This could all be solved by putting salt on the roads like the rest of the country, for that one icy day. I'm sure the impact on the road conditions is probably about as harmful than using these tires (if not less), and everyone would benefit rather than just the person owning the tires.
Or everyone could install frickin lasers on their bumpers and frickin melt the ice as they drive along
Alright, Dr. Evil. I drove from DC to Blacksburg (about a four hour drive in good conditions) during a snow storm this week in my '96 Explorer. Saw at least 20 cars spin out and roughly 50 abandoned cars on the side of the road. Nonetheless, I cruised at around 60 the whole way without any sort of hiccup. Although a semi did almost crush me against a barrier.
Nope, I just wanted to say something that really gave nothing to the conversation. Thank you for your time.
It was appropriate and in keeping with long standing S2 unwritten rules to take a thread down a rabbit trail. And I support that.
Stop using it where? Not back east, you know where it actually snows. It does ruin cars, but most people just make a habit of taking their car to get washed ever couple of weeks or so. I lived in upstate NY for the past four years I saw not one car with studded tires. And using chains was against the law, at least they were in city. People seemed to manage. You just drive under control and give yourself enough space between you and the next car.
I'm guessing he meant the ruts that are in the lane caused by the studs/chains/normal wear and not the grooves that go across it.
This. I was driving up to Maine in a Nor'easter a couple years back, and every car I saw off the road was a car that flew past me going way too fast moments before. I drive a RWD car with no snow tires, and I'm out driving during almost every storm. I just go slow and I never lose control, even for a second. What pisses me off is the dicks who will get behind me and ride my ass. I usually pull over to let them pass, then wave as I drive by the ditch they've fallen into.
Modern studdless tires are so good (if you do not buy the cheap crappy stuff) - that generally it does not make much sense to purchase studded tires in a place like Oregon. A set of Nokian Hakkapeliitta R is close to unstoppable, the same can be said about the latest version of the Blizzaks - I have had no problems going up and down the west hills in the snow and ice driving a RWD old BMW with a set of Blizzaks WS-60 (the new version is supposed to be even better) - the only problem was trying to slalom around the stuck SUVs... Heck - for Portland weather a set of Nokian WRG2's is probably all you need - it provides excellent wet weather handling, long-mileage on dry roads and will get you almost anywhere in Portland even in the snow - both our Subarus have them as year-round tires - and we have never been stuck with them. If you ever had experienced driving in real snow/ice regions - it is clear that Portland drivers are usually clueless about driving - studded snow-tires are really not that important imho.
fixed. Oregon has many different climatic regions, and in about half the state people's lives truly depend on studs. For people living in Portland's mild, non-threatening environment to even have a vote in this would be preposterous.
You've also never heard of hills in RI. The highest point in your state is at the apex of the Newport Bridge.
Not really. In Portland, all you really need are a good set of all-weather (not all-season) tires like the WRG2. The vast majority of Oregon does not require studs as well..., definitely not half the population. The state's population is 3.6m, Portland itself, without Vancouver has 2m, so even if every other person in Oregon needed studded tires it would not be half, add the fact that 70% of the Oregon population lives in the Willamete valley add the Oregon coast - and frankly, the vast majority of the state does not require anything other than good all-weather tires with chains. For people that can not actually count would be as well.
A large portion of people who live on the warm side of the Mts. travel over here for business or pleasure. Anyone in the valley who can't stay home from work during a silver thaw, very few women and seniors can put on chains... See above. That makes 2 reasons you get no vote (see above). Maybe people in Portland shouldn't be allowed to own cars at all. There's ample public transportation to handle all their legitamate transportation needs. Taking 2 million cars off the roads would save a lot more than banning aluminum studs.
