Winter, tires and little-known laws

As surely as leaves will fall, and massive clock rollbacks will occur, we will face wintry weather quite soon. Oh I’ve heard about the impending El Nino — it will purportedly raise our average temperatures this season, but I suspect we’ll encounter slick roads nevertheless.

In fact, if the winter temps hover around the freezing mark, our chances of driving on that slick, packed, wet snow will be assured. With so many drivers operating front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive vehicles, preparedness with winter tires is taking a back-seat. Attention SUV operators: Please remember that your vehicles have no special turning or stopping advantage, but only a “going” advantage over two-wheel drive. The first snow we see here will prove this point, when many four-wheel drive vehicles will leave the roadway unintentionally.

The first rule of winter driving (echoed by the Washington State Patrol) is to slow down. Every year, there is at least one early season intersection stop where I’m surprised by the slickness. So, driving according to conditions is paramount, but equipping your vehicle with winter tires is highly important, too.

Thirty years ago, that meant mounting up your studded tires, and scratching your way around, chewing up dry pavement for days, waiting for snow or ice. Today, it may mean using all-season tires, M & S rated tires, or studless alternative winter tires. What you choose depends on the amount and location of your winter driving, and your vehicle.

If, for example, your vehicle is all-wheel drive, your all-season tires are brand new, and your driving is minimal, you may be fine. Initial tread depth is 12-to- 13/ 32nds of an inch — when it gets below half of that, all-season tires aren’t much good in snow. Now if you will drive over mountain passes, or if your auto is two-wheel drive, an M & S rated tire, or a winter tire is a must for safety. Studded tires are still available, but local tires retailers tell me that stud popularity is on the decline.

There may be several reasons for the drop-off in stud use. First, as relayed from reader J.S. a couple of weeks ago — they wear our roads excessively. He is all for their ban, or at least an imposed surcharge to use them — sentiments that I support. Since this mention, reader opinion has come in about 4-to-1 against studded tires.

Better Replacements for Studs

Besides premature road wear, the overwhelming reason that many drivers have weaned off studs is that the alternatives keep getting better. There is not room here to show all of the studies that have been done, but the Washington Department of Transportation, tire manufacturers (Goodyear, Bridgestone, Michelin and Gilslaved), and tire retailers (Tire Rack, Discount Tire) all have completed extensive testing. The conclusion is always that quality winter tires outperform their studded counterparts in all situations except glare ice. The advantage of studs on ice is minimal in most cases, and in fact, nonexistent when compared to certain modern winter tires. The disadvantage of studded tires comes to light on dry and wet roads, where their adhesion pales to that of even the cheapest tires. If, as reported by the WSDOT, we only have glare ice 1-to-2 percent of the time here, studded tires users ride with inferior safety 98-99 percent of the time.

Your tire retailer is well versed in these facts, and can help you determine the best winter tire to fit your vehicle and your driving pattern.

Little-known Laws

R.P., a concerned driver, wrote to me regarding the recent emphasis patrol ticketing those who failed to move left on the highway when encountering a cruiser on the shoulder. He did not know that there was such a law.

While traveling this summer, I noticed highway signs in several states reading something to the effect of, “Move left for vehicle on shoulder.” Although I’ve made this maneuver for years, I must admit that I didn’t know it was law here or anywhere else.

Well there is a law here, and it is designed to improve the safety of law officers at the sides of our highways. In Washington, the RCW is 46.61.212 as follows:

The driver of any motor vehicle, upon approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle that is making use of audible and/or visual signals meeting the requirements of RCW 46.37.190 or of a police vehicle properly and lawfully displaying a flashing, blinking, or alternating emergency light or lights, shall: (1) On a highway having at least four lanes, at least two of which are intended for traffic proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle, proceed with caution and, if reasonable, with due regard for safety and traffic conditions, yield the right of way by making a lane change or moving away from the lane or shoulder occupied by the stationary authorized emergency vehicle or police vehicle; or (2) If changing lanes or moving away would be unreasonable or unsafe, proceed with due caution and reduce the speed of the vehicle.

Thanks to all readers who have contributed.