Where were the gritters?

[Eater Sundae 12]

Katie if your car is sooo precious maybe you should wrap it in cotton wool and bubble wrap and tuck it away in the garage for the winter.

 

As others have said winter tyres are expensive and not everyone can afford them or perhaps they can't justify the expense for the short time they will be used/needed.

 

If they are not prepared to spend the money to avoid being a hazard to other road users during that time when winter tyres are a necessity, then they should leave their cars at home on those days.

[AndrewC 297]

Wow, there's a lot of people on here who don't seem to be able to grasp that many, many people don't have two spare pennies to rub together, let alone £500, £400, £300, £50 etc. etc. to spend on Winter Tyres.

 

Might it cost more in the long term through missing paid work or potential accident in the car? Yes, but if you haven't got the capital in the first place, your hands are tied, aren't they?

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2015 at 13:47 ----------

 

If they are not prepared to spend the money to avoid being a hazard to other road users during that time when winter tyres are a necessity, then they should leave their cars at home on those days.

 

Ideally, true; but again, some people are always going to take a risk if it means not missing out on paid work or other vital trips.

[Cyclone 10]

A set of winter tyres + fitting is around £500. Probably a lot of people simply cannot afford t pay.

 

What, are they gold plated or something?

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2015 at 13:49 ----------

 

If you cant afford to run a car safely, dont run one.

 

To be fair, if safety required winter tyres, then there should be legislation to that effect.

[Blackbeard 10]

What, are they gold plated or something?

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2015 at 13:49 ----------

 

 

To be fair, if safety required winter tyres, then there should be legislation to that effect.

 

In many parts of the EU there is legislation http://www.blackcircles.com/tyres/winter-tyres/laws-and-legislation

[Eater Sundae 12]

Wow, there's a lot of people on here who don't seem to be able to grasp that many, many people don't have two spare pennies to rub together, let alone £500, £400, £300, £50 etc. etc. to spend on Winter Tyres.

 

Might it cost more in the long term through missing paid work or potential accident in the car? Yes, but if you haven't got the capital in the first place, your hands are tied, aren't they?

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2015 at 13:47 ----------

 

 

Ideally, true; but again, some people are always going to take a risk if it means not missing out on paid work or other vital trips.

 

Re bib. Is it OK for example to continue to drive a car with faulty brakes because you can't afford to get them fixed, even though there might be an accident? If not, then why is it OK to drive with faulty (in this case, unsuitable for the conditions) tyres?

[Cyclone 10]

I didn't think winter tyres were even available for my car, but they are...

 

http://www.blackcircles.com/catalogue/dunlop/winter-sport-3d/255/40/R18/V/95/f?returnurl=%2forder%2ftyres%3f%26width%3d255%26profile%3d40%26rim%3dR18%26speed%3dV%26wintertyre%3d1&tyre=26555573

and

http://www.blackcircles.com/catalogue/pirelli/winter-sottozero-3-winter-tyre/225/45/R18/H/95/f?returnurl=%2forder%2ftyres%3f%26width%3d225%26profile%3d45%26rim%3dR18%26speed%3dAny%26wintertyre%3d1&tyre=33672549

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2015 at 13:56 ----------

 

In many parts of the EU there is legislation http://www.blackcircles.com/tyres/winter-tyres/laws-and-legislation

 

Yes, many parts of the EU where they have more extended and predictable wintery weather than we do.

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2015 at 13:57 ----------

 

Re bib. Is it OK for example to continue to drive a car with faulty brakes because you can't afford to get them fixed, even though there might be an accident? If not, then why is it OK to drive with faulty (in this case, unsuitable for the conditions) tyres?

 

Driving with faulty brakes would be an MOT fail, hence the car is not roadworthy.

There is no requirement to have winter tyres, thus the car is roadworthy with normal tyres all year round.

The tyres are not unsuitable, they're just not optimal.

[Eater Sundae 12]

What, are they gold plated or something?

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2015 at 13:49 ----------

 

 

To be fair, if safety required winter tyres, then there should be legislation to that effect.

 

True, but nobody is forced to drive if they know that their tyres are not fit for purpose, and they are unable to stop because their tyres road combination doesn't work.

