Topic: Feature: Winter Tires vs. All-Season Tires

[SaskSpecV]

Libertarian...freaking hippie....are you wearing a dashiki and sandals right now?? 

Yep, in -25C Saskatoon right now
Actually, TRUE libertarians cover the political spectrum - both liberal (i.e. OK with drug de-criminalization and gay marriage) and conservative (no gov't bailouts for private companies, personal resiliency).    Hippies are in many ways the opposite (i.e. communal living). Unfortunately it's kinda gotten a bad rap from some of the Tea Party crazies who claim to be libertarians, but don't have a clue.   I'll stop now before this gets moved to the politcal thread...

[dkaz]

I was at a Mazda dealer in Edmonton and overheard this lady speaking to the receptionist saying "if people need winters tires, they shouldn't be on the f**king road!" 

I turn off traction control anytime I see snow. But my winter tires kinda suck right now despite still having 7mm of tread left. I need new winter tires.

I don't know what the real solution is. If a guy with bald all season tires is going through a green light and gets t-boned by a guy with winter tires running a red light, obviously it's not the first guy's fault. Don't make it mandatory for drivers to have winter tires but allow police to turn people back if they aren't properly equipped, which they already do on BC highways from time to time but maybe take it to the city as well? Although back in 2008 when we had that winter blast, a lot of people parked their cars, with the myriad of hills we have here, those who weren't properly equipped were not going absolutely anywhere.

[Fobroader]

I was at a Mazda dealer in Edmonton and overheard this lady speaking to the receptionist saying "if people need winters tires, they shouldn't be on the f**king road!" 

I turn off traction control anytime I see snow. But my winter tires kinda suck right now despite still having 7mm of tread left. I need new winter tires.

I don't know what the real solution is. If a guy with bald all season tires is going through a green light and gets t-boned by a guy with winter tires running a red light, obviously it's not the first guy's fault. Don't make it mandatory for drivers to have winter tires but allow police to turn people back if they aren't properly equipped, which they already do on BC highways from time to time but maybe take it to the city as well? Although back in 2008 when we had that winter blast, a lot of people parked their cars, with the myriad of hills we have here, those who weren't properly equipped were not going absolutely anywhere.

Thats why I think a big education campaign and maybe make snow tires a tax write off. Ive seen so many cars get into stupid situations just because they had all seasons on, its an old mindset, "well my dad never had snow tires on his 1964 Chevy Impala, i dont need them!!". Yeah, he probably used suntan lotion with DDT in it too, would you do that or do you know better??

[nlm]

Ok, Ill be the whipping boy today, domestics suck, Toyota has made the best cars in the universe bar none, Subaru can do no wrong, everything should come with diesels and winter tires.....did I get everything???   

[sigh] everything should come with a diesel, manual, awd, wagon body combo AND cost no more than $30,000 (freight is to be waved if assembled in the same country of purchase; if assembled in an adjacent country of purchase freight can be no more than $1,000). Have you learned nothing? 

[Fobroader]

Ok, Ill be the whipping boy today, domestics suck, Toyota has made the best cars in the universe bar none, Subaru can do no wrong, everything should come with diesels and winter tires.....did I get everything???   

[sigh] everything should come with a diesel, manual, awd, wagon body combo AND cost no more than $30,000 (freight is to be waved if assembled in the same country of purchase; if assembled in an adjacent country of purchase freight can be no more than $1,000). Have you learned nothing? 

Dammit....how could I forget the all important awd, diesel wagon thats under $30K spiel.....I am dissapoint.

[johngenx]

A new BMW X5 went sideways onto the median in front of me this morning, ending up highsided on the berm. Could see his fancy wheels and summer tires clear as day as I crept by. $70K SUV and the twit can't pop for snows?  Maybe legislation is needed.

[Patrick_D1]

A new BMW X5 went sideways onto the median in front of me this morning, ending up highsided on the berm. Could see his fancy wheels and summer tires clear as day as I crept by. $70K SUV and the twit can't pop for snows?  Maybe legislation is needed.

A huge issue is the misconception many drivers have that "AWD = I'm good to go in the winter!" It's actually staggering ow many folks I've spoken to who equate winter driving ability purely with traction when accelerating. I like to respond that thanks to its enhanced traction off the line, their AWD CUV on all-season/summer tires will simply be going faster when they inevitably slide it into a solid object.

[Fobroader]

A new BMW X5 went sideways onto the median in front of me this morning, ending up highsided on the berm. Could see his fancy wheels and summer tires clear as day as I crept by. $70K SUV and the twit can't pop for snows?  Maybe legislation is needed.

Thats what I mean, theres a soccer mommy up the street that has a Yukon Denali with some huge dubs and some sort of performance radials on them. Like you said, $70k for the truck and you cant spring for some cheap wheels and tires?!?!?! Legislation is needed, either make insurance cheaper for those that have them or maybe a tax break....something to entice people to buy them.

[Danno001]

Maybe a higher deductible for at-fault insurance claims in winter when winter tires weren't used?  Or an insurance rate deduction for those that do use them?  I just don't like the idea of FORCING people to buy things, if there's another way to achieve the same objective.  That being said, I am in favour of mandatory stability control on all vehicles (or at least mandatory AVAILABILITY of stability control as an option) on all vehicles, so that sorta refutes my winter tire argument!

