Snow tires? (Pittsburgh, Plum, Wilson: live in, shop, bus)

[gg]

All season tires are better in Pittsburgh because you will be mostly driving on wet roads and very little snow. The snow in our region is greatly exaggerated. If it is a time of snow, stay home or take a bus or get a ride from someone that is used to the snow. Live close to work. Those ideas are better than snow tires which aren't very good for rain and dry conditions for the most part, which is still more common here than driving on snow, which would be rare and it usually melts in a day or two.

[Bludy-L]

It would sure help to have more information from the OP. Where in Pittsburgh? School, commuting to work? Type of vehicle? Etc...

I see folks in Florida crashing when it rains, let alone snows!

If she's never driven in snow, ice, slush before she may need all the help she can get.

-- Posted with TapaTalk

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by DOCKWILSON

My daughter is moving to Pittsburgh from Florida. Does she need snow tires or chains??
Thanks

Snow tires are an inexpensive investment in your safety. And the safety of other drivers around you as well. I can't see any real downside to having them, especially if your daughter doesn't have any prior winter driving experience. JMHO.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Those ideas are better than snow tires which aren't very good for rain and dry conditions for the most part.

The "average" driver won't notice much difference in the rain/dry pavement traction capability versus an all season tire. It's perfectly safe to drive on snow tires in the rain, and on dry pavement. Tire noise is a bigger concern when comparing snows vs. all season, but the noise level is still acceptable for most people.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by DOCKWILSON

My daughter is moving to Pittsburgh from Florida. Does she need snow tires or chains??
Thanks

Ok, the unasked question(s).

What kind of car? Generally speaking, FWD cars don't usually need snow tires in Pittsburgh, the all season radials suffice.

RWD on the other hand typically does better with snow tires than without (I grew up in NWPA before FWD was common so have experience with snow tires. And chains for that matter.).

Now comes availability. I put snow, rather winter, tires on my 2WD F150. I started several years ago when I was driving to PA every couple weeks to check my mother's house after she went to assisted living. Anyway, finding dedicated snow/winter tires is becoming more and more difficult and they have to be ordered as most places no longer stock them.

I got caught in a couple storms where I was glad I had the tires. Would I really have needed them? Who knows? I also hit storms in one or another of the Taurus' with all seasons and had no problems then either. By storms I mean 6-8 inches of snow on unplowed roads in the mountains. Once was an ice storm.

When your daughter arrives she will just have to learn how to drive in the winter. Some will suggest going to an empty snow covered parking lot and play with the car. That can create legal issues (I've done it, still do here in MD sometimes).

She needs to keep her speed down, allow plenty (3 or 4 times) of stopping distance if she's on snow. And if it's ice? Stay home.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Ok, the unasked question(s).

What kind of car? Generally speaking, FWD cars don't usually need snow tires in Pittsburgh, the all season radials suffice.

I notice in my neck of the woods that most of the vehicles that wreck/spin out are AWD SUV's. AWD is better than FWD and RWD, obviously. So why all of the AWD snow mishaps? All season tires.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

I notice in my neck of the woods that most of the vehicles that wreck/spin out are AWD SUV's. AWD is better than FWD and RWD, obviously. So why all of the AWD snow mishaps? All season tires.

Stupidity plays a large part, as in "I gots AWD/4WD and I can go like a bat out of Hell". Then they go off the road, over the river and through the woods.

[Sealtite]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

I notice in my neck of the woods that most of the vehicles that wreck/spin out are AWD SUV's. AWD is better than FWD and RWD, obviously. So why all of the AWD snow mishaps? All season tires.

AWD / 4WD means absolutely nothing when you're going down a hill. That's a concept some of these idiot drivers can't seem to grasp. When you are braking down a hill in snow / ice, it doesn't matter what you've got. Sure, there are a handful of drivers who understand that if you're going down a snow-covered hill in a Subaru, you brake with the GEARBOX (auto or manual) keep your foot ON the gas (even if you're going 10 mph in 1st gear), because that's the ONLY way you're gonna maintain any type of control in that situation. 99% of the owners of these types of vehicles simply don't get it though. They buy an Audi or a Subaru and think "I'm good. I don't need to adjust my driving style for conditions...The car will do it for me". These people usually wind up careening into oncoming traffic or a tree when they slam on their brakes the moment they start sliding on a hill. Then they blame the car.

[speagles84]

I'd say get a snowmobile.

[Kippy]

In regard to the OP's question, it really depends on what tires your daughter's car currently has on it. Not all all-season tires are created equal. I would suggest that you find out the exact tire model and check out the reviews on www.Tirerack.com to see what people say about winter driving with those particular tires.