Getting your winter wheels on

Winter is upon us, my friends. For the first time this morning I was greeted by a car iced over with frost. As I write this, I'm looking out over a lawn with a slight dusting of that marvelous white stuff that some find so magical and others find downright annoying. Time to get out those winter coats and boots in preparation to face the frigid bite of old man winter.
With the season of snowmobiles and Santa Claus and frost-bitten ears also comes the annoyance of winter driving, and to make sure you don't end up stranded in a frozen ditch on a country road, cursing the slow response of CAA, it's probably a good idea to take a few steps to prepare for those slippery roads and iced-up windshields. Here are a few pointers to make sure you're winter is as automotively safe and warm as possible.
Winter tires: get them. While all-season tires are just fine if you live in a temperate climate, free of the land of blizzards and white-outs, they just aren't up to the unpredictable and sometimes brutal winter weather of southern Ontario. Here we are faced with snow, ice, sleet and hail, all of which can add up to some very slippery road conditions that make running on all-season tires feel like charging down a hill on a greased toboggan.
Winter tires are specifically designed to give more grip, turning and stopping ability in icy conditions, and can be the difference between stopping in time and doing a 360 degree pirouette in front of a police cruiser.
Ask me how I know.
Winter tires also provide better traction in deep snow, allowing you to arrive in time for your 8 am class instead of spending your morning digging your way through the streets of Thorold.
Speaking of digging, it is a good idea to pack a few tools and supplies in the car for when you do get stuck. A small shovel is a must, and a good strong rope could be of use if you need to be pulled out of a ditch.
Once again, ask me how I know.
Make sure you have a brush and scraper for those chilly, icy mornings so you have the right tool to chop and slice and scrape away at your windshield. By the way a set of warm gloves can be a godsend in such a task. A few granola bars and some bottled water isn't such a bad idea if you're late to a dinner date, and a set of hardcore winter boots will make traipsing through the snow a little less soakingly painful.
So you've got your winter tires bolted on and your shovel in the trunk and you're ready to set out on your own mini-arctic adventure, but the thought of losing control on a narrow icy road terrifies you.
One of the many problems with winter driving today is that many drivers just don't know how to drive in icy conditions, meaning rush hour can quickly turn into an unexpected match of oversized curling. Leaving yourself plenty of stopping distance and taking it a bit slower through the turns is always a good idea, but to really prepare yourself for the unexpected, you have to get a feel for how the car reacts when it things start to get greasy.
So find an empty parking lot, preferably one with few or no light poles, and just practice losing control of the car. Do some slides, some spins and some hard braking maneuvers, and see what the car does. It's a valuable experience that all should have in order to prepare for winter driving. It's also a lot of fun.
Ask me how I know.
Once you can predict what the car will do in a given situation, you'll be a lot calmer, more confident, and better equipped to handle the situation. It's a small and fun step to improve your driving skills and will help you brave the perilous journey ahead.
So go on. Fear not the blustery snow and treacherous ice that stands between you and your destination. Strap on your boots, zip up your coat and go forth into the mighty battle with mother nature, secure in the knowledge that you have the equipment, perseverance, and know-how to brave the most treacherous of driving conditions that a university student can face.
Good fortune or bad, it'll be interesting.