I recently went from all season tires to winter tires. The change has been incredible. I feel irresponsible for driving with all seasons for all that time.
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I've driven with all season tires every year for... 11 years now. As long as you're careful, you're fine, especially in the city.
We get them on our SUV because my wife works out in Didsbury. I've driven it several times this winter and have honestly not noticed a big difference. I still don't buy the winter tire hype -- driving skill and safety matters infinitely more. This guy's daughter has winter tires on half the year and has still slipped and slid and smashed all over the place.
An icy hill doesn't care how skilled a driver is. If you don't have the added traction of a winter tire, you're not getting up an icy hill. If you can't feel the difference of driving with and without winter tires, then you're probably not as skilled as you think you are.
So you have been lucky. It really doesn't matter how good a driver you are, if some idiot cuts you off, or something happens in front of you, winter tires WILL stop you quicker. Their is no debate to be had. So you can continue to be fortunate until you are not.
That's ok, he can mitigate that by always leaving 20 car lengths in front of him. I mean, sure, that will piss everyone else off, but hey, not his problem, right?
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Originally Posted by 4X4
That's ok, he can mitigate that by always leaving 20 car lengths in front of him. I mean, sure, that will piss everyone else off, but hey, not his problem, right?
Not on the Deerfoot. You can't even leave a few car lengths without someone merging in front of you.
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Originally Posted by wontondestruction
An icy hill doesn't care how skilled a driver is. If you don't have the added traction of a winter tire, you're not getting up an icy hill. If you can't feel the difference of driving with and without winter tires, then you're probably not as skilled as you think you are.
I've driven with all season tires every year for... 11 years now. As long as you're careful, you're fine, especially in the city.
We get them on our SUV because my wife works out in Didsbury. I've driven it several times this winter and have honestly not noticed a big difference. I still don't buy the winter tire hype -- driving skill and safety matters infinitely more. This guy's daughter has winter tires on half the year and has still slipped and slid and smashed all over the place.
I smoked cigarettes for 5 years and never got cancer. It must have been fine for my health
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Our parents and grandparents drove on bias ply garbage tires for decades, doesn't mean bias ply tires are good enough. I know the all season good enough driver, he takes 10 seconds to clear the intersection and 3 cars miss the light, but by gosh he saved a few bucks.
Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
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Originally Posted by btimbit
I smoked cigarettes for 5 years and never got cancer. It must have been fine for my health
I've driven 30+ years without winter tires with many of them being before winters were invented. You learned quickly how to drive for the conditions and moreso how your vehicle handles on snow and ice. Defensive driving and being aware of how other drivers are driving around you helped me to avoid any accidents.
I drive an SUV and know that doesn't mean I get better traction or stopping distances. I know enough that when the roads or highways are really bad to not drive.
All the best habits in the world won't stopping you from sliding in bad conditions when you have to stop suddenly or swerve.
I highly recommend winter driving practice in an empty parking lot hopefully it is still covered in snow and ice. I did this a lot when I was younger and I do it with each new vehicle I buy. You need to understand how your car operates in bad conditions and what to do when fishtails or spinouts happen. How to steer and brake are very important.
Last edited by Galakanokis; 01-10-2017 at 01:16 PM.
Reason: I'm stupid and cannot multi task.
All the best habits in the world won't stopping you from sliding in bad conditions when you have to stop suddenly or swerve.
I highly recommend winter driving practice in an empty parking lot hopefully it is still covered in snow and ice. I did this a lot when I was younger and I do it with each new vehicle I buy. You need to understand how your phone operates in bad conditions and what to do when fishtails or spinouts happen. How to steer and brake are very important.
That happens to me all the time.... I start skidding...and the only thing that saves me is that I know how to send my text messages without looking at the screen. I'd have probably crashed by now if I hadn't been able to look up from my phone for a few seconds.
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I wish you'd think of the rest of us before you took your ill equipped vehicle on the highway all winter.
You know who's opinion is always interesting on winter tires? Someone who has never owned them...Dion does this every year in the winter tires threads.
One option for summer practice is go out and drive on gravel roads. Get used to what it feels like when you start to float a bit. That same thing happens when you are driving to fast on an icy road.
That happens to me all the time.... I start skidding...and the only thing that saves me is that I know how to send my text messages without looking at the screen. I'd have probably crashed by now if I hadn't been able to look up from my phone for a few seconds.
Damn it. Setting up SIP accounts and I cannot multi task.
What? Are you suggesting that winter tires weren't invented until the late 1980s?
To be fair, winter tires in the early 80's late 70's were those old knobby truck like tires. Quite often bias ply as well. So pretty much useless.
All season radials were a god send.
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Originally posted byBingo.
Maybe he hates cowboy boots.
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So you have been lucky. It really doesn't matter how good a driver you are, if some idiot cuts you off, or something happens in front of you, winter tires WILL stop you quicker. Their is no debate to be had. So you can continue to be fortunate until you are not.
Do you have studded winter tires? Anything else is dangerous and you are only lucky you haven't been decapitated in a horrible accident already.
What's that...you do have studded winter tires?
Well then, do you have:
- ABS
- traction control
- lane departure warnings
- blind spot monitoring
- dynamic radar cruise control
- collision avoidance system
- stability control
- automatic high beams
- ...
There will always be a way to make your car safer. Lots of people have lived long, fruitful lives without winter tires.
Are they safer? Yeah.
Are they required? Nope.
Is it up to the individual to decide whether they need them? Absolutely.
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