Is it time to make winter tires mandatory?

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

You know some new cars still use drum brakes?

Yes. So are you deliberately missing the point, or is it just accidentally?

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by photon

There's the cost of switching back and forth, even if you have 2 sets of rims a portion of people can't/won't do it themselves.

Storage would be too though lots of places now offer storage when you buy tires.

What's the cost of smashing into another car because you didn't have $600 worth of climate-appropriate rubber on your vehicle?

Concussions. Whiplash. Soft tissue. Broken bones. Physical damage to the vehicle. Insurance premium increases. Time spent dealing with lawyers and insurance agents to see that you actually get the settlement you deserve. Were you carrying passengers? Were your children in the car? Was your dog in the back, and either killed or seriously injured as a result?

These are just off the top of my head, some things that I would pay $600 at Blaskin and Lane once and $50 at Mr Lube twice a year to avoid.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

My dad just bought a Q5 before New Year's - Quattro AWD, great winter car, right? Driving it Friday, tapped the brakes a good 200 feet before the light when it turned yellow, and I slid midway through an intersection. I had no control over the car at all. Because all-season tires are only slightly less worthless than summer tires when it's -20.

My wife used to have a Q5. I put winters on it, and it actually was the best winter vehicle I have ever driven. Much better than the current Q7 since the added weight tends to mean longer stopping on ice.

I have no idea why someone would buy a $60K car and not go to Costco and get $1200 winters. Makes no sense. You strap winters on that Q5 and it will be night and day on days like today.

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

What, like Lada's? Seriously? Which ones? Chrysler, right?

2016 Tacoma's have rear drums.

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Yes. So are you deliberately missing the point, or is it just accidentally?

No I got the false sense of security point, I'm just saying they still do use them.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

My wife used to have a Q5. I put winters on it, and it actually was the best winter vehicle I have ever driven. Much better than the current Q7 since the added weight tends to mean longer stopping on ice.

I have no idea why someone would buy a $60K car and not go to Costco and get $1200 winters. Makes no sense. You strap winters on that Q5 and it will be night and day on days like today.

He's getting winters, just not the $2500 set Audi offered to sell him.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by photon

There's the cost of switching back and forth, even if you have 2 sets of rims a portion of people can't/won't do it themselves.

Storage would be too though lots of places now offer storage when you buy tires.

Honestly, you can buy a floor jack, cheap torque wrench and impact gun from Canadian tire for under 200 bucks. And that stuff will last you for over a decade. My corded Mastercraft impact is on year 14, and I use it for about 10 swaps a year.

75% of people have the means and physical ability to do the swap themselves, just a ton of people are too lazy too. My 77 year old father with arthritis still does it for gods sake, and he won't let me do it for him. He likes to. The other 25%. There are a ton of tire shops that do a basic bolt on/off for 50 bucks as long as their on rims. And having them mounted on rims is the only way to go. 2 seasons pays the rims off when you take mounting balancing out of the equation.

To me there is no excuse, unless you cannot afford it. But again, back to the insurance issue. Once you cream your car, you are now way past the "I shoulda just got a winter set." argument, because your now facing thousands of more in premiums, and in some cases for low income individuals, no car, as collision coverage was out of the budget as well.

[Ashasx]

I think part of the problem is that vehicle manufacturers are advertising AWD as a safety feature and alternative to winter tires. AWD certainly makes a difference, particularly if you are trying to go up an icy hill, but it sure as hell isn't going to help much if you need to slam on your breaks.

[flambers]

Yes it should be mandatory. (i.e. like BC, tire will need a snow flake on them).

For example, look at the amount of accidents this morning. I wonder how many of them had the proper tires?

As for the question of cost, I own two set's of rim's. Local store in Calgary changes my tires free of charge.

[Canehdianman]

Never had winter tires on my vehicle (my wife's car does).

been driving 22 years, never had an accident. I must be really really lucky.


That being said, it is hard to deny that they grip the road MUCH better. Now that I have 2 kids, I've been looking for winter tires and rims at a decent price for my truck. The $300-$400 quote on here might be fine for a compact car with 14" tires, but I haven't found anything under 1k for my truck.

