Quote:
Originally Posted by glennQNYC
My argument is that this bias towards snowy conditions is foolish for most people because of the limited time spent driving in these conditions. I think people could argue the bias is justified, but to act like it isn't there is just ridiculous.
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I think it's foolish to not adequately equip your vehicle with safety equipment (winter tires) if you're knowingly going to be exposed to winter driving conditions, regardless of if it's "only 5% of your winter driving."
If you have the ability to take alternate transportation on icy or snowy days then sure, leave the car at home. Many of us don't have that option, and don't want to put ourselves or others at risk.
Check out some of the comprehensive reviews on tirerack where they objectively test ultra high performance all seasons and benchmark a studless winter tire, and if memory serves, the stopping distance of the all season is nearly
double the length of the winter tire.
I also, subjectively, think that the dry and wet grip of performance winter tires is perfectly adequate for street driving. They can carry my car faster around a corner than I have any right doing on a public road, in my opinion. Maybe your experience is with winter tires with a bias towards ultimate snow and ice grip (studless winter), versus performance winters.
FWIW last year I owned a 4x4 truck (with winter rated tires), and an Audi S5. The S5 had Conti DWS 06 tires, and braking ability on icy and packed snow covered roads was not acceptable to me. It was fine in the cold and wet while above freezing temperatures, but was not so fine in snow/ice.