 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
In a few weeks I'll be driving from the South of France, via Switzerland, Liechtenstein and into Austria. Then into Munich in Germany a week later.
I've been on to viamichelin so I know that about 700km of the 800km journey is on motorways. Has anyone been on these roads in early Feb? I'm hiring a car and getting one with snow tyres is proving difficult and expensive. So I'm thinking just go with regular tyres and rent snow chains so I comply with the law and just in case we come across anything too snowy. In Austria we're only driving up to about 600m - and most of the rest of the drive is going to be on major roads through valleys (I guess).
Am I worrying too much about needing snow tyres???
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Snow Tyres are great and make driving in snow much easier!!! I would look at the forecast before you go and make that decision although if your on main roads etc. I'm sure the chains would do the job, they are just a hassle and i'd have a go at fitting them before its actually requrired!!!!!
Have a good trip
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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?
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Thanks - I'd love snow tyres but on a one way rental it's difficult and very costly.
Snowchains are 35 euros for the entire rental. Snow tyres 175 euros. I'm having trouble finding a company who'll let me have them on a one way rental without charging another 200 euros in addition to the 175! Neither Hertz nor Europecar will even quote me.
I'm looking for reassurance really that a set of snow chains is sufficient - as in I probably won't need anything and if it gets bad I'll have to figure the chains out!
Anyone?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'd guess that most folk driving from the UK to the Alps will be on their normal tyres + carry chains (hopefully). I did for many years before I discovered winter tyres and had to use the chains only a couple of times. So my answer would be yes you will probably be OK as far as the actual travel is concerned, but check that winter tyres are not a legal requirement in some Countries on your itinerary?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Winter tires will make a significant difference if the weather turns bad. There may, at least in Austria, also be insurance issues - as well as legal ones- if you are involved in an accident without winter tires in snowy conditions - although getting precise information on this is tricky, worth checking if you can. Might it snow in February in Austria even below 600m, quite possibly. Might this cause problems on motorways, again quite possibly at least whilst it is snowing and unitl they have had a chance to clear the motorway. Snow chains will work best if the snow is heavy and settled, but you can't travel at any speed on them. So, tricky. All things being equal I would go for the tires. Can't quite see why they are trying to charge an extra 200 though?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It's the one way-ness of my journey. I'm picking the hire car up in France and dropping off in Germany.
Dropping the car off in another country attracts a one way drop off fee. Having snow tyres fitted also attracts it's own one way fee hence the additional costs. I'm locked into travelling from Grenoble train station to Kitzbuhel so a hire car is my only option.
I'm down to a special request with Avis - if they say no winter tyres or yes but at a large cost - chains it will be!
Anyone driven through France into Austria via Switzerland?
I'd love snow tyres but I'm running out of options! Fair comment about other brits - most must be on regular tyres and carrying chains so it can't be too bad?
As far as the law goes, Austria is the most strict with tyres but even then according to the AA's advice on Austria 'vehicles must either be fitted with winter tyres or carry snow chains between 1 Nov and 15 April'. So it looks like chains will meet the min requirements.
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So it looks like chains will meet the min requirements.
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I guess so as long as you don't have an accident driving in the snow or ice at a point when you haven't fitted your snow chains...
Anyway hope you have a safe journey!
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Winter tyres are basically the law in Austria.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Flippin' BA!  My plans are now all changed!
I can't fly back with BA from Munich unless I fly out with them too. So even though I'm happy to pay for two empty seats our bums must be in them or we can't fly back! So I don't need a one way rental from Grenoble as my free train trip is a no-go.
So - it now looks like I'm picking up and dropping my car back from Munich so snow tyres are a bit easier to get.
I've also asked around a bit more and yes, whilst it isn't strictly the letter of the law, you are likely to be pulled over in Austria in the winter if you don't have winter tyres.
Now - any advice on rentals from Munich airport????
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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My ticket was purchased in the flight sale and I'm told totally inflexible - no refund no one way.......
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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.
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| Quote: |
I've also asked around a bit more and yes, whilst it isn't strictly the letter of the law, you are likely to be pulled over in Austria in the winter if you don't have winter tyres.
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Really? How are they going to spot they aren't snow tyres, you have to look pretty closely to see. I have driven thousands of km in Austra, France, Italy and Switzerland in winter, sometimes with snow tyres, sometimes without (usualy the case if in a British car), and not once has anyone ever paid the slightest attention to my tyres. Given the option I would use snow tyres, and I would carry chains either way, but it's not something to worry about unless you live there or are spending a lot of time driving up in to or around resorts. Plenty or high alpine roads require chains or studded tyres and in theory you will get in trouble if not equipped, I have never seen anywhere mandate snow tryes.
