It's a personal preference, I'd say. Lately I've been driving with the traction control off all the time, just so I could "improve" my personal driving skill in situations like that. Sometimes the traction control helps, sometimes it's a bit of a hindrance. If you start to rely on the computer too much, you start getting a little lazy in your driving skill, IMO.
There's a steep hill here in my neighborhood that I have to take all the time (no other way in or out) and last winter when it snowed, I got the GT almost to the top of the hill, but traction control kicked in and wouldn't let me finish. I turned of trac control, mashed the gas, and just spun the tires the rest of the way up.
On or off you can still easily lose control or spin out if you get on it too much. But I usually take it a bit easier in the rain and leave the TC on..........unless I wanna play. In dry weather I always have it off.
The only time I turn mine off is when there is snow or ice, cause I would
rather have controled wheel spin than my engine cutting out.
Also I turn it off if I intend to do a burn out which is rare since I value
my tires.
Mine is permanently off as a matter of personal preference. I don't want the computer driving my car...I want to drive my car. Plus, I wasn't too keen on the idea of cutting fuel to the cylinders to reduce power output. I really think Ford just put this in the car as a marketing tool. I have never found it helpful in everyday driving situations. Your right foot will be the best traction control you can buy.