Anyone getting winter tyres?

Niallman said:
Yachtie, you'd want to check that your insurance covers you with those on though. One of my colleagues was told by her insurance last winter that she wouldn't be covered if she was driving with the snow socks on.

As far as I know, they're only really for getting you out of a situation where you're stuck, then you take them off. Feel free to correct me though, I'm just going by hear-say.
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Thanks for that, will have to check out.
 
Yes, the snowsocks need snow to work as others have stated. I found them very useful last year although it was a pain having to take them off when driving on clearer roads. Not ideal for constant use though.
 
Just ordered the Continental WinterContact TS830 on 215/55/97 (only 215/55 size had 97 load rating). €900 for 4 on steel rims. Worried about the cost, even if they are a good price, but hoping to get the wear out of them! I do a fair amount of driving out to clients, and everyone should be accessible now! Am a little bit excited :D. I wonder if i am now one of the only people l know actually hoping for a bad winter to try them out?!
 
I think it depends on your own circumstances. Snow socks were great for us - we leave in the middle of a large housing estate. Roads in the estate were very treacherous but the main road was ok. I was heavily pregnant so we wanted to be able to get out of the estate without mishap. We just put on the snowsnocks for the 10-15 mins it took to get out of the estate, pulled in at a handy spot on main road, took em off, keep driving. I think we left them on one particularly bad day, they got us through a few bad patches but did get a bit damaged on some non snow patches. But even in snowy weather it can be a guessing game what the state of the roads will be. We found them very handy all in all.
 
newirishman said:
if you use winter tyres then 4 of them, not two - two is just dangerous (and probably illegal / or an issue with insurance)
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Have you got anything to back this up with? I'm with one of the biggest insurers in the country and the manager laughed when I put it to him that two might be an insurance issue. Where does the danger come in exactly? If you're driving too fast sure, but then again everything can be too dangerous if you drive too fast for the conditions - 2 snow tyres, 4, or none.
 
i see lidl are selling snow chains from next monday, 29'99euro per set. seems like good value.
 
Its not illegal to sell them. :)
They'll be of little use here anyway unless there is a depth of snow on the road. Driving on a slushy road or bare road surface will damage the road surface and the chains will eventually break.
 
RonanC said:
Snow chains are illegal to use on Irish roads
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You might want to tell the RSA so, they are advising 'there are no specific Irish Road Traffic Regulations mandating or prohibiting the use of snow chains, snow socks or studded tyres'.

You have a link to the piece of legislation? You can use the [broken link removed] site to search all Irish legislation...
 
blueband said:
then why are lidl being allowed sell them here!
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I must clarify my point, there is no direct legislation governing the fitting and use of snow chains in Ireland, but you can be fined for using anything that causes damage to the road, and the chains will do this. It is recommended that snow chains are used selectively, and only on compact ice or snow, and removed as soon as you hit tarmac.
 
Oh great. The roads are bad enough from last year, now people driving with chains on them to add to it.
 
RonanC said:
It is recommended that snow chains are used selectively, and only on compact ice or snow, and removed as soon as you hit tarmac.
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but surely the clue is in the name 'snow chains' who is going to be foolish enough use them on tarmac!
 
Leo said:
You might want to tell the RSA so, they are advising 'there are no specific Irish Road Traffic Regulations mandating or prohibiting the use of snow chains, snow socks or studded tyres'.

You have a link to the piece of legislation? You can use the [broken link removed] site to search all Irish legislation...
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+ 1

I checked this out last year and what the Gardai told me was that it's a 'grey area' but "no one's going to pull you up on it in this sort of snow". My reading of the situation is, if you've got snow / ice deep enough to avoid them contacting the tarmac, use your snow chains.

Snow chains to the best of my knowledge are not illegal, but causing damage to the road is, therefore it's sort of discretionary. I wouldn't bother with them anyway, unless you happen to live on the side of a mountain and get snowdrifts etc. In Ireland you'll no sooner have them on than you need to take them off again, and they're bloody awkward at the best of times.

Driving on anything other than snow / ice not only damages the road, but also damages the chains too.
 
blueband said:
but surely the clue is in the name 'snow chains' who is going to be foolish enough use them on tarmac!
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Using your thought process, then fog lights are for?

This is Ireland and we are ignorant to every rule in the book
 
Why do I get the feeling we are going to have a mild winter, and all the money spent on tyres, socks etc will be wasted.

We were told it would be -15C at the end of October. It was +11C.
We told it was going to be a really bad winter, its now mid Nov and temp still in double figures.

Of course we will have cold nights and mornings, but what are chances of it hitting -20C again?
 
RMCF said:
Why do I get the feeling we are going to have a mild winter, and all the money spent on tyres, socks etc will be wasted.

We were told it would be -15C at the end of October. It was +11C.
We told it was going to be a really bad winter, its now mid Nov and temp still in double figures.

Of course we will have cold nights and mornings, but what are chances of it hitting -20C again?
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The cold didnt hit us last year until the end of November. The Gulf Stream is working as it should at the moment, in fact its probably much warmer than normal for this time of year, but all it takes is a change, than can happen in hours and a strong northerly wind and a front to push the Gulf Stream into the atlantic or south of Ireland, like it did last winter.

[broken link removed]

We've already had some cold mornings, but the weather has been very mild, which is pretty normal for this time of year. I would never believe anything you see on long range forecasts or in tabloid newspapers who would say the world is going to end if they knew it would sell papers. You'd have to wonder if the tyre industry is funding these stories of extreme cold again this year.
 
Next Monday, Lidl will have snow chains on offer at a very reasonable price. Maybe worth purchasing, just in case!
 
You can fit snow tyres, socks or chains, but it will not stop some other idiots from ramming you.
 
My tyres have been dispatched, due for delivery next Monday. My local VW garage who i get all my servicing etc. done with are fitting them for €10 per tyre, including balancing and tracking. Didn't think that was bad at all.

Just remembered though I now won't have a spare tyre for winter......may get one when i am working in the UK in a couple of weeks!
 
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