Snow Tires , Chains or Studded Tyres
Old man or woman winter is on its way. You can count on that 100 %. Be reassured. With winter time coming you do not want to be stuck in the snow or ice on an isolated roadside, even with modern cell phones being at the beck and call of most motorists. What about snow tires, chains and even studs for wintertime driving?
Many think that in these days of cell phones for roadside emergencies and dealer offered and provided road-side assistance that changing their tires come winter time with an entirely different set of tires is not necessary any more and even a worn out tradition from earlier “more quaint” driving times , when vehicles were not as rugged or hardy. Think again. You never can be too safe when it comes to wintertime , wintertime driving safety . Many a motorist on a trip has never given a second chance to the overall reliability of his automobile or to packing a good coldweather parka and wintertime emergency kit to be packed away in his trunk. Its downright cold and frigid out there.
You may well have heard the click click click sound of studded snow tires emanating from a passing vehicle. Studded tires ones with tungsten , carbide or ceramic studs buried in the tyre treads perform well on packed snow or ice, almost as well as winter-time snow “chains” However due to the damage done to highways and roadways not all states allow the use of wintertime studs. At last count for the 2009 / 10 winter season fully 36 out of the 50 states allow these traction devices - within seasonal time of year , geographic with some provisos on modifications of the devices. Six states (Colorado, Kentucky, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Vermont, and Wyoming) allow virtually unrestricted use of studded tires on state roads and highways. Lastly there are seven states , mainly in warm southern climes, who distinctly prohibit their use. Think again if you are going to traverse the United States highway beltway system, from home in Northern or Edmonton Alberta escaping Jack Frost for a well earned Christmas break vacation in Florida or Texas, and driving safely over ice with studded tires. Take the time and expense to switch back to your all season or even summer set of radial tires yet you have nice discussion and highway traffic fine from a friendly state trooper just waiting there for you.
In terms of tire” studs” as mentioned earlier that due to their destructive affect on highways and roads many locales do not allow the use of studs or “studded wintertime tires” on their roadways. Note though that if allowed in your driving areas - that on both packed snow and ice these devices work very well at reducing stopping distances.
If its a simple matter of occasional tire chains for a one time trip for a skiing vacation to Calgary or for relatively light non demanding snow and icy road conditions then you might well consider the easier to set up , though offering less traction and gripping power , easier to set up and install tire chain varieties. For occasional use around the city, or one time use per through the Christmas and ice rut seasons of dead cold January , motorists and vehicle owners might well consider the advice of their trusted local garage mechanic and consider the early and prudent purchase of two or three strap-or-buckle on chains rather than full-circle type of tyre chains. Be prepared - do not wait to look around in the deep recesses of the trunk of your car - for chains when you are stuck in the snow.
Wintertime Dodge Ram Truck Winter Tires Studs Chains Fort McMurray and Wpg Used Auto Info
Tags: auto, automotive, bodyshop, budget, Cars, cellphone, dealer, garage, Insurance, maintenance, safety, snowtire, tires, winter, women