Back in the late 80's I was driving a rally in January up in the North East. There was about a foot of snow generally and 4-6 feet drifts on many roads. We went prepared with M&S tyres.

The roads weren't too bad to drive on actually, the fresh snow was quite grippy. However one stage had the finish on a tank range. As the range had been in use, the roads were sheet ice. We came round the last bend and span. We then pirouetted about 80m across the finish line (actually crossing backwards) but kept going for about another 100m. My Nav got out, puked and then ran back to get the time card marked.

We won a pot that night. And scrapped and dented just about every body panel except the roof, lol.

My road is largely level, apart from a short (200 yard) 1 in 6 hill which goes up from the main road. One very snowy day a couple of years back, I was coming home from work. The snow was laying thickly, so I knew I'd have a single chance to get up the hill.

I turned right off the main road -- no oncoming traffic, so able to maintain momentum -- and started up the hill at low revs and steady throttle in second.

Blast! There's a car parked on the road on my side. Double blast! I can see headlights approaching the brow of the hill. I carry on, hoping the other driver has the nous and courtesy to realise that it's easier for them to come down the hill than it is for me to come up.

The driver has neither the nous nor the courtesy, and keeps coming. I'm now halfway up the hill and approaching the parked car. I lift off, and change to first gear, trying to maintain any vestiges of forward motion. After what seems like an eternity, the approaching car passes.

I'm still crawling forward with no throttle, just relying on the anti-stall in the Mondeo. I daren't touch the throttle as I know I'll get instant wheelspin and lose momentum. I can feel the wheels slipping slightly and catching, slipping slightly and catching. I'm willing the car onward.

It lumbers to within 10 yards of the brow of the hill, and drifts to a halt, the front wheels still gently churning with the anti-stall in first gear. I can't face turning around and going back down the hill, so in a moment of either clarity or reckless stupidity, I unhook the seatbelt, jump out the car and start pushing using the A-pillar.

Bizarrely, my puny efforts start the car inching forward again. After a few heaves, the front wheels hit a thinner patch of snow and bite: the anti-stall does its thing and the car jerks up to 4mph again. With a step and a swing I'm back in the seat and heading the last half mile home.

And that is how I singlehandedly pushed a 1.6 tonne Mondeo up a hill in the snow :)