Winter Is Here

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Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:07 pm

Well, we're getting our snow Sad

Winter time has arrived.

This year I decided to put 4 snow tires on my Jeep Wrangler. I figure with snow tires AND 4WD I can go through whatever Mother Nature throws at us. And not to worry--I'm not one one of those idiots who drives 70 miles an hour on snow-covered or icy roads because of 4WD. I figure if I am in 4WD, I should be going below the speed limit. For example, if the speed limit in the city is 30 mph and I'm in 4WD, I should be going around 20 mph. I don't know--that's my rule of thumb: Go below the speed limit if you need to be using 4WD.

So, for those other members here who have to deal with snow and all that stuff--do you use snow tires? Have 4WD or do you find your FWD or RWD suffices (or AWD)?

I've had Wranglers for going on 10 years and this is the first year I've used snow tires. I have a sneak suspicion this year is gonna be a tough winter at least where I am.

How are the rest of you set for winter driving? (to whose in Florida or other warm temperatures--I expect smart ass comments) Wink

Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:37 pm

I've got a set of winter tyres for the cold months, although they're not required in the Netherlands. Lots of people have an extra winter set. I'm in a front wheel drive by the way. Spikes are not allowed here, unlike some of the Scandinavian countries, like Finland.

Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:43 pm

We're allowed studded tires, but only through the winter months. Come spring time, they need to be taken off.

And FWD is way better than rear-wheel drive. I had a little convertible (Mercury Capri) in the early 90s that ran great in the snow with snow tires. My problem was anything over 12 inches of snow and I was screwed.

Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 11:24 pm

On the other hand: I've owned a couple of RWD's in the past, and they're much more fun to drive in icy conditions. Well, it was, until I missed an oncoming bus by a couple of inches on an unexpected icy part of the road. Must have been about 20 years ago, but I'll never forget that moment. Laughing

Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 11:32 pm

Did you crap your pants?

Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 11:39 pm

Almost. We were doing about 80 km/h each, it was almost a head-on. The road was frozen dry, except for this particular spot. I was on my way to work at 07:30 AM, I can tell you I was fully awake when I arrived. Laughing

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 4:40 am

Hi,
We are in an area the may or may not get snow. This year we have had some already. I have a Pathfinder and have Michelin LTX mud and snows on, and have found them to adequate for my requirements. (quite good in snow in my opinion)
As you know, all a poorly driven 4WD does is let you get stuck further and deeper, and many of the idiots around here forget that you can't stop any faster with a 4WD than you can with any other vehicle.
Regards.

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:19 am

thanks goodness for the southern hemisphere. ah, sunshine!

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:49 am

Dutch: Finland is NOT a Scandinavian country. Scandinavia+Finland. Wink

Anyway, I survived a blizzard that was not in my home country just last Tuesday and now it's just cold.

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:00 am

Fall flowers bring spring showers and winter woos bring up the rose. I made that up, did it sound right? Laughing

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:10 am

Aye............Snowing here at the moment and bloody Cold.......! Laughing

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

JumpinJayJay wrote:

thanks goodness for the southern hemisphere. ah, sunshine!

Love,

Everyone above 45 degrees North.

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 8:21 am

The UK has the lowest low temperatures on record for November. And the most widespread snow for nearly twenty years.

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 8:53 am

It hit -8C here (Eastern counties UK) last night.

We don't do snow well in the UK. Much above an inch of the stuff and everything grinds to a halt and the papers have "White hell as Arctic freeze grips Britain" headlines.

I do have a 4WD (Toyota Landcruiser) but my excuse is I live down a farm track and need it for towing horse boxes Smile

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 9:20 am

Before i came to the UK, they said it wouldn't snow much, so i didn't bother to put my winter tyres on. Of course, now it's unusually cold here for november, and there's snow. Rolling Eyes

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

sunshine wrote:

-8C

-8C = 17F

Cold? Seriously?

Master Baiter Joined: 20 Nov 2010 Posts: 241 Location: UK

We were -11 earlier this morning. It's cold for the UK but not cold and it embarrasses me the fuss people make (even considering the lack of general Winter preparation in this country - you don't even get salt/grit on most roads in most parts of the country any more).

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Dr. Steve Forum wrote:

It's cold for the UK but not cold

Very well, now I won't have to hunt down and kill you people in the UK.

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 9:48 am

E Sussex seaside resort here, so I didn't expect half an inch of <strike>global warming</strike> snow yesterday morning. The last forecast I had heard just suggested that East Kent might get some.
No problem for me. Forty years ago, I was used to driving on ungritted mountain roads in North Wales. Although I think that the narrower tyres of cars of the time were better in snow.

Master Baiter Joined: 20 Nov 2010 Posts: 241 Location: UK

And now our boiler is dead. Joy.

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 1:17 pm

JumpinJayJay wrote:

thanks goodness for the southern hemisphere. ah, sunshine!

Three days of torrential rain with more to follow, with summer officially just three days away.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Yastreb wrote:

with summer officially just three days away.

Wouldn't the Southern Hemispheres first day of summer correspond to the Northern Hemispheres first day of winter, Dec 21st this year. Or is your "official" first day of summer declared by a holiday or government decree.

Here in the States we sometimes declare "summer" as the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, is it something like that?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solstice

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 3:07 pm

It's unusually cold here for the time of year, but I haven't seen a flake of snow yet...
Snow's pretty, so I'd like some. On the other hand, I hope it stays away, no snow means better ice...

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 3:13 pm

we had 6" or 15 cm of snow and temperatures as low as -35 Celsius or close to - 40 Fahrenheit with a wind chill of 10-15 below that.
It's nice out now, -15 C and no wind, I might slowly become a Canadian after all Laughing

Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 8:54 pm

^^yikes. That's cold! Here in Syracuse we don't get that cold, but we do get the snow.

Six inches of snow is a nuisance, but nothing major. Thankfully our road crews are great. We had a snowstorm last year and 22 inches of snow got dumped on us overnight. The main roads were all plowed. Of course, one had to get out of their driveways and get to the main roads. Thank God for 4WD-Lo.

I don't mind the snow, but I hate the ice.