Hmmm difference is that winter tyre is not getting rock hard when the temeprature is below zero. Thats why is good for driving but its not helping that much. In Poland where i used to live we had really strong winters and lots of snow. That was crap ! Winter here is ok but people dont know how to drive when weather is bad. The same problem is in Germany when its rainy

Bad driving knows no borders!

I see plenty of idiots in GB & D, (& CZ, NL, B & F)

cheers ... Darren

I fit Vredestein snow track2s all wether, to the front of mine in November each year £120 a pair fitted, long lasting

I used to go through 3 sets of tyres a year doe to taxi mileage, now its 2, I fit michelin economy once they have reached the limit, I had 42K out of the Vredestein ones fitted last year.

I may even fit them for the for the summer months this year as they are bloody good in the wet and dry and last

True, Winter tyres are not just for the snow although they do help a lot....The rubber compound in your summer tyres effectively freezes below 7 deg losing it's flex which winter tyres don't lose out on.

Worth investing in.

If you are driving expensive summerrubbers it is even cheaper to run wintertires over a couple of months. If driving wintertires, the summerrubbers dont wear

All you need is an extra set of rims, but they can also be cheap steal ones.

And changing the wheels twice a year. (that is what I still do myself).

I think people driving without wintertyres in the wilter are idiots.

Perhaps a lot is down to this Governments dumbing down of the skills necessary to drive .After all the only thing preached is "keep below the speed limit " ,when in this sort of weather ,keeping to a speed where control is possible is more like it ,with the ability to recognise when/where problems might occur and be able to deal with it .

It's all about keeping up momentum and controlling direction ,not (as thought by the masses ) applying the most power possible .

Well thats me just finnished my shift, its snowing here in the Borders and there is around 3inches

All the rest of the taxis disapeard around 2 hours ago, I have been up and down nearly every hill in my town and there is nowhere you can go without a hill, I even live at the top of one

I'm not saying that snow tyres aren't a good idea in principle, just that they are unnecessary in Britain 99.9% of the time. Yeah sure, in an ideal world we'd change the wheels for every occasion, but what's the point? I have been everywhere that I've needed to go while the weather has been bad, done a trip up to Glasgow and down to Cambridge and back, and had no problems. I agree with VWD about the lack of skills held by most drivers - if you are even half-decent behind the wheel then you will get through the worst of the weather we get on this temperate isle without the need for a second set of tyres!

I found myself shouting at a guy on the motorway last night - going downhill, doing about 75mph around a bend and suddenly snow starts to gather in the middle lane where he is. So he hits the brakes. Nooooooooooooooooo!!!! If you think you're about to lose control on snow, that's probably the worst thing you can do!!

Just a little example of the driving public's mentality - "I'm going too fast, I need to lose speed. I must use the brakes".

Education and training are worth far more than special tyres.

Perhaps a lot is down to this Governments dumbing down of the skills necessary to drive .After all the only thing preached is "keep below the speed limit " .

Apart from being transparently a politically inspired comment (which nearly always results in a lack of objectivity), this is plainly wrong. There are continual advertisements aimed at a range of other stupid things besides excessive speed in the wrong places - how about drink driving, not using your mobile phone while driving, stopping when you get tired, being careful near horses, keeping a sensible distance apart on the motorway, watching out for motorbikes? Those are all campaigns I can remember seeing over just the past few months.

I think people driving without wintertyres in the wilter are idiots.

Then you should think exactly the same about people driving eco tires, because they don't offer any grip, never. I think thats a lot worse then using summer tires in winter (I know, i've driven a Prius:thumbdwn:)

A good compromise is probably one of the very limited number of all season tyres that carry the snowflake symbol.

The nokian WR and WR G2 carry the snowflake in the mountain symbol and the Vredestein Quatrac 3 carry just a snow flake.

The number of these in the UK seems limited at the moment, but they can be got hold of in decent places.

It should be noted that many "all season" tyres really are no different to summer tyres in the cold, so it's worth looking out for the specific markings.

Then you should think exactly the same about people driving eco tires, because they don't offer any grip, never. I think thats a lot worse then using summer tires in winter (I know, i've driven a Prius:thumbdwn:)

Yeah, my greater interest in tyres started after discovering the low friction properties of eco tyres after a downpour, at a roundabout with a change of camber and just near a bus (fuelling) depot. Glad I wasn't on a motorbike!

A good compromise is probably one of the very limited number of all season tyres that carry the snowflake symbol.

The nokian WR and WR G2 carry the snowflake in the mountain symbol and the Vredestein Quatrac 3 carry just a snow flake.

The number of these in the UK seems limited at the moment, but they can be got hold of in decent places.

It should be noted that many "all season" tyres really are no different to summer tyres in the cold, so it's worth looking out for the specific markings.

I would recomend two sets. One for summer and one for winter, they have different qualities. Therefore they would be worse in the summer and in the winter than dedicated tyres.

Also for those who drive vRS's in here, the summer qualities would not fit the car properly.......

A good compromise is probably one of the very limited number of all season tyres that carry the snowflake symbol.

The nokian WR and WR G2 carry the snowflake in the mountain symbol and the Vredestein Quatrac 3 carry just a snow flake.

Resurrecting a thread for accuracy ... Quatrac 3 have a snowflak symbol and also have a 'snowflake in the mountain' symbol.