 Poster: A snowHead
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...in a 4x4 estate car with winter tyres tomorrow from BSM?
You'd think I would know this after nearly 12 years in Switzerland going to the French alps every winter but still.... I was checking the Savoie traffic info and they report:
"Les équipements spéciaux sont obligatoires sure le réseau routier d'altitude ("pneus neiges, aires de chainage activées)"
That comma suggests to me that you will be made to put chains on if you haven't got winter tyres but not if you have - is that a fair assumption? I will be trying the chains tonight anyway just in case!
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 6-01-12 15:12; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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eng_ch, Last weekend - everything had either snow tyres (not winter tyres) or chains - evem 4X4s. So yes-- I expect you will need to put them on.
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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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eng_ch, if you have snow tyres that are in good nick - ie with loads of tread - then in a 4 x 4 you'll probably be OK. If your snow tyres are a bit worn they might insist you put the chains on. good practice to do it once every 12 years, anyway. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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pam w, they're brand new. Well, they'll have had about 1000 km by the time I reach Bourg
ski, what do you mean by "snow tyres"? Studded ones?
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Fri 6-01-12 15:14; edited 1 time in total
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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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eng_ch, snow tyres are the ones with a snowflake symbol on. AFAIK all snow tyres are winter tyres but not all winter tyres are snow tyres.... clear as snow and mud, eh? You should be fine with your new snow tyres. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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pam w, ah, don't think I've ever seen a winter tyre without a snowflake on. Guess that's hardly surprising given where I live
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eng_ch, wot pam w, said
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Don't think there are any specific rules on this and will vary from local gendarmarie and conditions at the time - I had quite a few conversations about chains over the past week with various people - a lot will depend on the weather, last week snow was very wet and those with snow tyres / 4*4's just sailed through - then on Monday temps dropped and there was black ice underneath the snow that was laying on the road - I was coming back over the Col in my hire car so obviously had to put the chains on, but later chatting in the bar back in La Grave, Yvette who helps run the local Taxi Co span on the road coming down from the villages above LG had a nasty scare and you could say she's use to the conditions - but the locals were saying that there's always once or twice a year when chains are mandatory for any vehicle, and they will judge that for themselves rather than the local gendarmarie.
So hopefully you should be ok - that said been on to my daughter who is working in Tignes and all is shut again with more snow forecast, have fun. But all it takes is one stupid tourist (and the chances of that tomorrow are high) ahead of you to cause gridlock and even in the best equipped vehicle you'll still be fecked 
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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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My mate drove to St Sorlin D'Arves last weekend, Snow was bad, he was in a 4X4 without snow tyres and the gendarmes let him through after just asking was he in low ratio, all other 2 wheel drive cars were getting stoped and made to put chains on, so i suppose it depends on conditions, took him 2 hours to do 12 miles
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Timbobaggins, I'm in a Legacy estate hence no low ratio - but still AWD
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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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My brand new Avon ice touring winter tyres have just got me through the worse the Tyrol can throw at me without chains! So far I'm well chuffed.
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I drove to Les Arcs on 17 December when the road conditions were very bad (much the same as they have been today I guess, with overnight road closures, etc). Police were stopping all traffic on the Les Arcs road just past the SuperU in BSM, i.e. right at the bottom of the hill, and most cars were required to put chains on. The police checked that I had winter tyres and confirmed my car (Kia Sportage) was 4x4 and asked "was it good in snow?" - I said it was brilliant so he waved me through  Further up the road when the snow was getting very bad there were a few 4x4s putting on chains, including a Discovery, but I think that was a case of drivers being cautious rather than any police instruction.
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You know it makes sense.
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So, just tried putting a chain on. The good news is I managed it. The bad news is I don't want to have to! Double checked my winter tyres and they have not one but two snowflakes on them. Although I gather it's getting clearer at resort now. Still think travelling earlier rather than later is a good idea - would rather be stuck twiddling my thumbs in resort than in the Moutiers queue or stuck behind some numpty tourist on summers
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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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eng_ch, don't worry! You have a good vehicle, excellent tyres, you are used to driving in the mountains and you can put on snow chains. You're better prepared than 99% of the folk out there. this morning, when I was digging my path out, I heard a Belgian driver trying to rev his way out of a snowdrift. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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eng_ch, You'll be fine, I drove up the hill (to Vallandry) in several inches of snow the other day in 4x4 & snow tyres, easy, passing people chaining up all over the place who though they would make it without.
If anything going down is more disconcerting.
Just cleared 2 feet off the roof though... that was hard work!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I thought winter tyres had mountains on them, but to get a bone fide top notch winter tyre you had to have both a mountain and snowflake design on the tyre:
To whit as per my ones:
The Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D winter / snow radials meet the industry's severe snow service requirements and are branded with the mountain/snowflake -symbol.
More info here, this looks like Stateside in origin - I have no idea if our EU rules are different. This is similar to my question on the other thread i.e. If I have the above tyre fitted, are there some situations where I could be flagged over and made to also add chains even if at that point my good tyres are still coping?
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Fri 6-01-12 19:07; edited 1 time in total
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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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Megamum, I have the cheapest, Asian no-brand winter tyres I could find, and they can't be described as 'top notch'. They have the snowflake symbol on them (that's what the police were checking for when they were making some cars put chains on).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
They have the snowflake symbol on them (that's what the police were checking for when they were making some cars put chains on).
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rob@rar, That's the bit I'm looking for - so my snowflake could mean avoiding being told to fit the chains unless things got V. Bad - excellent  . I guess many brands of tyre have something that qualities for a snowflake - they would lose out on a market if they didn't
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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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I didn't know any of this snowflake code business.
ALL FOUR of my brand new wheel-boots have snowflake pictures on them.
In your FACE, snow chains!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Megamum, it was winter tyres plus AWD that got me past the police without having to put chains on. The police officer checked for both things.
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| Quote: |
If I have the above tyre fitted, are there some situations where I could be flagged over and made to also add chains even if at that point my good tyres are still coping?
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the answer remains the same - YES!!
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Driving up from Bourg to Ste Foy yesterday I had to put chains on our Meganne, despite having snow tyres. I had enough problems getting around the two bends just before Ste Foy without chains and there was no way I was getting up to the Ste Foy station without them...
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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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eng_ch, I came down from Val Thorens on Dec 30 ( 40cm snow that day) driving a Legacy estate with winter tyres and chains, following an Outback with no chains; he did have the odd slide but was fine taking it slowly, engine breaking; it was the local french that caused the hold ups, driving too fast, overtaking, and sliding into drifts. I would prefer chains going down, if I had to choose, even with AWD; better safe than sorry.
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To class as ok in europe triangle with a snowflake in it, still will be made to put chains on by the rossers if they think conditions require it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well after all that it was easy and rather fun - apart from following a couple of numpties who were so scared of the road and what snow there was on it (slush mostly) that they practically ground to a halt at every hairpin grrr. But a good car, AWD and winter tyres and I hardly noticed the snow
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