Until then, I'll continue to use my defensive driving training to avoid accidents.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I think part of the problem is that vehicle manufacturers are advertising AWD as a safety feature and alternative to winter tires. AWD certainly makes a difference, particularly if you are trying to go up an icy hill, but it sure as hell isn't going to help much if you need to slam on your breaks.

The problem with this is that it increases resistance to smart, common sense legislation that everyone will benefit from. This isn't an individual thing - everyone who uses Alberta roads would benefit from this. Even the people who walk would benefit.

[calgarywinning]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

An insurance discount for having winter tires would seem like the better way to go.

This is perfect. There also needs to be a mechanism when you have somebody who has summer tires on in the winter or worse, tires that have less than 50% tread or even approaching bald.

I've seen so many accidents caused because the tires whether all-season or not were worn out. Including hydro planing in raining conditions.

[Swarly]

I say no to mandatory winter tires. I have had them before and agree they make all the difference in the world and are wonderful, I will get them again in the future when I need to be driving. But I have spent the last 3 winters not needing to drive every day in the winter so I don't have winter tires right now. There have been maybe 5 days so far this winter that you would need them? I was out driving yesterday, no worries at all on my snowflake all seasons; today, I wouldn't go out unless I had winters.

So to make them mandatory for me for 4 months of the year would be dumb. Those 20 days a year when winter tires make a difference, I just don't drive. So I'm not paying more for those few days. (and yes it is more, I know 2 sets of tires last 2x as long but paying to store tires plus swap them twice a year as there would not be much space in a condo downtown to store tires)

[btimbit]

You definitely need them for more than 20 days a year. Hell, there were more than 20 days in December where you needed them.

Late last week is a perfect example. Even though the roads were clear they were still extremely slick because of the temperatures, people in the weather thread were talking about how many cars were in the ditch. All seasons freeze into hockey pucks and provide very poor traction even on pavement, regardless of what the tread is like

[TheAlpineOracle]

Anyone else find it weird that BC doesn't just setup every weekend in Radium/Fernie/Golden/Invermere and ticket Alberta drivers one after another for not having winter tires? Seems like the ultimate cash grab without pissing off locals.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by btimbit

You definitely need them for more than 20 days a year. Hell, there were more than 20 days in December where you needed them.

Late last week is a perfect example. Even though the roads were clear they were still extremely slick because of the temperatures, people in the weather thread were talking about how many cars were in the ditch. All seasons freeze into hockey pucks and provide very poor traction even on pavement, regardless of what the tread is like

Agreed, not to mention if people were driving the highway's towards Edmonton.

That highway has problems all of the time during the winter.

[FireGilbert]

I thought winter tires had a negligible effect on accidents as they just cause drivers to feel invulnerable and drive more aggressive?

I would support a yearly inspection as part of renewing your rego where cars could be deemed "un-road worthy" if the tires are bald however.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

I thought winter tires had a negligible effect on accidents as they just cause drivers to feel invulnerable and drive more aggressive?

I would support a yearly inspection as part of renewing your rego where cars could be deemed "un-road worthy" if the tires are bald however.

Nope

http://www.wheels.ca/news/its-offici...ut-collisions/

In 2005, there were 12,539 personal-injury collisions. In 2008, there were just 6,033. I’ll bet those 6,506 German drivers who didn’t crash would be happy to endorse how effective winter tires can be in keeping drivers out of emergency rooms.

Even Quebec, which already had 96 per cent of drivers using winter tires before they became mandatory in 2008, showed a 5-per-cent drop in collision injuries that year.

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by flambers

Agreed, not to mention if people were driving the highway's towards Edmonton.

That highway has problems all of the time during the winter.

right, I agree with that and if I were highway driving I would no doubt get winters. But as strictly a city driver that has the ability to simply not drive on the worst days, mandatory winters makes no sense. Maybe the law should be mandatory winters on the highway during certain days?(weeks?) after a blizzard.

[Ashasx]

I mean, I actually think winters are more usable in stop and start daily city traffic. I cringe a little bit every time I see somebody speed up behind me at a red light just to stop with a foot to spare.