[Spridgets] Driving in Snow

[Timothy H. Collins]

I once lived on a private road, the first 800 feet of which was a 17% 
grade. You had to make a left hand turn onto the hill and there was a 
lake on the right. I owned a 1979 VW Rabbit that would make the hill 
most of the time, but I discovered that when I couldn't drive up the 
hill, I could often times BACK up the hill just fine. The combination 
of the gearing and engine weight shifted optimally over the wheels 
did the trick. My (short of stature) wife drove a Subaru Justy 4WD 
(laugh all you want) that was a snowmobile with a heater. This was 
along Lake Superior with much lake effect snow.

Tim Collins
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12702006@N07/