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Who Are These People? Part 2--Winter drivers.

I've never driven anything with other than all season tires on them, and yeah we have snow and ice. My truck does have 4wd but I hardly ever drive it in the winter. Never been a problem, but we don't usually get more than a foot of snow at a time.
 
I live in snow country and all I ever run are all-season tires. I don't swap out for the winter like a lot of folks do. But then I didn't learn how to drive in the snow by accident. I was actively taught by my Dad. February in LaPine, OR and the roads were 100% packed snow. Dad puts me behind the wheel of our '67 Power Wagon (left in 2WD) tells me that we're going for a drive. We spent the next two hours driving on snow covered roads, up hills, down hills, curvy roads and straight. He put the Old Dodge in the ditch and had me get it out, without locking the hubs in (here's a neat trick if you get stuck: cut off a couple of tree branches and shove them under your tires, they'll give you traction and help keep you from digging your tires into the snow). Good tires are great, but actually knowing how to drive in the snow is even better. Most people doing stupid crap in the snow are simply ignorant. The sad truth is that they are actually doing the best they know how to do. You see, hardly anyone TEACHES people how to drive in the snow. Most people just wake up one morning to 12" of snow and have to figure it out on their own. What we need are people who are willing to teach those around them how to drive in the snow. We will all complain about the stupid people stuck in the middle of the road (guilty as charged) and most will help them out of the situation, but how many of us are willing to give that person our phone # and spend a couple of hours working with them on snow driving?? I've done it a few time with people I know, but that's about it. I think that it's high time those of us who know how to drive in the snow start sharing our skills...

Thousand times this.
 
For many, many years now, around here (lower Michigan) a good condition all season tire has been sufficient, unless, of course, you are an unskilled driver and / or have poor judgement. Given either of those it doesn't matter what tires they have on the car, they'll get themselves into trouble, and drag others along with them.

I really have to wonder what passes for drivers education anymore. Seems that many of the driving skills you used to be able to count on are long gone.

Yep, a good all-season tire, and slow down, will suffice for most driving conditions here in NE Ohio. I do like having 4WD though.

I've never changed to winter tires and I've never gotten stuck (or in an accident, or been pulled over - except for one time I forgot to get my inspection done by the proper date). I've lived in the NE almost all of my life and have always driven a sedan of some sort.

The people who get stuck are also the ones who don't appreciate the positive aspects of momentum. They go slowly and don't accelerate towards a hill.....they crawl up it, then stop, then start sliding back, etc. (And if they make it to the top, it's downhill that they decide to go fast.....and then can't stop quickly enough and go skidding into something). Etc.

I live in snow country and all I ever run are all-season tires. I don't swap out for the winter like a lot of folks do. But then I didn't learn how to drive in the snow by accident. I was actively taught by my Dad. February in LaPine, OR and the roads were 100% packed snow. Dad puts me behind the wheel of our '67 Power Wagon (left in 2WD) tells me that we're going for a drive. We spent the next two hours driving on snow covered roads, up hills, down hills, curvy roads and straight. He put the Old Dodge in the ditch and had me get it out, without locking the hubs in (here's a neat trick if you get stuck: cut off a couple of tree branches and shove them under your tires, they'll give you traction and help keep you from digging your tires into the snow). Good tires are great, but actually knowing how to drive in the snow is even better. Most people doing stupid crap in the snow are simply ignorant. The sad truth is that they are actually doing the best they know how to do. You see, hardly anyone TEACHES people how to drive in the snow. Most people just wake up one morning to 12" of snow and have to figure it out on their own. What we need are people who are willing to teach those around them how to drive in the snow. We will all complain about the stupid people stuck in the middle of the road (guilty as charged) and most will help them out of the situation, but how many of us are willing to give that person our phone # and spend a couple of hours working with them on snow driving?? I've done it a few time with people I know, but that's about it. I think that it's high time those of us who know how to drive in the snow start sharing our skills...

On two of my three vehicles, i run all season tires.

However, on my AWD, i run snow tires. I can respect that you guys are defending the all season, but you have less traction with that tire. Even without snow or ice, in dry but cold conditions, the snow tire can have superior performance. The rubber is simply more flexible, and therefore provides more grip, at a lower temperature range.

The tires are THE big bottleneck that constrains how the driver can control the vehicle. They are the ONLY mechanism by which the car can speed up, slow down, or change direction; in any case, it invariably must involve the tires. When you skid from slamming the brakes, it's not the brakes, it's the tires. I know to many of you that's probably obvious but it's worth saying.

In my mind, if it snows regularly, or if it even just goes below freezing regularly, putting on snow tires increases the safety margins of the vehicle. Furthermore, it's not just about "knowing how to drive in the snow," it's also about adapting to unexpected things: a tree falling, a surprise pedestrian, another vehicle that loses control (because some people are idiots), etc.

Again, as someone who has vehicles equipped with all season tires, i understand why you would do it, but my recommendation is to use snow tires.
 
On two of my three vehicles, i run all season tires.

However, on my AWD, i run snow tires. I can respect that you guys are defending the all season, but you have less traction with that tire. Even without snow or ice, in dry but cold conditions, the snow tire can have superior performance. The rubber is simply more flexible, and therefore provides more grip, at a lower temperature range.

The tires are THE big bottleneck that constrains how the driver can control the vehicle. They are the ONLY mechanism by which the car can speed up, slow down, or change direction; in any case, it invariably must involve the tires. When you skid from slamming the brakes, it's not the brakes, it's the tires. I know to many of you that's probably obvious but it's worth saying.

In my mind, if it snows regularly, or if it even just goes below freezing regularly, putting on snow tires increases the safety margins of the vehicle. Furthermore, it's not just about "knowing how to drive in the snow," it's also about adapting to unexpected things: a tree falling, a surprise pedestrian, another vehicle that loses control (because some people are idiots), etc.

Again, as someone who has vehicles equipped with all season tires, i understand why you would do it, but my recommendation is to use snow tires.

Hey, in the end, whatever works for you when you're driving on the roads where you drive the most. Your mileage may vary.
 
Living in the south, FTW.
 
Except when the south gets the freak ice storm and everyone loses their ever-loving minds. :2razz:

I mean, you play in the snow for two days, get off of work and school, and then it all melts three days later. What's not to love?
 
I mean, you play in the snow for two days, get off of work and school, and then it all melts three days later. What's not to love?

What's not to love? Southerners who have no idea how to drive in snow and ice. :)
 
What's not to love? Southerners who have no idea how to drive in snow and ice. :)

That's why you don't drive! You stay at home, enjoy the snow, because it's not coming again for years, and drink hot chocolate. Good times.
 
That's why you don't drive! You stay at home, enjoy the snow, because it's not coming again for years, and drink hot chocolate. Good times.

But................ they don't stay home. Why aren't you understanding me??? :2razz:
 
But................ they don't stay home. Why aren't you understanding me??? :2razz:

I mean, I stay home. :lol:

Also, it has less to do with driver skill, and more to do with lack of proper infrastructure. We hardly have any salt trucks, no one has winter tires, etc. Hell, I didn't even know winter tires were a thing until my Canadian friend was bitching to me about having to buy them a few years ago.

Hell, it was 70 degrees where I live yesterday. We were literally having to show away gnats when we were standing outside. :lol:
 
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