If you feel that winter tyres are a helpful thing then please send an email to our gormless transport minister Philip Hammon who seems to think that winter tyres = studded tyres -> http://uk.autoblog.com/2010/12/03/transport-minister-slammed-over-confused-winter-tyre-message/
<RANT ON!>
I am amazed at this - it only goes to uphold the Europeans view that British drivers are the least aware of anything about cars and generally hopeless when the weather turns nasty. Although I am not an ADI instructor, I have coached enough people on cars and bikes to realise how little interest or ability most people have on the roads.
And to read that insurance companies are trying to dissuade people from fitting proper winter tyres make my blood boil. If I had my way I'd make them compulsary between November and Feb and be done with it. And force re-tests every 5 years, giving all of our hardworking Driving Instructors an almost limitless supply of work into the bargain!
My wife has a Honda S2000 - one of the least stable and tail-slide resistant cars known to makind, in the wet let alone the snow. Yet on Thursday last week, in 11 inches of snow, it sailed up a decent hill, past a floundering bafoon in a Volvo XC90 (who was giving it 5000rpm in first gear whilst sliding backwards), without so much as a hiccup. That traction is entirely down to the Goodyear Ultragrip Performance snow tyres I (quite by chance) happened to fit the week earlier. Proof positive that winter tyres are the only way we're going to keep this country moving in bad weather.....
.... apart from all the idiots of course who will continue to drive like they always do.
<RANT OFF>