Winter tyres ends fear of snow 18 | 01 | 2011

    "WINTER IS OVER; there will be no more snow or ice and we can look forward to the imminent arrival of fine spring weather." That's very easy to say, but how can I be so sure when there’s at least a couple of months of 'official winter' still to go?

    It’s simple really; I’ve invested in a set of winter tyres ... and that almost guarantees they won’t be needed. It’s like buying a pair of sunglasses which ensures the skies stay overcast; an investment in a new barbecue means it’ll be a rainy summer; and if you take only shorts and T-shirts on holiday, it’s a safe bet the temperature will drop when you get there.

    I should have been more organised. I’ve been writing and broadcasting for weeks now about the need to be prepared for the severe weather but by the time I got round to it myself, all available stocks of winter tyres had disappeared, ironically like snow off a dyke.

    Every outlet I tried had bare racks where only shortly before there had been rows and rows of Michelins, Uniroyals and Bridgestones, all made of the same softer rubber compound and chunkier tread which helps keep you stuck to the road when the going gets tough in snow, ice and freezing conditions. Winter tyres are now compulsory in many parts of Europe and many suspect it won’t be long before we’ll have to fit them by law here too, especially if we get more of the weather we’ve been seeing this winter.

    One depot manager in Glasgow told me that not only did they not have any winter tyres, Michelin themselves didn’t have any either, having switched their production some time ago to the summer stock.

    But I got lucky when I phoned an old pal, Alistair Robertson who runs the Scottish operation of County Tyres from its base in Grangemouth. He’d just taken delivery of a container load of winter tyres and yes, he had them the size to fit my car.

    “I’ll take four of them”, I said quickly, and got over to Grangemouth as fast as my slightly worn normal tyres would allow.

    So with my wallet now a few hundred quid lighter, I’m fully prepared for the worst that can come my way ... and I’m just waiting for that classic line:  “The weathermen say there’s more snow on the way."

    Caption: Alan inspects his cherished new winter tyres.

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    Alan Douglas

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