When is it time to put on the winter tires?

Well that's too bad. Thought icbc and moti had finally smartened up and made real winter tires mandatory, not the all season shit city folk choose to run up here on their casual weekends away, causing delays, injuries and, sadly, fatalities on a regular basis. One can hope that eventually this will be made law

Winter tires are not the magic bullet to cure bad drivers. Shitty drives are going to continue to cause all of the above even with mandated winter tires.

Minus 4 and frosty roads in Nanaimo at 7am yesterday. Glad I had the winter boots on the car for driving the twisty roads to the construction site in the hills a little SW of the city.

Here's what the province says:

Remember: If you plan to travel outside the Lower Mainland and southeastern Vancouver Island, winter tires are required on most highways.

http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/driving/traveller-information/seasonal/winter-driving/winter-tires-and-chains/winter-tire-and-chain-up-routes

Strangely, motorcycles are not required to have snow tires anywhere in BC.

So snow tires are not at this time mandatory everywhere in BC but something to be aware of is that a while ago snowtires became mandatory in Quebec and what happened that year is there was a run on snow tires which were suddenly in short supply all over Canada, I needed snow tires that year but fortunatley I got my Haks early that year]

So if you hear of a mandatory snow tire law coming in … better get yers Quick!

Winter tires are not the magic bullet to cure bad drivers. Shitty drives are going to continue to cause all of the above even with mandated winter tires.

This, problems are probably 10% tires 90% driving too fast.

when the weather is like this most of my yard is frozen 24/7 same with sections of the roads , I drive a couple blocks down the hill and it,s a different climate zone

So snow tires are not at this time mandatory everywhere in BC…

Did you read the linked article?

So snow tires are not at this time mandatory everywhere in BC but something to be aware of is that a while ago snowtires became mandatory in Quebec and what happened that year is there was a run on snow tires which were suddenly in short supply all over Canada, I needed snow tires that year but fortunatley I got my Haks early that year]

So if you hear of a mandatory snow tire law coming in … better get yers Quick!

I remember that year as well - Kal-tire had great pricing but already shipped everything back east in Sept. And I mean every winter tire. Counter guy actually said we dont have one winter tire let alone a set in Western Canada - Quebec got them all.

This, problems are probably 10% tires 90% driving too fast.

A good driver, driving "too fast" with performance winter tires isnt so bad, a stereotypical nsmb winter driver driving too fast in winter conditions with cheap get around winters is rhetardid.

Pirelli Sottozero 240 series II ftw. Those were eye opening tires, along with some white knuckling but sweet cheesus they were amazing up until the 50% mark. Then mileage suffered as you dropped psi for more traction. If you like automotive fun in the snow, I'd take any tire with it's tread design as they're a few.

Did you read the linked article?

yep, so all the roads in green do not need snow tires, so while they are a small minority of the roads in BC that is also where all the people live, if snowtires are made mandatory that would be one fuck of a lot of tires that need to be supplied

what did i miss?

A good driver, driving "too fast" with performance winter tires isnt so bad, a stereotypical nsmb winter driver driving too fast in winter conditions with cheap get around winters is rhetardid.

ummmm, which category do you fall in…I can't figure it out. Sounds like you're the typical "nsmb winter driver driving too fast" except you've sprung for some expensive tires which makes it all-right eh?

ummmm, which category do you fall in…I can't figure it out. Sounds like you're the typical "nsmb winter driver driving too fast" except you've sprung for some expensive tires which makes it all-right eh?

Not one listed. In between. I drive according to the conditions I see. If it's zero degrees out or nearing, I drop the psi from 40f/42r to 36 or less all around, leave the DSC on and dont even speed, or a night, dont approach the posted limits because I've both seen and experienced black ice. In fact, I lost a friend and coworker to black ice (she rolled her parents minivan on United).

Just because I sound like an armchair rally x driver doesnt mean I am. Also, just because I drive a turbo awd with mid range winter tires doesnt mean I'm an idiot. I love my car too much to damage it recklessly and also like the ability to drive and hold a license.

The Pirelli's were my first set of performance winters and I had the budget for them. They handled going up Nelson and Gilley in Burnaby in the snow admirably to the point where if alone and allowed, I'd feel comfortable trying to go up a snow covered Oxford in White Rock.

I opted for mid range winter tires this time b/c my passport was expired after the pirelli's were done (like Capt Picard bald). I needed winter tires and couldnt cross the border to save on tires. 1010 Tires in Richmond ftw. Removed and mounted tires/wheels in a half hour. I dont do all season even with awd.

All that being said, when the timing and conditions are right, I'll enjoy my car. Like late night in an empty parking lot b/c awd behaves nothing like a weighted 2wd truck in the snow (rwd = predictable). At least it didnt before I added fr/rr sway bars and a strut tower. I'm still waiting to see the difference in the snow since we havent any since I installed those parts and when dry the difference was easily noticeable and they're welcome additions to my daily driving as they've tightened up turning and emerg swerves.

Good discussion. I have an auto repair and tire business in Squamish. We are a new business and this is our first winter. In October I contacted the Squamish RCMP to get info re: winter tires. I was told that passenger vehicles should have winter rated (snowflake mountain/3PMS) with good tread (5/32+) for travel between Squamish/Whistler or M+S tires with chains. Even a 4wd truck would need to have chains/studs if it does not have a 3PMS tire.

Nov 1st the winter tire rush started and is continuing. People up here have been waiting for the temps to drop befor getting the winters put on.

So happy to be sharing the highways with some of you retreads

Thanksgiving to easter is a good rule of thumb. That said, I'm holding out this year. I'm going to wait and see if northern NV gets out of this drought. My snows are on their own rims, so it's no big deal to swap them myself if the need arises.

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