Long story very short… it is time for snow tires on TurboSchlock.
The drive from Dragons Keep to my house is roughly ten miles, and takes about fifteen minutes. This evening it took forty-five. Mostly that was because all the traffic was driving sensibly (read: slowly) but part of the delay was because at every intersection where I’d been stopped by a light I had a really hard time getting moving again. I’m pretty good at driving a stick, and really good at nursing the traction-control system into smooth acceleration. The tires, however, were not so good. Traction would get lost at very low accelerations, low enough that I had to ride the clutch all the way to second gear. The torque while idling was enough to break the tires free in some patches.
I picked the route I did because there was only one hill (vs three for the freeway route), fewer lights than the State Street route, and the whole trip was on state highways that are high-priority roads for plows. Well, that one hill just about did me in. I’m not sure whether to credit my mad driving skillz or my fervent prayer, but I made it in spite of those tires just not finding purchase at any sort of reasonable acceleration. The folks behind me couldn’t have been pleased with my 5mph speed and constant within-lane weaving, but we all made it up the hill.
It’s been over an hour since I got home and I’m still shaky.
I don’t want to buy snow tires, but they would not be a bad idea at all. Not if I plan to be driving while snow is actually falling.
I may stay home tomorrow.
In related news, the National Weather Service has a warning up right now about this storm saying, and I quote:
DUE TO THE COLD ROAD SURFACES SNOW COULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THIS EVENINGS COMMUTE DESPITE STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES.
One to three inches? Really? I count EIGHT right now, and the storm is still on. There were at least six on the roads during the commute proper, and Sandra measured seven about ten minutes before I got home. Somebody at the local office for the National Weather Service needs to go outside with a stick and see how deep the stuff actually is.
They’re predicting snow through about 4am, which means we’re halfway through the storm. Maybe the five extra inches are supposed to blow away right there at the end.
You have my sympathies, sir. I took my Golf TDI out to the PG Post Office and got caught in the snow scramble. I have good tires for this weather, but I realized it’s not my driving that worries me, it’s the driving of others that has me white-knuckled. Add to that, State Street in PG is closed where it dips under the railroad bridge (being redesigned this year) so State Street is re-routed through downtown PG. What a mess. And shoveling to boot.
Don’t we love living on the shores and sandbars of old Lake Bonneville?
You have my sympathies, sir. I took my Golf TDI out to the PG Post Office and got caught in the snow scramble. I have good tires for this weather, but I realized it’s not my driving that worries me, it’s the driving of others that has me white-knuckled. Add to that, State Street in PG is closed where it dips under the railroad bridge (being redesigned this year) so State Street is re-routed through downtown PG. What a mess. And shoveling to boot.
Don’t we love living on the shores and sandbars of old Lake Bonneville?
I’m so very, very glad that I called in sick to the trip out there.
I’m so very, very glad that I called in sick to the trip out there.
Should I tell you that it’s T-shirt and shorts weather here in Southwest Florida? No? All right, then. Never mind.
Maybe I miss the change of seasons. I absolutely do not miss driving through that stuff, even in my 4WD.
Should I tell you that it’s T-shirt and shorts weather here in Southwest Florida? No? All right, then. Never mind.
Maybe I miss the change of seasons. I absolutely do not miss driving through that stuff, even in my 4WD.
Whew! Glad you made it okay. I don’t like to drive on snow, especially with the wrong car and the wrong tires, and I know what a white-knuckle-Thank-you-God-for-letting-me-survive-this experience it can be.
Whew! Glad you made it okay. I don’t like to drive on snow, especially with the wrong car and the wrong tires, and I know what a white-knuckle-Thank-you-God-for-letting-me-survive-this experience it can be.
Hello Howard, Currently I am sitting in the Air conditioning. It is 29c outside. There is narry a cloud in the sky and the sun is shining bright and hot. The roads are clear and dry and the drivers are just as insanely reckless as always. 🙂
Hello Howard, Currently I am sitting in the Air conditioning. It is 29c outside. There is narry a cloud in the sky and the sun is shining bright and hot. The roads are clear and dry and the drivers are just as insanely reckless as always. 🙂
It’s a good thing you have a sense of humor Howard. You can put things in such a way that it makes the rest of us laugh when we would really like to scream.
Ona
It’s a good thing you have a sense of humor Howard. You can put things in such a way that it makes the rest of us laugh when we would really like to scream.
Ona
NWS
Remember the NWS is usually at the airport which has the least amount of snow accumulation.
NWS
Remember the NWS is usually at the airport which has the least amount of snow accumulation.
Consider this:
Many people fall into the trap of considering snow tires an extra expense they wouldn’t have to have if it weren’t for that pesky winter. But consider: When your current tires wear out, you’re going to replace them anyway. Each time you fit your snow tires for three or four months, that’s wear that’s not going on your regular tires. Which means the regular tires last longer. Ultimately, you go through about the same number of tires per hundred thousand miles if you drive on snow tires in winter as if you drove on the same tires all year round. Granted, the snow tires wear slightly faster than a summer tire does. But they tend to cost a little less, too, and having separate summer and winter tires reduces the probability of getting in an accident due to adverse weather conditions in winter and in summer — because so-called “all-season” tires are compromise tires that don’t actually do anything well.
