Does the law need changing vote

neilmcl

tberry6686 wrote: »

I use winter tyres every year because where I live there are pronounced benifits (N/E Scotland).

Most people don't understand that the main reason for winter tyres is not snow and ice but temperature. Around here from November to february it rarely gets above 8 deg and so winter tyres are a better option than summer/all weather tyres.

But in most of the UK this is not the case and so a law forcing people to use winter tyres would be daft. Although a little education about winter tyres would be a very good idea.

I don't think that's true, I'm sure I read somewhere that the average temperature for the whole of the UK during Nov-Mar is <7C, ideal temps for winter tyres.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/ukmapavge.html

BTW, Op, your thread title mentions voting but you haven't included a poll!

steve-L

MX5huggy wrote: »

It's 8c today here it got down to 6 over night, the BBC promise 5 during the day and 3 overnight on Monday and Tuesday. We have had 0 days with snow on the ground this year. Should I be forced to buy winter tyres?

What has snow got to do with Winter tyres?
You just stated that temperatures are in the range where winter tyres perform much better than summer?

or do you not know what winter tyres are?

steve-L

The majority of posts on this thread just seem to indicate most people don't understand what Winter Tyres are...

It seems like making them a legal requirement might be the only sensible option when people prefer to be ignorant and refuse to read.... so I guess i change my vote to a yes.

Cknocker

Why do you need a law? We just need sound advice. A law in the country has a whole would be ridiculous - you maybe able to argue that such a law would work in Scotland - although I doubt it.

In Cornwall the temperature very rarely drops below 5 degrees C - do you really need winter tyres in that scenario? Of course you don't! You may be able to argue that a winter tyre performs better than a summer tyre at 5 degrees C - but summer (I hate that term) tyres do not suddenly become unsafe at such temperatures.

If you live in a part of the country where cold temperatures are more common, then may be you should consider - it makes me laugh when people say "we need a law for this" -then they complain about the "nanny state".

Its about time that people in this country decided to start using their own brains and think for themselves!

Cknocker

To make the point, I've just checked the Met office for the next 5 days where I live - Lowest temp 5 Deg C, Highest 11 Deg C, Average 8 Deg C. You know what you can do with those winter tyres.....

neilmcl

Cknocker wrote: »

You may be able to argue that a winter tyre performs better than a summer tyre at 5 degrees C - but summer (I hate that term) tyres do not suddenly become unsafe at such temperatures.

Not unsafe no, but not AS safe. Given the choice, in wet conditions would you prefer a tyre with 7mm of tread or one with 4mm, whilst the 4mm tyre is not inherently unsafe in the conditions on the rarest of occasions when you'd need more grip you would probably want to bet your life and that of your loved ones on the tyre that's best prepared to get you out of trouble. The same can be said for the difference of a winter vs summer tyre in cold, winter conditions.

motorguy

I think it should be law. And other than the price of four steel rims there should be no long term extra cost, because when you're using the winter tyres during the winter, your not wearing out your other tyres, so it all evens out.

Winter tyres are at their working temperature much lower than summer ones, so they provide a higher level of grip in colder weather. AND they are designed to have snow stick to them when its slowing, which is the most effecting way of getting grip in snow.

photome

motorguy wrote: »

I think it should be law. And other than the price of four steel rims there should be no long term extra cost, because when you're using the winter tyres during the winter, your not wearing out your other tyres, so it all evens out.

Winter tyres are at their working temperature much lower than summer ones, so they provide a higher level of grip in colder weather. AND they are designed to have snow stick to them when its slowing, which is the most effecting way of getting grip in snow.

If as you propose, it became law which IMO is ridiculous, what if people had no where to store 4 tyres and rims, what would you propose.

there are people who live in small flats with a single parking space, or without parking come to that

neilmcl

photome wrote: »

If as you propose, it became law which IMO is ridiculous, what if people had no where to store 4 tyres and rims, what would you propose.

there are people who live in small flats with a single parking space, or without parking come to that

The drivers in Germany, Austria etc manage OK.

forgotmyname

The issue is the cheapest winter tyres may have less grip than a decent quality all season tyre.

So whilst forcing people to chance tyres every winter, Are you also going to ban all tyres not made by company x?

Also ban all stupid drivers, because some just dont know howto drive in the snow and ice.