Originally Posted By: Bluestream
This is the sort of "Corporate Kool-aid" we are being feed to get governments to enact Winter-tire manditory laws that will help tire makers. The Quebec law has they licking their chops to get more snow tire laws passed in NA to increase profits. All at the same time that Global warming has almost done away with snow (in my area anyway)
You haven't been around here, obviously. More of that white cr#p on the ground than I care to have, but it is what it is, and it will come every November and stick around until April.
I don't doubt that tire makers love legislation forcing winter tire use. At least initially, it will boost sales, but in the long run, over the life of a car, you would more or less go through the same number of sets of tires either way.
My own paraphrasing of the recent history of tires: Tires have evolved. ALl types. Ages ago, the standard tire on a car was summer bias ply. Many here probably weren't even around when that was the case. Ever seen one of those tires? No way they could ever handle winter. So the need for the old school snow tires came around. The only technology on those were big lugs and big voids, otherwise pretty much the same as the summer brethren of the era. Helped with snow, but did nothing for ice, unless studs were involved.
Then came radials. A game changer all around. Technology advanced, and all seasons were born. Compared to the offerings at that time, they probably fared just as decently as the snow tires of the time, and worked adequately the rest of the year. My oldest motoring memories being at the cusp of the tail end of the transition from bias ply to radial.
And lo, technology advances yet again. Purpose specific tires are developed, which play with rubber formulations and tread patterns, and thus is born the first of what we now call winter tires. The new technology allows these to surpass all seasons in winter conditions.
So sure, you survived just fine for years on all seasons. So did everyone else at the time. But the goal posts moved, technology advanced. They certainly aren't the best choice anymore for winter, but also not the worst choice.
Really no different than anything else. The old AMPS cell phones worked "fine" in its day. What, you don't use that any more? Why not, it worked fine back them? (Okay, I concede it isn't even offered anymore, but a few years back, it still was, and I bet the majority here didn't even use AMPS phones any more). I can say the same thing for just about anything where technology has moved forward. Oil, anyone?
I don't need winter tires to drive in the winter. But I choose them because the technology has advancede, they are not unreasonable in cost, and give me an additional edge that I wouldn't have without them. Over the life cycle of my vehicle, the only additional cost for me is the initial outlay for another set of wheels to facilitate the changeover.
