Why, why, why does anyone think that snow chains are any adequate substitution for snow tyres?
From Verres to Champoluc was variously chaotic.
Not really a lot of snow, but quite slippy.
No-one without snow tyres should have been allowed beyond Verres.
And there should be a winter driving test. Without which, etc.
Rant over .
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@under a new name, was about to post something similar. folks, please remember:
1. Chains - only usefull in deep (deep) snow. Use is very limited, slow speeds, need to know how to put them properly.
2. Summer tyres - in summer only, stupid to go to alpine regions in winter. Stupid and dangerious.
3. Winter tyres - work welll for 3-5 months ayear and you save your summer tyres. Work on snow, slush and ice.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
under a new name, Italians can't drive even on dry roads.
Even with winter tyres we had to chain up today in order to access side roads and carparks which were not well cleared.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
L_555 wrote:
Chaos here in Les Houches- just demented to not have snow tyres- Continental wintercontact for me!
+1
Should be mandatory
After all it is free
After all it is free
@sarah, can you tell me the model of your tyres pls and whether you drive these tyres in summer conditions?
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I love winter tyres. Here in Derbyshire the 3-4 inches of snow that fell last night has frozen solid. I've just driven up a 1 in 8 gradient with no sliding at all, bloody brilliant.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@queen bodecia, maybe you just know how to drive in those conditions
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Pity the studded tyres we used in Norway arent allowed in the rest of Europe.
Interestingly the car I have just drive from GVA to Montriond has a sticker in the windscreen that says "This vehicle is fitted with winter tyres - use of snow chains is forbidden." With 4x4 and snow tyres no problem at all in getting along the roads.
Technique - try to drive as smooth as possible with lots of anticipation; imagine there is a loose egg on the passenger seat and that flinging the car around will catapult it off the seat with messy consequences. No hard acceleration, braking or steering - take your time. Drive closer to the centre of the road - many people end up wandering too wide and end up in the ditch - I passed three vehicles like this in the 10km or so from Taninges to Les Gets.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
MontriondSkier wrote:
Technique...............Drive closer to the centre of the road - many people end up wandering too wide and end up in the ditch -
Or maybe the idiots, mainly Belgium who tended to drive in the centre of the road ended up forcing off many people into the ditch. Number of times today that a feckin idiot Belgium was way out in the middle of the road and I had to really drive in far to close to the edge to avoid the cock..........
Maybe this is what happened to this poor guy I came across!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
This is the second thread remarking on the inability of Belgian drivers to cope with snow. There must be a third one coming along soon.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
This video is very interesting. FWD and AWD Ford Kugas with summer and winter tyres. This might finally convince my wife that she needs winters on her Kuga!
This link has to be saved next time someone asks if winter tyres are good or must have.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
But irrespective of the merits of snow tyres, it must be asked if anyone really thinks that people from Belgium are "Belgiums".
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Thanks for this @Gaza,
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Don't get it myself either. I have winters on both my UK cars and when I hire a car I go Swiss side and pay extra for 'winter kit' which is winter tyres and chains. Never had to put the chains on....yet.....but better t be safe than sorry.
I think the reason people don't get them is because then don't realise how much of a difference it makes until it's too late
I got my first set of winter tyres fitted to my car in the UK a few years ago, as luck would have it just a few days before we got that large snowfall that lasted for more than a week and caused chaos (2010 I think?). Anyway I was amazed at the difference with winter tyres, whilst loads of cars had wheels spinning, unable to get traction ( and more importantly unable to steer or brake effectively), I had no problems at all. As I posted at the time, I felt like Mr Smug in Smugland...
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I just put my second set of Nokians on, the A3s. I run them all year as I am only doing a low mileage in them, they are a pretty good summer tyre too, and you can get them for £86. Pretty good reviews, I had no problems doing an Austrian season in them, last night they coped with 70 to 80 mph with light snow and slush on the road, but great grip in the deeper stuff on untreated parking areas.
@andy from embsay, what else would you call the people from that particular country? Their sovereign's title is King of the Belgiums:
Quote:
Belgians (Dutch: Belgen, French: Belges, German: Belgier) are the citizens and natives of the Kingdom of Belgium, a federal state in Western Europe
I have to admit that we have some fairly colourful epithets for them down my way (Oberbayern). As drivers they are a collective nightmare - so a "Murder of Belgiums" perhaps?
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Jonpim wrote:
@Gaza, brilliant video. Should be shown to every snowhead.
Note: in video they only put winter tyres on front (drive) wheels - i am advised that much better to have winter tyres on all 4 wheels.
4
Absolutely true. Hower, not sure AE would only do the test with winters on the front only.
Winters on the front are OK in the UK as long as don't try to drive at normal speeds in the snow. Not acceptable on snow covered roads in countries where you are expected to drive at higher speeds however.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Plus 1 for Nokian A3`s........ Plus 1 for Belgians being the most dangerous, reckless drivers overall on routes to the Alps. A French friend told me that the reason for their poor road skills was that prior to 1983, their driving test was very simple, or non existent; I can believe it, as the worst ones all seem to be over 50 in age. ( and in luxury merc/audi/bmws )
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Samerberg Sue, King of the Belgiums= a place not a race? We have the Queen of England..doesnt make us Englands.. or if you like Queen if Great Britain abd Northern Ireland doesn't make us Great Britains
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Well it's icemageddon round here this morning. Apparently it was -7º last night. I expect I'll be used as a taxi service today. There's one disadvantage of winter tyres...
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Gaza, another excellent informative video.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@holidayloverxx, not every country follows the English pattern of producing extra nouns you know! They call themselves Belgiums, I find it rather patronising of Brits to look down their noses at it.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Samerberg Sue, Not looking down upon it at all..I put a question mark as a point for consideration. I've never heard a Belgian person refer to themselves as Belgium, but perhaps you have known more than me and heard them refer to themselves as such.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I've never heard a Belgian person refer to themselves as Belgium
Me neither. I had a Belgian cousin and lived there myself for a bit. A francophone Belgian would surely say, 'je suis belge' and not 'je suis Belgique'.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Pedantica, I suppose it's a diverse country with diverse languages so plenty of scope for different ways of referring to themsleves
Fwiw Julies Caesar in his work "The Conquest of Gaul" refers to the Belgae, after they had been subdued the area became the Roman Provence of Gallia Belgica. No mention of their driving.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Pedantica, my francophone Belgian friend would certainly call himself "belge ". I used to get it wrong until he put me right.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Amazing, make a typo due to being a little "tired" and look what happens
Anyway Beglium or Belgian , no matter, I really did have my fill of them yesterday.
Mate is out in his VW T30 HiLine Transporter that is also 4WD with snow tyres and he can get up the steep hill* to our place (that I can't with snow tyres), he was even stopping on it last night, and then carrying on without any issues, git!
*couldn't even manage it a couple of hours ago, might let some air out of the tyres**
** that should get another debate going as to whether that is the done thing or not
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
I have a question. I drive a Jeep Wrangler fully customised for off road use mainly mud. It's a true 4x4 with 33 inch Mickey Thomson mud tyres with 4 high and 4 low gearing. Will I need winter tyres or will just chains be OK.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@cyberil, chains are only useful in a deep snow, they are not substitute to winter tyres!
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
