Using chains in California without a declared chain condition

I thought that chains weren't allowed. Or at least that's what Caltrans/ CHP says. I've certainly driven by there where the road was clear but there was tons of dirty snow off to the side. I'd imagine it gets really chaotic since there are no chain checkpoints and supposedly no good places to remove chains.
They have the signs up on 15 telling people to use chains in the mountains. It's studded tires we can't have.
 
They have the signs up on 15 telling people to use chains in the mountains. It's studded tires we can't have.

I thought he was talking about the Grapevine/Tejon Pass, although I could have misinterpreted and he meant closer to Santa Clarita.

Studs are allowed anywhere in California during specific times of the year, plus times the CHP Commissioner declares. It's in the same Vehicle Code section on chains and other "traction devices".

27454.

A tire on a vehicle upon a highway shall not have on its periphery any block, stud, flange, cleat, ridge, bead, or any other protuberance of metal or wood that projects beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire.​
This section does not apply to any of the following:​
(a) Tire traction devices of reasonable size used to prevent skidding when upon wet surfaces or when upon snow or ice.​
(b) Pneumatic tires that have embedded therein wire not to exceed 0.075 of an inch in diameter and that are constructed so that under no conditions will the percentage of metal in contact with the roadway exceed 5 percent of the total tire area in contact with the roadway, except that during the first 1,000 miles of use or operation of the tire, the metal in contact with the roadway may exceed 5 percent of the tire area in contact with the roadway, but shall in no event exceed 20 percent of the area.​
(c) Vehicles operated upon unimproved roadways when necessary in the construction or repair of highways.​
(d) Traction engines or tractors when operated under the conditions of a permit first obtained from the Department of Transportation.​
(e) (1) Pneumatic tires containing metal-type studs of tungsten carbide or other suitable material that are inserted or constructed so that under no condition will the number of studs or the percentage of metal in contact with the roadway exceed 3 percent of the total tire area in contact with the roadway, between November 1 and April 30 of each year. A vehicle may be equipped year-round with tires that have studs that retract pneumatically or mechanically when not in use, if the studs are retracted between May 1 and October 31 of each year. A tire on a vehicle shall not be worn to a point at which the studs protrude beyond the tire tread when retracted.​
(2) The commissioner, after consultation with the Department of Transportation, may extend the period during which the studded pneumatic tires may be used with studs deployed or inserted in areas of the state for the protection of the public because of adverse weather conditions.​
 
Yes, the I5 Grapevine. Chains were required over the pass near Gorman, but they hadn't taken them off while approaching the San Fernando Valley 25 miles later. These were obviously people who had never used chains before. 65MPH or more if you can believe it.
 
In a pinch I dropped the FWD tires in the minivan to where they had a good sidewall bulge… it was about 12 psi after I got home and measured. THAT WAS AMAZING in getting it home in heavy snow. I had stopped at the grocery during a heavy downfall, and while there a plow put a berm against it. a bunch of us were stuck and there was about 8” on the roads. I aired down and the van basically walked over and through the buildup. Drove home at regular snow speeds and it was fine. It was a good aid in a pinch.
 
Yes, the I5 Grapevine. Chains were required over the pass near Gorman, but they hadn't taken them off while approaching the San Fernando Valley 25 miles later. These were obviously people who had never used chains before. 65MPH or more if you can believe it.

Never heard of that. Caltrans has traditionally claimed that it would be impractical to declare chain conditions because there were no safe places to chain up or off and the sheer amount of traffic. The date on this flyer is around the last time I drove through. We spent a night in Castaic before heading further south.


operation-snowflake-flyer-20191224-a11y.pdf
 
When our roads were pure large irregular ruts of ice for close to a month I mounted studded tires to the rear of the Insight that I inherited with a car.

Despite only being a couple years old with minimal miles they barely made it through the season then the drivers side blew the sidewall.

Great traction though
 
Never heard of that. Caltrans has traditionally claimed that it would be impractical to declare chain conditions because there were no safe places to chain up or off and the sheer amount of traffic. The date on this flyer is around the last time I drove through. We spent a night in Castaic before heading further south.


operation-snowflake-flyer-20191224-a11y.pdf
My story was from quite a few years ago, before the current policy. Looks like Caltrans called it right. Drivers over the Grapevine simply can't handle snow, so they shut down the road now.
 
I wasn’t going to go this weekend, but it seems like it would have been pretty bad with traffic stopped I-80 and US-50 due to spinouts.



 
You are allowed to use chains at your discretion. But when you don't need them, you should turn off on a wide shoulder or side road or parking lot to remove them.

Last winter, at Mammoth, snow, and iced over, while there wasn't a chain control in Mammoth, people still chained up, especially after realizing the intersections were icy. The parking area buses weren't chained up, some got stuck at times.

Heck, I used chains in Vermont before in Killington.. since somewhere around Killington Rd, requires going up a short steep section, and a lot of vehicles were not getting up it, which I breezed through with chains on.
 
Never heard of that. Caltrans has traditionally claimed that it would be impractical to declare chain conditions because there were no safe places to chain up or off and the sheer amount of traffic. The date on this flyer is around the last time I drove through. We spent a night in Castaic before heading further south.


operation-snowflake-flyer-20191224-a11y.pdf
It's more sheer amount of traffic. It would require a detour to the Lebec rest area (Southbound) or highjack Lebec road and around Santa Clarita around the Pilot travel center.

Plus, people can't drive on the Grapevine/Tejon Pass when the road is dry to begin with.
 
Never heard of that. Caltrans has traditionally claimed that it would be impractical to declare chain conditions because there were no safe places to chain up or off and the sheer amount of traffic. The date on this flyer is around the last time I drove through. We spent a night in Castaic before heading further south.


operation-snowflake-flyer-20191224-a11y.pdf

This. They almost never declare chain conditions on the grapevine. It’s always straight to shutdown.
 
I guess Tahoe this weekend is going to be crazy. Probably won't go. This was a couple of days ago, but the road conditions report says it's still closed. This is where I ran into R2 conditions once and the road was bone dry. They just hadn't lifted the chain conditions, but still had an employee checking tires/chains. Fortunately I was in my Subie.

 
This. They almost never declare chain conditions on the grapevine. It’s always straight to shutdown.

Came across something a little bit in-between. CHP is only allowing traffic through via escort. I suppose what it might accomplish is that drivers will be driving steadily rather than too fast (and losing control) or too slow (and losing momentum). Also to guide drivers through any detours.

Parts of I-5 were closed because of snow during the early morning hours of Wednesday, Feb. 15, and CHP escorts began around 4 a.m. Northbound traffic was being diverted at Parker Road in Castaic. Southbound lanes were closed at Grapevine Road.​
 
Funny. We were in big bear 2 weeks ago an the roads were dry. But there were ppl driving around with cables and chains on...on the asphalt.
Desert people are different and the come up the hill and do all kinds of things.
I was in mammoth recently and didn't see anyone with chains. The roads were all plowed with some icy spots in shaded areas but busses and trucks didn't mind at all. Probably 4-6' of snow along the road.
 

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