[the_rangdo]

Originally Posted by NFS

I don't think we need a law. We just need some public awareness. If the average man in the street knew how good these things were then they would sell themselves.

Unfortunately, no-one has a clue about the difference winter tyres make, including our Transport Secretary.

Public awareness won't work, the average Joe will always do what he wants even with a law saying otherwise. Most people should by now be aware smoking can kill Everyone that asks me about them still walks away with a bemused look on their faces - "it's only BMWs that need them so I'm o.k." or "it only snows a couple of days a year", not until something happens to them will they maybe realise.

Problem is, can you imagine making a new law right now - there've been riots just at the thought of students maybe paying a bit more money, never mind telling all UK drivers they now have to stump up for new tyres or they're barred from the roads.

And Transport Secretary is aware, I told him

[NFS]

Originally Posted by BigBanana

We either all do it, or its a nonsense

I don't see why. People in FWD hatches and 4x4s are getting around fine with a bit of care on summer tyres. That doesn't stop me getting a benefit out of winter tyres.

If more people were aware of the benefits, then more would use them. I had not even heard of them until last year!

Originally Posted by the_rangdo

Public awareness won't work, the average Joe will always do what he wants even with a law saying otherwise. Most people should by now be aware smoking can kill Everyone that asks me about them still walks away with a bemused look on their faces - "it's only BMWs that need them so I'm o.k." or "it only snows a couple of days a year", not until something happens to them will they maybe realise.

Problem is, can you imagine making a new law right now - there've been riots just at the thought of students maybe paying a bit more money, never mind telling all UK drivers they now have to stump up for new tyres or they're barred from the roads.

And Transport Secretary is aware, I told him

The thing is that most people have FWD and they are getting by without a problem. I only bought winter tyres because my car is a liability in the snow without them.

[HighlandPete]

But isn't legislation already in place?

ROAD VEHICLES (CONSTRUCTION AND USE) REGULATIONS 1986, PART II, REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF VEHICLES.

27. Condition and maintenance of tyres
(1) Save as provided in paragraphs (2), (3) and (4), a wheeled motor vehicle or trailer a wheel of which is fitted with a pneumatic tyre shall not be used on a road, if :-

(a) the tyre is unsuitable having regard to the use to which the motor vehicle or trailer is being put or to the types of tyres fitted to its other wheels;

By definition and construction, we typically have cars fitted with summer tyres. Equally by definition and construction, there are all season/cold weather/ winter and snow tyres. So only enforcement would really be necessary.

HighlandPete

[NFS]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

But isn't legislation already in place?

ROAD VEHICLES (CONSTRUCTION AND USE) REGULATIONS 1986, PART II, REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF VEHICLES.



By definition and construction, we typically have cars fitted with summer tyres. Equally by definition and construction, there are all season/cold weather/ winter and snow tyres. So only enforcement would really be necessary.

HighlandPete

Good point, but since the police and the other emergency services use summer tyres on snow, it's not likely that anyone is going to be prosecuted for this in the near future.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by NFS

Good point, but since the police and the other emergency services use summer tyres on snow, it's not likely that anyone is going to be prosecuted for this in the near future.

I can't either, we've all had it easy....

We really have been lulled into a false sense of security over the years, with so many warm winters, and just the occasional snow. Even up here the winters have been mild, compared to years past.

We have 'sort of' got away with managing on summer tyres, and the advanced summer tyre technology and trend towards even wider tyres have come home, with a stark awakening.

So we may have to all rethink our options, if winters can be so variable in a short period of time.

I just hope folks don't panic into 4x4's and still run summer tyres. We have two 4x4 vehicles in the immediate family and I know the 3-series RWD, on winter tyres, out performs both of them.

HighlandPete

[the_rangdo]

Originally Posted by NFS

I don't see why. People in FWD hatches and 4x4s are getting around fine with a bit of care on summer tyres. That doesn't stop me getting a benefit out of winter tyres.

If more people were aware of the benefits, then more would use them. I had not even heard of them until last year!



The thing is that most people have FWD and they are getting by without a problem. I only bought winter tyres because my car is a liability in the snow without them.

The vast majority of cars on our road are FWD (there are 3 RWD cars). It's a reasonable hill, enough for taxis and councils vehicles to refuse to attempt at any sign of snowflakes.

Of the RWD cars, only one's been moving in this weather, mine.

Of the FWD, they've all moved down, and all required help getting back up and home, either by pushing, mounting the pavement after much fishtailing, wheel spinning, etc. In some cases giving up and parking in the road entrance which is incredibly stupid.

On the flat maybe people are just about getting by but that's the problem, it's just about. Any adversity and problems hit.

And even then, just because lots are getting about there's still the issue of increased stopping distances in wet & cold conditions - it's not just about snow and ice.

I've no intention of being evangelical about this, I've made my choice and am happy it's the right one for me. How I'll react if someone makes contact with me, my family, my car due to being inadequately prepared is another matter.

[Rob@prismdetailing]

Originally Posted by vblanche

wow...sorry to hear that. That's something I'm worrying about: people who can't stop properly, and/or loose control of their car...

How bad is it?

Can I ask you which pirelli they are?

hope you get it sorted quickly.

vince

Not too bad. Bumper scraped. Alignment of bumper looks ok but will get it checked. Still need to get the exhaust checked to see if any damage as it took a hit - as evident by the red paint on the exhaust ends.

The tyres are Soto Zero RFTs 225/45R17

As an update, I spoke with the taxi company office yesterday to get insurance details from them and, surprise surprise, the driver had not reported it to them. They won't provide insurance details until they have confirmed with him.

