What’s Wrong With the Roads?

I think you could be right about that; I’m using the same tyres on the same roads as I’ve been using for the last few years and it is so markedly different this year…

…plus I can slide down a tarmac road in my walking boots…..that’s not right!

In regards to the OP I agree with this being the reason, it is particularly bad at junctions ….. but I think the big news in this thread is Lincoln de-cating and fitting an induction kit… boy racer ! 😉 I will soon be getting Uniroyal RainSport 2 tyres, I dont fancy risking it on the mismatching budget tyres this winter.

Winter tyres are not necessary (we’ve survived decades of winters without them) but they do make driving in colder weather safer. I have been using them for some years now and the initial expense outlay is of course offset by the fact you’re only using them 5 or six months of the year (and therefore extending your other tyres mileage). And being able to get grip when others around you are sliding into the scenery is a good thing. Reducing the risk of damage to your car should be seen by the insurance companies as a good thing. I think more are accepting the advantages of winter tyres these days.
My insurance company just requires me to notify them when they go on/come off and no change to the annual premium.

I also carry a set of snow socks – they have got me out of slippery situations when I haven’t had the winter rubber on and I expect will assist if I need a bit more grip. The actually allowed me to drive up a lane which was sheet ice and which was hard to walk on without going ass over elbow.

Likewise – exactly the same experience with a CV2, although it was a bit lacking in others areas in very cold weather!! Heating…well, err, not really! Great fun though.;)

Re thin tyres a couple of winters ago an old Morris Minor slowly ascended the steepish hill out of town whilst current vehicles slithered their way up or down depending on driver skill. It was very amusing.

I can well believe it; the best car I’ve ever driven on packed snow was a 2CV: no power, no torque but really thin tyres!

The best car I’ve ever owned for snow was a Volvo 340; amazing ‘lock’ on the steering (inside wheel about 80°) and rear wheel-drive but with the gearbox at the back for better weight distribution.

The roads being slippy are probably due the the right atmospherics where the road surface “sweats” out all the oils and lubricants that have been absorbed…

I think you could be right about that; I’m using the same tyres on the same roads as I’ve been using for the last few years and it is so markedly different this year…

…plus I can slide down a tarmac road in my walking boots…..that’s not right!

I think Moggy, Insurance Companies “Cherry pick” what they wan’t to. I asked L.V. just now, if I de-cat my exhaust, and have a tail back modified exhaust system, would they class it as being a modification, as it would UP the top end, but fail the exhaust emissions when due for it’s M.O.T.
They stated it was not classed as a modification, so that’s the next step.
Jim.
Lincol.7

Quite strange that, considering just having fitted an Induction kit to my car, which makes it go faster, they didn’t consider it a modification.:confused:

I am guessing they consider that any enhanced performance is minimal. However were you an adolescent they’d see this indicative of a speed habit and might take a very different view.

Moggy

Re thin tyres a couple of winters ago an old Morris Minor slowly ascended the steepish hill out of town whilst current vehicles slithered their way up or down depending on driver skill. It was very amusing.

Perhaps, it may well be a good idea, to have two wheel chains, for the two driving wheels?
I guess they are only a few minutes to fit. Has anyone tried them on their cars?

I’m guessing by those comments that you’ve never used snow-chains. 🙂

Snow-socks are the modern equivalent; I’ve got a couple of sets but haven’t had cause to use them yet…..thanks to my snow-tyres!

I suppose I’ve driven about a thousand miles on snow-chains, in both front and rear wheel-drive cars, and on one memorable occasion in a rear wheel-drive car with chains all round. 😎

I stopped using them about five years ago when a chain snapped while trying to extricate my Audi A4 from the ski-chalet drive where it had been snowed-in; the flailing chain ripped all the wiring out from the brake-pad sensors but thankfully not the brake pipes or hoses. That is when I went over to snow-tyres and snow-socks.

The usual solution to this is to buy a set of steel wheels – not fancy alloys – for winter use. Possibly even going a little narrower than stock for reasons noted above. Doesn’t matter so much that they get bathed in salt too.