 

In fact, drivers are required to ensure that their car is roadworthy. A car that is unable to stop through not having appropriate tyres for the conditions is not roadworthy, IMO.

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2015 at 14:06 ----------

 

A set of winter tyres + fitting is around £500. Probably a lot of people simply cannot afford t pay.

 

When the tyres on my car needed replacing, I bought 4 season tyres. Only a few pounds more, and possibly a slightly shorter tyre life compared with equal quality summer tyres.

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2015 at 14:08 ----------

 

I didn't think winter tyres were even available for my car, but they are...

 

http://www.blackcircles.com/catalogue/dunlop/winter-sport-3d/255/40/R18/V/95/f?returnurl=%2forder%2ftyres%3f%26width%3d255%26profile%3d40%26rim%3dR18%26speed%3dV%26wintertyre%3d1&tyre=26555573

and

http://www.blackcircles.com/catalogue/pirelli/winter-sottozero-3-winter-tyre/225/45/R18/H/95/f?returnurl=%2forder%2ftyres%3f%26width%3d225%26profile%3d45%26rim%3dR18%26speed%3dAny%26wintertyre%3d1&tyre=33672549

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2015 at 13:56 ----------

 

 

Yes, many parts of the EU where they have more extended and predictable wintery weather than we do.

 

---------- Post added 23-11-2015 at 13:57 ----------

 

 

Driving with faulty brakes would be an MOT fail, hence the car is not roadworthy.

There is no requirement to have winter tyres, thus the car is roadworthy with normal tyres all year round.

The tyres are not unsuitable, they're just not optimal.

 

If you apply the brakes and the car just slides on the ice, then I'd say that the tyres are unsuitable.

[Cyclone 10]

Winter tyres aren't magic, if you're on ice, they're going to slide as well. So by that definition all cars are not roadworthy in the winter when you might actually find some real ice.

 

In the summer it's also possible for all tyres to aquaplane if there is sufficient water and speed. So again, that makes all cars unroadworthy.

[byeo 10]

A set of brand new winter tyres from a reputable Noridic tyre company cost me £200 including delivery to my house. I paid my mechanic £40 to fit them for me onto my usual wheels, making a grand total of £240 - or less than half of the cost quoted above.

 

The tyres will be swapped back in late spring, and next winter I will be able to use the tyres again.

 

£240 for four new winter tyres incl fitting ? Do you drive a matchbox ?

[Eater Sundae 12]

Winter tyres aren't magic, if you're on ice, they're going to slide as well. So by that definition all cars are not roadworthy in the winter when you might actually find some real ice.

 

In the summer it's also possible for all tyres to aquaplane if there is sufficient water and speed. So again, that makes all cars unroadworthy.

 

No. if you drive slowly you will never aquaplane. You can drive to the conditions and make your tyres safe.

 

There are plenty of icy conditions where winter tyres will work and you can drive slowly enough and maintain control, but where summer tyres would mean you cannot even stop, let alone steer.

 

But either way, if you are driving a car you cannot control, it is the driver's fault. I see no reason why anyone who loses control in such conditions should not be prosecuted for driving an unsafe vehicle. they made the decision to drive.

[Cyclone 10]

If you drive slow enough you will never skid on ice, on a flat road anyway.

 

My point is that you are declaring regular tyres to be not roadworthy when conditions make them ineffective.

But you are excusing the same tyres in summer and other tyres in other situations when it's the conditions that make them ineffective. On sheet ice, winter tyres are ineffective. So extending your argument, because there are conditions under which they are not effective, they're not roadworthy when those conditions are possible.

[kidley 48]

No. if you drive slowly you will never aquaplane. You can drive to the conditions and make your tyres safe.

 

There are plenty of icy conditions where winter tyres will work and you can drive slowly enough and maintain control, but where summer tyres would mean you cannot even stop, let alone steer.

 

But either way, if you are driving a car you cannot control, it is the driver's fault. I see no reason why anyone who loses control in such conditions should not be prosecuted for driving an unsafe vehicle. they made the decision to drive.

 

My Bold

That should make the Police budget healthy