Winter Driving & Tires

[dodgerdodge]

I put all my winters for each vehicle on their own rims.
Makes it quick and easy. Grab the floor jack and the air wrench and presto dunzo.

Do you return your vehicle to yourself for re torque?? (insert smilie if i had one)

[Bpeep]

I'm kinda a dough head mechanic.
I return it to myself once a week.
I've been trying for years to get my money back.

[Woodenhead]

I was always fine with my all-season M+S (it comes down to driver ability, in the end), which are still quite legal here. But I had some money burning a hole in my pocket so I got a set of Nokian Hakkapeliitta R tires. (a discount via my job didn't hurt, either) They pretty much kick &@$$*! Can't recommend them highly enough.

[snowtires]

Laws and common sense are two completely different animals. For example, if you use studded tires in the winter and separate summer tires in the summer, you have to by law keep your studded tires on until April 30th even if it's +36 degrees outside (yes, it really gets that hot in April in BC). If you still have them on come May 1st you are breaking the law because studded tires are not allowed on your vehicle come May 1st. Another thing is that winter comes a solid month earlier in the north, but the laws are exactly the same there as they are here.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of the Nokian WRG all-weather tires -- winter tyres (Canadian spelling) with the snowflake that can be left on all summer.

If all else fails, use common sense. If that fails, let me know which roads you take so that I can plan my trips accordingly.

Just to clear this up. Studded tires must be off by April 30 and you must have on winter tires until march 31. This gives you a whole month to remove your studded tires. All the information can be found on drivebc.ca

And drivebc.can states that either a mountain snowflake or m+s tire is fine. All the detailes can be found right here

[Glacier]

Just to clear this up. Studded tires must be off by April 30 and you must have on winter tires until march 31. This gives you a whole month to remove your studded tires. All the information can be found on drivebc.ca

And drivebc.can states that either a mountain snowflake or m+s tire is fine. All the detailes can be found right here

Well that's a change from last year then.

[snowtires]

yeah, I'm pretty sure they changed thing up from last year. This year hwy97 requires M+S or Mountain snowflake.
I think last year the requirements were on less highways but i thought you had to have Mountain Snowflake, atleased that it what people were saying at all the tire shops and on the radio. So vernon to penticton valley bottom need snow rated type tires.

[Dizzy1]

i thought you had to have Mountain Snowflake, atleased that it what people were saying at all the tire shops and on the radio.

The RCMP were saying that where as everyone else said, "Uh, No ... read the regulation." ;)

[GordonH]

Regulations tend to lean to minimum standards, for myself I tend lean toward better to be safe then sorry. Snowflake tires for me.

[SnoGhost]

New, as of October 1st this year. According to the ministry of transportation website, you can now legally run M&S (Mud and Snow) tires from Oct 1st to April 1st as long as the tread is at least 3.5 mm in depth.... even in the mountain passes. A ton of confusion on this right now. I called 4 tire shops this week and got 4 different answers. Two of the 4 shops were not even aware of the new regs. One shop had a copy of the page from transportation ministry stating the new reg, but also said the police are ticketing people for running M&S tires already. There was a check on Hwy 97 near the airport last week and they were telling people you must have the mountain snowflake. So even the RCMP aren't fully aware of what's going on. The other tire shop stated that yes you can get ticketed for M&S tires but if you fight it you will win.. ? That's convenient! There's no doubt winter tires are the safest in winter conditions. However, a good M&S tire on a 4 wheel drive truck, when driven properly of course, will not have a problem. Making it compulsory to run dedicated winters on a 4 wheel drive truck is ridiculous.

[GordonH]

^^^ In my 35 +/- years of driving the majority of accidents & ditchings (outside of city limits) I've seen, have been either all wheel drive or 4x4 vehicle.
I have never been in any accidents with either front or rear wheel drive vehicle, of course in winter conditions I've always use winter tires.
Biggest key to safely traveling in the winter is drive according to road conditions.
I see drivers still going at posted speed limits in snow/icy conditions, thats just asking for trouble.

As I've said earlier regulation is the minimum requirements.

[Bsuds]

Many times I've been passed on the hwy by a 4x4 only to see it in the ditch further down the road.
I have a 4x4 and it sure helps to get going but it doesn't stop any better than anything else. It might even be worse because it weighs more.

[Always Sunny]

Many times I've been passed on the hwy by a 4x4 only to see it in the ditch further down the road.
I have a 4x4 and it sure helps to get going but it doesn't stop any better than anything else. It might even be worse because it weighs more.

And perhaps a little overconfidence in how safe that 4x4 is going to keep them.

When I'm in my little front wheel drive car you're damned sure I'm driving for those conditions.

[Dizzy1]

Regulations tend to lean to minimum standards, for myself I tend lean toward better to be safe then sorry. Snowflake tires for me.

I have snowflakes as well ... but regs say M+S are legal so just because it may be the minimum, doesn't mean you can't have them.

[GordonH]

^^^ True, winter tires (snowflake) give better control & increased stopping abilities due to rubber compound is designed to stay softer in colder temps.

[snowtires]

My front wheel drive car with traction control can run circles around my 4x4 truck. Even with snow tires on the truck. I prefer to take the family in the truck in winter because I feel safer with the size and more steel around me/family. Just is case one of you overconfident suckers rams me.