Majority of Albertans NOT using Winter Tires

[codetrap]

http://globalnews.ca/news/1678714/ma...r-tires-study/

Forty-five per cent of Alberta drivers are riding on winter tires, according to a recent survey by The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada. That’s below the 51 per cent national average.

The association’s study also showed that 66 per cent of drivers not using winter tires believe all-seasons do the job during winter months.

[Mitsu3000gt]

That second line tells it all IMO. Most people I know think All Season means just that, and some tire shops tell them the same thing. Only way to get more people using them is make the mandatory IMO, which I would fully support. It's also shocking how many people think winter tires are just for acceleration, when it's stopping that matters the most. Even people who have winter tires, I mostly hear them brag about their ability to out-accelerate people, rather than stop in a reasonable amount of time.

[Aleks]

45% is higher than I thought. That's pretty good considering how many people drive trucks and SUVs around here.

[FraserB]

Winter tires are only part of the problem. You need to address people driving like morons in the winter if you want to really reduce crashes.

And yes, this does include people who are too scared to drive at a reasonable rate and slow everything down.

[killramos]

Yea considering the number of pickup trucks running ATs / MTs which have pretty good snow traction that seems like a pretty high number. Honestly pickups and heavy SUV's make up probable 20-30% of vehicles in alberta

I personally still use winters on my truck but I understand people who don't particularly for venturing off pavement. Alot of winter SUV tires have pretty insufficient tread depth for deep snow, mud, or gravel.

[FraserB]

I'd bet the number is closer to 85% on Beyond actually. Even counting all the trucks and SUVs.

[natty54]

[mazdavirgin]

I'm still amazed at how many people run partial winters on the cars/suvs. So many people have winters on the front and all seasons on the back

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
Even people who have winter tires, I mostly hear them brag about their ability to out-accelerate people, rather than stop in a reasonable amount of time.

This.

Everyone at work I've talked to about winter tires boils down to three categories it seems:

1) AWD people: I can get through the snow and off the line just fine, I don't need winter tires
2) Non-AWD people: I got stuck in snow and can't get out of my driveway so I bought winter tires now I can get going so much better but everyone else is driving so slow
3) People that can't think ahead: I really should get winter tires but I can't afford them now but I have all seasons so I'll be fine.

Never any discussion about stopping faster / being safer / preventing accidents.

[killramos]

Originally posted by mazdavirgin
I'm still amazed at how many people run partial winters on the cars/suvs. So many people have winters on the front and all seasons on the back

Yea thats loopy...

The incremental cost of dedicated sumemr winters vs all seasons is pretty marginal to. THe worse part is the rims.

I am surprised that insurance companies haven't jumped on this yet. "Snow rated tire usage discount".

I bet the rates of collisions are drastically different.

[r3ccOs]

The difference of even having any winter tire... even the cheapest vs.. a all season is tremendous

in fact with all the all-weather tires that are coming out since the origional Nokian WR... therre should be no reason why people aren't buying those instead of all seasons.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[BavarianBeast]

Originally posted by mazdavirgin
I'm still amazed at how many people run partial winters on the cars/suvs. So many people have winters on the front and all seasons on the back

How else are you supposed to drift your fwd car?

[Mibz]

It's a survey. I bet if you asked Albertans if they were running winter tires, a lot would think their all-seasons count and reply "Yes".

[syscal]

24 years of driving and many vehicles later and I've never had issues running all seasons, even in RWD vehicles.

The closest I've gotten to accidents is the retard doing 30 in his SUV with winter tires in an 80 zone when there is little or no snow on the actual pavement.

That, and Calgary's main roads are dry for most of the winter so

[msommers]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Tire and Rubber Association of Canada
Not really surprising that a powerful lobbyist group dedicated to making winter tires manditory to make profits for their clients published survey information to make it look like Albertians are not on winter tires


I run studded premium winter tires on my DD, but I don't on my truck... but the MT's I do have, have always been than sufficent for even the worst winter conditions. Last thing I need is the government telling me I need to purchase 2000$ worth of tires because Sally Suckerman down the street runs around on bald summer summers.

Who's spending $2000 on winter tires? 1% that's who!

[Sugarphreak]

...

[syscal]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


35" tires ain't cheap

Good ole dodge, if I put D rated tires on I'd crash from death wobble so I'm stuck with E-rated 33" winters and having to purchase shitty rims. All because some idiot thinks my 24 years of accident free winter driving isn't good enough to continue with all season tires.

All this from the same people that argue against playground zones.

[finboy]

My friends with trucks seem to be the most vocal about not needing winter tires "because 4x4"

[syscal]

Originally posted by finboy
My friends with trucks seem to be the most vocal about not needing winter tires "because 4x4"

Now, acknowledging the fact this doesn't agree with your opinion, have you considered that they might not actually need them? They might actually be speaking the truth?