Had a bit of time the other day to think about how snow affects commuting in Halifax. As I sat for 25 minutes trying to drive across the flattest part of Halifax, going from one end of the Common to the other I thought of Quebec. Apparently they fine people who don’t have snow tires on their cars during the winter months. Not good enough. I think what needs to be done is to make those caught without snow tires stand along the road wearing a sandwich board. It should have a target on it and say “I think snow tires are dumb”. It would give me something to do while I’m sitting in a 1″ snow storm for 2.5+ hours. Remember, this is a city that on a good day it takes less than an hour to drive from one end to the other. A special shout out to the moron on the silver Chrysler stuck at the Rotary going to Spryfield. Buy some fucking snow tires! —Mat
This article appears in Jan 17-23, 2013.
Hey! Thanks to the Coastie who’s releasing the Bitches (sooner).
One quick, simple request: Can you not post the stupid ones?
Let’s not post the stupid comments either.
and the entire site goes blank…..
Quebec is the only province to do so…
and they’re not really technically a part of Canada anyways so….
in light of Ivan’s apparent absence on this subject…
http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400…
I seen 3 vehicles in the ditch on the 102 today, I knwo one of the local tow truck drivers in our village & he told me most of the vehicles in the ditch are riding on 3 season …sorry ALL Season tires !
Which are fine for winter WHEN THE ROADS ARE CLEAR !
Our wonderful Government has announced there are no plans to “Burden” Nova Scotians withthe expense of buying winter tires.
Which I actually agree with because there is a simpler way to do it !
When the roads are snow covered, when its storming & the plows have yet to get the roads cleared …. it would be a simple matter to keep all those cars off the roads. All the insurance companies need do is put a clause in everyones insurance saying driving on snow covered roads with all seasons tires voids your insurance if you are in an accident … & voila the problem is solved.
Because only the stupid will drive when they shouldn’t be on the roads, when they end up in a ditch, they’ll have to pay out of pocket the thousands of dollars in damages …which will probably keep most off the roads til spring ~:)
Those with studded winter tires will have less traffic to contend with , way less people slip sliding all over the place. Sure some with winter tires will drive too fast… but they seem to end up in the ditches as well ~;p
I’ve said it before. You can get away without winter tires. The weather forecasts are pretty accurate, just drive accordingly. Stay off the roads if it’s to snow. If you can’t, get snow tires. I agree with a fine if one is OUT IN THE SNOW with no snow tires.
With all respect Trood, why would you TRY to get away with it? Would it not be easier to just bite the bullet and buy a set of snow tires? That way you take the guess work out of the equation, (lately I find that the various weather forecasters couldn’t predict a sunrise), and probably more importantly, you also remove the risk. You could listen/watch every weather forecast out there, but lets face it, it’s an educated guess at best, and then the next thing you know, you get caught out in a snowstorm riding on summer tires. (All season tires are not truly “All season”.) Not to mention, you’re not only risking your own safety but that of every other driver you share the road with.
I look at it this way: Buying and changing over to winter tires is just a necessary aspect of routine vehicle maintenance. You have to change your oil regularly, you have to change your brake pads regularly, so why wouldn’t you change over to winter tires regularly, (albeit, in the winter?) Yes, there is a cost factor involved but you CAN find reasonably priced tires IF you look early enough, (i.e. BEFORE the snow flies). And ask yourself honestly; what is your safety and that of your passengers, worth? $500-$1000 seems like pretty cheap insurance to me. Owning, operating and maintaining a vehicle is expensive. To be frank, IMO, if you can’t afford to keep your vehicle in proper and safe repair, then you have no business owning a vehicle.
Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life living in Atlantic Canada. Winter happens pretty much the same time every year. So you should change your tires over at the same time. Not doing so, IMO is incredibly irresponsible.
I actually like More’s idea about forfeiting any insurance coverage you have if you are in an accident on snow covered roads without snow tires.
Sorry Trood. I missed the part of your post where you say “if you can’t stay off the roads, get snow tires”
My bad.
However, I DO still stand behind my comment about not trying to get away with summer/all season tires.
Let’s not forget the dumasfuk drivers who not only fail to use proper winter tires, but have no clue to adjust their driving habits in snow and do stupidasfuk things whilst driving like slamming on your brakes to let someone in their driveway across two lanes of live traffic on quinpool road (causing a three car pile-up I might add) and then the dumberthanfuk foriegn dude who probabally doesnt even have snow in the homeland who almost hit the light standard and went up on the sidewalk while rubbernecking at the aformentioned incident… or those people who think that road / lane markings don’t count if they are under the snow – or the duffus who always has to pass the snow plow – or the dumberthanfuk who passed me on a single lane solid line highway the other day with 10ft max visibility in a blizzard. I love seeing them out in the sticks and fucked.
No suck-up toe stepping in this Bitch, lol. I’m also shocked to find out Quebec is not part of the country, who knew? Is it part of the United States?
Sonic I believe they are part of LaLA Land !
Its a fantasy place where they can use our currency, expect our armed forces to take care of any problems, The Canadian Coast Guard keeps their river clear in the its navigation systems subsidised … & they keep sucking the cheap power from NFLD Labrador & selling it to the States for an obscene profit !
While ignoring any Native Canadian land rights !
All while charging us to cross their territory !
I can’t for the life of me see why they would want anything to do with us either ! ! !
More; I like the way you put it. On the other hand, there is a very large prestigious Army Regiment located in the province. The population contributes to the Coast Guard and Canadian Forces, keep in mind at times in smaller numbers than the quotas would like. Every province ignores native rights, some more then others. You are correct that there is obscene financial mismanagement within the province, like many others, but maybe not to the same extent. My point is, the Seperatists and french bashers breed the hate, should we add more fuel to the fire? Or move forward respectfully and gain more ground in I guess, a more mature way? My beliefs probably mirror your own, but the french bashing hasn’t worked well yet, so lets try a different approach to the (for lack of a better term) Quebec problem.
Sonic, my significant other is French, her family consider themselves Canadians, French Canadians , but they consider me & My family English Canadians …not animosity , but (I’ve never told them) … I consider myself a Cape Bretoner. Never really thought about the Canadian part of it at all. Cape breton’s a part of Canada I realise that, its just when I do bother to ‘think’ of where I’m from, C.B. is what pops into my head .
I spent several years in Quebec as a young man & most (not all ) of the people in Montreal & The Quebec city area that I met and got to know, considered themselves Canadians … French for sure , but still Canadian !
The Native comment on land rights is because the Bands across Canada are either settled or in negotiations with the Federal Canadian Government about their land rights, Quebec believes they can just seperate & any natives & their territory comes along with them. I have heard from more than one point of view that many natives don’t want that at all.
Possibly because they would have to start fropm scratch in negotiating with a ‘new’ Country/Government & many consider themselves to be Canadian as well as Native.
According to the Halifax Idle No More movement, we’re just a bunch of British Colonial Settlers…
Who knew?
my passport says canada, who am i to argue with the feds?
I used to get pissed when militant First Immigrants (Bering land bridge, anyone?) would say – “If you don’t like us, go back where you came from you taxpaying loser”.
Considering that Poland has a vibrant economy, nude beaches and an almost solely pork based diet, I’m starting to think they may have a point.
Only down sides – far too many consonants in their words and the neighbors. Always those pesky neighbors.
Fuck French seperatists!!!!! They want to seperate, keep our currency, equalization payments, healthcare system, and they
will likely want to keep their seats in our House of Commons. Bunch of fucking ingrates if you ask me. See ya, bub bye!!!
Separatists. oops.