On Studded Tires
Posted by Adam Graham in : Idaho Conservative, TheRep. Marv Hagadorn makes a compelling case that studded snow tires are destroying our roads and leading to extra road construction. He states:
Those that insist on running the little “road grinders” or need them to get around in their area, need to start paying their fair share for the road maintenance that is required due to their choices of winter tires.
Well, my thought is that people using studded tires are not doing so to destroy the roads. I haven’t used snow tires in Idaho (haven’t really seen the need) but back in Montana, I did have studs. It was simply what my father had and what I’d been told I needed.
A lot of people may have simply never looked into all-season radials. Overall, before we start getting punitive with folks, I’d rather an educational tact, by sending out flyers on the benefits of using all-weather radials. After educaton, I’d be willing to use a carrot to get people to buy other types of tires (such as exempting purchases of all-weather radials from the state sales tax) before I would go and get punitive on people.
Update:
I think all-weather radials would work fine for the Treasure Valley, due to our relatively mild climate, but I would reccomend them for everywhere (not even in Idaho), the State of Washington has an interesting piece on alternatives to studs, I’d reccomend.
Comment by FerryLechero
In Bulgaria many citizens drive their cars without snow tires. I think this is not correct, but Bulgarian roads are very destroyed and very bad
Comment by Steltek
I’d be happy to consider it, if I could see some road test data that definitively says that in my tiny Ford Tempo all season radials are as effective as studs. If nothing else, it would save me the hassle of having my tires changed every season.
Comment by Adam Graham
All weather probably wouldn’t work well for you where you’re from. In the Treasure Valley, it’s different. We get snow very rarely and usually pretty light.