Tires and snow

[faramir9]

Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
You can drive in winter, terrible conditions with an "all season" tire and likely have no problem. I have done it. Like others have said you can have good drivers, bad drivers, drivers with good tread, others with bald tread.

What it really boils down to is if you are looking for the "extra" margin when driving in winter conditions:

Winter Tires provide a better, safer, more stable handling driving experience than "all season" can when compared side by side. Its been proven over and over gain. If you are willing to pay the premium for this extra margin, then you have that option. I have been in enough situations to feel that for me winter tires are worth it. Others may not.


So much depends on the vehicle, how and when it is used, what kind of roads it's driven on, how well the roads are treated in your area, whether much late-night driving is required and whether you _have_ to get to work in foul weather.

Fer instance: A few years back, I bought Nokian Hakka Rsi's (forerunner of the R) for my Chevy (Malibu) Classic. I worked as a reporter for a local daily paper, part of my coverage area was in the hills of the Poconos and if news broke out up there I had to cover it, even at night. The difference in conditions between the foothills of the Poconos and near the top of the mountain---12 miles as the birds fly---can be stark.

I can't say there was a time when the Nokians clearly saved me from sliding off the road or having an accident, but they sure helped my peace of mind and confidence level---and top safe speed---as I rushed around the hills in the dark, in a rush for deadline. I considered it money well spent---and even then they were not cheap.

The next winter, I no longer worked at the paper and did not need to drive as much: certainly not as much at night or in the hills. I debated whether to put the Hakkas on again or sell them, as they still had good tread. Then a friend, who lives in the hills I mentioned, off a semi-back road, got a job in town that required her to work late and drive home uphill at night. Her boss was nice, but expected employees to show up for work as long as the place was open....plus she drove a Jetta VR6, not a great winter vehicle despite FWD and ABS. Powerful engine, tight suspension, etc.

I gave her the Nokians as a combined holiday/birthday gift. She reported the same thing I did: She did not think she ever would have literally crashed for lack of the Hakkas, but they helped a great deal---enough for an ordinary driver to notice---when the roads were slopped up and slick. Plus it eased her mind no end.

This winter I am content with my new Hankook H727s. They did great in the first two snow storms; I think TR test results and most driver reviews are correct: They are a very good winter tire, for an A/S. If I had more $$$ to spare I would have gotten winter tires, probably on their own steelies, but for now I am content.

If I get another job that requires travel w/out the option at night up in the hills, on roads that are not at the top of the priority list for plowing/treating....then I will find a way to afford snow tires again.

So, it all depends.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Bladecutter
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Or maybe we really don't need them even in climates where we get a lot of snow. THAT is enough said.


I'm curious, do you live and drive in a mostly city or country environment?

It's not like the vast majority of NH is as densely populated as NYC, so your conditions to drive in are probably better than another city, say Denver, or Chicago, when there's an equal amount of snow on the road in all three areas of the country.

Regardless if you feel like you don't need them on your car, when you drive, I would still feel safer on the road when I drive, if everyone had them on their cars.

The bulk of people driving on the roads, in metropolitan areas, are questionable in their driving ability. Throw in bad driving conditions, and you have a free for all. Having everyone driving around on good winter tires makes it safer for everyone.

My having winter tires on all three of the vehicles in our household doesn't make us better drivers in bad conditions. It just gives us a fighting chance of not getting involved in a bad situation on the road caused by someone else.

BC.


Ha. You think the rural back roads of a state are taken better care of than a big city?

No offense man but that right there is darn funny. Many of the roads I travel on don't get plowed until AFTER the storm is over and even then due to budget cuts the towns do a lousy job of it.

My driving is a mix of literally back woods roads, suburb type areas, and city. Just depends on where I am going.

If winter tires make you feel safe run them. I am not saying not to. I am simply responding to those who say you MUST run them and that All Season tires can not do well in the snow. That is just untrue.

I have lived here all my life and never run snow tires on any of my vehicles( since mid 80's ). My Dad used to back in the day( on rear of RWD sedans )but ever since the advent of radials and their improved compounds, treads, and winter performance our family has not run them. Just haven't needed them.

One set of tires is expensive enough never mind 2. A quality all season tire is more than adequate for most people IF they drive appropriately for the conditions at hand. IF they feel they need snow tires then by all means run them.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: faramir9

So much depends on the vehicle, how and when it is used, what kind of roads it's driven on, how well the roads are treated in your area, whether much late-night driving is required and whether you _have_ to get to work in foul weather.

