Why dont we change between Winter and summer tyres in the UK
Discussion
Winter tyres, strictly speaking, have dubious safety benefits in the UK IMO. Numerous tests have shown that, at mild temperatures, braking distances (wet and dry) on winter tyres are worse than on premium summer tyres. Anywhere in the South of England, but especially Cornwall and North Devon, winter days and nights can sometimes reach temperatures of 13 degrees, even at night at times of heavy cloud cover.
The only tyre reviewed so far, that I know of, with the three peaked mountain snowflake symbol, which is just as safe in mild temperatures as it is cold, is the Michelin Crossclimate/Crossclimate+. It is an all season tyre. I checked a number of tests, and none of the other winter or all season tyres could brake anywhere near as well as a premium summer tyre in mild temperatures. Therefore, I could support people using summer tyres in the summer and the Crossclimate in the winter, but not winter in the winter. Not in our very erratic, changeable climate. The countries on the mainland where winter/all season tyres are mandatory in winter, have more evenly cold temperatures in the winter. We can see 13 degrees, at night, in January. BTW, I don't work for Michelin, or any other tyre company. I'm a self employed decorator.
The only tyre reviewed so far, that I know of, with the three peaked mountain snowflake symbol, which is just as safe in mild temperatures as it is cold, is the Michelin Crossclimate/Crossclimate+. It is an all season tyre. I checked a number of tests, and none of the other winter or all season tyres could brake anywhere near as well as a premium summer tyre in mild temperatures. Therefore, I could support people using summer tyres in the summer and the Crossclimate in the winter, but not winter in the winter. Not in our very erratic, changeable climate. The countries on the mainland where winter/all season tyres are mandatory in winter, have more evenly cold temperatures in the winter. We can see 13 degrees, at night, in January. BTW, I don't work for Michelin, or any other tyre company. I'm a self employed decorator.
Got shown this quote from a tyre company:
" Fuel efficient tyres require less energy to roll and therefore demand less fuel. Buying A or B rated tyres for energy efficiency can decrease your rolling resistance and in turn, reduce fuel requirements. The difference between an A rated tyre and a G rated tyre can be as much as 8% reduction in fuel efficiency (this works out as 6 litres of fuel extra per 1000km). Winter Tyres can also help increase fuel efficiency."
Does it really save fuel?
" Fuel efficient tyres require less energy to roll and therefore demand less fuel. Buying A or B rated tyres for energy efficiency can decrease your rolling resistance and in turn, reduce fuel requirements. The difference between an A rated tyre and a G rated tyre can be as much as 8% reduction in fuel efficiency (this works out as 6 litres of fuel extra per 1000km). Winter Tyres can also help increase fuel efficiency."
Does it really save fuel?
only1ian said:
I suppose it does give us all an excuse to stay at home rather than get to work when the enviable 3 days of snow hits the uk in the "big freeze"
The Spruce goose said:
because most except Scotland have mild weather all year round with a few snow falls or icy weather. If people want to waste loads of money on winter tyres for 2 days a year that is there right, the rest just get on with their lives.
This thread is about winter tyres, NOT snow tyres. Winter tyres are really cold weather (under 7 degrees) tyres anyway.Dracoro said:
This thread is about winter tyres, NOT snow tyres. Winter tyres are really cold weather (under 7 degrees) tyres anyway.
=only1ian said:
1) every time it snows the country shuts down and icy roads become skid pans, winter tyres would make safer for driving and keep the country moving. Its the law in most of Europe to have the right tyres for the conditions on your car,
Yes i know some people buy them because it is a bit chilly, winter tyres are synonymous with being used in snowy conditions. I have had two sets of tyres since 2013. For the first couple of years I put the winter tyres on in October and left them on until April and mostly the temperatures were low enough to justify this. Subsequently we have had much more variable winters with long spells of mild weather interspersed with short cold snaps. I find myself swapping between the two sets quite a few times over the winter. I would be wondering why I bother if it was not for a few occasions when they have really proved their worth, once in particular on a trip to Nottingham to watch my daughter run in a cross country race: I drove through falling snow on the M1 and later was directed to park in a muddy field. Other drivers were slithering all over the place while I drove in and out without any problem.
The papers keep forecasting an artic blast that will paralyse the country for weeks; bring it on, it’ll take me twenty minutes to swap tyres and be ready for it! I love driving on snow.
The papers keep forecasting an artic blast that will paralyse the country for weeks; bring it on, it’ll take me twenty minutes to swap tyres and be ready for it! I love driving on snow.
Because unless you live in a Welsh valley or a Scottish highland then they are a complete and utter pointless waste of money! Barely snows in the UK and when it does it is a very brief spell.
I have not seen snow for about 6 years and over my 30 odd years of driving I have never ever come close to needing winter tyres. People just don't seem to be able to control their right foot.
As for the Germans, I couldn't give a toss what they do!
I have not seen snow for about 6 years and over my 30 odd years of driving I have never ever come close to needing winter tyres. People just don't seem to be able to control their right foot.
As for the Germans, I couldn't give a toss what they do!
