Where do you store winter tyres for driving in Europe?

Iceweasel

gfplux wrote: »

Compulsory in Luxembourg

That's a bit of an over simplification.

You live in the Grand Duchy so will know that they here are mandatory only when there is actual snow, ice, slush or frost, meaning that you can drive around on sunny days in January with Summer tyres if you choose.

Luxembourg has what are called 'situational' rules for Winter tyres - as does Germany, France and several others.

If you are found in snow with Summer tyres or are involved in an accident then there are hugely expensive consequences.

Other countries such as Austria, Croatia, and the Czech Republic have laws requiring the use of Winter tyres irrespective of the actual conditions and may also have minimum tread depth rules.

Mostly it's from October to April - basically when the clocks change.

There is a fairly accurate map and info here:

http://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/car/tyres/car/winter-plt/marking-laws/tire-laws

But I would still be wary of local by-laws and such that may well close roads leading to winter sports resorts and such.

Also Austria is liable to extend the rules well into April if there is late snow.

Most Winter tyres now have two sets of treads wear indicators - the usual one at 1.6mm and an additional one at 4mm.

DCFC79

In a garage you would store them I guess. Have you googled for how to store car tyres ?

agrinnall

DCFC79 wrote: »

In a garage you would store them...

Very Yoda...:cool:

AdrianC

Iceweasel wrote: »

Other countries such as Austria, Croatia, and the Czech Republic have laws requiring the use of Winter tyres irrespective of the actual conditions and may also have minimum tread depth rules.

Mostly it's from October to April - basically when the clocks change.

There is a fairly accurate map and info here:

http://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/car/tyres/car/winter-plt/marking-laws/tire-laws

Most of the countries in the list do NOT require winter tyres. They require M+S-rated tyres. They are not the same thing.

All M+S means is that a tyre has grooves clear across the full width of the tread, and a certain percentage of groove to block in the tread. Winter tyres have various tread design features, but also specific rubber compounds. Many cheap and nasty Far Eastern "budget" summer tyres are M+S rated.

Iceweasel

AdrianC wrote: »

Most of the countries in the list do NOT require winter tyres. They require M+S-rated tyres. They are not the same thing.

I agree - but there are changes in the pipeline - AFAIK it's only Austria which have set a date for M+S no longer being acceptable and tyres between the given dates will need to have the 'Snowflake on the Mountain' symbol.

Of course they are going to have a transition period to allow people to wear out their M+S tyres with no Snowflake.

They are talking about a law change likely for winter 2017/18 with a 5 year transition.

AdrianC

Iceweasel wrote: »

I agree - but there are changes in the pipeline - AFAIK it's only Austria which have set a date for M+S no longer being acceptable and tyres between the given dates will need to have the 'Snowflake on the Mountain' symbol.

Several in the list say "winter" - which would be hard to argue with most M+S - and Norway says "M+S especially developed for winteruse and / or 3PMSF" which would definitely exclude most M+S.