Does anybody still use snow tires? Chains?

Just wondering. I get the idea snow tires are out of vogue.

I am concerning with getting out of the driveway. So yes, we use snowtires. We have a set of chains for the lawn tractor that becomes a plow in winter.

during some periods in the fall, winter or spring, you are required to carry the chains in your car, even if you are not required to use them on your tires on a particular day or in a particular place.

are often required for traveling some of the roads around here.

use snow tires in the winter or don't drive

:rofl:

Put on 4 for winter, on their own wheels. Rule the snow, shred the slush, have enough steering and brakes to avoid the wrecks.

Thank goodness! :bounce:

I hopefully have laid in slushy puddles for the last time. :scared:

I like to be different! :7

:)

You must have them for a commercial vehicle, even if they aren't needed at that moment, or they won't let you go past either the weigh station or port-of-entry.

Nothing like 'throwing iron' on Donner Pass in a blinding snowstorm and the wind blowing a gale.

Fun times.

WE are led to believe that all season tires are some happy middle but they are not. They are made of a different rubber which is is hard and \does not not grip the road on snow or ice or even wet pavement as well as the softer rubber of snow tires. 'All season tires' is kind of marketing deception in product naming. I have seen professional drivers demonstrate this on Canada's consumer show Marketplace. Rental fleets don't want to use them and downplay their effectiveness because it is too much of a hassle to change tires for the season and because they would need to add storage space for the out-of-season tires. The lack of storage space and the expense of maintaining it is the primary reason why rental agents basically lie about tires to customers - if a customer asks for a vehicle with snow tires they say we don't have any available now (which is ever) but offer an upgrade to a bigger more expensive and less safe SUV. They add rollover potential to the lack of traction of regular ("all season") tires.

In Quebec they are required by law to supply snow tires in winter for all vehicles. The safety statistics bear out the wisdom of that law.

but you never know, some states (including mine)may secede, and I may have to request political asylum in ND or somewhere like that.

:-)


It appears I'd also gotten the mistaken impression that with "all-season tires" snow tires are no longer needed.

It was an eye-opener for me too. And I saw the difference demonstrated on snow, ice, and even just wet pavement.

my family used to use them in CT especially after ice storms. they are now illegal in a lot of states (CT included) because they degrade pavement and states find that costly.

why? something about them tearing up the roads here....we just have to learn how to drive in winter conditions, which is about 4-5 months out of the year....another reason there are so many 4WD SUV's and pickups here vs. small cars.

for the "frozen tundra" half of the year? Absolutely. Chains aren't allowed here, so we use studded snow tires. And four wheel drive. And sled dogs in bad weather. :evilgrin:

about once a year if we are lucky. And then it doesn't stick for very long.