RE: Winter Tyre Legislation - Are They Serious?
Monday 7th February 2011
A winter tyre yesterday. (Or last month.)Good grief, Charlie Brown. No sooner does a bit of serious weather land on these usually green and pleasant shores, and folk start jumping up and down making noises about compulsory winter tyres.
Winter Tyre Legislation - Are They Serious?
Poll reveals 46% of sheep want compulsory winter footwear...
A winter tyre yesterday. (Or last month.)
We've no idea whether self-proclaimed car supermarket Motorpoint has a vested interest in the topic, but their latest press release claims 46 percent of British motorists are in favour of legislation making fitting them compulsory. Can that really be true?
Well not necessarily, because what Motorpoint has (apparently) failed to consider is that the spectrum of motorists who visit their company website may not reflect the spectrum of motorist across the country as a whole.
That said, there's no doubt that more and more drivers are opting to fit winter rubber - the same press release says Kwik-Fit sold 50,000 winter tyres last year, and only 2,000 the year before.
Perhaps Kwik-Fit didn't stock them widely prior to last year, who knows, but my personal feeling is the accelerating winter tyre bandwagon is being propelled more by businesses looking to make a buck than anything else. (Yes indeed - shock horror!)
That and the 'elf and safety' fears of fleet managers failing to equip company drivers with purportedly safer winter rubber when temperatures fall below 7 degrees. (So would it be negligent to leave winter tyres on when the temp rises above 7 for a day in January? There's a conundrum for the ambulance chasers...)
Anyway, what's to be done? Should winter tyres be compulsory here in the UK, or should promoting daft polls be banned instead?
75% of PHers say... Oh, hang on!
Discussion
What a load of rubbish. I drove my Elise with R888 semi slicks in the snow for my 25 mile round trip to work and it was great fun. Drivers just need to drive to the conditions appropriately amking sure they slow down and leave plenty of room for error. Those that cannot drive in the snow show stay at home and take the day off work and put it down to the white fluffy stuff!
Agreed.
It would be better if people learnt to drive in poor conditions rather than legislating winter tyres.
They should legislate that all people passing their driving tests in the summer months should have compulsory winter driving training; this would make more sense and be less of a cost burden to the already taxed to the hilt motorists.
It would be better if people learnt to drive in poor conditions rather than legislating winter tyres.
They should legislate that all people passing their driving tests in the summer months should have compulsory winter driving training; this would make more sense and be less of a cost burden to the already taxed to the hilt motorists.
In most of mainland Europe, it's commonplace to switch over to winter tyres once the cold weather sets in (cue the shiny new Mercs and Alfas driving round on cr@ppy steel wheels in the winter months!). With the colder winters we've been having in the UK (regardless of there being snow or not), winter tyres definitely make sense - I can't really see why anyone would argue against them (other than from the cost aspect).
Saying that, if winter tyres were to be made compulsory, I think the government would have to subsidise them in some way, as the initial outlay is pretty considerable.
Saying that, if winter tyres were to be made compulsory, I think the government would have to subsidise them in some way, as the initial outlay is pretty considerable.
I had winter tyres with a mud & snow tread on my MK6 Fiesta over the 2009/10 winter. Brilliant, but gave a confidence boost that might be interpreted as lunacy to other road users. Where mere mortals struggled for grip, I ploughed though the ice and snow like Chuck Norris ploughs though anonymous evil henchmen. Braking was excellent with no risk of skidding. It's only when temperatures rise and roads clear that the handling got a bit woolly, but a quick change over to the normal rubber sorted that out.
The individual has to decide if it's financially worthwhile investing in another set of tyres and wheels for what is, in this country, a limited period of use. For me last winter (and my wife this) they have kept us earning money because we've been able to attend work.
The individual has to decide if it's financially worthwhile investing in another set of tyres and wheels for what is, in this country, a limited period of use. For me last winter (and my wife this) they have kept us earning money because we've been able to attend work.
2mad said:
It was mentioned over winter that if you fitted winter tyres it could invalidate your insurance,So could be a big problem if its made compulsory to fit them.
What's the source of that sir? Surely winter tyres in winter would be a safety benefit, (when truly necessary) and insurance friendly?
gezkc said:
In most of mainland Europe, it's commonplace to switch over to winter tyres once the cold weather sets in (cue the shiny new Mercs and Alfas driving round on cr@ppy steel wheels in the winter months!). With the colder winters we've been having in the UK (regardless of there being snow or not), winter tyres definitely make sense - I can't really see why anyone would argue against them (other than from the cost aspect).
Saying that, if winter tyres were to be made compulsory, I think the government would have to subsidise them in some way, as the initial outlay is pretty considerable.
Reduced wear on the summer rubber offsets the cost of winters. Overall, it should even out.Saying that, if winter tyres were to be made compulsory, I think the government would have to subsidise them in some way, as the initial outlay is pretty considerable.
A decent system abroad in countries where snow is actually an issue is;
in say november (whenever it gets into proper winter) - you to to your garage and they fit snow tyres, BUT store your other tyres, (you could store them at home i think as well)
when the snow and ice have gone, you go back to the garage and have your normal tyres put back on the car and the winter tyres stored.
