Driving in snow can be fun,...
Driving in snow can be fun, with drifting relatively easy given an expanse of airfield, but lose control on the road and it will end in tears
Cold weather affects us all in different ways. I used to go outside in just a t-shirt to clear ice from my windows because I didn't feel the cold. While my neighbor would be in a coat and gloves. And although most of us think our summer tires don't feel the cold either, we need to think again.
During the annual Arctic Blast organized by Continental Tires (www.conti-online.com), we were educated in some of the common misconceptions about winter tires, and given the opportunity to experience what a difference they can make.
If you take a look at the tires on your car right now, they probably have M+S, MS or M&S on them - this stands for "mud and snow" but indicates they're all-season tires. If they have a "snowflake inside a mountain" symbol, they're winter tires. But if they have none of these, they're summer tires.
During a sudden lane change...
During a sudden lane change maneuver, indicated in this test by lights over different lanes, winter tires were essential to prevent a spin
Just as you wouldn't wear flip-flops in the snow, neither should you use summer tires in the winter. Their rubber compound wasn't designed to remain flexible under cold conditions. Once the outside temperature gets down to about 40F they will stiffen. Yet you want them to remain flexible in order to conform to the road surface and provide maximum grip.
Even M+S all-season tires can struggle as the temps drop lower and the snow piles higher. Despite their designation, they are really not designed for use in snow. What you need is a specific winter tire!
Do you really think your superb driving skills will allow you to get away with summer tires all year round? Maybe you can save the money a good set of winter tires might cost you? Well, think again.
In Germany, they take driving ability, their cars and performance very seriously. In 2006, a rule change was introduced that required motorists to fit tires "suitable to the weather". This means driving on summer tires on icy or snow-covered roads is now a traffic offense and you can be fined. Conversely, you must remove your winter tires in the summer because they don't have the same grip and braking ability as specific summer tires.
Continental's winter tires...
Continental's winter tires have a special compound that remains flexible well below 32F, while the tread pattern includes tiny sipes to cut into the surface of ice or snow
Additionally, German insurance companies can deny a payout to any motorist involved in an accident while using summer tires on wintry roads. And to make matters worse, the German police can also assign blame in the accident to the motorist without snow tires, regardless of who actually caused the collision!
So if the Germans take winter driving and winter tires this seriously, why do we continue trying to "get away with it?" It's because we do get away with it most of the time. But that one time you need maximum grip as we slam on the brakes and swerve violently to avoid an accident, it won't be there.
During our time spent with Continental Tires, they designed several exercises to show us the importance of tire choice. Using a disused airfield in Montreal, we had the chance to compare the all-season tires against winter tires in braking and sudden lane changes.
The correct tires made a huge difference in these extreme conditions. Where the all-seasons had you scrambling to maintain control, the winter tires allowed you to execute the maneuver safely.
During our visit to Montreal...
During our visit to Montreal we witnessed some exciting ice racing sponsored by Conti Tires. Read the full feature in et 5/08 or see our in-car video at www.eurotuner.com
Winter tires work by first remaining flexible. Their tread pattern (and the small sipes within it) is designed to cut into the surface to find grip. We experienced this in deep snow and hard-packed ice - hazardous conditions for any vehicle. However, we found that by making steady progress and reducing your inputs, the cars could drive safely in both conditions.
Of course, there are more advanced techniques needed if you wish to increase your speed in winter conditions but that's something you need to learn from experts and shouldn't be practiced on the open road.