NF-Should winter tires be mandatory in Ontario

[dave524]

think of the lives that could be saved if we mandated helmets not just for motorcycles but all vehicles, if it only even saves just one life

[BillM]

Let's replace cars with monorails

 

[Cookslav]

Can't say I'm informed...i'ver never used them.

But I can say I take exception to the idea of being mandated to use them when

I have had no issues without them.

 

I'm sure they are better...the stats don't lie

But the same argument could be made for 4x4 vehicles vs 2 wheel drive.

Obviously 4x4 is a better choice, but people get by just fine with 2 wheel drive cars and don't want to spend the dough on

a 4X4...not much difference if we're splitting hairs here

 

I suppose If I was getting a refund on my Insurance, and maybe a tax rebate to offset the cost I'm being "mandated"

I'd be less ornary about it.

 

Or why not allow chains...oh wait....that destroys the road and cost....yep you guessed it...money.

[Terry]

bring the stud back, south of the french river

[Cookslav]

Great tax grab actually when you think of it...

How many cars on the road in Ontario x $600- $800 x 13%HST plus god know how much hidden tax is in there

 

Like I said...if it was to be mandated I'd want to see some rebates.

If its really about safety and not money....

You'd think we'd see rebates

[Cookslav]

bring the stud back, south of the french river

[crappieperchhunter]

Can't say I'm informed...i'ver never used them.

But I can say I take exception to the idea of being mandated to use them when

I have had no issues without them.

 

I'm sure they are better...the stats don't lie

But the same argument could be made for 4x4 vehicles vs 2 wheel drive.

Obviously 4x4 is a better choice, but people get by just fine with 2 wheel drive cars and don't want to spend the dough on

a 4X4...not much difference if we're splitting hairs here

 

I suppose If I was getting a refund on my Insurance, and maybe a tax rebate to offset the cost I'm being "mandated"

I'd be less ornary about it.

 

Or why not allow chains...oh wait....that destroys the road and cost....yep you guessed it...money.

Pretty much exactly how I feel. Where do you draw the line?

 

Personally I think the line is fine right where it is. Although I would put snows on without losing any sleep over it if it was mandated.

[BillM]

What about the new hard rubber studs they are using on tires these days? Do they really tear up the roads like the old ones?

[davey buoy]

Can't say I'm informed...i'ver never used them.

But I can say I take exception to the idea of being mandated to use them when

I have had no issues without them.

 

I'm sure they are better...the stats don't lie

But the same argument could be made for 4x4 vehicles vs 2 wheel drive.

Obviously 4x4 is a better choice, but people get by just fine with 2 wheel drive cars and don't want to spend the dough on

a 4X4...not much difference if we're splitting hairs here

 

I suppose If I was getting a refund on my Insurance, and maybe a tax rebate to offset the cost I'm being "mandated"

I'd be less ornary about it.

 

Or why not allow chains...oh wait....that destroys the road and cost....yep you guessed it...money.

x 3 here as well,where do you draw the line.

[bigugli]

In the last snow storm, I sat comfortably at home. Listening to the radio news as they were talking to a supervisor at an accident reporting centre. He was asked if snow tires were having an impact on accident rates. His response was that "there were almost equal numbers of vehicles with, and without snow tires", showing up at the reporting centre. The officer also stated that many people have a "false sense of security" when driving on snow tires or operating 4WD/AWD vehicles.

 

Just reinforces the idea that the driver is the problem.

[Old Ironmaker]

While we are on the subject what is the best way to store tires and wheels, vertically or horizontally? One tire guy says on their sides atop one another is OK, the other guy says never do that, store vertically and roll them once a month, yea another chore I won't get around to. I'm cramped for space but 40 bucks to store isn't in the budget. If they do mandate them I'm going to rent a space and make money storing tires.

[gaspumper]

 

How about anyone with an accident or ticket In the past XX of years? That could work.

Whats having a ticket got to do with winter driving?

[gaspumper]

Guess no one saw my post.

Another one that hasen't been informed properly

[glen]

Not that post. The one before that.

[206]

 

 

Bull!

 

If they have a car and insurance the cost of winters is easily offset by the reduced mileage on their summers.

I'm on a disability pension and can manage to swap out three vehicles twice yearly.

 

Your rebuttals ring hollow with me.

