Winter Storm Warning for Calgary

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Sugarphreak]

...

[speedog]

Different year, but same old shit. All season tires - definitely not superior to winter tires as there's a multitude of studies that'll prove that. But the simple fact remains that probably 80% of the people out there in Calgary run on all seasons - that's what came with their vehicle and that's what they'll put back on them when the originals wear out.

Biggest problem is that most people just do not adjust to the conditions. They spin their tires needlessly whether AWD, FWD, RWD or 4WD and regardless of what type of tires they're running. They do not put their automatic equipped vehicles into neutral when the conditions warrant it and they don't turn off the traction control in situations that warrant that. They over drive - speeding on black or regular ice. They plow through deep snow without even once thinking about what may lie underneath like a 90 degree curb. They believe that ABS or pumping the brakes will save them from everything, They don't have a clue how to get out of a skid depending on the type of vehicle they're driving. And then there's the multitudes of AWD/4WD people out there that all of a sudden think they're invincible until the back end kicks out on them - I know because the wife's daily driver is a auto 4WD SUV and it is a handful when in A4WD or 4WD and it gets loose. For most people, when their AWD or 4WD start skidding - they might as well take their hands of the steering wheel and cover their eyes.

Really, the stupidity of drivers amazes me every time winter comes about and for the record, my daily driver is FWD with ESC, traction control and very good quality new all seasons on it. Haven't been stuck yet, haven't hit the ditch or a curb - drove over 300km plus in the city yesterday and another 200+ today with no issues. Have probably driven over 250,000 winter kilometers over the past 30+ years and not one winter time accident or hit the ditch incident and always on all seasons. Did stop several times yesterday to help out others who spun off into the ditch - some on summers, some on all season and even some on winters who were amazed that they were where they were. Drove up hills that people on winters were stuck on. In the end, driver skill and the ability of that driver to adjust to the road conditions is the biggest factor regardless of whether they've got winters on or not. Will not debate the winter tire issue as I agree that they are better, but for most drivers the type of tire they have underneath of them in the winter just isn't going to make a whole hill of beans difference as they never had the right driving skills or knowledge in the first place.

[5fivespeed]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


BECAUSE YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY PUMPED UP WITH LOTS OF ENERGY AND DRASTICALLY UNDERESTIMATED THE STOPPING DISTANCE FOR THE RED LIGHT!


I forgot how much fun caps locks can be!

Haha I read that exactly as cap-locks does it. I lol'd.

Ray

[VWEvo]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


I won't dispute that; a better equipped car (snow tires, AWD, TC, Stability control, yada yada) will always perform better than one that is not with the same driver.

My point is that inadequate driving skill and error accounts for essentially 100% of crashes... cars with all season tires don't crash themselves.

People need to drive within the limits of their tires.. and their car for that matter; be it an AWD Subaru with studded snow tires or a 69' mustang with summers.

The only thing I disagree with this is statment is the part where you say people have to drive within the limits of their tires. That means driving well under the posted speed limit, and actually being more of liability out there. Half the reason its taking so long to get anywhere is all these cars can't get up hills or are driving slow. In the mean time, all of the people with winter tires are forced to put up with this bullshit.

All my vehicles are equipped with winter tires, two of them studded, there is no comparison.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by VWEvo


...Half the reason its taking so long to get anywhere is all these cars can't get up hills or are driving slow. In the mean time, all of the people with winter tires are forced to put up with this bullshit.

those people drive me insane... but i bet if you gave them winters you would still be dealing with the same issues... like today, i am behind a car that can leave from a stand still with no wheel spin, stop without sliding... etc, etc... BUT they will not go over 20km/h even though the road is straight and there is no one for 400m in front of them... guess what? with that much room and a straight road and already moving 20km/h i could drive 120km/h and run into no issues with any tires on my car... yet there are lots of people with 0 confidence in their winter driving that just dont surpass 20km/h

[Unknown303]

While I don't have winter tires and never have I can really see the benefit of having them. You can only rely on the driver of a vehicle so much. I don't think that the average driver is really all that capable in damn near everyday driving conditions let alone snow. Winter tires at least allow these people to somewhat function in the winter.

[gretz]

Originally posted by VWEvo


The only thing I disagree with this is statment is the part where you say people have to drive within the limits of their tires.

