In the case of Minnesotan, I think the need to stay on top of maintenance has led to the adoption of higher tech monitoring and better processes in general, just out of such extreme need (and lots of practice).

That only works in places with relatively milder winter climates. In harsher climates, salt stops melting snow, and the surface temperature of even exposed road may stay below freezing even during the day.

This works well in suburbs with modern setback rules. It doesn't work so well in established urban areas where buildings often go right up to the sidewalk which goes right up to the road.

Not sure when snow tires became more mainstream but I started driving in Michigan in the late 80s and didn't know a single family that used snow tires. Where I live now snow tires only make sense for those who live in or visit the mountains regularly. The valleys are mostly at or above temps where snow tires wear quickly or become less effective on wet surfaces.

Hah! Yup! Heard that one before from Californians, Texans, New Yorkers, and Arizonans in my travels.

Ignorance can be the death of ya! Thank goodness most of them aren’t trying to drive up here!

I live in the southeastern US. I am aware that winter tires exist, but you simply can't buy them here off the rack. You have to order them. For our "snow", which happens once every 2-3 years, you don't even need them. In an ice storm, you just stay off the roads for two days. The heat from the sun is sufficient to melt it even if the air temperature never gets above freezing.

What you need here are tires that can handle huge amounts of rain. Which, in the western US, is not an issue.

You mean to tell me dumping literal truck loads of salt into the water table is a bad thing? Why does everything that works well have terrible consequences.

This is not true, winter tires are only mandated on some highways. Winter tires are not required by law throughout the entire lower mainland which is where most of the BC population is.

Does BC allow chains instead of winter tires? Oregon does for cars and light trucks. WA seems to be more of a free for all but also tends to completely shut down their passes more often than Oregon does.

in ottawa, and most of ontario, they lay down so much road salt you would think they're trying to brine the pavement... it's disgusting, i wish we'd follow the leads of AB & BC.

> $1400 for a new set of studded winter tires for my F-150

The F-150 and maybe the studs play the biggest role here. I kept it below $400 for my small hatchback, even though I went for Conti (but it was before COVID).

Very much so - WI and other northern states know how to clear their roads. While you will need to slow down a little more while it is snowing it doesn't really matter because someone else will not have winter tires and so force you to slow down to that speed even if you have them. And even if you have them they are better than summer tires, but they are not that much better, you still need to slow down on ice.

Winter tires are very important in places where they get bad weather but don't clear the roads. Those are not generally places people live though.

Are you driving around with actual summer tires (not all-season or all-weather)? By winter tires do you mean winter tires or studded?

If you do mean summer tires that seems almost unbelievable to me. I have some experience both on the roads as well as skidpans with both.

With actual summer tires on even non-icy light snow cover you:

- have almost no braking

- get nothing but wheelspin on any sort of hill

- start spinning out in corners if you go >10mph.

The worse the winter weather gets, the more stuck you become if there has been no salting for an hour.

Meanwhile with winter tires you can safely go up to 60mph on compacted snow and actually get to a stop within a mile.

Hell, even just the fact that summer tires are hard as rocks in cold temps would make me wanna at least buy all-seasons.

Just how aggressively and how often do they salt in WI, considering the climate?

disclaimer: grew up in a country with mild-ish winters where winter tires are mandatory, never spent much time in the parts of NA that do get winters.

Ehh, I almost never use winter tires but I still disagree. Some people are simply not good or attentive enough drivers for me to believe they will be fine without winter tires.

Canada is a federal state like the US, and it similarly delegates much of the power to regulate driving to the provinces.

The main highway going East-West (Trans-Canada 1) requires you to put on snow tires during the winter.

I think it might only be an Alberta, BC provincial thing though.

British Columbia mandates winter tires on highways going through the mountains, and chains for trucks. I wish other provinces would put in similar mandates, because it's a bit of a clown show on the roads right now in Saskatchewan.