said by markf4 :

I thing it's because Caltrans does not use salt and sand just sand on the snowy roads.. I lived in Minnesota and never use chains

said by markf4 :

I think it's because Caltrans does not use salt and sand just sand on the snowy roads.. I lived in Minnesota and never use chains

said by ghostpainter :

Just how old is your oldest son. My dad taught me how to drive when I was 12 up on Baldy in 3 feet of snow with no chains.

said by HappyBunny :

Would someone explain the purpose of chains to me?

said by No_Strings :

My first car was a '59 Fiat that my brother and I ran around in our field when I was 14. Working on a farm all through high school, I was driving all kinds of mechanized contraptions. Getting a license seemed like a pointless formality.

It's hard to find space around here to give them some time behind the wheel. I'm also trying to teach both of them (younger one is 14) to drive a stick, but the S4 isn't very accommodating for beginners.

I don't get it either. Snow tires always seemed to work in the snow belt.

said by jig :

hmm. i can understand why someone from Ohio would never need them, but if you go much up 395 way, they are absolutely necessary. front wheel drive helps a lot, but you won't get into/out of most skiing places north of bear lake without them. even with 4wheel drive.

said by HappyBunny :

Is it because the snow is deep? Or because people here can't drive in it? We didnt even buy "snow tires" in Ohio--do they even make those anymore? We just bought all season radials. I once drove in a blizzard from Toronto to Cleveland--snow belt all the way, right thru Buffalo... with nary a snow tire.

I still am not sure WHY they are needed, other than people are told to use them.

said by RR Conductor :

You do know that the snowiest place in the US is here in CA, the Sierra Nevada's. Buffalo gets a TON, no doubt, but nothing like Donner can get.

About tires, people in Ohio and the "snow belt" must be a bit crazy, because when we lived in Pocatello, ID (90-97), we ran studded snow tires in the winter, and most everybody else there ran at least snow tires. We had them put on in the late fall, (Big O would store our summer tires), and then in the Spring we would go and have the summer tires put back on.

said by jig :

huh. seems they changed the law in 2006.

well, then, let me be the first to say that studded snow tires suck,

said by jig :

my 15 year old pair are in my shed. suck, suck, suck.

said by HappyBunny :

My parents told me that if I wanted to drive something other than the family station wagon with its so uncool wood paneling (1976 Plymouth Gran Fury Wagon!), I could buy it myself. So I saved money from my job slopping nursing home swill food and bought a 1971 primer gray Toyota Celica. I thought it was really awesome because it had orange shag carpet in the rear window! I put in a loud stereo (my dad helped me) and I thought I was the coolest (I wasn't but who cares?). I drove around with the Cars and Meatloaf blaring from the 8-track player. It was MY car, so my parents couldnt take it away when they were pissed at me, either

Why rob a kid of that pleasure? What fun is it to just have it given to you? I went to a Catholic girls' high school, and nobody there drove new cars--everyone had old beaters like I did. Of course, we didnt live in the OC, so I guess that makes a difference. I certainly didnt know anyone who had a BMW, not even an adult who did!