lauder99

I think seperate rims makes the most sense. I just dont want to get a shake at 5am one morning to shovel the drive and change over her tires before she goes to work

I will probably buy them in the next few weeks so I don't have to panic. Probably not going to bother for my car. I dont work so if its bad I just won't go out

thanks
Tom

clynnog

November 15th in some parts of QC seems awfully early and in most winters by April 15th it can seem springlike.

Pedantic mode on...how exactly are 'snow' or 'winter' tyres defined in this law in QC.

I'm sure that the days leading up to December 15th will be busy at tyre places.

Steve_P

Perfectly legitimate question.

My understanding is that in order to be qualified as a winter tire it must have this symbol on the sidewall.



Cheers
Steve

tallperson

What is the definition of winter tires?
Menu.

The draft regulation, published on September 17, 2008 in the Gazette officielle du Québec, defines tires specifically designed for winter driving as those that meet one of the following criteria prior to December 15, 2014:

* Tires on which one of the following inscriptions appear: Alaska, Arctic, A/T, or AT, Blizzard, Ice, LT, Nordic, Snow (but not mud and snow), Stud, Ultratraction or Winter.

or

* Tires on which the icon representing a mountain with a superimposed snowflake appears.

Starting on December 15, 2014, the draft regulation specifies that only those tires on which the icon representing the mountain with the superimposed snowflake appears shall be considered to be winter tires.

It is important to note that the draft regulation has not yet been adopted and that it may be improved upon following comments that may be sent to the Minister over the course of the 45-day period following the publication of the draft regulation in the Gazette officielle du Québec.

lof

hm, haven't looked into it yet (bought my car only towards end of last winter and having winter tires on a bike on vancouver island would be completely overkill ).
but if i remember right there is a difference between snow tires and winter tires. common sense tells me that the rubber compound must be similar, the difference would be in the profile, did i get that right? well, i personally have to believe what the manufacturer writes onto the label anyway, at least for now.

what i learned back in europe about the timing for changing to winter tires: when the daily temperature doesn't get over 7 degrees celsius anymore winter tires have the better grip - but that was in comparison to "real" summer tires, all seasons are most probably - due to their nature - a bit more forgiving.

neill

Isn't it as much to do with the temperature as well? I noticed the biggest difference driving around town, simply because the streets are almost always cleared, but really slick when it drops below -20. That's when those 'Winters come in to their own.

iaink

Common sense is a bitch. Actually the Main difference is that they use a completely different rubber compound. Without a rubber thats sticky at lower temperatures when regular rubber goes hard. Without the cold weather compound you can do what you want with the tread profile to aid in clearing snow and water from the treads and to provide more bite, but the effect wont be all they great in the cold as the rubber wont grip the tarmac anyway.

Of course the rubber thats sticky at low temperatures has no durability in summer temperatures...which is why its a good idea to switch back again come easter.


This law in Quebec...will that apply to Quebec plated rental cars too?

tallperson

Apparently yes. It is all cars registered in Quebec plus any car rented in Quebec regardless of where it is registered. Interestingly motor homes are exempt!

neill

Enforcement is going to be interesting.

First we had the Language police.

Now, we have .... the Rubber police?

neill

That's because they have a stopping distance that covers two time zones...

Souvenir

And the idling police. The Ottawa Citizen this morning reported that Gatineau police will start cracking down hard on this from now on. It's a no-no even on private property.

iaink

Wow. Presumably commercial trucks / vans etc are also exempt?


What about pickup trucks? I cant ever remember seing a pickup with winter tires come to think of it.

clynnog

Its currently a by-law in Ottawa, but there are exemptions when the temp is above a certain temp and below another one (taking into account humidex and wind chill)....who thinks up this stuff.....

clynnog

I imagine that there may be one way rentals etc, dropped off at Montreal airport or in Montreal from Ontario...would they have to be equipped with the winter tyres if they want to be rented out again.

TBTH, it seems like a very hard law to enforce....a good law but a hard one to enforce.

Souvenir

It's a by-law here too but it hasn't really been enforced yet. It will from now on. It rather cocks up Souvettes habit of remotely starting the car to warm it up.