Fer instance: A few years back, I bought Nokian Hakka Rsi's (forerunner of the R) for my Chevy (Malibu) Classic. I worked as a reporter part of my coverage area was in the hills of the Poconosor a local daily paper, and if news broke out up there I had to cover it, even at night. The difference in conditions between the foothills of the Poconos and near the top of the mountain---12 miles as the birds fly---can be stark.

I can't say there was a time when the Nokians clearly saved me from sliding off the road or having an accident, but they sure helped my peace of mind and confidence level---and top safe speed---as I rushed around the hills in the dark, in a rush for deadline. I considered it money well spent---and even then they were not cheap.



DUDE! I have driven through the Pocono's during a snow storm and it is NOT fun at all. I can 100% sympathize with you. My family goes to VA a lot on vacation and then on the way back we go through PA to other spots. One section of the trip takes us through those mountains. There is a LONG stretch where there is NOTHING around but road, trees, and deer. God help you if you run out of gas, have an accident, need to use the bathroom bad( don't ask how I know

), etc... because there is just nothing for miles and miles and miles....

I made one such trip in the late fall with some of my friends shortly after graduating from high school. We had a 1980 Olds Cutlass with "marginal" tires. Got up into those mountains and it was almost a white out. Snowing so hard I had to shut the headlights off and just use the fog lights to see. Snow was building up on the road FAST and not a plow to be seen( or other cars ). Darn deer all over the road didn't help either. Now THAT was a day I would have gladly had some snow tires.

 

[Rand]

and yet again NEHemi proves my point..

since he hasnt used snow tires in 30 years he feels his all seasons are great.

its not about "I DONT NEED SNOWTIRES because I am great driver"

I could write a book but its most likely been posted here several times already so I'm going to drop this now.

you continue to miss the point and be disrespectful.

I am trying to keep this polite and respectful. please do the same.

Thank you.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Rand
and yet again NEHemi proves my point..

since he hasnt used snow tires in 30 years he feels his all seasons are great.

its not about "I DONT NEED SNOWTIRES because I am great driver"

I could write a book but its most likely been posted here several times already so I'm going to drop this now.

you continue to miss the point and be disrespectful.

I am trying to keep this polite and respectful. please do the same.

Thank you.



I beg your pardon but you haven't exactly been the picture of courtesy yourself in this thread. Now, I was not( and am not ) intending to come across disrespectful so I will apologize as clearly I must have. I hope you can do the same and chill out a bit because you are taking this way too seriously.

Question? Why would I run snow tires when I have no problems, of any type, with my all seasons during normal on road driving in bad weather? Just a simple question to you and not starting anything. Tell me why I should run snow tires even though I have no problems at all with the all seasons? I haven't run snow tires in my 30 years because I haven't needed them.

It doesn't make financial sense to me to run snow tires from Nov-March. Why should I pay all that money for another set of tires( and possibly rims )? Why should I go through the hassle of having to store the unused set and then swap them around or M&B them 2X's a year? If my regular set of tires handles any weather that comes my way with no troubles I don't see the need to get another set.

I don't see how that is me being disrespectful of you or anyone else? I also don't see what point I am missing? I am not saying snow tires aren't better( to a degree )nor am I telling anyone not to use them if they wish to. I simply stated I have never needed them in my decades of driving in NH winters which are pretty darn bad.

As respectuful as possible.

PS - understand that I have continually stressed you need to use "quality" all season tires. Not all tires are the same. There are plenty of all season tires out there that perform horribly in the snow and ice. I make sure the ones I run perform well in the snow. If the tires that come OE issue on the vehicle are poor snow performers they are repalced as soon after purchase as I can with tires that do well.

 

[Oil Changer]

In the winter, winter tires are the way to go.

In the winter, the worst winter tire is better than the best all-season.

Your 4X4 might help with accleration, but not stopping and turning.

How many times have we heard this? Well, it's true.

With winter tires on my Astro, I can BACK up a hill I can not drive forward up with my Toyo all-seasons. I can do S-turns on icy roads with winter tires that would put me in the ditch if I tried with the all-seasons.

The difference between all-seasons and winter tires in winter conditions is remarkable. I will never again drive without winter tires in the winter.

