Originally Posted by bachman
I've been doing it wrong
Been here from MI since 1993 and getting away with a/s tires but I'll qualify that to minimal travel to ski country.
*In 1998 through 2005, I did some regular Winter Park commuting; 5000 miles per ski season for the adaptive ski program there arriving via Pontiac Fiero. Fiero vs Mountains, I hedged my bets with Blizzaks. If you ever want to test winter tires on squirrely mtn roads in the dead of winter with a rwd car and shortest wheel-base imaginable,
get counseling. They worked.
Since then and another rwd sport coupe, I found the Conti DWS Extreme Contact to be a very worthwhile A/S performer just shy of going winter specific. Great all year with some aggressive bite when called for.
That being the exception, we seem to get a handful of dicey days / nights through the few wintery months for in town or around the area commuting my wife and I contend with.... maybe 20 + days a month of those = mostly dry pavement. Her drive is one mile to work and mine is 4. I won't bother with special tires or extra wheels so A/S is working on the VW and Mazda (both awd) but I see the common sense in being smart and safe about it. Our situation is unique although in a good way.
On my neighborhood Facebook page it is same conversation before first snow, or if some people who just moved from sunbelt ask questions about winters:
1. You do not need it, just do not go out.
2. Be careful. It is all about smart driving.
3. It is only handful of really bas snow days.
4. etc.
Once first serious snow falls down, it is end of the world and neighborhood turns into absolute s...show which was easily avoidable.
As for AWD, On Friday when that snow turned into glass on roads during morning commute, I have not see one of numerous accidents being caused by people not being able to move forward.
But I guess, if you can avoid driving in snow at any time, maybe it makes sense.