We got our studded tires today. We've gone back and forth-- studless winter tires (the Blizzak) or the studded tires... and everyone has different advice... "you definitely need studs" or "All Season tires are fine" or "Blizzaks will do just as well". Finally, the consensus was that the Zonys needed studs. Then, back and forth between vendors... finally the closest store decided to price match the place a bit further away.
So, we got them. They're weird. Tires with thick, but not super thick, tread and these little metal bolts. They make a sound like you're driving on gravel all the time. They're legal from Sept 15th until May 1st, which gives you an idea of how long winter lasts-- BOO. At any rate, apparently tire stores get swamped after the first major snow-- so, it's a game to get them as late as possible, but before the first real snow. (You don't want them very early, because they reduce your gas mileage a fair bit.)
The main reason we had to get special tires is that Anchorage doesn't salt its roads... this is apparently for many reasons-- it's too cold to be effective, it's environmentally unsound, it lures moose to the roads, and it's expensive. Consequently, we're all studded up ;)
You have them on NOW - or have them at the ready? Where did you store the extras?
ReplyDeleteOn NOW... you can have them on any time after Sept 15th. If you don't get them before the snow, then there's a huge rush to get them on after the first snow. Most people have switched... apparently people always trick-or-treat in the snow... so snow should be coming :( We're hoping to store the extras in the garage... right now they're taking up the back of our car.
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