Due to heavy snowfall in the metropolitan area on the evening of the 6th, the road to work around Seoul was really a mess. As a result of a sudden heavy snowfall followed by subzero cold, ice roads were created everywhere, and cars sliding on the ice road were entangled, causing many contact accidents. In particular, the road situation around Gangnam was serious. In the vicinity of Sinsa Station, two police officers were caught pushing a luxury car that could not cross the frozen hillside, and a number of luxury cars such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Ferrari were neglected near Yeoksam Station, reminiscent of a parking lot.
On this day, an analysis appears that the reason the vehicle congestion was severe near Gangnam was due to the characteristics of many luxury imported cars. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Gangnam-gu, Seoul is the region in which imported cars are most registered in the country. Small and medium-sized cars and sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in Korea run on snowy roads without major problems, while luxury sedans are tied up everywhere.
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On the evening of the 6th after heavy snowfall, citizens are pushing a slipped car on the road near Samseong Station in Seoul./Yonhap News
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The reason high-end sedans are vulnerable to glances is that they often adopt rear-wheel drive. In the case of the rear-wheel drive method, which rolls the rear wheel, the engine is in the front and the drive shaft is in the rear, so the balance of weight distribution is better than the front-wheel drive method and the driving performance is good. In addition, there is no fish tail phenomenon that occurs in front-wheel drive vehicles, so the ride comfort in the rear seat of the vehicle is relatively good. For this reason, high-end imported brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Lexus, as well as domestic Genesis, mostly choose rear-wheel drive.
However, in winter when there is an icy road, the limitations of rear-wheel drive vehicles appear sharply. Front-wheel drive cars change direction as the front wheel turns, so if you run at a reduced speed, they move forward, but in rear-wheel drive cars, it is difficult to move forward even if the rear wheel slips. It is similar to dragging a bicycle from the front (front-wheel drive) to follow, but pushing it from the rear (rear-wheel drive) because the front wheel cannot move forward.
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A Ferrari red car was neglected in the middle of Olympic Highway on the 6th./Internet community capture
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In addition, the front wheel drive vehicle has a certain degree of traction because the engine and drive system are all in the front of the vehicle, and 70% of the vehicle weight is carried on the front wheels. On the other hand, a rear-wheel drive car has less traction than a front-wheel drive car because the weight is distributed in half to the front and rear of the vehicle.
On that day, a photo of a red Ferrari car was posted in the middle of the Olympic Highway in an automobile community. According to the Gangnam Police Station, the vehicle was actually left on the road, and the owner drove it the next morning. The vehicle is estimated to be a 599 GTB model, which is a rear-wheel drive system.
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Pushing a car that slipped in heavy snow./Yonhap News
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In this heavy snow, the driving safety aid applied to luxury cars was also useless. It was equipped with ABS (Anti Brake-lock System) that helps to change direction when braking and body posture control devices, but slipping could not be avoided.
Experts advise that rear-wheel drive vehicles must be fitted with winter tires in winter. General tires are for spring, summer, and autumn, where traction and braking power decrease when the temperature drops. Winter tires increase grip and reduce ice slip. Winter tires must be replaced on all four wheels. If it is used only on wheels that transmit driving power, the performance of the tire may be different and it may be rather dangerous.