Car tyres have got stupid wide, I mean a Corsa 1.2 has 205 width tyres. In the old days tyres were generally less wide, more wight on less area so not having 'cold weather' tyres didn't matter as much as today. Add rwd and people s
t themselves when it is icey.
t themselves when it is icey.Edited by The Spruce goose on Tuesday 14th November 22:18
only1ian said:
I want to open up a debate and id be interested to know if anyone can explain why we in the UK dont follow the continentals (tyre pun intended) and have 2 sets of tyres one for summer and one for winter driving. I just married a German and they think us Brits are backwards for not doing this.... After hearing their arguments im kind of in agreement with them:
1) every time it snows the country shuts down and icy roads become skid pans, winter tyres would make safer for driving and keep the country moving. Its the law in most of Europe to have the right tyres for the conditions on your car,
2) it saves money. Summer tyres wear quickly in winter and winter in summer. So you get both optimum performance and less wear.
3) ive owned afew japanese cars in my time and all of them suffered from alloy corrosion as a result of salt on our roads. If you had a winter set on steel rims i could have saved my alloys another £500 ever 3 year's
Also i just found out that bmw offer an £80 a year tyre storage service so even those without storage space could do this.
Therefore why the hell arent we all doing this?
Inaccurate.1) every time it snows the country shuts down and icy roads become skid pans, winter tyres would make safer for driving and keep the country moving. Its the law in most of Europe to have the right tyres for the conditions on your car,
2) it saves money. Summer tyres wear quickly in winter and winter in summer. So you get both optimum performance and less wear.
3) ive owned afew japanese cars in my time and all of them suffered from alloy corrosion as a result of salt on our roads. If you had a winter set on steel rims i could have saved my alloys another £500 ever 3 year's
Also i just found out that bmw offer an £80 a year tyre storage service so even those without storage space could do this.
Therefore why the hell arent we all doing this?
Unnecessary.
Irrelevant.
Based on a false premise.
But, apart from that.....
The Spruce goose said:
Car tyres have got stupid wide, I mean a corsa 1.2 has 205 width tyres. In the old days tyres were generally less wide, more wight on less area so not having 'cold weather' tyres didn't matter as much as today. Add rwd and people st themselves when it is icey.
Indeed my mother used to have a Corsa B with skinny tyres. This is before the Corsa went all fat. Nice and light, a lot of cars with daft wide tyres would be spinning away fruitlessly on the hill out of work, where as the little Corsa would scramble to the top with no issues.t themselves when it is icey.foxbody-87 said:
Indeed my mother used to have a Corsa B with skinny tyres. This is before the Corsa went all fat. Nice and light, a lot of cars with daft wide tyres would be spinning away fruitlessly on the hill out of work, where as the little Corsa would scramble to the top with no issues.
A few years back after some snow not massive, there was this slope, and a CLK was spinning its wheels trying to get up this slight incline. I had a fiat sciecento, and there was a few cars behind him as he was all over the road, i just put it in 3rd and sailed past him. No winter tyres but i an see why people buy them. For me i have a couple of cans of liquid snow chains, a bit of carpet as well.For my DD I run an S-Class on Pirelli Winter sottozeros all year round. This was not intentional.. I had bought some New OEM 19inch alloys with brand new sottozeros...The change in the cars grip was in my view phenomenal...so I just left them on... they lasted longer than the previous tyres despite long trips across the continent in summer ...and in the rain...they feel more sure footed. Only on my second set after 30000 miles...
amgmcqueen said:
Because unless you live in a Welsh valley or a Scottish highland then they are a complete and utter pointless waste of money!
That's nice, dear.I bought my first set of winters after having a very close call at a T-junction on my commute, when there was a sudden October flurry.
My car was the only 2wd getting up the urban hill I lived on, when 4wds were failing.
This was within a mile of the M25, and there was a tube station at the end of the road...
amgmcqueen said:
I have not seen snow for about 6 years
We've had a few mild winters in the last few years, sure - after a run of harsh ones.amgmcqueen said:
and over my 30 odd years of driving I have never ever come close to needing winter tyres.
You've not been running on modern high-silica-content, low-rolling-resistance tyres for 30 years.amgmcqueen said:
People just don't seem to be able to control their right foot.
That close call I mentioned above? I barely glanced at the brake, from about walking pace, and I swear the car gained speed.AndrewCrown said:
For my DD I run an S-Class on Pirelli Winter sottozeros all year round. This was not intentional.. I had bought some New OEM 19inch alloys with brand new sottozeros...The change in the cars grip was in my view phenomenal...so I just left them on... they lasted longer than the previous tyres despite long trips across the continent in summer ...and in the rain...they feel more sure footed. Only on my second set after 30000 miles...
...and above 7c the stopping distance will be greater and you're more likely to skid in a corner. Mind you in an S Class you're probably travelling sedately enough not to worry about either of those factors 
.To answer the original question, it's because the majority of the country doesn't see conditions that necessitate the use of winter tyres.
However, some people prefer to use winter or all season tyres, and will no doubt have examples of how they have saved them numerous times or simply 'feel' better.
Others, like myself, will say that we've never needed them so why bother.
Neither point of view is any more or less valid, but that won't stop us all argue about it until spring comes.
One thing we can be certain of, is that the majority of the driving public, pay so little attention to the condition of their tyres generally, there is no way they would even consider changing to a different type half way through the year.
However, some people prefer to use winter or all season tyres, and will no doubt have examples of how they have saved them numerous times or simply 'feel' better.
Others, like myself, will say that we've never needed them so why bother.
Neither point of view is any more or less valid, but that won't stop us all argue about it until spring comes.
One thing we can be certain of, is that the majority of the driving public, pay so little attention to the condition of their tyres generally, there is no way they would even consider changing to a different type half way through the year.
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