Sooo...driving is a BITCH. Rant here to alleviate stress.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

I think I have a man crush on you.

Yeah well, if you ever prove your existence, I'm sure we'll get along famously. Until you do, I'm just going to continue to believe that you're a messageboard robot that has a very similar perspective on driving. We'll do shots of tequila at Pete's sometime. And troutman can have a shot of Valpolicella.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by flameswin

All I know is I couldn't get anywhere in my acura el with all seasons (just bought 3 months ago) on the first day of the snowfall. Once I bought snow tires the second day, I was in heaven. It was a world I never knew.

I keep hearing all this stuff about how they're not useful in really cold whether and how they do nothing on black ice etc. I've been testing these babies out, and I seriously can do no wrong with them, I feel like I'm driving a large truck with those balls dangling off the back trailer hitch. I can go my usual 120-130 on deerfoot, I can stop on a dime anywhere, I can drive through any thinkness of snow built up on less traveled streets. In fact just the other day I powered through all the large piles of snow on my street that everyone had created from days of shovelling, just because I felt that powerful and awesome in my little rice rocket.

Winter tires are a gift from god, make no mistake.

I'm seriously glad their worth it for you, maybe it's because you drive a 2WD small light car but in my case there is no need to change my tires.

[Locke]

I think people have to realize and understand that there exists a quality difference between all tires, theres really good all-seasons and winters and really crappy all-seasons and winters.

The devil lies in the details.

I have all-seasons for my Jeep. They suck something hard, crusty and fierce in the winter. They're great for two thirds of whatever you'll come across, but for that last third they're worse than useless, they're actually detrimental. And thats on a 4x4.

With my winters on I just drive normally and pretty much dont worry about much. Its night and day between the two sets.

[LGA]

Originally Posted by T@T

I'm seriously glad their worth it for you, maybe it's because you drive a 2WD small light car but in my case there is no need to change my tires.

That might be the case, I swapped out my all-seasons with winters just recently and it was like night and day. With my all-seasons I just sat there melting snow everywhere I went regardless of how fast and slow I went (I actually ended up taking transit for a week because of this). With my winters I can actually go in a straight line without the car swerving every which way.

[CaptainCrunch]

Went to replace my two fronts on Saturday. There were no winter tires in stock at Canadian Tire in my size. There were precious few in terms of decent all seasons in stock.

It also took 12 hours for them to get to putting them on.

[kevman]

Originally Posted by Locke

I think people have to realize and understand that there exists a quality difference between all tires, theres really good all-seasons and winters and really crappy all-seasons and winters.

The devil lies in the details.

I have all-seasons for my Jeep. They suck something hard, crusty and fierce in the winter. They're great for two thirds of whatever you'll come across, but for that last third they're worse than useless, they're actually detrimental. And thats on a 4x4.

With my winters on I just drive normally and pretty much dont worry about much. Its night and day between the two sets.

eg.

Good:
BFG A/T's - they have the same "M+S" (mud and snow) rating that the best winter tires have. They've got lots of siping and have incredible traction on snow. For those driving 4x4's, or better yet AWD's, these tires should be more than sufficient for your winter driving needs.

Bad:
Goodyears GS/A's - Unfortunately these are the OE spec on most Jeep TJ's, Dodge Dakotas and a lot of other domestic light trucks so they're everywhere! These tires are terrible in all conditions! They have tighter treads on the shoulders to "reduce road noise" but in practice they ensure the tire has ZERO traction in all but dry conditions.


While we're comparing common misconceptions perhaps the discussion of 4x4 vs. AWD should be brought up. The truck guys aren't going to like this but on snowy roads an AWD vehicle is a much better choice than a 4x4. 4x4's are great at accelerating in straight lines because the center differential is locked so the front and rear wheels get the same amount of traction. However, when turning the rear wheels and the front wheels end up traveling through different paths and this locked center differential becomes a problem. When you're locked in the summer in 4x4 you feel your wheels hop or your steering wheel jump. When you're locked in the winter the wheels simply break loose to account for this. If you're in 4x4 at highway speeds and the roads are icy the locked center differential can actually be the cause of lost traction.

So to those that don't know, and own 4x4's, you should be cruising in 2 wheel drive at highway speeds regardless of conditions!

[ernie]

Living in Halifax I put winter tires on the first couple of cars (Mazda Protege and Mazda 3). The difference was night and day.

I'm in my second winter with my Nissan X-Trail and haven't seen the need to switch to winter tires yet. Far better traction and handling in snow and on ice than the cars had with the winter tires.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by T@T

True snow tires are great in heavy wet snow in Ontario or the Maritimes but on the cold ice in Alberta they are a waste of money IMO. People like to say snow tires are made from "softer rubber" so they grip better but my opinion is no rubber is much softer in -25 and the more ribbed rubber on the ice the better.