But, unbelievably this can cause issues with some insurance companies who treat it as a modification.

Moggy

After reading what you stated, I made a quick phone call to my Insurance broker, Liverpool, or L.V. whatever, WILL class this as a modification, and UP your Insurance.
Quite strange that, considering just having fitted an Induction kit to my car, which makes it go faster, they didn’t consider it a modification.:confused:
Jim.
Lincoln .7

But, unbelievably this can cause issues with some insurance companies who treat it as a modification.

Exactly! Plus, do I really want to be driving round on a cheap set of ‘tinnies’ between October and March?

Perhaps, it may well be a good idea, to have two wheel chains, for the two driving wheels?.
I guess they are only a few minutes to fit.
Has anyone tried them on their cars?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

I did think of this but the cost of a new set of wheels was £330…..each!

The usual solution to this is to buy a set of steel wheels – not fancy alloys – for winter use. Possibly even going a little narrower than stock for reasons noted above. Doesn’t matter so much that they get bathed in salt too.

But, unbelievably this can cause issues with some insurance companies who treat it as a modification.

I agree, but in an accident, you could get electrocuted…………………:D

Considerably less likely than getting barbecued following an accident in a petrol car

Moggy

Simples, have two sets of wheels, one with winter tyres and the other with normal. Sorted.

I did think of this but the cost of a new set of wheels was £330…..each!

It is what they do in Switzerland; everybody must have two sets of wheels and tyres for their car and the government in each region tells you when to change them…..very Swiss.

…one should try and avoid any braking in snow and ice…

I know how to drive on ice and snow… :rolleyes:

…but sometimes you cannot avoid braking and with ABS on snow you have no brakes.

In my view this is a major flaw in all modern cars with ABS but I’ve never heard it mentioned when we have the usual (surprise!) snowfalls and the whole of the road-transport network grinds to a halt.

I remember reading somewhere in the past, that the more narrow, (in width) a tyre was, the better traction you would get in snow.

Very true. Again this is something that I’ve never heard mentioned when the road-transport network grinds to a halt because of snow. I think modern cars tend to pack the snow down into a firm layer on the road surface and cars driving on this layer tend to ‘float’ on top of it with their wide tyres. Narrow tyres, with much higher ground pressure, tend to cut through this layer to grip the road beneath.

Plus modern cars have much more ‘low-end’ torque which does not help. I’m not saying that the drivers are not to blame too; how often have we seen somebody trying to drive in snow using 5000 RPM and with one wheel spinning uselessly?

I wonder how the ground pressure of older and more modern cars compare; my guess is that older cars will have much higher ground pressure. Their tyres will have worn quicker unless the compound was harder, I wonder?

I agree, but in an accident, you could get electrocuted…………………:D

Jim.
Lincoln .7

Surely any device which actually improves both car and passenger safety cannot be lightly dismissed….

Don’t forget that the final drive on most cars will be electric for the vast majority of new vehicles within ten years or so. For pure EV there will be very little maintenance as we understand it to undertake.

Things are changing.

Moggy

Changing Moggs, but for the better?. At present, you can buy an electric car, then you have to buy or rent the batteries. As I understand it, the batteries have a life of about 10yrs at present.That’s on an electric car, don’t know about the hybrid ones though.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

and this new must have tyre pressure sensors, well that is worth poo unless they blow themselves up.

Can’t agree with that Tony, My wifes car had a screw in the sidewall of her rear offside, when the warning light suddenly came on telling her that the rear O/S tyre was low on pressure, then found the screw in the tyre. It could have been dangerous, as we were doing 70 on a Motorway.As it was in the sidewall, it couldn’t be repaired, so a new tyre had to be fitted, Maybe, just maybe, it saved us a blowout, and having an accident.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

Don’t forget that the final drive on most cars will be electric for the vast majority of new vehicles within ten years or so. For pure EV there will be very little maintenance as we understand it to undertake.

Things are changing.

Moggy