 

[Oil Changer]

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: Rand
and yet again NEHemi proves my point..

since he hasnt used snow tires in 30 years he feels his all seasons are great.

its not about "I DONT NEED SNOWTIRES because I am great driver"

I could write a book but its most likely been posted here several times already so I'm going to drop this now.

you continue to miss the point and be disrespectful.

I am trying to keep this polite and respectful. please do the same.

Thank you.



I beg your pardon but you haven't exactly been the picture of courtesy yourself in this thread. Now, I was not( and am not ) intending to come across disrespectful so I will apologize as clearly I must have. I hope you can do the same and chill out a bit because you are taking this way too seriously.

Question? Why would I run snow tires when I have no problems, of any type, with my all seasons during normal on road driving in bad weather? Just a simple question to you and not starting anything. Tell me why I should run snow tires even though I have no problems at all with the all seasons? I haven't run snow tires in my 30 years because I haven't needed them.
IT'S NOT THAT YOU HAVEN'T NEEDED THEM BUT RATHER YOU HAVE GOT BY WITHOUT THEM

It doesn't make financial sense to me to run snow tires from Nov-March. Why should I pay all that money for another set of tires( and possibly rims )? Why should I go through the hassle of having to store the unused set and then swap them around or M&B them 2X's a year? If my regular set of tires handles any weather that comes my way with no troubles I don't see the need to get another set.

IT DOES MAKE FINANCIAL SENSE BECAUSE YOUR ALL-SEASONS WILL LAST LONGER. BETTER YET, BUY DEDICATED SUMMER TIRES AND ENJOY THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. YOU DO NOT NEED NEW WHEELS BUT WOULD BE NICE. SWAPPING THE TIRES OFF THE SAME WHEELS IS NICE TOO. THE SWAP CAN RID THE RIM OF DIRT WHICH MAY BE CAUSING A SLOW LEAK, A DAMAGED WHEEL MIGHT BE SPOTTED, YOU'RE GETTING A ROTATION YOU SHOULD DO ANYWAY... HASSLE TO STORE TIRES? REALLY? YOU DON'T HAVE TO FEED THEM! CLEAN 'EM, DRY'EM, BAG 'EM, AND FORGET ABOUT 'EM UNTIL IT'S TIME. BELLE TIRE OFFERS THIS SERVICE FOR MINUTE AMOUNTS OF MONEY. IT'S REALLY NO BIG DEAL. SINCE YOU CAN NOT PREDICT THE WEATHER YOU MAY BE CAUGHT DRIVING IN, YOU CAN NOT PREDICT THAT YOU DO NOT NEED THEM.

I don't see how that is me being disrespectful of you or anyone else? I also don't see what point I am missing? I am not saying snow tires aren't better( to a degree )nor am I telling anyone not to use them if they wish to. I simply stated I have never needed them in my decades of driving in NH winters which are pretty darn bad.

As respectuful as possible.

PS - understand that I have continually stressed you need to use "quality" all season tires. Not all tires are the same. There are plenty of all season tires out there that perform horribly in the snow and ice. I make sure the ones I run perform well in the snow. If the tires that come OE issue on the vehicle are poor snow performers they are repalced as soon after purchase as I can with tires that do well.WOW. SOUNDS EXPENSIVE. SOUNDS LIKE A HASSLE TOO.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: volk06
I've never owned a pair of dedicated winter tires on any of my cars. A good all-season has always been ok for me. If its that bad out, I'll take the 4x4 truck.
Sounds like what I always say around these parts-it's not really winter until you see the first 4x4 SUV rolled in the median! Seriously, though, if you have decent NOT WIDE A/Ts, with enough weight on the drive axle, and drive like you have 1/2 a brain, you'll be fine-in snow. Now in an ice storm, in a hilly urban area, or with a driver who's not used to driving in bad weather (at least 85% of the drivers in Cincy)-different story!

 

[fdcg27]

You would think that everyone in this state would be used to driving in bad weather.
We get enough of it, although last winter was an exception.
An entertaining aspect of winter in this part of the state is that we see ice storms, which almost never happens in the north.
These are the couple of days each year when you either stay home until the roads get treated or you simply drive very carefully and slowly.
If the sleet falls while you're at work, as it often does, there is no choice.
Dedicated winters are very nice in bad conditions, but a driver with half a brain using all-seasons is probably safer than the clueless driver on dedicated winters.
The first snow of the season, like the one we had on 12/26 always brings a host of accidents caused not by tires, but by people forgetting how to drive in winter conditions.