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sah, but they would be checked in Austria/Germany if you had an accident
I purchased Winter Tyres for our car in November and they make a huge differnece in the slippy stuff we've had for the last few weeks.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Boris wrote: |
sah, but they would be checked in Austria/Germany if you had an accident
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Well, I'm not sure about that either, I have never seen any advice (e.g. from the AA) saying that snow tyres were mandatory in the Alps. In fact, for a visitor the advice is that they are not compulsory - http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/snow-chains-winter-tyres.html
Don't get me wrong, they are a very good idea if you regularly drive in snow and I'm sure they are great on wet roads too, but I have never had any legal problems with normal tyres plus chains. Sure, there are times I've put chains on when I reckon winter tyres would have been fine (e.g. this week, on my road in the SE of England! ). The AA site above links to a UK supplier here: http://www.mytyres.co.uk/Steel_wheels.html which might be of interest if you do want to invest. I'm going to get a quote, it's a tempting idea after the week we've just had and I'd be happier driving in the alps with them on.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Farry, Stop worrying, just get on with it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
I have never had any legal problems with normal tyres plus chains
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Fair enough, but I wonder about this scenario. You are driving along the road and it starts snowing. Not enough to suggest you should put on snow chains. In fact you would risk damage to the chains and possibly your car if you did so. You keep going. But you don't have winter tires on. However as you drive the conditions get worse, but people are still driving at 60 plus kph - far too fast to consider snow chains. You press on. You don't have time to put on chains before you slide into another vehicle. There is an accident. It is your fault. The Austrian police investigate. You didn't have winter tires fitted. You didn't have snow chains fitted - they were in the boot. In this circumstance, I think you would potentially be liable to up to E5000 fine and I am not sure whether your insurance would cover you.
As far as I can tell it is not a straightforward situation and the advice is unclear. But the type of scenario above is perfectly likely in Austria in winter. How much of a risk you think this is? Well that's up to you. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
Not enough to suggest you should put on snow chains. In fact you would risk damage to the chains and possibly your car if you did so. You keep going. But you don't have winter tires on. However as you drive the conditions get worse, but people are still driving at 60 plus kph
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Yes, this is not an unlikely scenario. I hit a similar one going into geneva airport this week. the A40 had a fair bit of snow on - ploughs up and down, but it's a motorway, and pretty flat, and there would be no question of chains - speeds too high, for a start. Then coming out of the airport there was a lot more snow on the ground, getting out from the airport to the motorway to come back. Again, no question of chains, but the roads were exceptionally slippery and it was busy urban driving. I was very glad I had four snow tyres on the car - gave me a lot of confidence. I also liked the idea that quite a few of the drivers around me probably had snow tyres too.
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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?
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Are snow tyres and winter tyres the same thing as far as car rental companies are concerned? I've had a good quote from Hertz with snow tyres.
I know winter tyres have the mountain symbol and snow tyres M&S for mud and snow?
I'm confused!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Are snow tyres and winter tyres the same thing as far as car rental companies are concerned? I've had a good quote from Hertz with snow tyres.
I know winter tyres have the mountain symbol and snow tyres M&S for mud and snow?
I'm confused!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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sah, the link to the AA has the caveat
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notes
(1) - Winter tyres are compulsory for residents (and for visitors not using snow chains) from 1 November to 15 April and if roads have a covering of snow, slush or ice outside these dates |
So if you have a slide on black ice and crash without winter tyres or chains (and you won't have fitted those on tarmac) you will be at fault
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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And winter tyres are easy to tell they have a mountain with snowflake symbol on them (or just a snowflake symbol).
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| nozawaonsen wrote: |
The Austrian police investigate... I think you would potentially be liable to up to E5000 fine As far as I can tell it is not a straightforward situation and the advice is unclear... |
All the more reason to avoid Austria
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| Boris wrote: |
| I purchased Winter Tyres for our car in November and they make a huge differnece in the slippy stuff we've had for the last few weeks. |
Last season I was on winter tyres and could drive up / down to resort in any amount of snow I wanted without chains (obviously was on the hill when it was puking it)
At home last week on summer tyres (same car) I couldn't even pull out of a car parking space on the flat with about 2cm of compressed snow underfoot - the car just would go no where.
Winter tyres are MASSIVELY better than summer tyres for grip in snowy conditions. Not all summer tyres are equal, the ones on my motor are criminally hopeless...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Farry,
I think you'll need to use winter tires on your trip,since they are mandatory at Austria and Germany. And, yes, they do a big difference, when you are at an ice road.
Ive slide absolutely without control, midle way from Neustift and Stubai last Feb/2008 and got involved in a crash with a german car. The car owner just, came outside and realize that I was with Summer tires and became furious. He, just calm down after I toldt him that the car was rented from Hertz and, dispite the fact that I was several times said about my route and ask for some kind of "special equipment" or chains they never ever said about anything as winter tires or even chains. The Austrian police behave fantastily and doesn't cretae any kind of problem understading that the Hertz are "guilty". Sure, we had total assurance!!!
Thanks God, nobody hurts, but we lost one day of ski, hotel, etc. A lot of bureacracy, to get a new car, but this time with winter tires and I would say what a difference - from no control to total control!
Back to my country, I told it to my lawyer and, since I still have alot of documents and the contract we sue Hertz for neglet our security, also for refund our costs. One year later we win.
But, keep in mind If they ahd offer to us the winter tires, no doubt we're acepted.
Cheers
Eduardo
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FAQ
I book one-ways with them all the time with no regard to particular 'direction' .. sure it isnt just a matter of changing the 'country'?
