Topic: A Modest (but serious) Proposal re Mandatory Winter Tires

[ChaosphereIX]

I can report that those cheap Chinese winter tires are little, if at all, better than all seasons. Complete garbage.

A good budget winter I have seen is Firestone, General, Kumho, or Nexen. I can vouch for the General Arctic 12s and the Nexen Wintersport 2s. Good winters at a good price point.

[dkaz]

They’re about the same as all weather tires.

[Mike-NB]

If you live in NB and don't use winter tires, you should not be allowed out of the  house on your own.

Yup.  Some people need adult supervision their whole lives!

[Mike-NB]

Should be mandatory in NB.  If $$$ is a blocker them run winters all year. 

The City of Saint John has moved to this on their fleet vehicles.  They looked at the cost of two sets of tires and the cost to store them and to swap them twice per year and concluded that even with the additional wear it made more sense to just run winters.

[Mike-NB]

Lots of ultra low end winter tires are run year round in Quebec from what I've observed. Still better than all seasons I suppose.
For NB, in my opinion winters should be mandatory.

A couple of years ago when I was using Blizzaks (I currently have X-Ice) I was in a rental as I was travelling for work.  The rental had some cheap winter tires.  I was approaching a traffic light and I had the green.  It's a short green and a long red so I was carrying a bit of extra speed to make it through on that green (nothing excessive or unsafe) but then an idiot pedestrian decides to cross in front of me when their walk light is red.  I had to hit the brakes and I at first I had no concerns because I knew my car's performance on the Blizzaks but this was white-knucking with the cheaper tires it and I almost slid into the intersection with the ABS running the whole time.  I am 100% certain that with Blizzaks that stop would have been a non-event.  It was a good lesson for me and I'll always buy the best tires I can afford.

[KD]

Should be mandatory in NB.  If $$$ is a blocker them run winters all year. 

The City of Saint John has moved to this on their fleet vehicles.  They looked at the cost of two sets of tires and the cost to store them and to swap them twice per year and concluded that even with the additional wear it made more sense to just run winters.

I run winters all year around on my work truck.  New pair each December.  I average around 60k km per year, so they're done by then. 

[PJungnitsch]

Winter tires vary a lot I think on how they do in the summer

When I ran winters all year round I got 120,000 km out my Yokohama's (which relied on a grippy compound in the tread) but only half that from my Michelin's (which relied on soft, siped rubber and a had a low tread depth)

Actually preferred the Yokohamas in the winter too

[blur911]

Winter tires vary a lot I think on how they do in the summer

I agree, I found running performance winter tires made for better a year-round driving on my beaters which saw limited summer duty.

[mlin32]

Funny how the cost/enforcement question comes up.

In Germany, it's the law. Sure, the police aren't going to walk around streets checking. But if you are stopped for something else, or if you are involved into an accident, it becomes a fine. And then your insurance might choose to deny coverage to the damages.

So despite many parts of Germany having oceanic, tame winters, people still put them on. Expensive ? Yes, but that's just part of the cost of driving a car. Too bad.

[mmret]

A few thoughts

- Possible compromise solution that could work in some places is for these so-called "All Season" tires to be regulated in a way that they actually have somewhat decent winter performance, and for these to become the new default tire. Cars sold in Florida or Texas or whatever can have old type "All Season" tires. The nomenclature would have to change a bit.

- If such a change is made it should be kept quiet or people who would otherwise spend the money on real winters would cheap out. Around the GTA I know people who drive brand new X5s who won't buy winter tires because "its too expensive and I already have an SUV".

- A few days ago a guy beside me in a Civic, one of the old ones with the 1.8L non turbo, spin his tires for a good 2 seconds on a green light, on dry pavement. This is a car with no torque whatsoever. People are still asshats who drive on bald tires.

[dkaz]

That’s what all weather tires should be, winter tires that can be run in the summer, as opposed to all season tires that are summer tires that can supposedly be run in the winter.

[UnknownJinX]

- A few days ago a guy beside me in a Civic, one of the old ones with the 1.8L non turbo, spin his tires for a good 2 seconds on a green light, on dry pavement. This is a car with no torque whatsoever. People are still asshats who drive on bald tires.

When I first bought my RX-8, the tires also did that. With a naturally aspirated rotary engine.

Needless to say, I threw them out and got some proper summer tires(it was in summer, obviously).

Anything RWD, I'd definitely go with 2 sets.

[KD]

I'd hate to see how well the van that i am currently diving would fare in the winter with poor tires.  It has good winters on it now with good tread and it's still just about useless in the snow.  I'm sure ones with inadequate tires are out there in abundance though as vans seem to be some of sketchiest vehicles on the road. 

[johngenx]

I think I'd forgotten how good winter tires are.  Took the 'Rolla to the gym today, damn, it walked away from most everything from every intersection.  The WS-80s transform the car.