 

[Tdbo]

To me it is really a geographical issue.

I drive 130 miles a day from the central part of the state to the western part of the state on a mix of 2 lane, 4 lane, and rural roads. I manage to do so on all season tires without issue.

The vehicles I have driven over the years for this commute have been FWD sedans or 2WD Ford Rangers. The only modification that I made to the Ranger was 4 bags of tube sand in the bed.

I have passed many 4WD SUV's in the ditch with much more aggressive tires than I had on my car. In my experience, much can be overcome with thoughtful, prudent driving technique.

Now, having also done the same commute the opposite direction into NE Ohio and the snow belt, I totally agree with Rand. I hit a geographical point on the road every day that if there was bad weather, you could just about double the intensity of the weather and the amount of the snow on the ground. During the years I did that drive, I had a 2WD Ranger, 4 bags of sand, and 2 good snow tires on the rear. More than once, I thought I was fortunate to make it home.

For my current commute, I can't in my mind justify the cost of dedicated rubber for my car for the 2-3x's a year I need it. I simply slow down and exercise extreme caution. However if I were headed up north again, I would have the best snow tires that I could afford.

 

[Rand]

The ice storms are really the best.

I remember one once when it was just starting.. was rain all over.

I'm driving down the road rwd truck. Simply taking my foot off the gas (engine decelleration with auto trans)

caused the rear end to swap on me at 25mph.

Everyone talks about the cost of winter tires but they are really quite cheap as you save wear on the all-seasons and
even the initial cost with rims was less than my insurance deductable 500$

I worked in the snow belt for 5 years with a ranger 4x4. I cant tell you how many people I passed that were stuck or gave rides to town, or pulled out with the winch.

I didnt have snow tires and it could be downright scary even in 4x4.. People pulling out in front of you and stopping to turn etc.

except in deep snow 6-8"+ I'd take any car with snowtires over a 4x4 part-time anything with all seasons

AWD is really nice but it doesnt help you brake for the idiots that pull out in front of you and stop to turn 50ft farther up.

I am quite passionate on the subject as I am certain they have saved me from other drivers at least several times a year... And I drive like 90year old grandma in traffic with snow.

I do agree misunderstanding can happen when you just typing on the internet.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
{quote=NHHEMI]
Question? Why would I run snow tires when I have no problems, of any type, with my all seasons during normal on road driving in bad weather? Just a simple question to you and not starting anything. Tell me why I should run snow tires even though I have no problems at all with the all seasons? I haven't run snow tires in my 30 years because I haven't needed them.IT'S NOT THAT YOU HAVEN'T NEEDED THEM BUT RATHER YOU HAVE GOT BY WITHOUT THEM


Seriously? I have just "got by without them" for 30 years worth of driving in NH winters? Wow.

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer

It doesn't make financial sense to me to run snow tires from Nov-March. Why should I pay all that money for another set of tires( and possibly rims )? Why should I go through the hassle of having to store the unused set and then swap them around or M&B them 2X's a year? If my regular set of tires handles any weather that comes my way with no troubles I don't see the need to get another set.

IT DOES MAKE FINANCIAL SENSE BECAUSE YOUR ALL-SEASONS WILL LAST LONGER. BETTER YET, BUY DEDICATED SUMMER TIRES AND ENJOY THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. YOU DO NOT NEED NEW WHEELS BUT WOULD BE NICE. SWAPPING THE TIRES OFF THE SAME WHEELS IS NICE TOO. THE SWAP CAN RID THE RIM OF DIRT WHICH MAY BE CAUSING A SLOW LEAK, A DAMAGED WHEEL MIGHT BE SPOTTED, YOU'RE GETTING A ROTATION YOU SHOULD DO ANYWAY... HASSLE TO STORE TIRES? REALLY? YOU DON'T HAVE TO FEED THEM! CLEAN 'EM, DRY'EM, BAG 'EM, AND FORGET ABOUT 'EM UNTIL IT'S TIME. BELLE TIRE OFFERS THIS SERVICE FOR MINUTE AMOUNTS OF MONEY. IT'S REALLY NO BIG DEAL. SINCE YOU CAN NOT PREDICT THE WEATHER YOU MAY BE CAUGHT DRIVING IN, YOU CAN NOT PREDICT THAT YOU DO NOT NEED THEM.


