Why can nobody drive in the snow
Discussion
People looked on with bemusement when I climbed past not 4, but 5 cars grappling for grip up a hill yesterday - in 1cm of snow, as my RWD BMW 3 series went straight up, not a fuss - at least I got home for tea and get cosy with Mrs DailyHack - I learned long ago from our European friends it's all about winter tyres.
I run winter tyres all year (shock horror) and no they don't melt in our blistering 15 degree's summer we have, but that is for another thread - Tyres are the main thing here, not driver skill or anything.
Be careful out there folks!
I run winter tyres all year (shock horror) and no they don't melt in our blistering 15 degree's summer we have, but that is for another thread - Tyres are the main thing here, not driver skill or anything.
Be careful out there folks!
Car-Matt said:
Balmoral said:
Beats me why all season are not the default tyre here in the UK rather than summers.
100%New cars should come with all seasons as standard with summer performance tyres being an option. Soon it would become normal
DailyHack said:
People looked on with bemusement when I climbed past not 4, but 5 cars grappling for grip up a hill yesterday - in 1cm of snow, as my RWD BMW 3 series went straight up, not a fuss - at least I got home for tea and get cosy with Mrs DailyHack - I learned long ago from our European friends it's all about winter tyres.
As I said earlier, they really do make you a driving God. Our works car park is up an incredibly steep hill, last winter in the snow all the talk amongst staff was how people had got to work and where they'd parked. I said in the car park and was met with howls of derision and cries of bulls
t. But there on the security cameras was my little car all on it's own in the car park.Balmoral said:
was met with howls of derision and cries of bullst. But there on the security cameras was my little car all on it's own in the car park.
Still amazes me how many people are just not aware of such things as winter tyres - in our office shear panic erupts when it starts snowing before the end of the day, "how can I get home....can I leave earlier?"t. But there on the security cameras was my little car all on it's own in the car park.I use to be one of those people, but having them on, its just reassurance more than anything that you can actually get home, if they close the main roads no problem - go off-piste, down the country roads.
Speed addicted said:
They're generally better in wet and cold conditions, as well as loads better in snow. So that's half the year in the UK.
They are better when the average temperature is below 7 degrees. That's not really half the year. My Winters went on early December that was probably still a bit premature, and will come off early March. Balmoral said:
Beats me why all season are not the default tyre here in the UK rather than summers.
These have never made much sense to me all year round . They lose out to summers the vast majority of the time, so increase the risk of accidents more and do so when speeds are higher. Empirically if running one set of tyres summers surely make most sense. Other factors are that to maintain the significant advantage they have in the minority of conditions you need to change them much earlier. I have often considered changing to them instead of Winters as they are much better than those when the temperature creeps up.
As ever though, even if you're alright, and are indeed a driving God with your winters, you're still at risk of getting hit by a slider. On the one hand you might have a better chance of moving out of the way, on the other, like say a rear end, they've run into the back of you because you managed to stop, they had no chance.
Edited by Balmoral on Wednesday 23 January 14:42
Graveworm said:
Balmoral said:
Beats me why all season are not the default tyre here in the UK rather than summers.
These have never made much sense to me all year round . They lose out to summers the vast majority of the time, so increase the risk of accidents more and do so when speeds are higher. Empirically if running one set of tyres summers surely make most sense. Other factors are that to maintain the significant advantage they have in the minority of conditions you need to change them much earlier. I have often considered changing to them instead of Winters as they are much better than those when the temperature creeps up.
Balmoral said:
yonex said:
vikingaero said:
Every year I practice driving in the snow (on winter tyres). In an empty car park I'll accelerate hard several times to gauge the level of grip, I'll corner to assess when the car will slide and I'll slam on the brakes to see when it slides/ABS cuts in. That's it. A simple 5 minute session to remind me where the limits are. It's not boy racer handbrake turns - just low level practice.
