I have lived in areas where it was essential to learn to drive in snow and ice conditions and after a time I learned the basic techniques. My policy, though, remains simple--DO NOT drive in snow and ice unless it is absolutely necessary on an emergency basis.
In the late 1970s, I had a speaking engagement at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. I left the Washington D.C. area early in the morning to drive there. Snow had begun falling when I left, and was forecast to continue, though not expected to produce large accumulations. I was driving a rented Ford Maverick (one of Ford's notable dudmobiles of that era) equipped with studded snow tires--not as good as chains, but better by far than nothing. To get where I was going, I had to cross the eastern portion of the Shenandoah mountains in order to access Interstate 81. Snow started coming down very heavily shortly after I began the ascent, but I pressed on anyway, which was not very smart. Soon I realized just how "not very smart" this decision was, since I saw that there were NO car tracks in the snow coming from the other side of the mountain. I saw no other vehicles until I had descended the mountain on the west slope. With a lot of luck and my journeyman skills in snow driving I was able to make it with but a single spin-out, which ended with my front bumper only inches from a guard rail. I actually got to the university on time, since conditions on Interstate 81 were fairly decent. My university contacts were astonished that I had actually shown up. The next day it warmed up and most of the snow melted and driving back was no problem.
Without those studded snow tires (now not legal anywhere), I probably would not have made it. Nevertheless, the decision to proceed was truly unwise, though it proved very educational. The experience forever altered my attitude about driving in snow and ice conditions.