You have to take into consideration that cars all behave differently... Just because your car can stop in 10feet and drive effortlessly at 100km/h on ice, doesn't mean Jow Shmoe's car on winters will behave identically... hence why some people drive slower (within the limits of their tires) > also, people's particular comfort levels play more of a role in the speed they travel, regardless of the tires

[ercchry]

Originally posted by Unknown303
While I don't have winter tires and never have I can really see the benefit of having them. You can only rely on the driver of a vehicle so much. I don't think that the average driver is really all that capable in damn near everyday driving conditions let alone snow. Winter tires at least allow these people to somewhat function in the winter.

how are you finding the BFG's? i get a little abs kickin in at some intersections... but 4hi combined with the manual trans i find myself using the engine to brake for the majority of my slowing down

[max_boost]

Originally posted by VWEvo


The only thing I disagree with this is statment is the part where you say people have to drive within the limits of their tires. That means driving well under the posted speed limit, and actually being more of liability out there. Half the reason its taking so long to get anywhere is all these cars can't get up hills or are driving slow. In the mean time, all of the people with winter tires are forced to put up with this bullshit.

All my vehicles are equipped with winter tires, two of them studded, there is no comparison.

Exactly. That shit is fucking annoying!

Given how shitty Calgary drivers are in the summer, shit becomes really bad in this weather, for a lot of people out there, winter tires will make a huge difference.

[Chester]

Originally posted by max_boost


Exactly. That shit is fucking annoying!

Given how shitty Calgary drivers are in the summer, shit becomes really bad in this weather, for a lot of people out there, winter tires will make a huge difference.

My parents moved to Canada in the 70's and I just convinced them to try winter tires for the first time last winter; lets just say my dad was shittin his pants over the night and day difference.

[FraserB]

How do you then account for the people who do have winters but still cant drive worth a fuck? Are they automatically a better and safer driver than me since they have winters and I don't?

I was beside a lady in a civic this morning, she had winters on it. I have big heavy mud terrain tires. When the light turns green she starts spinning and doesn't move for shit, oddly enough I was able to get going with no tire spin. At the next red she nails the brakes and goes into the intersection, my lane was stopped behind me at the stop line?

Same as the hill I have to go up everyday to school, every morning there will be at least 4 people stuck or spinning tires on it, for some reason I have never gotten stuck there once.

There are people with winter tires who are more of a problem than those with all seasons since they think they can drive like they always do and dont have to change driving habits.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[lilmira]

Though I don't argue with the benefit of using winter tires over all-season. I would prefer everyone to have some sort of mandatory winter driving lesson/education and then part of the test will be done in winter condition before they are fully licensed to drive. A lot of people out there simply have no clue.

[max_boost]

If it driver ability is so in question, then talk to the government or whoever is in charge to stiffen the requirements to get your license.

But until then, everyone will benefit from winter tires.

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


I don't have much confidence that if all Calgarians were equipped with snow tires the commutes would be any less worse.

Best thing I ever did for our car was fix the drivers; I took my wife with me to an ice racing/training course... before that she was a very timid and slow driver where if the car went into a skid she would let go of the steering wheel, scream and jam the brakes as hard as possible. Pretty much the exact kind of person people bitch about on here.

After she was able to handle the car confidently, learned the importance of modulating the throttle & breaking control and how to steer & position the tires on ice, also how to recover and regain control when breaking traction... it was a night and day improvement.

This would be the ideal thing for everyone to experience but in the end I still think that the winter tires are kind of the only bandaid that can really be applied in a wider area.

[projekz]

Originally posted by max_boost
If it driver ability is so in question, then talk to the government or whoever is in charge to stiffen the requirements to get your license.

But until then, everyone will benefit from winter tires.

This. It's way too easy to get a driver's license here anyways.

[Benny]

My drive up the QEII at about 5:30 this morning was probably one of the shittiest I've ever done, and I've done some shitty winter drives. Complete blizzard, couldn't see more than 50ft in front of me, drifts of snow on the road with ice underneath, a bunch of cars in the median or the ditch with no hazards on, semi trucks stopped in the middle of a lane for whatever reason.

Shit sucked, and I have to do it all again on Saturday morning.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by Benny
My drive up the QEII at about 5:30 this morning was probably one of the shittiest I've ever done, and I've done some shitty winter drives. Complete blizzard, couldn't see more than 50ft in front of me, drifts of snow on the road with ice underneath, a bunch of cars in the median or the ditch with no hazards on, semi trucks stopped in the middle of a lane for whatever reason.

Shit sucked, and I have to do it all again on Saturday morning.

1. Are you a good driver?
2. Did you have winter tires?

[jonnycat]

My tires are coming in tommorow, finally.

I'm putting Nitto Trail Grapplers on the Titan which will be fun in the deep snow, and some Falken Eurowinters for the Sti, which can do ice duty days.

Bought all from Kal Tire.

4 x 295/70R18 Nitto's $1598 Installed.

4 x 245/40R18 Falkens $1219.89 Installed