He approached the junction warily; he had already experienced a heart-stopping moment less than a mile back when the road took a right-angle bend to cross a bridge. There was a steep hill leading to the bend. He gently pressed on the brake pedal: he felt himself lose control and saw the turn and wall approach. Black ice. He knew what to do, and he did it: foot off the brake; steer into the skid; drop down gears; gently accelerate. It worked: he negotiated the bend and crossed the bridge safely. Now approaching this new junction he once again struck black ice. Even at low speeds it is dangerous. He was doing less than 20mph, and was driving in third gear! The car immediately took on a life of its own. He had no space to manoeuvre. Glen Clova was not an option - he had no time to point the car in that direction. His choice was stark: the ditch or the Glen Prosen road. It was cold up Glen Prosen.