Hinaus Hartikainen, an Oulu firm, has been operating since 1984

Now that winter has truly begun and driving has become more dangerous, we expats shouldn´t be fooled into thinking our four-wheel drive can handle icy roads at normal speeds. On slippery roads everything goes faster and before you know it you end up in a ditch. And not only does ice cause problems. The darkness is also bothersome: it hardly allows drivers to anticipate unexpected corners, or other obstacles such as garbage cans, lanterns, boulders, or traffic sign posts.

In 2007 the Finnish police reported 34,345 traffic accidents; the national insurance companies, a whopping 102,000. The figures stay by and large the same from year to year; the vast majority of incidents–I shudder to think of the alternative–thankfully do not involve personal injury. They do nonetheless leave motorists and passengers standing by the road, shocked, car damaged, and without a clue what to do next.

I can’t give any better tips than are already present in numerous websites, cautionary literature, and the list at the end of this article–slow down, use winter tyres and lights, maintain a safe distance. But I do have a specific phone number to help you soothe scattered nerves and tow the vehicle home after a crash. By crash I of course mean my crash, the most recent of a few winter-related incidents.

One dark, wet November night, I turn the car into a parking lot in an eerily deserted Maikkula and straight over a boulder-stroke-rock, which had been allegedly placed there to mark the corner. Bang goes my tire. Once I get over the initial shock, I jump out of the vehicle. My front left wheel is hanging an approximate fourty centimetres in the air, like a dinky toy over an armchair. Feelings of hopelessness and despair rush over me.

"Calm yourself, Ata," I think. "Call Hartikainen."

Even thinking about it, the word Hartikainen fills me with visions of professionalism and charm. Harti-kain-en: hearty and kind. A heavy duty towing and trucking company operating in Northern Finland, Hartikainen tend to go unnoticed unless you desperately need their services–although they are fairly recognisable by their bright yellow and orange colours. These are the first things you notice when they swoop in to rescue you.

It's a love affair for me at this point; I won't deny it, though admitting that Hartikainen has had to rescue me (repeated winter incidents) might make me sound like a bad driver. It wasn’t always my fault!

Driver rescues are all part of their service. One phone call to Hartikainen and nightmares become like pleasant visits to an amusement park. Dedicated staff answers the phone day and night, assuring you in comforting tones to stay put until they arrive with their truck to take the lead.

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if they moonlighted as psychiatric nurses and firemen at the same time. Every driver seems trained to calm people down, listen quietly, and fix the problem no matter how bad the situation is. They offer you the front seat in a comfortable truck cabin to warm up and come to your senses. Watching them fasten a tow chain from the trailer to your car as you thaw seems like the epitome of professional ability.

They tow your car and deliver it where ever you like. They're careful not to leave any scratches or damage. After everything has been sorted out they'll even bring you home, and if needed, your groceries too, and give advice on how to proceed with the car.

You can rely on them when you're stuck with your car in the mud on a deserted forest road. When you're trapped between two busy lanes with a flat tire. Even when you're stuck up against an icy barrier, unable to move the car. So when you set out in winter weather, make sure your vehicle is properly equipped: with a mobile phone, and a phone number for the tow company (08 55 66 345) on your dashboard.

Winter driving tips (more here)

• Use studded or friction tyres with a tread depth of at least 3 millimetres and recommended 5 millimetres in difficult conditions. “When slippery, braking distances increase, and even good winter tyres cannot match the traction of summer conditions.”
• A road is at its most slippery when the temperature is close to zero, and in hollows and bridges. Maintain a good safety distance so you can drive with anticipation. If the road is snowy, you need almost 30 metres more to come to a stop at the same speed under dry conditions.
• Use long-range headlights in the dark at all times when possible. Perceive correctly: look to the outer edge of the light zone, and utilise the lights of approaching vehicles. If the rear of the car begins to slide, immediately steer in the direction of the slide, and press down the clutch. Do not brake. Return steering to the direction of the road as the sliding diminishes.
• If the front of the car starts to slide, press down the clutch, don’t brake, and don’t turn the steering wheel any further.
• To break in a controlled manner, brake, and if the car won’t stay straight, release the brake and steer, then brake again again quickly – if the car does not have ABS.
• Prepare for a corner by accelerate in such a manner that the tyres do not spin on empty. Make sure the tyres are not sliding sideways. Avoid driving with great speed into snow banks, and avoid locked braking except in emergencies.

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