So yeah, it’ll mean spending some extra money now. But in the long run, it’ll work out about the same cost at worst, and probably save you money in repairs.
Fie on thee and thy pesky logic.
I can’t argue with either the “logic” or the “fie”-ing.
Sadly, I live in Michigan in a year that the State has decided that plow expenses should be cut. So my near-the-end of their life all-seasons should probably be replaced with snow tires sometime this week. Grk.
Consider this:
Many people fall into the trap of considering snow tires an extra expense they wouldn’t have to have if it weren’t for that pesky winter. But consider: When your current tires wear out, you’re going to replace them anyway. Each time you fit your snow tires for three or four months, that’s wear that’s not going on your regular tires. Which means the regular tires last longer. Ultimately, you go through about the same number of tires per hundred thousand miles if you drive on snow tires in winter as if you drove on the same tires all year round. Granted, the snow tires wear slightly faster than a summer tire does. But they tend to cost a little less, too, and having separate summer and winter tires reduces the probability of getting in an accident due to adverse weather conditions in winter and in summer — because so-called “all-season” tires are compromise tires that don’t actually do anything well.
So yeah, it’ll mean spending some extra money now. But in the long run, it’ll work out about the same cost at worst, and probably save you money in repairs.
Fie on thee and thy pesky logic.
I can’t argue with either the “logic” or the “fie”-ing.
Sadly, I live in Michigan in a year that the State has decided that plow expenses should be cut. So my near-the-end of their life all-seasons should probably be replaced with snow tires sometime this week. Grk.
Too bad they don’t still make a rear-wheel-drive beetle. On most cars, rear wheel drive stinks in the snow, but with the rear-engine Beetle, it was great. I owned a ’73 Beetle when I lived in Houghton, MI where it was COMMON (hardly worth mentioning, really) to get 12 to 16 inches of snow overnight, and I often passed not only other small cars, but sometimes 4WD vehicles that couldn’t make it up hills, but I could.
Proper snow tires are far superior in snow to all-seasons. Check out Blizzaks.
Too bad they don’t still make a rear-wheel-drive beetle. On most cars, rear wheel drive stinks in the snow, but with the rear-engine Beetle, it was great. I owned a ’73 Beetle when I lived in Houghton, MI where it was COMMON (hardly worth mentioning, really) to get 12 to 16 inches of snow overnight, and I often passed not only other small cars, but sometimes 4WD vehicles that couldn’t make it up hills, but I could.
Proper snow tires are far superior in snow to all-seasons. Check out Blizzaks.
For some reason both the weather service and women seem to be confused on what constitutes six inches.
Be careful what you say… Someone her might resemble that remark.
Ona
For some reason both the weather service and women seem to be confused on what constitutes six inches.
Be careful what you say… Someone her might resemble that remark.
Ona
My trick when I lived in NY, was to just buy snow tires instead of regular all-seasons and leave them on-year round. That way you’re not spending that much extra, and they’re already on your car when that unexpected storm shows up in October.
Worked for me. And believe me, driving a Ford Escort (and an automatic, at that) in 8+ inches isn’t fun. Then again, I did always manage to get home.
My trick when I lived in NY, was to just buy snow tires instead of regular all-seasons and leave them on-year round. That way you’re not spending that much extra, and they’re already on your car when that unexpected storm shows up in October.
Worked for me. And believe me, driving a Ford Escort (and an automatic, at that) in 8+ inches isn’t fun. Then again, I did always manage to get home.
Reminds me of that old song…..
Take these chains….
The UK is currently colder than it’s been for a long time… perhaps this year London will have more than the classic “Feb day when the M25 and everything inside locks up”
Reminds me of that old song…..
Take these chains….
The UK is currently colder than it’s been for a long time… perhaps this year London will have more than the classic “Feb day when the M25 and everything inside locks up”
Les Schwab has tire siping that helps in bad weather. I don’t know if the difference was big enough to help you make it up the hill. At the same time I believe chains while a nuisance to put on occasionally would be a much smaller investment and perhaps a good alternative to snow tires. Especially since weather that bad only occurs a few times every year in provo.
Les Schwab has tire siping that helps in bad weather. I don’t know if the difference was big enough to help you make it up the hill. At the same time I believe chains while a nuisance to put on occasionally would be a much smaller investment and perhaps a good alternative to snow tires. Especially since weather that bad only occurs a few times every year in provo.
False economys
By “snow tyres”, do you mean what I call “winter tyres” – designed for cool, wet, and icy conditions? Or do you mean “studded tyres”?
Either way, don’t look at it as spending money on the right tyres. Look at it as either saving Sandra from all those funeral expenses, or saving a fortune in co-pay charges for the A&E bill. (More accurately, deferring the the funeral expenses so the net present value is lower.)
P.S. You are allowed three guesses which side of the pond I come from 🙂
False economys
By “snow tyres”, do you mean what I call “winter tyres” – designed for cool, wet, and icy conditions? Or do you mean “studded tyres”?
Either way, don’t look at it as spending money on the right tyres. Look at it as either saving Sandra from all those funeral expenses, or saving a fortune in co-pay charges for the A&E bill. (More accurately, deferring the the funeral expenses so the net present value is lower.)
P.S. You are allowed three guesses which side of the pond I come from 🙂