Driving in this Never-Ending Winter

Tires, braking, snow plows and sensors – tips for driving during this year’s never-ending winter. Check the sensors!

Read it online at Autonet.ca.

Favourite line:

When was the last time checked any of the sensors before climbing behind the wheel and relying on them? 

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Winter Tires Go On at 7ºC

It has nothing to do with snow, it’s temperature – at 7ºC rubber hardens, loses its grip.

What’s happening: a plastic runway is hosed down, to simulate a sheet of ice. Drive onto it at 35 km/h, pull the handbrake to initiate a skid, test the tires.

They’re counter-intuitive movements, but if you start to skid: steer into the skid, and don’t hit the brakes.

Don’t cheap out on the only part of your car that touches the road.

Calmly sliding along.

My column from last year, “Get Winter Tires” [and ‘ice rink driving’ video].

These are  Michelin X-Ice Xi3.  About $150 / corner, $600-ish for the car. 

Sometimes you can find a discount when you buy 4.  You must put 4 winter tires on, buying just 2 doesn’t work, it makes it worse on 3 levels.

Canadian Tire usually has good deals, and as of this season, will now store your summer tires.

 

 

Buy Winter Tires that have this Symbol

Located on the tire’s sidewall, this “snowflake on a mountain” symbol means the tire is specifically designed for use in severe snow conditions.

Tires marked “M + S” (mud and snow) are “all-season” tires. Don’t buy these, they don’t work.

Side fact: Quebec is the only province, where winter tires are required by law. Your car must have tires with this symbol.

(there’s a nerd joke in here somewhere, about how the tire is also marked with the upload symbol…)

 

 

All-Season Tires are Delusional

Last week, Canadian Tire invited me to drive on an ice rink to test tires; winter VS all-season ones.

Winter dominated.

What had the most impact on me, though, was:

50% of Canadians are driving without winter tires. I was shocked.  That’s too low and not okay.

How can 1 thing perform 5 functions?

Show me one outfit that can be worn to work, a cocktail party, a club, a movie night in, then to play baseball.  Can’t.

(read it online here)

Favourite line:

For sure I’m a bit lippy this week, but I feel strongly about this because apparently half of you are irresponsibly driving beside me in icy conditions while wearing roller-skates, thinking they’re good for all four seasons.

At 7ºC, the rubber in a non-winter tire hardens, it loses elasticity, and therefore adhesiveness.

Therefore, winter tires go on at 7ºC

The rubber in a winter tire is designed to stay flexible in low temperatures, so it sticks better to the road.

Driving with me is Graham Jeffery, Tire Business Manager with Canadian Tire, hi hi.

Deep grooves that expel snow, that’s what to look for.

Here’s a post about my new camera setup, seen above.  And I’ll leave you, with the Final Cut file.

This is what the video above, actually looks like.

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