Your vehicle is stuck in snow. What does the manual say to do first?
-
A.
Shift into low gear and keep the front wheels straight. Correct
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B.
Shift into reverse and spin the wheels for traction.
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C.
Turn the wheels sharply and rock the vehicle side to side.
The answer is "Shift into low gear and keep the front wheels straight."
Start with low gear and hold the front wheels straight, then use a slow forward-and-back rocking motion. The spin-the-wheels reflex behind B trusts that more throttle equals more traction, exactly the habit packed snow and mud punish.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. Shift into reverse and spin the wheels for traction.
Spinning the wheels is the exact habit the manual tells drivers to avoid when stuck. This answer trusts the instinct that more throttle equals more traction, which packed snow and mud reverse.
C. Turn the wheels sharply and rock the vehicle side to side.
The rocking method is forward and reverse, not a side-to-side motion of the steering wheel. This answer imports the idea of rocking from a different context and applies it to steering rather than gears.
This question tests your knowledge of Adverse Conditions in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Stuck in Snow or Mud," p.62..
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