Not snow tires. Winter tires, people!

And you're welcome to compare the rubber on my regular tires vs. my winters any day. Most people change their tune once they've driven their vehicle shod with proper winter boots -- they don't know what they're missing.

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by T@T

I'm seriously glad their worth it for you, maybe it's because you drive a 2WD small light car but in my case there is no need to change my tires.

can you defy science?

[You Need a Thneed]

What really is dumb is when you see driver driving down the road, and they haven't even attempted to clear the snow off of their car. I've seen lots of cars with snow covering part of the back and the side windows. Can we get these people rounded up and have their licenses removed?

I think it was last year I literally saw a car driving in winter conditions down the road, with the entire car (less what the front wipers pushed away) COVERED in snow. There was no way the person could see anything but was directly in front of them. Why don't you just tie a blindfold over your eyes before you start driving?

It's not like the snow that has been falling is hard to get off of your car people!

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

What really is dumb is when you see driver driving down the road, and they haven't even attempted to clear the snow off of their car. I've seen lots of cars with snow covering part of the back and the side windows. Can we get these people rounded up and have their licenses removed?

I think it was last year I literally saw a car driving in winter conditions down the road, with the entire car (less what the front wipers pushed away) COVERED in snow. There was no way the person could see anything but was directly in front of them. Why don't you just tie a blindfold over your eyes before you start driving?

It's not like the snow that has been falling is hard to get off of your car people!

Thank you I have lost count of the number of people that have nearly hit me because of this.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

What really is dumb is when you see driver driving down the road, and they haven't even attempted to clear the snow off of their car. I've seen lots of cars with snow covering part of the back and the side windows. Can we get these people rounded up and have their licenses removed?

I think it was last year I literally saw a car driving in winter conditions down the road, with the entire car (less what the front wipers pushed away) COVERED in snow. There was no way the person could see anything but was directly in front of them. Why don't you just tie a blindfold over your eyes before you start driving?

It's not like the snow that has been falling is hard to get off of your car people!

I call 'em Igloos on Wheels.

Sometime they don't even bother deploying the wipers, it's just a hastily hand-swiped spot on the driver's side.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

What really is dumb is when you see driver driving down the road, and they haven't even attempted to clear the snow off of their car.

I just don't get that either. In fact yesterday I was going to use my friend's truck to pick something up, but it has been parked for a couple of weeks. I got it started, looked at the snow on it, and changed my mind because it wasn't worth the bother for me to clean it right then.

Too bad more people don't just leave their vehicles at home if they don't want to clean them.

[burn_this_city]

Well somebody has to replace the snow the city has been working around the clock to clear.. Besides hows Flameswin going to make any money on his snowtire gravel racket if the streets are clear?

[JiriHrdina]

Here's one reason why I drive slower. I'm trying to give myself stopping distance and yet every time I get an appropriate of space - some twit changes lane and fills it.

Honestly the really slow drivers are a problem but with over 400 crashes since Saturday is there anything wrong with taking it easy?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by JorjeHrdina

Here's one reason why I drive slower. I'm trying to give myself stopping distance and yet every time I get an appropriate of space - some twit changes lane and fills it.

Honestly the really slow drivers are a problem but with over 400 crashes since Saturday is there anything wrong with taking it easy?

You mean, people are going out for a slow ride and they're not taking it easy?

Perhaps they need to cool their hearts with a chill island song...

BTW, loving the mexican theme...I'm kinda sad I missed the party on that one.

[habernac]

hahahaha! Love the name change, Jiri.

[Gozer]

Originally Posted by Locke

Perhaps they need to cool their hearts with a chill island song..

No, they need to warm their hearts with a cool island song.

[EVERLAST]

ok ....when there is blowing snow or its snowing or there is low visibilty....TURN ON YOUR LIGHTS!!!

When the windows of your car ARE COVERED IN SNOW AND ICE SCRAPE THEM OFF!!

When you are turning and changing lanes....USE YOUR F'ING signal lights!!!



If you cant drive well under normal circumstances....STAY HOME and dont drive!!!!

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by JorjeHrdina

Here's one reason why I drive slower. I'm trying to give myself stopping distance and yet every time I get an appropriate of space - some twit changes lane and fills it.

Honestly the really slow drivers are a problem but with over 400 crashes since Saturday is there anything wrong with taking it easy?

thing is though, i don't have to take it easy. i have good tires on my car and know how to drive in winter, so other than some really bad side roads i can drive completely normal and at my regular speed. why should i be punished because people are too cheap to buy winter tires and too stupid to learn how to drive in these conditions?