UK tyre depth

sevenhills

Here in the UK we have quite low standards when it comes to tyres. How do we compare to the rest of the world?
I have a local garage that call them selves 'German Tyres' because all there tyres come from Germany. Germany have a 4mm depth law, yet our law is 1.6mm across 75% of the tyre. Is that right?

So a tyre cab be wearing badly on the edge, yet the 3 central treads are above 2mm, so the tyres are perfectly legal.

What are the legal limits in other countries, perhaps there should be minimum standards, set by the EU?

Gloomendoom

If you don't like the official limits, you can always set your own.

neilmcl

sevenhills wrote: »

Here in the UK we have quite low standards when it comes to tyres. How do we compare to the rest of the world?
I have a local garage that call them selves 'German Tyres' because all there tyres come from Germany. Germany have a 4mm depth law, yet our law is 1.6mm across 75% of the tyre. Is that right?

So a tyre cab be wearing badly on the edge, yet the 3 central treads are above 2mm, so the tyres are perfectly legal.

What are the legal limits in other countries, perhaps there should be minimum standards, set by the EU?

Not really sure what point you're trying to make but a simple google search will give the answers you require with reference to legal limits throughout Europe, most of which will be 1.6mm.

Stoke

Let's be honest, when was the last time any of us actually had their tyres checked by a police officer?

sevenhills

Gloomendoom wrote: »

If you don't like the official limits, you can always set your own.

So do you think that the German limit of 4mm is to generous? I drive a company vehicle, so I cannot decide these things myself.
Do they get more snow in Germany, is it down to weather conditions, or just being a rich country with high standards?

fyr

Perhaps it's 4mm because of lobbying by German Tyre manufacturers such as Continental!
Similarly German car manufacturers resist moves to ban no speed limit sections of Autobahns, which is against EU rules.
German manufacturers spend a fortune on lobbying and in my experience in Electrical Products tend to dominate CEN (EU Standards) committees; just ask James Dyson.

Johno100

sevenhills wrote: »

So do you think that the German limit of 4mm is to generous? I drive a company vehicle, so I cannot decide these things myself.
Do they get more snow in Germany, is it down to weather conditions, or just being a rich country with high standards?

Or perhaps the tyre industry in Germany did a good job in lobbying the government there and are no doubt doing very well out of the 4mm limit.

BTW I wonder what happens to all those 3.9mm tyres, scrapped or shipped off to other parts of Europe to be sold as part worn?

BeenThroughItAll

As far as I am aware, the German law is the same as the rest of Europe. Tread depth a min of 1.6mm across the tread. IIRC, the only other rule they have is that winter tyres will no longer be considered to be legally 'winter' tyres once they are worn to below 3mm tread depth.

The result is that many German drivers change any tyres, summer or winter, once they reach 3-4mm tread; which is only realistically about half their lifespan.

I may be wrong, but this is the answer that is regularly trotted out on the motorhome/caravan forums for those visiting Germany in the winter.

I wouldn't mind betting the penalty for overly worn tyres is harsher and more likely to be applied in Germany too, although I don't know.

custardy

sevenhills wrote: »

Here in the UK we have quite low standards when it comes to tyres. How do we compare to the rest of the world?
I have a local garage that call them selves 'German Tyres' because all there tyres come from Germany. Germany have a 4mm depth law, yet our law is 1.6mm across 75% of the tyre. Is that right?

So a tyre cab be wearing badly on the edge, yet the 3 central treads are above 2mm, so the tyres are perfectly legal.

What are the legal limits in other countries, perhaps there should be minimum standards, set by the EU?

Johno100 wrote: »

Or perhaps the tyre industry in Germany did a good job in lobbying the government there and are no doubt doing very well out of the 4mm limit.

BTW I wonder what happens to all those 3.9mm tyres, scrapped or shipped off to other parts of Europe to be sold as part worn?

as stated in the OP.

neilmcl

sevenhills wrote: »

So do you think that the German limit of 4mm is to generous? I drive a company vehicle, so I cannot decide these things myself.
Do they get more snow in Germany, is it down to weather conditions, or just being a rich country with high standards?

Did you not do that Google search search I suggested. The legal limit in Germany for tyres is the same as here in the UK.

You've still to explain the point you're trying to make.

Car_54

neilmcl wrote: »

Not really sure what point you're trying to make but a simple google search will give the answers you require with reference to legal limits throughout Europe, most of which will be 1.6mm.

And I can find no evidence that the German limit is out of line with the rest of Europe, i.e. 1.6mm. The German 4mm seems to be a myth.