Studded tires in warm weather
- Thread starter y_p_w
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Originally Posted by y_p_w
Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
People in Oregon love their snow and studded tires. If you head over the passes often, they're great. However, if most of your driving is not through the mountains, it rarely freezes or snows. I grew up in the upper Midwest and hardly anyone had snow tires. In Oregon I laugh at how many do. I think it's April 1st they need to be removed. And temps above 40 are horrible for winter tires, I've read.
Might have been helpful with one of those once in a decade ice storms in Portland.
Strangely enough, hard ice is probably the only condition where studs help.
https://www.outsideonline.com/2359001/studded-tires-winter-car-prep
I said I haven't seen studs on a street car before. The only place I'd seen studs before was on an ice rink. I saw Disney on Ice where they were driving various cars on the ice, and of course ice resurfacing machines.
Studs were big in the bad old days here in Ohio, the late '70s-early '80s, when almost everything was RWD, 4WD was rare, if you didn't have snows, you didn't go (or got stuck)!
Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
People in Oregon love their snow and studded tires. If you head over the passes often, they're great. However, if most of your driving is not through the mountains, it rarely freezes or snows. I grew up in the upper Midwest and hardly anyone had snow tires. In Oregon I laugh at how many do. I think it's April 1st they need to be removed. And temps above 40 are horrible for winter tires, I've read.
Might have been helpful with one of those once in a decade ice storms in Portland.
Strangely enough, hard ice is probably the only condition where studs help.
https://www.outsideonline.com/2359001/studded-tires-winter-car-prep
I said I haven't seen studs on a street car before. The only place I'd seen studs before was on an ice rink. I saw Disney on Ice where they were driving various cars on the ice, and of course ice resurfacing machines.
Studs were big in the bad old days here in Ohio, the late '70s-early '80s, when almost everything was RWD, 4WD was rare, if you didn't have snows, you didn't go (or got stuck)!
Originally Posted by Lubener
Originally Posted by Nickdfresh
Stupid people driving on winter tires in warm weather...
He said the plates were from Oregon. You don't know where and before you make a stupid comment, know the facts.
They were being driven in the San Francisco Bay Area though. It seemed a bit odd, especially since it's been unseasonably warm around here. And not just (non "all weather") winter-rated tires but with studs installed.
I looked up the rules, and Oregon allows anywhere from Nov 1 to March 31. And one source says that a permit is required. The Oregon Dept of Transportation recommends against them because they damage roads.
Originally Posted by Nickdfresh
Stupid people driving on winter tires in warm weather...
He said the plates were from Oregon. You don't know where and before you make a stupid comment, know the facts.
They were being driven in the San Francisco Bay Area though. It seemed a bit odd, especially since it's been unseasonably warm around here. And not just (non "all weather") winter-rated tires but with studs installed.
I looked up the rules, and Oregon allows anywhere from Nov 1 to March 31. And one source says that a permit is required. The Oregon Dept of Transportation recommends against them because they damage roads.
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by Nickdfresh
Stupid people driving on winter tires in warm weather...
They had to go through mountain passes to get to California. They will do the same going back.
I can't find any road conditions indicating snow or chain conditions on I-5. Seems to be clear pretty much all the way to Portland. Doesn't mean there can't be any sudden change, but if I were driving to Portland I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe carry chains if I already had them.
https://www.tripcheck.com/DynamicReports/Report/Cameras/7
Oregon DOT has a weather warning at Sikyou Summit, but it currently says bare pavement with possible snow flurries.
https://www.tripcheck.com/DynamicReports/Report/RoadConditions
![[Linked Image]](https://www.tripcheck.com/roadcams/cams/I-5%20at%20Siskiyou%20Summit_pid2305.JPG "[Linked Image]")
Originally Posted by Nickdfresh
Stupid people driving on winter tires in warm weather...
They had to go through mountain passes to get to California. They will do the same going back.
I can't find any road conditions indicating snow or chain conditions on I-5. Seems to be clear pretty much all the way to Portland. Doesn't mean there can't be any sudden change, but if I were driving to Portland I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe carry chains if I already had them.
https://www.tripcheck.com/DynamicReports/Report/Cameras/7
Oregon DOT has a weather warning at Sikyou Summit, but it currently says bare pavement with possible snow flurries.
https://www.tripcheck.com/DynamicReports/Report/RoadConditions
Originally Posted by y_p_w
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by Nickdfresh
Stupid people driving on winter tires in warm weather...
They had to go through mountain passes to get to California. They will do the same going back.
I can't find any road conditions indicating snow or chain conditions on I-5. Seems to be clear pretty much all the way to Portland. Doesn't mean there can't be any sudden change, but if I were driving to Portland I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe carry chains if I already had them.
https://www.tripcheck.com/DynamicReports/Report/Cameras/7
Oregon DOT has a weather warning at Sikyou Summit, but it currently says bare pavement with possible snow flurries.
https://www.tripcheck.com/DynamicReports/Report/RoadConditions
We don't know when they came into California.
