy roads can turn any otherwise mundane drive into a treat for the senses. The stakes are higher, the roads are quieter, grip is limited. I love the heightened sense of awareness that a snowy drive offers – looking a little further ahead for hazards, leaving a little bit of extra room between cars since we know nothing about the skill level of the next driver (or the condition of their tires).

"I also love the feeling that I've left the house knowing that I'm adequately prepared: snow tires, warm clothes, tow straps, and other emergency supplies in the back – just in case.

"Every drive in the snow is a mini adventure that (under the right circumstances) can be relished."

It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.

Suggested by: ejp

"Driving through snow flurries is prettier than any amount of driving in the rain."

If you don't feel like you're piloting the Millennium Falcon on a jump to light speed while you're driving through a snow flurry, you're probably dead inside.

Suggested by: Brent Russell (Facebook)

"What else is there to say other than it's just fun?

"The views are beautiful, it's quiet, most people are staying at home... It's simply the best time to go out and run some errands. No matter what you drive, you could have a little fun sliding around. It also separates the good drivers from the worst drivers, which is always entertaining."

Is this the only real right answer?

Suggested by: shanepj13

"Turning off the traction control and hooning the Quattro sideways."

Do you slide over the hood and shout "fire up the Quattro" every time you do this? That would be cool.

Suggested by: @ChadSHelms (Twitter)

"Being the rescue team. If the timing works out, me and my friends load up my 4Runner and just drive around downtown Chicago looking for people to push out."

All those people driving around in massive SUVs and pickup trucks can finally make themselves useful.

Suggested by: mosko13

"The snow drifting booty call where you hit up all of your car guy/gal friends in the middle of the night to go snow drift some parking lots before the plows get to them. We do this every single time we get snow and it's one of my favorite ways to have fun in a car and simultaneously teaches you to be an expert in low grip situations."

Everyone thinks they're a rally champ at the first sign of snow, but it can't end well for everyone.

Suggested by: Jonathan Carter Moorman (Facebook)

"The feeling of superiority when you see other fail at something you can do. I'm sure the Germans have a term for this.

"Years ago, I made a hill in a Ford Contour after watching three 4WD SUVs fail to make it. There was an icy patch where they all got stuck, but I did not. There was a bunch of kids cheering as I made it pass the icy patch and on to fresh snow and over the hill.

"But you know what felt better than the kids cheering as I made the hill nobody did before with a mere car in a land of 4WD vehicles?

"The memory of all those smug SUV drivers going past me and telling me I was stupid for even attempting the hill.

"I'm likely an evil bastard for enjoying that, but I don't care.

"PS. Simple rule for making hills in the snow. If you stop at the bottom of a hill to see if you think you can make it... you can't."

Apparently "Schadenfreude" is the German word that describes why we like watching people fail. So I guess that works here.

Suggested by: yeardley68

"No bugs on the windshield."

You won't have to clean bugs off your car anymore, but will you will have to clean all that dirt and grime thrown up in the winter months instead.

Suggested by: @mugwamp48 (Twitter)

"For the most part, it sucks. Traffic sucks, all the salt they dump on the road sucks, clearing the driveway sucks..

"But every once in a while, you get a nice heavy snowfall and moderate (20-30*f) temps at night, with no one else on the road. Lovely huge snowflakes and pretending to be a rally driver around every corner, blasting through snowbanks. Whippin' shitties in empty industrial parking lots, throwing up huge rooster tails of snow. That's a blast."

This does sound like fun. And with rooster tails flying, it's got to be a cool sight to behold.

Suggested by: lastminutebastrd

"Rolling out into fresh snow all kitted out with Subaru symmetrical AWD, limited slip diffs, Nokian studded Hakkapeliitta 9s and getting creamed at the first intersection by an F350 on bald summers because 'well what am I supposed to do, take a bus?'

"Stay safe folks. The best equipment in the world won't save you from everyone else."

Does this count as all the gear and no idea? But, I'm not sure which person in this scenario it applies to.

Suggested by: Steve Pridgeon (Facebook)

"Heated seats! The feeling of the slow-building warmth. Also, this may be false, but being able to wring out the engine more since the weather keeps the engine cooler."

Heated seats are the single greatest feature to have on a car come winter. No, I won't elaborate.

Suggested by: CaptainJanewaysCat