Every time it’s icy or snows I’ll dab the brakes to see where the limit is. Then a bit of gas etc. Never going fast just out of the work estate etc. Glad it’s not just me. Now. Give me an empty car park covered in snow and that’s another story 300bhp/ton said:
Car-Matt said:
There's a clue in the name - ALL SEASON
Not even WINTER Tyres are SNOW specific
Yet summer tyres will offer better performance for more days a year than all seasons will. Especially if you have a sporty car or are an enthusiastic driver.Not even WINTER Tyres are SNOW specific
Or is it your opinion?
Speed addicted said:
They're generally better in wet and cold conditions, as well as loads better in snow. So that's half the year in the UK.
Not really. Wet would depend on the specific tyre in question. But average temps aren't really that low in the UK during winter, certainly not in South of the country. Lets face it, places like Florida get far more heavy rainfalls but summer tyres are far more likely to be a better bet for them than all seasons.300bhp/ton said:
Locked wheels on ABS equipped cars or were they old cars? 
But yes I agree, most cannot drive in the snow. I'm not sure we really spend much on driver training either in the UK. And the test is 100% biased to good conditions and nothing ever going wrong.
Your average Jo has no idea what to do when a car slides and often their first experience of a car sliding is in the snow or when they are being involved in an RTI. Skid pad/pan training should really be part of the driving test.
Because CAMMMMMERUHHHHHH! Shirley better to take pictures of your own and others' ineptitude than invest 1p in learning how to drive properly, such is the modern way But yes I agree, most cannot drive in the snow. I'm not sure we really spend much on driver training either in the UK. And the test is 100% biased to good conditions and nothing ever going wrong.
Your average Jo has no idea what to do when a car slides and often their first experience of a car sliding is in the snow or when they are being involved in an RTI. Skid pad/pan training should really be part of the driving test.
I'm not sure if it has been mentioned already, but the evolution of the summer tyre has also had a massive effect on the general populations ability to drive in the snow.
In the 1980's if you bought a new BMW it would likely come with tyres like these:
Today if you buy a new BMW it will come with tyres similar to this:
Granted the new tyre will be better and more efficient for 99% of the time. But they definitely don't perform in snow.
In the 1980's if you bought a new BMW it would likely come with tyres like these:
Today if you buy a new BMW it will come with tyres similar to this:
Granted the new tyre will be better and more efficient for 99% of the time. But they definitely don't perform in snow.
Balmoral said:
DailyHack said:
People looked on with bemusement when I climbed past not 4, but 5 cars grappling for grip up a hill yesterday - in 1cm of snow, as my RWD BMW 3 series went straight up, not a fuss - at least I got home for tea and get cosy with Mrs DailyHack - I learned long ago from our European friends it's all about winter tyres.
As I said earlier, they really do make you a driving God. Our works car park is up an incredibly steep hill, last winter in the snow all the talk amongst staff was how people had got to work and where they'd parked. I said in the car park and was met with howls of derision and cries of bullst. But there on the security cameras was my little car all on it's own in the car park.However, I still don't use winters. Have never gotten into a situation where having them would get me out of something. Just driving to the conditions seems to work fine.
Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Wednesday 23 January 15:41
Tired said:
Have you read this somewhere? have there been tests carried out?
Or is it your opinion?
Observation mostly.Or is it your opinion?
But according to Google the MEAN temp for the UK it 8.5-11 degrees C.
https://www.google.com/search?q=mean+average+tempe...
We might not get a heat wave every year, but we do have a summer. And generally get warmish weather, especially considering our latitude.
This chart clearly shows the average temp is only low for 4 months of the year and in reality only two months of these are significantly colder from the years average.
To put that into some actual numbers.
The coldest parts of the UK might get 83 days a year where non summer tyres might offer benefits. Most of the UK is probably nearer to 55 days. And for the South/South East its probably more like 27 days a year.
I'm not saying it isn't a good idea to run winter or all seasons, but in a pure number sense approach, you are planning and catering for the minority of driving use/conditions in the UK.
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