Again, with 30 some years of driving in NH winters I am not experienced enough to say I don't need snow tires? So buy rims and all these sets of tires or have a bunch of different tires M&B as needed on the OE rims makes more financial sense than just running one set of tires year round. Again, wow.

Originally Posted By: Oil Changer

PS - understand that I have continually stressed you need to use "quality" all season tires. Not all tires are the same. There are plenty of all season tires out there that perform horribly in the snow and ice. I make sure the ones I run perform well in the snow. If the tires that come OE issue on the vehicle are poor snow performers they are repalced as soon after purchase as I can with tires that do well.WOW. SOUNDS EXPENSIVE. SOUNDS LIKE A HASSLE TOO.


How is this more hassle or more expensive than what you propose above? I sell the OE tires and replace them with some good tires. I do it as soon after purchase as I can and thus I get a decent amount for the OE tires which offsets the ones I am buying to a large degree. Once it is done I am done with tires until they are worn out. No hassle and certainly less $$$ than multiple sets of tires.

 

[Ken2]

What is your snow like?

The myth of Eskimos having 400 words for snow* has a point discussing driving. I've lived in Wyoming where 0°F snow has sharp crystal structure that has good traction. I've lived in coastal Washington where the snow is just above freezing and as slick as snot on a doorknob. Even that Wyoming snow got really slick at intersections where many cars spinning wheels had polished it. Some of the snowy regions are mainly flat where the biggest hills are highway overpasses. Seattle, for example, has steep hills that when snow covered are really tough to drive--forget any all season tires. 6% or steeper mountain road grades with this near-freezing snow puts a lot of cars into the ditch.

Here's an example--my wife was driving our FWD car with four studded snows on a near-melting snow base highway when she saw a 4WD truck try to pass her. The next thing she saw in her mirror was this truck rolling over in the highway median. She was driving straight and steady about 50 mph. Another example--a friend's aunt was a doctor in upstate NY for many years, and another non-believer of real winter tires. She died when her car skidded off the snowy road.

So---it all depends on the type of snow, they type of terrain, the type of vehicle, the skill of the driver....and the skill of other drivers around you that you might have to dodge. I always put snowflake-on-mountain tires on our cars in the winter. The cost of the tires isn't much more than the insurance deductible, and the time the snows are on the car saves wear on the other tires.


*First, there is no Eskimo language. There are at least five groups of indigenous peoples with separate languages who are generally called Eskimos. And, there might be 15 words covering everything from snow flakes to lake ice.

 

[Quest]

folks living in sunshine valley or southern/prairies will never understand the challenges PNW drivers face, letting alone the weather situation here.

Those who throw in their blanket statement saying that they've been driving w/ all-seasons all their life must be either extremely blessed or extremely lucky.

I for one, been in PNW for a few decades and I have been a believer in snow tires for over 15 yrs, never go back to the wreckless driving in all-seasons anymore.

and yes: a set of snows definitely costs less than insurance deductable. Adding benefits such as better control and braking, less likely to get stuck, etc., then it's not difficult to see how they pay themselves off in relatively few winter seasons.

Wifey's Nordic are on their last legs (still got 40% threads left but rubber starts to harden after 5+yrs), I'm gonna take on her colleague's set of Pirelli snow (used) sometime this week ....

Q.

 

[rslifkin]

Personally, I'm an oddball when it comes to tire width for winter. I actually prefer wide tires in the snow, as they don't sink as badly in deeper snow (which means I can get through an extra inch or 2 of unplowed stuff before I start dragging the axles through it, at which point, if I stop, I'm probably gonna have to back up to get moving again), build a bigger/better wedge when braking in deep stuff (reduces stopping distance), grip better on hardpack and ice (more contact area to have more tread blocks and sipes in contact with the ground), and they break free more smoothly and controllably, rather than snapping loose violently.

The only downsides are a bit less drive traction in slush due to reduced contact pressure (although cornering traction in slush is fine, and braking is as well, as it'll build a slush wedge unless you've got super-aggressive ABS), and they tend to tram-line more when hitting slush piles on the highway.

