Winter Tyres .......
Scooby Regular
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 39,877
Likes: 0
Average max temps by month for the UK:
Oct 15
Nov 12
Dec 7
Jan 7
Feb 9
Mar 13
Remember these are average maximums for the UK as a whole, there will be regional differences and obviously most maximums are reached mid afternoon, most people are drivng early morning or early evening.
Oct 15
Nov 12
Dec 7
Jan 7
Feb 9
Mar 13
Remember these are average maximums for the UK as a whole, there will be regional differences and obviously most maximums are reached mid afternoon, most people are drivng early morning or early evening.
Scooby Regular
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 19,020
Likes: 0
From: Just beyond the limits of adhesion
For each average maximum there is a minimum....
Oct 6.9
Nov 3.8
Dec 1.6
Jan 1.3
Feb 1.1
Mar 2.6
As you say, most people travel at the beginning and end of the day when temps are at their lowest.
Oct 6.9
Nov 3.8
Dec 1.6
Jan 1.3
Feb 1.1
Mar 2.6
As you say, most people travel at the beginning and end of the day when temps are at their lowest.
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 25,565
Likes: 2
From: 1600cc's of twin scroll fun :)
Average max temps by month for the UK:
Oct 15
Nov 12
Dec 7
Jan 7
Feb 9
Mar 13
Remember these are average maximums for the UK as a whole, there will be regional differences and obviously most maximums are reached mid afternoon, most people are drivng early morning or early evening.
Oct 15
Nov 12
Dec 7
Jan 7
Feb 9
Mar 13
Remember these are average maximums for the UK as a whole, there will be regional differences and obviously most maximums are reached mid afternoon, most people are drivng early morning or early evening.
Scooby Regular
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 80,907
Likes: 0
From: God's promised land
Here's my opinion, for what it's worth 
Summer tyres, if they have 6mm+ trade left, are usually adequate for "winter" conditions.
But if it's sleeting or snowing, summer tyres are pretty crap, some worse than others. Winter tyres will almost always be better, especially if they're decent/recognised brands.
The UK has come too far to introduce legislation to make them mandatory. Insurance companies should be encouraged to give discounts for winter tyre usage between the dates it's a legal requirement in Germany.
Like most things that require extra cost, people will baulk, especially if it's a proposed new requirement. But unless you've driven a car with decent winter tyres, you'll never understand how irrelevant it is to try and pretend that summer tyres can do an adequate job in properly bad weather. They can't.
Summer tyres, if they have 6mm+ trade left, are usually adequate for "winter" conditions.
But if it's sleeting or snowing, summer tyres are pretty crap, some worse than others. Winter tyres will almost always be better, especially if they're decent/recognised brands.
The UK has come too far to introduce legislation to make them mandatory. Insurance companies should be encouraged to give discounts for winter tyre usage between the dates it's a legal requirement in Germany.
Like most things that require extra cost, people will baulk, especially if it's a proposed new requirement. But unless you've driven a car with decent winter tyres, you'll never understand how irrelevant it is to try and pretend that summer tyres can do an adequate job in properly bad weather. They can't.
Scooby Regular
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,249
Likes: 0
From: Scotland
Here's my opinion, for what it's worth
Summer tyres, if they have 6mm+ trade left, are usually adequate for "winter" conditions.
But if it's sleeting or snowing, summer tyres are pretty crap, some worse than others. Winter tyres will almost always be better, especially if they're decent/recognised brands.
The UK has come too far to introduce legislation to make them mandatory. Insurance companies should be encouraged to give discounts for winter tyre usage between the dates it's a legal requirement in Germany.
Like most things that require extra cost, people will baulk, especially if it's a proposed new requirement. But unless you've driven a car with decent winter tyres, you'll never understand how irrelevant it is to try and pretend that summer tyres can do an adequate job in properly bad weather. They can't.
Summer tyres, if they have 6mm+ trade left, are usually adequate for "winter" conditions.
But if it's sleeting or snowing, summer tyres are pretty crap, some worse than others. Winter tyres will almost always be better, especially if they're decent/recognised brands.
The UK has come too far to introduce legislation to make them mandatory. Insurance companies should be encouraged to give discounts for winter tyre usage between the dates it's a legal requirement in Germany.
Like most things that require extra cost, people will baulk, especially if it's a proposed new requirement. But unless you've driven a car with decent winter tyres, you'll never understand how irrelevant it is to try and pretend that summer tyres can do an adequate job in properly bad weather. They can't.
Scooby Regular
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 13,488
Likes: 0
From: Some country and western
14 degrees today on my way home. The car felt no different to how it did in -15, -5 or 0.
You guys with winter tyres who can tell how much difference they make in cold temps must have superior feel of a car's dynamics.
You guys with winter tyres who can tell how much difference they make in cold temps must have superior feel of a car's dynamics.
Last edited by davyboy; Jan 29, 2013 at 06:36 PM.
