Bit of snow - roads grind to a halt?
Discussion
I was on the M25 between South Mimms and the M4 in December '10, when the snow was at its worst. Every time you reached a hill, we would stop for 45 minutes. On one occasion, we were held up for nearly an hour by a d
head in an RX8 who'd got stuck and blocked 3 lanes trying to use maximum power to get going.
I can well believe it that people with little experience of driving on snow and ice would have immense difficulties in getting from A to B on it.
head in an RX8 who'd got stuck and blocked 3 lanes trying to use maximum power to get going. I can well believe it that people with little experience of driving on snow and ice would have immense difficulties in getting from A to B on it.
heebeegeetee said:
Hooli said:
Proof once again that the average driver doesn't deserve a licence.
Or that we're all on the wrong tyres.Hooli said:
I drove past 4x4s people had put in ditches last winter in an old RWD merc on cheapo tyres. It's mostly stupid driving to blame, winter tyres would just allow them to go faster when they crash by doing it all wrong.
How do you know this? When or where are people in the UK supposed to get their snow driving experience from? Where has yours come from?I was in a tyre bay t'other day, watching them struggling to change a tyre on an X5. I thought the sheer size of the tyre, and the enormous weight of tyre and rim, was totally symptomatic of the madness that UK society has become, with all it's ramifications including the credit crunch.
I can't think of what purpose that tyre was supposed to fulfil, apart from sating the inadequacies of its owners, but I imagine it is s
t on snow and greatly reduces the effectiveness of the vehicle in snow (and all other conditions, imo). heebeegeetee said:
Hooli said:
I drove past 4x4s people had put in ditches last winter in an old RWD merc on cheapo tyres. It's mostly stupid driving to blame, winter tyres would just allow them to go faster when they crash by doing it all wrong.
How do you know this? When or where are people in the UK supposed to get their snow driving experience from? Where has yours come from?I was in a tyre bay t'other day, watching them struggling to change a tyre on an X5. I thought the sheer size of the tyre, and the enormous weight of tyre and rim, was totally symptomatic of the madness that UK society has become, with all it's ramifications including the credit crunch.
I can't think of what purpose that tyre was supposed to fulfil, apart from sating the inadequacies of its owners, but I imagine it is s
t on snow and greatly reduces the effectiveness of the vehicle in snow (and all other conditions, imo). Clearly people do not adjust their driving appropriately for the conditions, whether that be snow or even heavy rain. However, there is no way on this earth you will ever see me paying for winter tyres; even last year or the year before when the snow was really bad I would say there weren't much more than 4 days when travelling on normal tyres was actually impossible. If that's worth another set of wheels and tyres for you then feel free but not for me, especially if you have a fwd car
A few years back I spent a lot of time driving in Sweden during the winter months. I didn't suffer any problems with the snow. None of this was down to the vehicle or the fact that I'm a driving god (I'm not). It was pure and simply down to the tyres. The same vehicle on OEM tyres (I'm not mentioning what is is as it's not relevant) in England today is best left on the drive. My driving experience gained in Sweden is worth sod all without the correct tyres.
Absolutely. As much as PH is in the throes of it's little 'winter tyre' meme, it really does come down to it. In countries where snow is a regular occurrence, winter tyres are the norm. In the UK, everyone gives it big spuds about their driving skills, and how they don't need winter tyres, and they 'coped fine last year on summer tyres', but the reality is that whenever there is snow the country has a fit. This is because people are ill-prepared.
the problem is doesn't matter what type of driving god's you are, there are always others on the road. Old people , young people etc and some with varying degrees experience. Being a good driver means allowing more space and time.
The motorways are a joke at the best of times, just takes one incident to compound any weather issue. I find it best to limited journeys during this time.
The motorways are a joke at the best of times, just takes one incident to compound any weather issue. I find it best to limited journeys during this time.
heebeegeetee said:
Or that we're all on the wrong tyres.
I've never ever had so much as a thought about fitting winter tyres to any of my cars,i'm not saying they don't make a difference but they are not a must have.That's in the Highlands too,where the roads don't just grind to a halt when someone mentions snow.
stevenr said:
I've never ever had so much as a thought about fitting winter tyres to any of my cars,i'm not saying they don't make a difference but they are not a must have.
That's in the Highlands too,where the roads don't just grind to a halt when someone mentions snow.
Er, not many people live in the Highlands. Where are the m'ways full of stuck artics up there?That's in the Highlands too,where the roads don't just grind to a halt when someone mentions snow.
I've never fitted winter tyres to my car either, but I've seen how europe carries on perfectly normally in the snow, without 4x4s too.
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