Wide tires in the winter also tend to come with an unexpected benefit: my tracks are wide enough for other people to stay in them more easily, so they seem more inclined to follow (regardless of my speed), rather than trying to force their way past me at unreasonable speeds.

 

[rjundi]

My wife have both done 25 years on all-seasons (from marginal to superior in the winter) no accidents. Just common sense and winter driving is event free.

I did once own Blizzacks and yes incredible in winter conditions however in wet and dry(majority of winter) so not impressed I put up with careful driving. My current vehicles it is a $800-$1000 investment each for rims and winter tires. So not going to bother.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Ken2
What is your snow like?

The myth of Eskimos having 400 words for snow* has a point discussing driving. I've lived in Wyoming where 0°F snow has sharp crystal structure that has good traction. I've lived in coastal Washington where the snow is just above freezing and as slick as snot on a doorknob. Even that Wyoming snow got really slick at intersections where many cars spinning wheels had polished it. Some of the snowy regions are mainly flat where the biggest hills are highway overpasses. Seattle, for example, has steep hills that when snow covered are really tough to drive--forget any all season tires. 6% or steeper mountain road grades with this near-freezing snow puts a lot of cars into the ditch.

Here's an example--my wife was driving our FWD car with four studded snows on a near-melting snow base highway when she saw a 4WD truck try to pass her. The next thing she saw in her mirror was this truck rolling over in the highway median. She was driving straight and steady about 50 mph. Another example--a friend's aunt was a doctor in upstate NY for many years, and another non-believer of real winter tires. She died when her car skidded off the snowy road.

So---it all depends on the type of snow, they type of terrain, the type of vehicle, the skill of the driver....and the skill of other drivers around you that you might have to dodge. I always put snowflake-on-mountain tires on our cars in the winter. The cost of the tires isn't much more than the insurance deductible, and the time the snows are on the car saves wear on the other tires.


*First, there is no Eskimo language. There are at least five groups of indigenous peoples with separate languages who are generally called Eskimos. And, there might be 15 words covering everything from snow flakes to lake ice.


Even ice, when not wet or in the sun, has traction.

 

[Clevy]

I like the new breed of snow tire,with the grooves cut into them to create a bigger contact patch.
I've got a set of kuhmo's on my hemi right now and in 2wd they are a nightmare to say the least. They look like they would be great in the mud though.
I'm buying a cheap set of rubber that I can stud,since I've discovered a decent set of 4 snow tires is unattainable for under 1200 bucks but I can get these no name studable ones for 600 for all 4.
For me I am concerned about stopping,and turning,and of course being able to avoid those people who think they can exceed the speed limit on frozen roads and still stop at red lights.
Deals can be had out there but there are always trade offs. The tires I have now look like they would be great in the summer and mud,but once they are frozen they just don't stick.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Quest
folks living in sunshine valley or southern/prairies will never understand the challenges PNW drivers face, letting alone the weather situation here.

Those who throw in their blanket statement saying that they've been driving w/ all-seasons all their life must be either extremely blessed or extremely lucky.

I for one, been in PNW for a few decades and I have been a believer in snow tires for over 15 yrs, never go back to the wreckless driving in all-seasons anymore.

and yes: a set of snows definitely costs less than insurance deductable. Adding benefits such as better control and braking, less likely to get stuck, etc., then it's not difficult to see how they pay themselves off in relatively few winter seasons.

Wifey's Nordic are on their last legs (still got 40% threads left but rubber starts to harden after 5+yrs), I'm gonna take on her colleague's set of Pirelli snow (used) sometime this week ....

Q.


I think New England winters can hold their own against the PNW or any other place short of some really extreme climates.

As I have stated many times I just drive appropriately for the conditions. If any luck or divine blessings are involved it is that I haven't been hit by other drivers. You know, the ones with bald tires or even worse the ones who think because they have 4WD/AWD or snow tires they can still drive as if the ground was dry and bare. Those folks are far more dangerous and far more likely to need luck or divine blessings than I will.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Ken2
What is your snow like?


White, wet, and cold...

Seriously, it all depends. Sometimes it is dry and fluffy and other times it is very wet and heavy. Just depends on the storm. We also get sleet, freezing rain, and storms that mix precipitation types( the worst to drive in ).

Some storms it is an inch of powder other storms it is 2 feet of wet heavy stuff. A couple years back we had a massive freezing rain storm that covered everything in 2" of ice. That was a nightmare.