Scooby Regular
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,790
Likes: 0
From: manchester
The point is when you need them you will be able to feel the difference amd see it! You won't feel the difference between premium summer tyres and budget summer tyres until you start pushing... doesn't mean they're the same!
Scooby Regular
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,790
Likes: 0
From: manchester
Like I said, just pootle along in the snow, there's no rush unless you are Scott of the Antartic.
From a while ago:
Oh btw that was the thread where urban mocked me for suggesting the Impreza would be removed from sale in the UK .... seems I was right about that as well.
Scooby Regular
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,790
Likes: 0
From: manchester
Scooby Regular
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 80,907
Likes: 0
From: God's promised land
Trust me, and i really mean trust me on this, find and drive a car with winter tyres next time it's freezing cold and the roads are treacherous, then come back and belittle winter tyre users. You won't be back. Why are you being so dogmatic about something you know nothing about? Don't get it.
I just put snow in the search field and thicko in the tags field and your post came straight up
Pardon?
Trust me, and i really mean trust me on this, find and drive a car with winter tyres next time it's freezing cold and the roads are treacherous, then come back and belittle winter tyre users. You won't be back. Why are you being so dogmatic about something you know nothing about? Don't get it.
Trust me, and i really mean trust me on this, find and drive a car with winter tyres next time it's freezing cold and the roads are treacherous, then come back and belittle winter tyre users. You won't be back. Why are you being so dogmatic about something you know nothing about? Don't get it.
Scooby Regular
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,647
Likes: 22
Pardon?
Trust me, and i really mean trust me on this, find and drive a car with winter tyres next time it's freezing cold and the roads are treacherous, then come back and belittle winter tyre users. You won't be back. Why are you being so dogmatic about something you know nothing about? Don't get it.
Trust me, and i really mean trust me on this, find and drive a car with winter tyres next time it's freezing cold and the roads are treacherous, then come back and belittle winter tyre users. You won't be back. Why are you being so dogmatic about something you know nothing about? Don't get it.
Scooby Regular
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,790
Likes: 0
From: manchester
Pardon?
Trust me, and i really mean trust me on this, find and drive a car with winter tyres next time it's freezing cold and the roads are treacherous, then come back and belittle winter tyre users. You won't be back. Why are you being so dogmatic about something you know nothing about? Don't get it.
Trust me, and i really mean trust me on this, find and drive a car with winter tyres next time it's freezing cold and the roads are treacherous, then come back and belittle winter tyre users. You won't be back. Why are you being so dogmatic about something you know nothing about? Don't get it.
No, what I actually said was you won't feel the difference until you need them. For example when you need to make that emergency stop in a few less metres to avoid killing that child that runs out in the road in front of you... even you must see that as a good thing... maybe!
Scooby Regular
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 13,488
Likes: 0
From: Some country and western
OK. So you didn't say this.....
At 14 degrees summer tyres would have worked better today. As an advocate of safety I assume you changed yours back in case a child stepped out? Maybe not.
Listen, and I am repeating myself here, I don't doubt they are better in the snow, or to use Tel's definition - treacherous conditions, but for most UK users who do not need to drive in such conditions, they are a not required.
You are an enthusiast, and fair enough you have them. I'd suggest you get some cup tyres for the summer though.....now they do make a difference when pushing on!
Listen, and I am repeating myself here, I don't doubt they are better in the snow, or to use Tel's definition - treacherous conditions, but for most UK users who do not need to drive in such conditions, they are a not required.
You are an enthusiast, and fair enough you have them. I'd suggest you get some cup tyres for the summer though.....now they do make a difference when pushing on!
Scooby Regular
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 80,907
Likes: 0
From: God's promised land
Like most things, there is no clear-cut conclusion here.
If you have a normal everyday car, you can run it on winter tyres all year and have all the bad weather benefits, whilst only suffering a bit more road noise and a bit more wear when those conditions aren't prevalent.
If however like most on here, you run a performance car, then you have a choice to make. Run it all year on summer tyres and avoid deep winter weather roads, or basically hope for the best, or buy a set of winter tyres for the two months in the UK when you're likely to reap the benefits.
Cost, convenience, storage ability and perception of UK weather will all play a part in that decision.
But don't ever lose sight of the fact that when the chips are down, on a dark snowy night when you have to make your way home, winter tyres will give you more chance of doing that safely than summer tyres. That's really all there is to it.
If you have a normal everyday car, you can run it on winter tyres all year and have all the bad weather benefits, whilst only suffering a bit more road noise and a bit more wear when those conditions aren't prevalent.
If however like most on here, you run a performance car, then you have a choice to make. Run it all year on summer tyres and avoid deep winter weather roads, or basically hope for the best, or buy a set of winter tyres for the two months in the UK when you're likely to reap the benefits.
Cost, convenience, storage ability and perception of UK weather will all play a part in that decision.
But don't ever lose sight of the fact that when the chips are down, on a dark snowy night when you have to make your way home, winter tyres will give you more chance of doing that safely than summer tyres. That's really all there is to it.