This is a whole lot of nothing.
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by Nickdfresh
Stupid people driving on winter tires in warm weather...
They had to go through mountain passes to get to California. They will do the same going back.
I can't find any road conditions indicating snow or chain conditions on I-5. Seems to be clear pretty much all the way to Portland. Doesn't mean there can't be any sudden change, but if I were driving to Portland I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe carry chains if I already had them.
https://www.tripcheck.com/DynamicReports/Report/Cameras/7
Oregon DOT has a weather warning at Sikyou Summit, but it currently says bare pavement with possible snow flurries.
https://www.tripcheck.com/DynamicReports/Report/RoadConditions
We don't know when they came into California.
This is a whole lot of nothing.
Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
Originally Posted by y_p_w
Originally Posted by spk2000
Sometimes it's a money driven event to drive on snows in summer. Can't afford to change them out but was glad to have them in the snow. Sometimes situations / jobs change and plans change too. Sometimes people just don't know better.
There are some snow tires that aren't too bad in summer. I had some Cooper Weathermaster that were great in rain and held up decent in summer so sometimes I ran them anyways. Had a set of Firestones that were great in snow but really sucked on dry pavement squirming everywhere with very poor handling.
I had another look at them. They were Federal Himalaya WS2 - made in Taiwan. I noticed them because they looked like a winter tire, then I noticed the studs.
![[Linked Image]](https://www.lesschwab.com/dw/image/v2/BCDC_PRD/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-les-master-catalog/default/dw4b6d7b95/images/ProductImages/36690498.png "[Linked Image]")
I figure it was probably a car that the owner took on ski trips, and then came down to California for the weekend. I've heard of performance winters being used between ski trips, but I'd never seen studs before.
Every day I walk here and there for groceries and such and half the cars going by with a "clickety clack" of studs. And there really isn't even "winter" in most of Oregon!
I am assuming you live in Oregon? They get nasty winter conditions every year. Portland is not Oregon. Try driving through any of the eastern part of the state without good tires or awd. The mountains get plenty of snow. Anyone who travels I-84 in the winter will know it is treacherous to say the least.
Originally Posted by y_p_w
Originally Posted by spk2000
Sometimes it's a money driven event to drive on snows in summer. Can't afford to change them out but was glad to have them in the snow. Sometimes situations / jobs change and plans change too. Sometimes people just don't know better.
There are some snow tires that aren't too bad in summer. I had some Cooper Weathermaster that were great in rain and held up decent in summer so sometimes I ran them anyways. Had a set of Firestones that were great in snow but really sucked on dry pavement squirming everywhere with very poor handling.
I had another look at them. They were Federal Himalaya WS2 - made in Taiwan. I noticed them because they looked like a winter tire, then I noticed the studs.
I figure it was probably a car that the owner took on ski trips, and then came down to California for the weekend. I've heard of performance winters being used between ski trips, but I'd never seen studs before.
Every day I walk here and there for groceries and such and half the cars going by with a "clickety clack" of studs. And there really isn't even "winter" in most of Oregon!
I am assuming you live in Oregon? They get nasty winter conditions every year. Portland is not Oregon. Try driving through any of the eastern part of the state without good tires or awd. The mountains get plenty of snow. Anyone who travels I-84 in the winter will know it is treacherous to say the least.
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
Originally Posted by y_p_w
Originally Posted by spk2000
Sometimes it's a money driven event to drive on snows in summer. Can't afford to change them out but was glad to have them in the snow. Sometimes situations / jobs change and plans change too. Sometimes people just don't know better.
There are some snow tires that aren't too bad in summer. I had some Cooper Weathermaster that were great in rain and held up decent in summer so sometimes I ran them anyways. Had a set of Firestones that were great in snow but really sucked on dry pavement squirming everywhere with very poor handling.
I had another look at them. They were Federal Himalaya WS2 - made in Taiwan. I noticed them because they looked like a winter tire, then I noticed the studs.
I figure it was probably a car that the owner took on ski trips, and then came down to California for the weekend. I've heard of performance winters being used between ski trips, but I'd never seen studs before.
Every day I walk here and there for groceries and such and half the cars going by with a "clickety clack" of studs. And there really isn't even "winter" in most of Oregon!
I am assuming you live in Oregon? They get nasty winter conditions every year. Portland is not Oregon. Try driving through any of the eastern part of the state without good tires or awd. The mountains get plenty of snow. Anyone who travels I-84 in the winter will know it is treacherous to say the least.
Yes, after decades in the monthlong snow covered roads of the upper Midwest. If you're regularly going through the mountains or whatever, yeah. But I work with people who maybe do it once or twice a winter and they drive on studs all winter long. My opinion, wasteful and damages roads unless you're driving I84 and mountain passes on a regular basis. Last winter I made it over the pass in Michelin All Seasons (not snow tires) in a front wheel drive while Jeeps and Subarus were clogged in the chain up area putting chains on. They had lifted the traction tire required about 30 minutes before I hit that area. Roads were better than January in MN after a few inches of snow. So, really, has more to do with perspective than need, in many cases. I also know people who live in the higher elevations and they get snow/ice quite regularly and given the lack of salt/plows it makes sense for them. But in the I5 corridor, if you rarely leave, you don't need studs or traction tires, unless you have a weird situation. This is why my next set might be trying one of those 55-65k all-weather tires with the 3-peak snowflake that's an all season and snow tire in one.
