Winter Tyres!

[Smitty]

I think you took my sarcastic post a little out of context....I'll back out now before you kick off

I completly see the benefits in winter tyres....I'm just saying I've never had problems with normal tyres and I've done a lot of snow driving for my age!! I don't I have the cash to buy 4 new shoes, and I don't think I will "really" reap the benfits of winter tyres for a 20 mile round commute a few days a week as I tend to use the car and little as possible over the winter.

So in summary - winter tyres are a brilliant idea. Required by everyone - No (unless they make it law like in Gemrnay!! )

You just need to know how to drive in those conditions.

And I couldnt agree more with this post Ian. The problem down south is most people don't know how to drive in cold/icy and in particular snow conditions (e.g. last winter!) Snow isn't as grippy as tarmac...try telling that to someone in Birmingham!!

[ianking]

Yeah you see folk trying to pull away in 1st gear then just flooring it and spinning all over the shop cause the car wont move.

Put it in 2nd and pull away gently and if it spins up stick it in 3rd. Thats what I do anyway and I always get moving when other cars seem to be stuck spinning the wheels with their speedos reading 45mph but they are actually doing 1mph sideways.

[The Dogfather]

I think you took my sarcastic post a little out of context....I'll back out now before you kick off

Oops, missed that sorry. I'm having a bad morning

[The Dogfather]

So in summary - winter tyres are a brilliant idea. Required by everyone - No (unless they make it law like in Gemrnay!! )

I think it should be law, as well as driving with lights on all the time between October and March

And I couldnt agree more with this post Ian. The problem down south is most people don't know how to drive in cold/icy and in particular snow conditions (e.g. last winter!) Snow isn't as grippy as tarmac...try telling that to someone in Birmingham!!

In the defence of the people of Birmingham, I won't defend the accent though, we get snow fairly infrequently but when we do it does cause chaos. Being legally required to use winter tyres would mean it would be less of an issue. Better awareness from advertising campaign would also help. That and the death penalty for people who use foglights inappropriately...

[Smitty]

Oops, missed that sorry. I'm having a bad morning

I'll let you off....tone is a hard thing to get across via forum posts!

I think it should be law, as well as driving with lights on all the time between October and March

Agree

Being legally required to use winter tyres would mean it would be less of an issue.

Interesting point - it would probably do a lot of good! I don't think it will ever happen though....could you imagine the uproar the public would make it you told them they all had to go out and buy four new tyres of the winter while communicating the confliciting message of Global Warming and Climate Change. I think they'd through stones at downing street

[The Dogfather]

I'll let you off....tone is a hard thing to get across via forum posts!



Agree



Interesting point - it would probably do a lot of good! I don't think it will ever happen though....could you imagine the uproar the public would make it you told them they all had to go out and buy four new tyres of the winter while communicating the confliciting message of Global Warming and Climate Change. I think they'd through stones at downing street

Its more likely that the OEMs would fit the cars with all season tyres, which would mean most of the plebs would drive on these all year round whilst the drivers would shell out on proper summer rubber.

[AndyP & Lenore]

Cheers for the info and chat between Paul, Smitty and Ian etc...

As for making winter tyres compusory.... Pointless. As the idiots who don;t know how to drive in snow will still rev their car to 5,000 rpm showing 45mph on the speedo, 1mph sideways, but they'll just be kicking up much more snow.

A.

[Sheilz]

Well just placed my order for some winter tyres.

Last time we had some Nokian WRG2s and thought they were great, but they've not performed as well in the 2009 tests compared with some of the newer tyres so went for some Dunlop SP Winter Sports 3D instead. Hopefully they'll be a good match for my driving style, bit of a risk but we'll see.



I will report back with details of how they perform over the coming winter...

If anyone lives in an area that gets a reasonable amount of the white stuff I would strongly recommend getting some winters. My Mx5 would turnaround on the spot rather than going forward, once the winters went on I overtook a snow plough uphill

Brrr! Time to get the heating on! Had a look at the tyres you mention and to be honest the blurb is impressive. They dont do them in a size to fit pace wheels. Shame your putting them on steelies though since they look such cracking tyres.

I've never bought winter tyres instead have always replaced my runflats in November to make sure there's good tread. I changed from the standard runflats to the contis because I was never impressed with them on very icy roads. I mind one night coming out of work following a very dramatic fall in temp after a wet day. LOL poor specy just stayed put on the hill up to Andie Drive. I eventually made it to the Kings Gate round about from midstocket but took all of twenty minutes.

Since I may well be galavanting up and down to Bonnybridge, Lockerbie and now Coldstream as well over the winter, I think it might be advisable for me to consider winter tyres. Icy roads are not considered a good enough excuse to miss visits. Social workers are disposable

[Stewart]

Your wee car comes with,

“Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) for optimum traction, sophisticated suspension systems, four disc brakes and the latest ABS system, featuring Cornering Brake Control, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist”

All the latest gismos must help over the older Specy

I missed DSC as standard by a month on my late 57 plate and it would be nice as the drive is on a hill and on the snow the Mini I have to take care, the brand new focus has traction control but not driven it on the snow yet.

[The Dogfather]

Stewart, DSC can only do so much. When DSC notices a skid it will try to correct it by braking individual wheels but if there is no grip at all then the wheels can't exert any force to correct the skid.

Sheilz - the tyres are going on a set of 16s rather than steelies. If you wanted some for your car these would fit. Trouble is the 17s are expensive which is why I bought the 16" wheels.

If you can get 15s they become really cheap...