I oppose legislating winter tires. Its not the tires, but rather the drivers. I've only ever had all seasons on my personal vehicle, and I honestly can't say they are a problem for me... they work perfectly fine when one drives for the conditions. Not everyone has a 6-figure income to buy an extra set of tires for little extra utility in stopping power.

The only thing winter tires help for is to get going on the hills and that isn't going to save any lives. The stopping utility of winter tires over good all seasons is far over stated.

I have good all seasons as well, and I have never had an issue. Mind you, I drive to the conditions of the road.

Like many laws, it seems the strategy is that you have to legislate to the lowest common denominator.

They are trying to legislate out stupidity.
Like vehicle owners living in a winter region with lots of snow that insist that they do not need "WINTER" tires.

Sure, if you live in the lower mainland where it snows occasionally, all-season tires are adequate for most days. Have you ever seen Vancouver after a fresh snowfall? The city is virtually shut down because all-season tires are not adequate for any appreciable amount of snow.

As an added bonus to owning two sets of tires for your car, tires last way longer. Instead of wearing out the soft compound winter tires driving late into the spring or prematurely wearing out all-season tires by driving in low temperatures that cause the tire compound to harden up and accelerate wear.

Get with the program folks. It is for YOUR safety and the safety of other road users. Have a decent set of all-season for spring, summer, and fall, then in October install your winter tires till March. To do otherwise up here is sheer obstinate stupidity! If you do not want to invest in your safety in such a manner, move to the lower mainland.

Nothing like being melodramatic to get your point across.

2x4 training yields the most immediate remedial results.

I wish it was that easy.

Loki I have had 40 plus years driving in this country and have no issues with all seasons..
I don't know if you have ever driven in that Vancouver slush they call snow, doesn't sound like it. Very slippery stuff and one has issues in it no matter whats on your car.
Now that you seem so concerned about safety, for dry or wet pavement, all season road tires are worse than touring tires. Also after one winter, winter tires have lost all or most of any advantage they may have had.
2x4 training yields the most immediate remedial results, real nice debate Loki.

Road Health? Seems to me our roads have recovered from a severe small pox epidemic and are full of scars. Fix 'em please.

Seems like a lot of folks are trapped in defensive denial. Winter tires, especially those new softer compound tires, flat out work better in all winter conditions. You gotta know that I seldom agree with anything the government comes up with, so this is something I believe in.
You can get by with all seasons, but they are at best a compromise.
metalman.

I guess I've gotten by for 35 years.

I once drove the Squamish highway during a blizzard, in a 65 chevelle, with summer performance tires on it. I made it home safely because I drove to the road conditions. It really doesn't matter what kind of safety devices you put on a vehicle, if you don't "fix" the nut behind the wheel, you're still going to have accidents.

The 2x4 training comment was a response to another posters' ribbing of my wordsmithing. The other poster seemed to understand the intent, you apparently did not.

That would explain why you are set so hard and fast in your old school mentality.

Back in the day we drove all year on one set of tires. I don't think they even had "all-season". We only changed them when the cords started to show. Now we know better. Now we have far superior understanding of being "properly equipped" for the conditions.

It's no use resisting, you will be assimilated! Or you will be fined $150.

Think about this for a second: If you have all-season tires on and it is winter; when you have an accident it will be determined to be your fault no matter if the other guy plowed into you. By not having a properly equipped vehicle in winter conditions, you are the hazard and ICBC and the police will view it so.

Stick to your guns big boy, I can use the settlement to buy a new house.

Just because you have done it for 35 years doesnt mean you have done it right.

There is a huge differance between allseason and winter tires, night and day. Those who say they have "gotten by" have endangered every one of us.

You only run allseasons, do us all a favor, stay home in the winter.

I can see both points of this debate. A good set of all season tires with lots of tread, CAN get you by in the winter especially if you are only driving around in town, you are very cautious, etc. The proof is the fact that loads of people run them all year . . .

That being said, there is NO DOUBT that dedicated winter tires handily outperform all season tires in winter conditions. The compounds used in the tires remain more flexible in lower temps, they have tread designs that are maximized for traction on ice (helps starting and stopping), etc. There are cases (say times on Peden Hill for example) where winter tires could get you up and all seasons will have you waiting at Fortune Palace until they get sand out.

On my truck I run All Terrains and while they aren't technically winter rated, they do provide adequate performance for winter conditions IMHO. Winters would definitely be better but I understand the tradeoffs and I modify my driving habits accordingly. Having 4WD available when needed is also a considerable advantage even though I rarely "need" it if I'm driving to the conditions.

On my wifes car, we do run dedicated winter tires and the difference between them and her all seasons is literally night and day. They handle better, they expel snow from the tread better, they are much more controlled on ice and they provide a much higher level of traction than the all seasons do. Between them and the traction control built into her car, her vehicle is about as capable in winter as my truck in 4WD except for the obvious ground clearance issues of a car.

Personally, I wouldn't own a car and not run dedicated winters. For my truck, if I'm running the same tires all year, they need to be high quality All Terrains with lots of tread depth available.

Vancouver drivers CAN drive in the snow. They just have difficulties getting going, steering and stopping.

"Think about this for a second: If you have all-season tires on and it is winter; when you have an accident it will be determined to be your fault no matter if the other guy plowed into you."

Can you point me to where on the ICBC website it says this?

"back in the day we drove all year on one set of tires, I don't think they even had all season"
You're right, at one time, for a passenger car, we could choose between winter tires, and summer tires, and the not very good at anything all seasons were not invented yet. As far as I know, the winters back then did not have any special compound, but had treads designed to work in snow, and of course you could have them studded.
I too have driven through winter with summer and/or all season tires, and had no serious problems (always carry a bag of traction sand-crushed stone whatever, to spread on that icy spot you stopped on, so you can get moving again)
metalman.

"You only run allseasons, do us all a favor, stay home in the winter."

I'll do no such thing, but thanks anyway.

For what it's worth, I see both sides of the debate as well.