Snow socks

Ghostrider

martinthebandit wrote: »

Really?

I would be very suprised if anyone in the UK actually used summer tyres, every tyre I, and most other sensible people have fitted to their cars are all weather tyres and the info you posted explains why. Can you really guarantee any day in the UK when the temp will not fall to less than 7 degrees?

The same applies in reverse to winter tyres of course, except maybe in the very far north.

Specialist tyres are for specialist uses and are generally not suitable for use in the UK. You should certainly not fit specialist winter tyres for 6 months of the year and then swap to specialist summer tyres for the other 6 months.

In the UK all tyres sold are suitable for the weather conditions found in the UK, I suspect that if you think about it my original post was not quite as unhelpful, and certainly not as irresponsible, as yours and some of the others suggesting that an inexperienced driver should put themselves at more risk by using inappropriate tyres.

Well yes really, and your response makes me wonder if you actually understand the subject correctly...

Almost everybody in the UK currently uses summer tyres (or all season tyres), that is the generic term used by pretty much everybody in the motoring industry for non-winter road tyres.

The temperature in the UK during summer will very rarely ever fall below 7c during the summer months (in fact it never has in August in modern times)...i'm not sure why you think it would? As for the reverse, for your information the average temperature in the UK for winter November 2010 was -1.5, in December it was -4.1 (Met Office Ave UK Hist Temps).

Many continental Europeans switch between their summer tyres and winter tyres, including some non-alpine regions, and many must do so by law - I appreciate not all do including the UK. There have been calls recently to consider making winter tyres more readily available in the UK and even some making the use of them a legal requirement (although that may be taking it a bit too far IMO).

Many of the major motoring press organisations/magazines/websites issue reviews and recommendations on winter tyres, why would they do that if they were dangerous for use in the UK?

So how on earth you think that switching between summer and winter tyres is dangerous is beyond me? Unless you know something that many European Govts and motoring experts don't?

I think you need to do some research before quoting things that are totally un-factual and clearly not your topic of expertise, if you tell me it is then i'm seriously concerned.

My advice to the OP is at least based on fact, yours seems to be based on what exactly....your opinion? Because if so then I think the rest of us all know to take a bit less notice.

Thanks

boyse7en

Horizon81 wrote: »

Just take the bus instead when the snow is that bad!

Yes, because of course the buses don't stop when there is snow. [/sarcasm]

custardy

wannabe_sybil wrote: »

Scheming Gypsy - thank you. The situation is this. If the weather is like last year, or even just a short icy spell, OH would go around fifty yards along our unmade road with potholes filled with water, frozen and then covered with snow. That bit is more excitement than Monday morning deserves. Then he turns onto a road that, unless it is suddenly hit, will usually be okayish and then onto duel carriageways and major roads that are normally gritted, right until the last stretch. Last year OH described how he lost momentum going up the hill to work as someone paused to turn off and then couldn't get his car going again, when he put his feet out to try and move the car they just slid away.

Like most of the county experienced at one point or another.

So if he got stuck on the hill the snow socks would be ideal, from the sound of it, but not for the main run?

Thank you for your help.

Im betting not running winter tyres?

wannabe_sybil

Horizon81 wrote: »

Just take the bus instead when the snow is that bad!

This isn't a bad idea if things were different but (I hate doing the 'yes, but... but it helps what looks like a lively discussion) in the car and normal weather the journey is @ 45 minutes. On the bus and normal weather, nearer to two hours each way. In the car in foul weather like the bad snow we have had the last two winters it can take up to three hours each way, and on the worst one or two days it was just not practical at all.

We are going to start pricing winter tyres locally. Would it be worth getting snow socks for winter tyres if the going is particularly bad?

wannabe_sybil

mikey72 wrote: »

£10 for a set of rims for mine off ebay, and £50 + £10 fitting each for two tyres for the front, and no more problems with hills. Then put the summer wheels and tyres back on in March.

:o:o:o I am embarrassed, but I don't actually understand what this means.

custardy

wannabe_sybil wrote: »

:o:o:o I am embarrassed, but I don't actually understand what this means.

buy a set of 'spare' wheels for your car(rims)
put the winter tyres on, and swap them as conditions require

[Deleted User]

One example of my winter tyres last earlier this year, going down a steep bank where i live, roads were full of black ice, i slowed right down and never skidded once, the car behind touched his brakes and spun about 3 times before landing in a ditch by the side of the road....

jaydeeuk1

Forgive my ignorance, but how do winter tyres stop you skidding on black ice as opposed to normal tyres? If theres no contact between tyre and road then surely it wouldn't make any difference?

custardy

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

Forgive my ignorance, but how do winter tyres stop you skidding on black ice as opposed to normal tyres? If theres no contact between tyre and road then surely it wouldn't make any difference?

tyres dont just grip to road
the grip to whatever they are on to a greater or lesser degree
winter tyres are designed for winter conditions
so different treads and rubber compounds that act differently to summer tyres in cold weather
I move my old RWD beast last year on summer tyres and it was sliding on gritted slush going up a small incline,very embarrassing
on proper tyres that wouldnt have happened

wannabe_sybil

custardy wrote: »

buy a set of 'spare' wheels for your car(rims)
put the winter tyres on, and swap them as conditions require

Thank you, that makes sense. Sorry to be dim.