I would also be down with the increased premiums for no snow tires......anything to make people seriously consider purchasing them would be great. Libertarian...freaking hippie....are you wearing a dashiki and sandals right now?? 

My insurer - Belairdirect - gives a 5% discount for snow tires.

[Scarecrow]

After bashing GM and importing diesels, this is the most replayed theme on autos.ca.

+100

Change the record, already!

[SaskSpecV]

A new BMW X5 went sideways onto the median in front of me this morning, ending up highsided on the berm. Could see his fancy wheels and summer tires clear as day as I crept by. $70K SUV and the twit can't pop for snows?  Maybe legislation is needed.

A huge issue is the misconception many drivers have that "AWD = I'm good to go in the winter!" It's actually staggering ow many folks I've spoken to who equate winter driving ability purely with traction when accelerating. I like to respond that thanks to its enhanced traction off the line, their AWD CUV on all-season/summer tires will simply be going faster when they inevitably slide it into a solid object.

Very good point Force.  To be fair though, it's not like even the best winter tires are a panacea either.  I've caught myself a couple times this winter driving faster than I should be...a lit bit overconfident with the Blizzaks.  Proper driving habits for the road conditions is still critical, even with winter tires, and I don't think this can be stressed enough.
But of all the equipment aids out there (winter tires, AWD, stability control, ABS, etc.) - no questions, winter tires are by far the most effective.

[johngenx]

In traffic, I drive very carefully, using my AWD, Blizzaks, etc as a buffer to compensate for morons like this mornings BMW driver.  I had no trouble stopping in time and maneuvering around him.

But, if the road is empty, I tend to boot it!  Hanging the tail out, opposite lock around bends, crashing through drifts, and so on.  On my way home, there is a new road that has barely any traffic, but is four lanes and divided with no level crossings.  The right lane has drifted snow, so of course, I didn't use the left one.  There's also a sweeping right hand bend marked for 60, so of course, I took it at 100, sideways.

The Forester is like a snow-use drift-car.  Get your foot into it, and it can be launched into a steady-state oversteering condition that is wonderfully controlled thanks to the front tires also scratching for traction.

[Fobroader]

In traffic, I drive very carefully, using my AWD, Blizzaks, etc as a buffer to compensate for morons like this mornings BMW driver.  I had no trouble stopping in time and maneuvering around him.

But, if the road is empty, I tend to boot it!  Hanging the tail out, opposite lock around bends, crashing through drifts, and so on.  On my way home, there is a new road that has barely any traffic, but is four lanes and divided with no level crossings.  The right lane has drifted snow, so of course, I didn't use the left one.  There's also a sweeping right hand bend marked for 60, so of course, I took it at 100, sideways.

The Forester is like a snow-use drift-car.  Get your foot into it, and it can be launched into a steady-state oversteering condition that is wonderfully controlled thanks to the front tires also scratching for traction.

If everyone had that kind of vigor towards driving then our roads would be safer....unfortunately for most people, getting sideways is a horrifying, I saw the face of god type of experience that hopefully ends up with the stability control system saving their unskilled asses.

[Snowman]

Ok, Ill be the whipping boy today, domestics suck, Toyota has made the best cars in the universe bar none, Subaru can do no wrong, everything should come with diesels and winter tires.....did I get everything???   

FGC's

[Fobroader]

Ok, Ill be the whipping boy today, domestics suck, Toyota has made the best cars in the universe bar none, Subaru can do no wrong, everything should come with diesels and winter tires.....did I get everything???   

FGC's

Theres been a cease fire on them saying that if you lease one you are not a mad scientist that likes to take risks was there not??

[PJungnitsch]

A new BMW X5 went sideways onto the median in front of me this morning, ending up highsided on the berm. Could see his fancy wheels and summer tires clear as day as I crept by. $70K SUV and the twit can't pop for snows?  Maybe legislation is needed.

Yeah, just legislate. The last few snowfalls have been a mess driving in Edmonton. I'm old enough to remember all the handwringing about making wearing seat belts mandatory, then once it went through you hardly heard a peep.

[tpl]

Best definition of a real Libertarian.    An Anarchist on the Gold Standard.

[Snowman]

Ok, Ill be the whipping boy today, domestics suck, Toyota has made the best cars in the universe bar none, Subaru can do no wrong, everything should come with diesels and winter tires.....did I get everything???   

FGC's

Theres been a cease fire on them saying that if you lease one you are not a mad scientist that likes to take risks was there not??

I bought mine 

[Fobroader]

Ok, Ill be the whipping boy today, domestics suck, Toyota has made the best cars in the universe bar none, Subaru can do no wrong, everything should come with diesels and winter tires.....did I get everything???   

FGC's

Theres been a cease fire on them saying that if you lease one you are not a mad scientist that likes to take risks was there not??

I bought mine 

You better believe thats a smite-ing 

[johngenx]

In the case of the TT-RS, I was  when I looked at the lease rates on Audi's web site.  They've made it so that anyone wanting one either buys it, or pays a stupid amount for leasing.

They DO NOT want them back...