Care to share your pension amount.....no offense but i know a few guys that make more on disability pensions a month than I do working!! Count your blessings!!

 

oh and back on topic....No they shouldn't be mandatory. What did the world do before they had winter tires...we all survived?

Edited December 15, 2014 by 206

[porkpie]

I use snows on my SUV, and wouldn't have it any other way. The LT's I just put on our truck also have the snowflake, but I wouldn't call them a snow. Certainly have tons of traction though! I wouldn't be without snows or a true LT tire in winter, but I can't say I think it should be a law! Good tires are pretty much mandatory where I live though. Plenty of snowfall, and if you don't travel strictly the main artery, the sideroads are unlikely to see a plow for quite a while!

[LostAnotherOne]

Lots of great input guys. You can definitely make a case for both sides. Oh by the way the stats since Quebec made it a law back in 2008 is winter collisions have dropped 17% and crashes causing serious injury or death are 36% down. I'm just hoping that if the government does make it mandatory they do it for all the right reasons, just not for the $.

[ch312]

I'd be totally against the idea of mandatory snow tires. Not due to the cost, but due to the fact that the government shouldn't be lumping everyone into the category of "people who don't know how to drive" and forcing everyone to use winter tires.

 

I would much rather see mandatory driving courses along with stricter testing so we only have people on the roads who have proven they actually know how to drive. Doing a multiple choice test and driving around with an examiner for 5-10 minutes should not be an acceptable way of proving if someone is capable of driving safely.

 

 

Putting better prepared drivers on the road would be far more effective.

 

 

[adam lancia]

I say follow the German model: if you don't have winter tires installed after a certain date, any accident you have will not be covered by your insurance. And that's in a country that doesn't get the snow some parts of Ontario get.

[cram]

In the last snow storm, I sat comfortably at home. Listening to the radio news as they were talking to a supervisor at an accident reporting centre. He was asked if snow tires were having an impact on accident rates. His response was that "there were almost equal numbers of vehicles with, and without snow tires", showing up at the reporting centre. The officer also stated that many people have a "false sense of security" when driving on snow tires or operating 4WD/AWD vehicles.

 

Just reinforces the idea that the driver is the problem.

An anecdotal response based on one afternoon's experience.

 

I don't know if mandating is the right thing to do - probably not - but anyone who thinks they aren't significantly better hasn't used them.

 

One of my friends who believes winter tires is for sheeple is also a huge Nascar fan who goes on and on (and on) about matching different tires to different tracks and different conditions....I love the irony.

[Joey]

It's all in your're driving skills. I took a Defensive driving course and one time I was driving home from work, in the snow, and someone cut me off. I had two choices, slam on the breaks and hit him or floor it and drive around him, which I learned in the coarse. At first I slammed on the breaks and after realizing that was only going to lead to a collision, I floored it and got around him!!

[BillM]

Whats having a ticket got to do with winter driving?

 

If you can't drive when it's dry without getting charged with something, It's only going to get worse then the white stuff flies.

[lookinforwalleye]

In the last snow storm, I sat comfortably at home. Listening to the radio news as they were talking to a supervisor at an accident reporting centre. He was asked if snow tires were having an impact on accident rates. His response was that "there were almost equal numbers of vehicles with, and without snow tires", showing up at the reporting centre. The officer also stated that many people have a "false sense of security" when driving on snow tires or operating 4WD/AWD vehicles.

 

Just reinforces the idea that the driver is the problem.

Let`s face it there are a lot of bad drivers out there that the best vehicle and tires would not help and it gets a whole lot worse in certain areas of the GTA, anybody that has watched the program DON`T DRIVE HERE should get my meaning!!!

I drive a Jeep and have snows on it and it`s great it helps me get away from and avoid all the drive crap cars and old minivans running bald summer tires!!!

[lew]

If your walking across a frozen lake to your ice hut would you rather be wearing your dress shoes with a smooth leather sole or good winter boots with a rubber sole and lugs to grip the snow ??

 

Same with winter tires.

Edited December 15, 2014 by lew

[BillM]

I don't think anyone is debating the fact that snow tires do a better job in the snow. My issue here is some people thinking it's going to magically turn bad drivers into good drivers. If you suck at driving, you suck at driving, what tires you have aren't going to make a lick of a difference.