Driving along on a two lane road, light snow, just a little in spots on the road. An older Cavalier had been following me for awhile. Came upon a bend that was snow covered, the Fiesta on four Blizzaks handle everything with aplomb, The Cavalier didn't fare so well. Spun around and hit the guard rail.
Snow tires, or that sounds like standard procedure for a Cav in poor conditions, regardless of tires.
Owned a 99 cav Z24 for 10 years. It was good in the snow on all seasons, unstoppable with decent snows. Yes, snows make the difference.
I watched a lady do that this morning. It didn't snow here. 
Sometimes it's the driver. I'd say most of the time.
Last weekend, I got caught driving in a squall and it got ugly. It was about 1am and I saw no less than 6 vehicles scattered on both sides of the highway, all being tended to by wreckers and police. I just putted by in my Mazda with my Blizzaks and had zero issues getting home. Not one, but TWO big tough guy bro-trucks were on their sides!!!
My new to me Miata came with decent all seasons, almost no snow here, but lots of low temps and rain. It reminded me snow tires are not just for snow.
My Scirocco shod in snow tires felt much more sure footed. It's not just the type of precipitation, but the ambient temperatures. 40's and below I will always run snow tires.
I put snows on my 2wd 1500 pickup last winter, and they're every bit as good on packed snow as the worn out all seasons that came off were on wet roads. Pretty impressive. With some weight in the bed, that thing's a champ in the white stuff.
Dunlop graspics made my old redline a beast in snow.....well, until I ended up on top of a snow drift. they sounded like zippers when in an ice covered road though.
Snow tires freakin' suck!!!
We had rain that turned to freezing rain that turned to snow today. So there's polished ice everywhere especially at stop signs and such.
I reached down, pulled the Knob of Awesome out two clicks, which engaged the locking center and rear differentials, slid to a stop from ~30mph, then did a 4000rpm clutch dump. Tires spun for about a second, then the engine bogged from the grip and I launched outta there.
If I was on all-seasons, that could have been an epic minutes-long four wheel burnout, but NOOOOoooo....
I've found that my Firestone Winterforces are awesome in snow....
But absolutely AWFUL on ice at all.
Way back in '95 I owned a then-new Geo Metro. That winter in Seattle was pretty bad, and my OEM all-seasons couldn't even get me out of my apartment parking lot. I had a set of Blizzaks the next year and I was unstoppable. Even made it up an elevated ramp (heading up from U Village to the U District, those who know the area) with four inches of ice after I failed to notice the ROAD CLOSED sign.
So, yes. Snow tires FTW.
Swank Force One wrote: I've found that my Firestone Winterforces are awesome in snow.... But absolutely AWFUL on ice at all.
Which I believe you knew going in.......
neon4891 wrote: Snow tires, or that sounds like standard procedure for a Cav in poor conditions, regardless of tires.
Not mine. It flies. 
Goddamn, I'm showing this picture every time I get a chance; I need a new one.
Swank Force One wrote: I've found that my Firestone Winterforces are awesome in snow.... But absolutely AWFUL on ice at all.
I found that to be true also.
The Graspics on my e34 have been doing a great job so far, but they haven't had a serious test yet.
My girlfriend never had any trouble in her 94 Cavalier on decent all-seasons. Then again, she's from MN, and actually knows how to drive in the slippery stuff.
As for Winterforces, mine are also awesome in the snow. When I hit black ice at walking pace on my way to the street a couple of weeks ago, all I could do was lock the brakes and choose where to slide off the road, and managed to not hit my neighbor's car who had done exactly the same thing. I, too, knew going in that unless I got them studded, they were snow tires, not ice tires.
N Sperlo wrote:neon4891 wrote: Snow tires, or that sounds like standard procedure for a Cav in poor conditions, regardless of tires.Not mine. It flies.
Looking at the paint makes me ask: did that thing catch fire?
Nothing is good on smooth, wet ice. Not a common condition, but it does happen.
Studded winter tires make a pretty good impact on ice. Hankook Winter I-Pike FTW.
Gearheadotaku wrote: Nothing is good on smooth, wet ice. Not a common condition, but it does happen.
It'd be common in NE Ohio if they didn't constantly salt the roads, or whatever junk it is that they're putting on the roads now.
Normal situation is a daily freeze/thaw cycle, which is perfect for making smooth wet ice.
I forgot about studs. I have I-Pikes on the Saturn and pleased with them.
nokian wrg2 tires all the way around on my outback, got the clutch really hot trying to have some in 2nd on the snow....
Old 195-55-15 Hakkapalettas on my 2000 Civic beater. They make hte car absolutely dominant in the snow.
I'll NEVER drive without proper winter tires unless I have AWD (and the winter tires would still be all-season).
I LOVE passing SUV's off in the median while I putt along in my Civic. 
The day after Christmas I drove from Upstate NY to Cincinnati through what ended up being a pretty big storm. From about Erie, PA to Columbus we counted over 50 cars off the road until we just started feeling bad and stopped counting. Our car was a Subaru Forester with Dunlop Graspic Studless tires, and did great..
my snow tires have been GREAT .... put them on in Nov. and the total snow fall so far this yr has been less than measurable trace ... I credit the snow tires ..
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