But yeah, potato potahto, opinion and perspective, people can make their own decisions. I drive all seasons and carry cables. I've driven the pass about 20 times in the last 4 years through snow just before and just after they required traction devices. I didn't think it was bad. But I grew up driving with all seasons in the smaller hills of MN with a car with an open diff, not limited slip. I'm sure it is sometimes and studs are helpful. Otherwise, barring an inch of ice, I think a plain snow tire would be just fine, especially paired with an AWD.
Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
Originally Posted by y_p_w
Originally Posted by spk2000
Sometimes it's a money driven event to drive on snows in summer. Can't afford to change them out but was glad to have them in the snow. Sometimes situations / jobs change and plans change too. Sometimes people just don't know better.
There are some snow tires that aren't too bad in summer. I had some Cooper Weathermaster that were great in rain and held up decent in summer so sometimes I ran them anyways. Had a set of Firestones that were great in snow but really sucked on dry pavement squirming everywhere with very poor handling.
I had another look at them. They were Federal Himalaya WS2 - made in Taiwan. I noticed them because they looked like a winter tire, then I noticed the studs.
I figure it was probably a car that the owner took on ski trips, and then came down to California for the weekend. I've heard of performance winters being used between ski trips, but I'd never seen studs before.
Every day I walk here and there for groceries and such and half the cars going by with a "clickety clack" of studs. And there really isn't even "winter" in most of Oregon!
I am assuming you live in Oregon? They get nasty winter conditions every year. Portland is not Oregon. Try driving through any of the eastern part of the state without good tires or awd. The mountains get plenty of snow. Anyone who travels I-84 in the winter will know it is treacherous to say the least.
Yes, after decades in the monthlong snow covered roads of the upper Midwest. If you're regularly going through the mountains or whatever, yeah. But I work with people who maybe do it once or twice a winter and they drive on studs all winter long. My opinion, wasteful and damages roads unless you're driving I84 and mountain passes on a regular basis. Last winter I made it over the pass in Michelin All Seasons (not snow tires) in a front wheel drive while Jeeps and Subarus were clogged in the chain up area putting chains on. They had lifted the traction tire required about 30 minutes before I hit that area. Roads were better than January in MN after a few inches of snow. So, really, has more to do with perspective than need, in many cases. I also know people who live in the higher elevations and they get snow/ice quite regularly and given the lack of salt/plows it makes sense for them. But in the I5 corridor, if you rarely leave, you don't need studs or traction tires, unless you have a weird situation. This is why my next set might be trying one of those 55-65k all-weather tires with the 3-peak snowflake that's an all season and snow tire in one.
But yeah, potato potahto, opinion and perspective, people can make their own decisions. I drive all seasons and carry cables. I've driven the pass about 20 times in the last 4 years through snow just before and just after they required traction devices. I didn't think it was bad. But I grew up driving with all seasons in the smaller hills of MN with a car with an open diff, not limited slip. I'm sure it is sometimes and studs are helpful. Otherwise, barring an inch of ice, I think a plain snow tire would be just fine, especially paired with an AWD.
Some years ago we took a family trip from Denver to L.A. via I-70 and some of Utah's national parks. It was early spring and the Colorado mountains were getting lots of snow. Rather than chance it on my all seasons I left the studded snows on for the trip knowing this was not optimal. The tires were about 30 to 40% worn and still fully studded. To make a long story short, upon our return over 50% of the studs were gone and tire tread was worthless. All sipping was gone and they looked like a worn summer tire with some rounded off metal knobs sticking out of them. They essentially melted away in a 3K mile trip..... an expensive lesson!
Yes it all depends. A decision to use studded tires may be based in prior experiences. The Siskyous Pass complex is a long trip with practically no services.
I like to err on the side of caution. I've been through the I-84 with icy conditions. I've been over Deadman's Pass during winter too. Both are treacherous. I've also traveled the two lane highways of eastern Oregon in winter where civilization is absent. The highway to Burns or down south to Jordan Valley. Going into a ditch in these places is not like going in the ditch in Salem for example.
In the end we don't know where these people are going or coming from. They made their decision. Who are we to question it?
I like to err on the side of caution. I've been through the I-84 with icy conditions. I've been over Deadman's Pass during winter too. Both are treacherous. I've also traveled the two lane highways of eastern Oregon in winter where civilization is absent. The highway to Burns or down south to Jordan Valley. Going into a ditch in these places is not like going in the ditch in Salem for example.
In the end we don't know where these people are going or coming from. They made their decision. Who are we to question it?
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