Are
winter tyres worth the expense?
See the seven reasons to consider winter tyres on the TyreReviews
website. More
Winter tyres are not snow tyres
One of the most common reasons we hear winter tyres aren't needed
in the UK is because we don't get enough snow. Winter tyres
are designed to be more effective than regular tyres in any
temperature under 7C (44F) on any type of road. Cold weather
tyres are designed with a larger percentage of natural rubber
and silica in the compound which doesn't harden up as much as
synthetic rubber in cold conditions.
New law has just been passed in Germany
regarding winter tyres
Peter Garton posted a useful note on the V8BB. More
Are snow socks a low cost alternative
to winter tyres or snow chains? More
See a winter tyres update
from Chris Hunt Cooke. More
Further update. More
Updated: 14.12.10
Posted: 5.12.10
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With
the exceptional snow conditions that have hit the
UK and other European countries over the last week
or more, many drivers have thought of winter tyres
for more grip and safer driving in snow. In some
countries like Norway, Sweden and now Germany, fitting
winter tyres has been an annual requirement. In
a V8BB
posting from Peter Garton in Germany we hear that
German regulations now require winter tyres. But
are winter tyres worth the expense in the UK? |
| Chris
Hunt Cooke had pondered the question and found his
local tyre suppliers had seen their modest stocks
of winter tyres fly out of the door over the last
week with the exceptional snowfall in most parts
of the UK. Just by chance on Saturday lunchtime
the "Moneybox" programme on BBC Radio
4 included a short piece on winter tyres. You can
listen to the programme online using the BBC IPLAYER.
More |
Moneybox
on Radio 4, Saturday 4th December 2010
Chris Patience of the Automobile Association felt
winter tyres were a good idea in remote areas like
the moors in northern England and in remote areas
in Scotland as they are more effective in wet and
icy conditions. But one aspect that featured in
the programme was the question of insurance disclosure.
Malcolm Tarling of the Association of British Insurers
suggested the leading insurers regard winter tyres
as a good thing in winter conditions and whilst
disclosure might not be required, a sensible precaution
would be tell your motor insurer that winter tyres
were fitted. One problem over disclosure of fitting
winter tyres was included in the piece where an
insurance broker seemed to feel the insured motorist
needed to demonstrate the speed rating of the winter
tyre was correct for the car, but this was felt
to be a confusion. It did demonstrate the benefit
of placing your insurances through a broker who
is clued up on such matters! Another point from
the programme was "get winter tyres fitted
properly" and for that you will need a separate
set of winter wheels.
Reflecting on the programme, one issue over the
use of winter tyres in the UK is our road conditions
vary considerably during winter as our weather is
not consistently cold and snowy for lenghty periods
(other than exceptional years and in remote areas)
because conditions and temperatures can vary enormously
depending on the prevailing weather systems and
wind direction, frequently from the Atlantic. Presumably
wear rates on winter tyres are higher on dry roads
and in relatively warm winter conditons. Would one
then face tyre changes when faced with warmer conditions? |
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