Admittedly PH'ers will have a biased view as were all petrol heads, but to your run of the mill (a cars a box of metal) person, winter tyres would probably be very useful
in say november (whenever it gets into proper winter) - you to to your garage and they fit snow tyres, BUT store your other tyres, (you could store them at home i think as well)
when the snow and ice have gone, you go back to the garage and have your normal tyres put back on the car and the winter tyres stored.
Admittedly PH'ers will have a biased view as were all petrol heads, but to your run of the mill (a cars a box of metal) person, winter tyres would probably be very useful
2mad said:
It was mentioned over winter that if you fitted winter tyres it could invalidate your insurance,So could be a big problem if its made compulsory to fit them.
Getting the insurance industry to change their policies would be much easier than ensuring all motorists fit winter boots.I know that 7 degrees was mentioned in the article but what is the operating range of these tyres?? Is it 7 degrees? What speed rating do they have for when the roads are dry and there is plenty of grip available?
How can putting winter tyres on your car make your insurance invalid?!?!? Confused!! I never have to tell my insurance company what normal tyres I put on my car - perhaps this is an interesting point, should someone with budget crappy remoulds on their car be more of a worry in general?
How can putting winter tyres on your car make your insurance invalid?!?!? Confused!! I never have to tell my insurance company what normal tyres I put on my car - perhaps this is an interesting point, should someone with budget crappy remoulds on their car be more of a worry in general?
Pixel Pusher said:
What's the source of that sir?
Surely winter tyres in winter would be a safety benefit, (when truly necessary) and insurance friendly?
I don't remember hearing about invalidation, but some insurers (or their agents) apparently heard the word "change" and immediately pushed a charge onto customers. This was stopped fairly quickly; my insurer didn't care at all when I tried to report my change to winter wheels and tyres.Surely winter tyres in winter would be a safety benefit, (when truly necessary) and insurance friendly?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11969958
Living in Zurich and seeing how much safer winter tyres are in the colder months and better traction on snow I am going to continue to use them over winter even if I move back to Blighty.
Before you say "yeah its Switzerland" the conditions over the last 2 years have been more than comparable to the UK. OK head up to the mountains and its something else but in Town there is not much in it. That said when it snows here the councils can and do handle it very well. They seem to subcontract out to local farmers who stick bloody great ploughs on the front of their tractors and clear the roads with in 30-40 mins of a big dump. So the roads are probably better than UK when it snows.
The Winter tyres are not the studded ones like you get in Finland etc with perm snow base, they are a softer compound and have tens of thousands of micro zigzag slits in the rubber in addition to normal tread pattern. You can use them all year but the compund wears out pretty quick in the summer heat.
Use of the tyres is semi compulsory here, in that you don't have to have them fitted but if you are involved in an accident (Nov - April) and you are using non-winter tyres, you will always be held responsible no matter what....
Some garages will even store your summer tyres / alloys for you
Before you say "yeah its Switzerland" the conditions over the last 2 years have been more than comparable to the UK. OK head up to the mountains and its something else but in Town there is not much in it. That said when it snows here the councils can and do handle it very well. They seem to subcontract out to local farmers who stick bloody great ploughs on the front of their tractors and clear the roads with in 30-40 mins of a big dump. So the roads are probably better than UK when it snows.
The Winter tyres are not the studded ones like you get in Finland etc with perm snow base, they are a softer compound and have tens of thousands of micro zigzag slits in the rubber in addition to normal tread pattern. You can use them all year but the compund wears out pretty quick in the summer heat.
Use of the tyres is semi compulsory here, in that you don't have to have them fitted but if you are involved in an accident (Nov - April) and you are using non-winter tyres, you will always be held responsible no matter what....
Some garages will even store your summer tyres / alloys for you
Edited by QUADratic on Friday 4th February 14:09
Edited by QUADratic on Friday 4th February 14:35
I personally am Pro!
Some hero's may exclaim they drive fine on track slicks on a lubed, iced, and polished road just fine. Joe bloggs however doesn't seem to respect reduced traction, many cars finding ditches are testment to thats.
Expense wont be an issue, two sets of tyres wear half as quick. However inner city folk might not have anywhere to stash the 2nd set of wheels!
T
Some hero's may exclaim they drive fine on track slicks on a lubed, iced, and polished road just fine. Joe bloggs however doesn't seem to respect reduced traction, many cars finding ditches are testment to thats.
Expense wont be an issue, two sets of tyres wear half as quick. However inner city folk might not have anywhere to stash the 2nd set of wheels!
T
I'd be all for this. Personally, I tried to get winter tyres for my car late last year, but no one stocked the correct size.
Most blocked raods in the snow, are caused by drivers spinning out in the snow. Winter tyres would ease this problem.
One of our site managers had winter tryes fitted to his car. He was actually passing 4x4's that were stuck in the snow.
Most blocked raods in the snow, are caused by drivers spinning out in the snow. Winter tyres would ease this problem.
One of our site managers had winter tryes fitted to his car. He was actually passing 4x4's that were stuck in the snow.
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