Hey guys .... I have a funny/scary story for you.

Anyways, in Calgary, we just had our first MAJOR snow this season. So I was zipping around yesterday with my brother picking up odds and ends. I was leaving the parking lot and there was a minivan in front of me at the stop sign. This stop sign was on a 10-15degree incline. I'm a big chicken when it comes to people driving around me so I always leave a gap (1-1.5 car lengths) when I'm following another car.

So anyways, Mr. 4wd Minivan with All Season Tires is at the stop sign, stops, accelerates then STARTS TO SLIDE backwards! I was going to reverse but there was a jerk SUV tailgating behind me, so I'm sandwiched. I'm having a heart attack but luckily there was enough room so that he didn't slam into me. He tried again to get up the incline, then proceeded to slide back AGAIN. At this point i'm honking like a madman for fear that he's going to bust me up. He eventually ended up sideways and went the other way (not up the incline).

In the same day, I witnessed people sliding all over the place and spinning out their tires. All season tire users are making me paranoid

I heard somewhere that in Quebec the government has a MANDITORY SNOW TIRE regulation. Is this true? Man, I would support that kind of legislation. I believe that it would lead to less crashes and in the end, lower insurance (maybe?) and heartache for everybody. What do you guys think?

Ha ha ... Rotten42, I know what you're going to say ... "Lucky you're NOT a silver 8"

 

I call them as I see them. :D

 

What pisses me off even more than the tire thing is how people tailgate you at an intersection. The roads are like a skating rink but they still feel the need to get close and personal with your bumper. So I leave a big gap in front of me so when the next idiot gets too close I have room to inch foward for separation....but no!!!

the dumb *** has to keep inching up with me. I swear I'm going to get out of my car and beat on somebody real soon if this keeps on happening....I better not get rear ended in a cjain event type thing, that person's car will be the least of their worries.

 

yea when I was taking pictures on my way up my local ski mtn to test my snow tires, I witnessed an SUV tailgating (like less than half a car lenth) a sedan IN THE SNOW. Like )(*@ if you want to go fast, PASS them don't )(#@ing tailgate them, they're not gonna go faster JUST cause they can't see your headlights.
I used to drive a SUV and I always laugh (sadistic I know, but hey...) when I see a SUV in the ditch somewhere when it snows. I'm a bit paranoid about ppl with all seasons too. Even when it rains I try not to drive for the first few hrs when morons are still adjusting to the changing conditions.
kinda reminds me how for the first few runs at autocross in the morning, almost half of the ppl running R compound tires spin out because they forgot their tires aren't warmed to the right conditions yet.

but anyway, it's hard to enforce a law like that even if the police are given the power to ticket ppl.... perhaps mandatory impoundment of car if they're caught in the snow? :p
and 4 season tire manufacturers are probably gonna lobby against it

 

yea .. i think that enforcement would be tough but maybe ANOTHER little sticker you put on your license plate to indicate you've been inspected, etc. Yes yes ... it will be a pain in the butt and people will make fake stickers, but it's for our own good, right?

For those of you that didn't hear, Calgary had something like 150+ accidents just this weekend! I'm curious as to who had snow tires.

 

Being raised in Montreal,Quebec, tailgating is a no-no anytime. You know how we get them to stop tailgating! We jack the breaks on them when they least expect it (Obviously, you are there to alarm them and you are prepared to manouver/accelerate if the Bozo doesn't see you apply the brakes). One good one of these usually lasts about a month ot 2 for the tailgater and he'll remember not to tailgate for a while.


.

 

I heard that the Ontario gov. is thinking of allowing tire studs back on cars if you live north of Timmins. Waste of time since everyone that far north uses snowmobiles all winter long. :p

 

I am from Mtl and no, we don't have a manditory snow tire law. The Gov is examining the possibility. Would i like that? Hell NO! We have enough govnmt inplications in our lives as it it now. You cannot legislate intelligence and we are still a free country last time i checked. I have 4 new snow tires and wouldn't even think of not using them. Should i HAVE to do it as a law? No way.... I am against all legislation that are restraining my liberty, helmets for bikes, gears for everything, rollerblades ban in streets, i guess you get my message. Oh and i'm happy that SOB in his SUV didn't hit you. :-)

 

^^^ I agree. You can't force people to be "intelligent" Just pray that they all crash into each other, leaving only us who have snow tires! :D

 

I agree with the having as much civil liberty as possibly, but I would rather give up my "freedom of all seasons tires" than to get hit by some jerk (which almost happened!). If I had all the civil liberties in the world, I would drive down the middle of the road and everybody would have to yield to me BUT I willing give up that right to have nice orderly traffic where I won't crash and die.

Think of it more of a preventative measure for the general public. Regardless of my driving skill, I might still get hit because some dumbass loses control of his car. I rather not let fate decide whether I get hit or not. Kind of like water fluoridation ... some may be against it but it does lower cavity rates (I'm a dentist, ok?).

 

Still, enough laws make our lives complicated for nothing. I am all for winter tires, only idiots don't use them. Unfortunately you cannote rule out all idiots and our gov is already ruling enough of our life do campaining for it YES, spending funds to make the idiot aware YES, pass a law, NO.

 

You sound like a true Albertan F1Michel!

 

Hmmm ... I would be sort of satisfied with a campaign but you have to wonder how many people will act on it. I'm sure you guys have seen that Environment Canada ad regarding emissions and saving energy (the guy that talks about the tonnes of gases) but how many people listen to the guy. Well there's that Canadian tire guy that makes you want to sort of buy snow tires (with the skidding and such) ... close enough.

Heck our freaking govt spends cash on useless rusted submarines and outdated choppers that don't do the general Canadian public any good ... may as well spend it on something that perhaps can affect and benefit the public.