Buy snow tires, people! (Denver, Delta: home, cost of, store)

[dude_reino]

Originally Posted by MattieJensen

Instead of buying tires, why don't you stay off the streets until it is safe to drive. Makes more sense, than spending five hundred on tires. Go to Les Schwab and buy chains.

Even if you have "snow" tyres - you should not be driving the limit on covered streets.

Right, because completely halting your entire life every time it snows makes more sense than spending $500 (only every 3 or 4 years) on capable equipment.

[Snikt]

Originally Posted by dude_reino

But if you had snow tires, you wouldn't have to drive cautiously, that is the point. You just don't know because you've never used them.

That's BS, you act like snow tires make you invincible, you're worse than 4x4 or Subaru owners who think they can drive way beyond the conditions permit.

Do they help? Of course, most tests say about 30-50% reduction in braking/ better accelerating over normal all-season tires.

Does that mean you can do 60MPH up Berthoud pass when it's snowpacked and icy? Absolutely not.

[dude_reino]

Originally Posted by Snikt

That's BS, you act like snow tires make you invincible, you're worse than 4x4 or Subaru owners who think they can drive way beyond the conditions permit.

Do they help? Of course, most tests say about 30-50% reduction in braking/ better accelerating over normal all-season tires.

Does that mean you can do 60MPH up Berthoud pass when it's snowpacked and icy? Absolutely not.

The speed limit from Empire to Big Bend is 55. Then it goes to 45 and then 40 near the top.

PLEASE READ MY ORIGINAL POST. I didn't say they make you invincible. I said they make you CAPABLE of driving AT the posted speed limit, not 25 mph over it.

You are exaggerating my entire post.

[jambo101]

Living in the snow belt i use snow tires in the winter, they are designed to run in the cold weather and snow, usually i'm driving with quite a precious cargo of me the wife and two kids if snow tires can give me an edge in safety i'll use em with the rationale that when it comes to tires whats your life worth.
there are many videos on youtube showing side by side driving comparisons between winter tires vs all season tires,take a look if you think all seasons are up to the task of dealing with winter.

[Teckeeee]

A big issue for many, where to store them? Not everyone lives in a house or had an apt. with garage. I have always driven with all seasons with a bias towards snow and ice.

If I were staying I would buy this http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....el=Optimo+H727

CR best all season performing in ice/snow

[otterprods]

I have 2 Subarus. One had snow tires (arctic claw) on it and they worked well in the snow. The next year I left the 4-season tires on and they did just as well. Now the snow tires are up on shelf in the garage waiting to become my next set of 4-season tires. The other subaru is just 2 years old and has never had snow tires on it and does equally as well without them. It does have considerably more clearance so I'll use it if/when the snow is ever really deep. The tires make little difference at this point, but the difference between three season and four season tires was huge, which I learned the hard way right after moving here.

The moral? Snow tires may help in some cases but made no difference compared to good all weather tires. That's after testing them both out on my own car extensively over 2 different winters. And I live on the divide at 7200+ feet. It is a good idea to go slower in the snow/ice though and more importantly give yourself about 4x as much room to stop if needed.

[jambo101]

Heres one of many good articles on the issue.
Cheney: Fourteen reasons to ditch your all-season tires for the winter - The Globe and Mail

[Colorado^]

I tried our 04' Forester XT (manual) in the snow with the all seasons that came with it. No way, that was scary! The next day I put on winter force studded snow tires. Good winter tires break traction in a much more predictable manner.

But if you live in a major traffic area, it's a mute point to an extent as there is always someone with bald tires acting as a rolling road block.

I stole this of pinecam, but I think it relevant. (Pinecam.com • View topic - The Winter Driving Thread)

1. If you cannot drive more than 15 miles per hour in the snow, please stay at home and throw your car keys in a snowbank. Once the snowbank has melted enough for you to see your keys, you are allowed to drive again...maybe.

2. If you insist on driving a 2wd pickup truck up Vail pass, you more than likely have CA, NV, or UT plates. Please see advice in #1.

3. 285 is a 4 lane divided highway. Just because there is only one open lane and everyone is stuck behind the person doing 15 mph and afraid to pass, don't think for a minute that people who aren't afraid of driving in the snow won't jump into the other lane and pass everyone at 30 mph.

4. Hey person doing 15 mph, clear off your windows so you can see where you're going!

5. So, instead of buying new (or good used tires) for your vehicle, you insist on running your old bald ones and are now in the ditch/median/upside down and your towing bill alone will probably cost more than the tires. Good for you, genious!

6. If you from a place where there isn't a whole lot of snow (California and Texas come to mind) and you are not sure how to drive in the Colorado snow, please come back in August. You should be ok then.

7. The best thing to do to understand the limitations of your vehicle is to find a big open empty parking lot that hasn't been plowed yet and start playing around. Try to fishtail, cut some cookies, whip it into some 360's, slam on the brakes, etc etc.

8. Turning your hazards on only tells everyone else that you are a complete moron.

9. If you look in your mirror and there are cars backed up behind you as far as you can see, for the love of god, have some common courtesy for your fellow man and pull over to let them all pass. If you are too scared to touch the brakes when pulling over, see #1.

[Rogarven]

Are chain that popular in CO? When I lived in Dallas in the '70s, I had to used them quite a bit on I 35 and I 635 and Central Expressway. BTW, driving a rear drive Volvo at the time.

[Teckeeee]

Originally Posted by Rogarven

Are chain that popular in CO? When I lived in Dallas in the '70s, I had to used them quite a bit on I 35 and I 635 and Central Expressway. BTW, driving a rear drive Volvo at the time.

No, no one uses them except semi truck drivers and tourists. I have some, when I was a tourist, just in case, zig zag cables.