xc60 2wd and snow

[gillberry]

Originally Posted by wimorrison

I do find it amusing when people make statements like this, all it serves to show is that the driver has either been lucky, or has been driving around in rather forgiving territory.

You are very welcome to come to my road and try your FWD with summer tyres on it, you can probably park it beside the other FWDs and RWDs that have been abandoned (again).

Strangely enough cars with winter tyres - even the FWD are making it up and down the hill - clearly they must have wasted their money on winter tyres as they are not required.

I don't mean to sound as though I'm knocking winter tyres but 20 odd yrs ago we didn't use these , had rwd cars and still got about so surely it is more down to the driver because I'm sure there are people out there with winter tyres on who are having more problems than someone with summer tyres . Driving in winter conditions is a skill you are not taught but have to experience and as we have had a lot of mild winters I personally feel that a winter driving skill has been lost and we are now having to adapt again .

[Matteus XC60]

Originally Posted by wimorrison

I do find it amusing when people make statements like this, all it serves to show is that the driver has either been lucky, or has been driving around in rather forgiving territory.

You are very welcome to come to my road and try your FWD with summer tyres on it, you can probably park it beside the other FWDs and RWDs that have been abandoned (again).

Strangely enough cars with winter tyres - even the FWD are making it up and down the hill - clearly they must have wasted their money on winter tyres as they are not required.

Think you've misunderstood him. He was actually saying that the winter tyres were the key, and supporting their use ie agreeing with your view exactly. Still, never too late to say you're sorry.......

[andy_d]

Originally Posted by gillberry

I don't mean to sound as though I'm knocking winter tyres but 20 odd yrs ago we didn't use these , had rwd cars and still got about so surely it is more down to the driver because I'm sure there are people out there with winter tyres on who are having more problems than someone with summer tyres . Driving in winter conditions is a skill you are not taught but have to experience and as we have had a lot of mild winters I personally feel that a winter driving skill has been lost and we are now having to adapt again .

Spot on


all the "aids" possible can not make up for a Basic lack of driver skill and or education.
Blindly following the latest "fashion" or "fad" in the media and beliving that is the Only way also doesnt help.

Skill + experiance is needed FAR more than the "latest fad"....sadly like "common sense" thats missing in FAR too many people. Theres nowt as sad as those who Refuse to see or learn.....

[Matteus XC60]

Originally Posted by andy_d

Spot on


all the "aids" possible can not make up for a Basic lack of driver skill and or education.
Blindly following the latest "fashion" or "fad" in the media and beliving that is the Only way also doesnt help.

Skill + experiance is needed FAR more than the "latest fad"....sadly like "common sense" thats missing in FAR too many people. Theres nowt as sad as those who Refuse to see or learn.....

Gents, I fear you are about to get a torrent of abuse for this. Hard hats on!!!

[andy_d]

Originally Posted by Matteus XC60

Gents, I fear you are about to get a torrent of abuse for this. Hard hats on!!!

why?
speaking the Truth gets torrents of abuse?? Why ?

[Teejay1]

Originally Posted by andy_d

Spot on


all the "aids" possible can not make up for a Basic lack of driver skill and or education.
Blindly following the latest "fashion" or "fad" in the media and beliving that is the Only way also doesnt help.

Skill + experiance is needed FAR more than the "latest fad"....sadly like "common sense" thats missing in FAR too many people. Theres nowt as sad as those who Refuse to see or learn.....

Are you suggesting that winter tyres are a fad? I'd be interested to know the accident rates in the countries that insist on using winter tyres against UK over the last 5 years.

[ExMercR]

Originally Posted by Teejay1

Are you suggesting that winter tyres are a fad? I'd be interested to know the accident rates in the countries that insist on using winter tyres against UK over the last 5 years.

Of course they are a fad!


Like seat belts, airbags, radial tyres, Xenon headlights, rear windscreen wipers etc, etc. Fads, the lot of 'em.

[andy_d]

Originally Posted by Teejay1

Are you suggesting that winter tyres are a fad? I'd be interested to know the accident rates in the countries that insist on using winter tyres against UK over the last 5 years.

whats the point ?
Other countries driving tests are Different to ours
Other countries driving conditions are Different to ours

QED any comparision from a country that has winter tyres as a law is invalid
Why, well we for the last 20 years have had no "bad snow" in the bulk of the uk, so our drivers do not know how to drive in it. yet a country where they have "bad snow" year after year has drivers that do know how to drive in it.

thusly any stats or "studys" or "facts" or figures are null and void, you cant compare apples to pears.


its a Fact , like it or lump it , winter tyres Help, but they are not "THE answer"
The answer is to upgrade the Main saftey device controlling the car, to take into account the road condistions, the speed, the visablity, closness of others etc.
that "main saftey device" is the DRIVER.

But as that means the Driver admitting to themselves that they are not "the best ever" and need to Learn a new skill, Despite driving for 10/20/30 years,...


Driving AIDS are just that AIDS. thats Tyres, brakes/ abs/airbags/windbags/ etc.

Sorry to use this thing called "common sense" to deflate your pov, rather than some twisting of words or blindly following the "media" or the latest Fad

and yes at the Moment winter tyres are nothing more than a FAD with most of you, you bleat on about them as THE ANSWER,, when for the last 25years Ive drove all sorts of cars, in a Lot of countries, some in deep snow and never on winter tyres.

ive done north coast of scotland to aberdeen airport in Deep snow, ive done up n over some of the mountains in ireland in deep snow, ive coped with welsh mountain in winter,, with ice/snow ,,all without winter tyres, n thats Just in the UK,never mind foreign parts,,and i consider myself nothing special as a driver, average at Best, despit having driven over 1million Buiss miles (not including social/domestic/pleasure, Or on motorbikes, or on race tracks)

[gillberry]

It's interesting to see that on several similar threads there are those who want to have winter tyres and the rest of who do not disagree that they are of benefit but having driven in proper winter conditions in rwd cars without these fantastic driver aids and having no problems .
Surely all those of us posting on these threads can see that there is benefit to winter tyres etc but these do not replace your own driving standards . Yes at the end of the day you as the driver make the difference the aids are just that and should help but only if you are aware in the 1st place of what is happening and how to deal with it .

[XC60KEV]

I agree the driver is the most important safety device in the car and these devices vary somewhat. I consider myself an average skilled driver however I do consider myself to be a smart driver. Smart driving to me is about minimising risk 1. To me and 2. To other road users. If winter tyres minimise the risk or ultimately the severity of an impact (like City Safety, ABS or a seatbelt) then that's reason enough for me to have them.

Fad no, smart yes.