Strangely, when I first phoned the office and told them what it was about, the person answering the phone asked if it was the bump near the M****** A*** pub. It WAS just along from that pub. If it hadn't been reported then I guess she must have been psychic!!!!!!!!! WOW! (Grrr...)

[Mike in Hampshire]

Originally Posted by Ant Man

If we continue to have prolonged severe winters, winter tyres must become mandatory with funding from the Government to help offset costs to drivers.

OK, so how do you know that we will have more prolonged winters?

Look, it has snowed ONCE before Xmas here in South Hampshire in living memory (well, my memory anyhow). And so I've used public transport, bit of hassle but better than what happened to the OP on this thread.

So you now want to pass a law compelling me to spend serious money on something I may never need again? Eh?

Who's to say we won't now have another 25 years of mild winters?
I just think lots of folk on here are over-reacting. Winter tyres? Yep, fine if you want to. Compulsory? Nah, not a snowflake in hell's chance (couldn't resist!).

Mike.

[BigBanana]

Originally Posted by NFS

I don't see why. People in FWD hatches and 4x4s are getting around fine with a bit of care on summer tyres. That doesn't stop me getting a benefit out of winter tyres.

If more people were aware of the benefits, then more would use them. I had not even heard of them until last year!



The thing is that most people have FWD and they are getting by without a problem. I only bought winter tyres because my car is a liability in the snow without them.

The majority of cars have all season tyres fitted, not summer tyres. Anyone in a 4x4 has an obvious distinct advantage.

I can't believe anyone has never heard of tyres for use in different weather conditions. Summer / winter / all season.

I somewhat agree with Mike in Hampshire regarding compulsory use....

How about, anywhere north of say 55degrees latitude, lets call that the Scottish border, should have winter tyre use mandatory. With funding from the government. The rest of the country takes their chances and pays their money.
I'm sure Gordon Brown wished he'd thought of that one!...

[rsmallwo]

Having a set of winter wheels (alloys with winter tyres on) don't cost you more money over a 3-4year term. Your summer tyres aren't been worn for the 3 months of winter so you will have to change your summer tyres less often thus saving money on expensive summer rubber.

I've got some cheap nankang sv-2 winters at £65 a corner and their great. Not a high performance tyre but I'm not planning on doning an Alpine racing circuit on them!!

Don't think winter tyres should be compulsory, we are having freak weather at the moment. If however its always going to be like this every winter as our climate has changed for good then maybe its something to think about.

[ALF_E90]

The majority of cars do not have all-season tyres as standard here - they may in some countries. The tyres we think of in the UK as "tyres" are in fact summer tyres. All-seasons are in any event very much a halfway house - not even halfway between a summer and a winter tyre in snow/ice performance and far from ideal for a sporty car for summer use. That said I may fit something like Quatrac 3's to my wife's Golf Plus next autumn, but that is a car that is inherently OK in snow and not driven hard ever. FWD is not always OK - the FWD A4 I had with 235 tyres went no better than the 330 in snow on summer tyres.

I have now done enough snowy and wet road miles on the Nokian WRG2's I had fitted to the 330 to compare with a car of reasonably similar proportions with 4WD on summer tyres I previously owned (a Passat V6 - basically the old A6 quattro platform with full-time 4WD and a centre haldex diff). I am much much more comfortable in the 330 with WRG2's than the Passat in snow - and the Passat's standard tyres were only 205 vs the 225's all round I have on the 330. Traction is about the same (though with more oversteer on the BMW...) but the BMW has vastly more braking and cornering capability. Being able to get moving in the Passat was a mixed blessing in really vile conditions as there was still that horrible sensation of almost accelerating when you hit the brakes and needing huge distances to slither to a stop. In the BMW I just judder to a rapid halt.

The downsides of winter tyres seem to be just some slight vagueness on the motorway - very slight and you'd need to have driven the same car on summer tyres to notice. I have some slight vibration above 85mph but that is probably because one of the style 185 17x8 wheels I bought on Fleabay was seriously dented (if anyone has one, I want a single one!). But the ride quality is vastly better, refinement good, and the tyres just feel like the summers on wet roads (I deliberately bought winters with good normal-road performance). So I'm happy here - even though we don't get much snow, I drive a lot for work and don't want to get stuck somewhere where they do.

[NFS]

Originally Posted by BigBanana

The majority of cars have all season tyres fitted, not summer tyres. Anyone in a 4x4 has an obvious distinct advantage.

I can't believe anyone has never heard of tyres for use in different weather conditions. Summer / winter / all season.

As Alf says, the vast majority of tyres on UK cars are summer tyres. All season tyres are not really available here.

In my experience the majority of UK drivers do not realise that their tyres are optimised for summer temperatures. Most people also seem to think that 'winter tyres' have studs or chains.

[Ant Man]

Originally Posted by Mike in Hampshire

OK, so how do you know that we will have more prolonged winters?

Look, it has snowed ONCE before Xmas here in South Hampshire in living memory (well, my memory anyhow). And so I've used public transport, bit of hassle but better than what happened to the OP on this thread.

So you now want to pass a law compelling me to spend serious money on something I may never need again? Eh?

Who's to say we won't now have another 25 years of mild winters?
I just think lots of folk on here are over-reacting. Winter tyres? Yep, fine if you want to. Compulsory? Nah, not a snowflake in hell's chance (couldn't resist!).

Mike.

I have not stated there will be, I opened the post with 'if', which implies possibility

[swanny71]

Originally Posted by Mike in Hampshire

Look, it has snowed ONCE before Xmas here in South Hampshire in living memory (well, my memory anyhow). And so I've used public transport, bit of hassle but better than what happened to the OP on this thread.

You have a poor memory

[BigBanana]

Oops.

Yes. You're right. Summer tyres, not all season.
Didn't research that very well....