A harsh reality for those that drive in winter conditions: Self-Driving Cars, Tires, and the Great National Stupidity.

[larrymg1]

"In what universe are all-season tires sufficient for all seasons? The one where people trust words over common sense. All-season ≠ good in all seasons. All-season is a catch-all. A compromise. If all-seasons were great in snow, snow tires wouldn't exist. If all-seasons were great summer tires, summer tires wouldn't exist. All-seasons are the sneakers of tires. You wouldn't wear sneakers instead of skis, or snowshoes to the beach. And yet people persist in the folly of using all-seasons through harsh winters. Then they crash. Sometimes they die."
Self-Driving Cars, Tires, and the Great National Stupidity

 

[EdP]

"In what universe are all-season tires sufficient for all seasons? The one where people trust words over common sense. All-season ≠ good in all seasons. All-season is a catch-all. A compromise. If all-seasons were great in snow, snow tires wouldn't exist. If all-seasons were great summer tires, summer tires wouldn't exist. All-seasons are the sneakers of tires. You wouldn't wear sneakers instead of skis, or snowshoes to the beach. And yet people persist in the folly of using all-seasons through harsh winters. Then they crash. Sometimes they die."
Self-Driving Cars, Tires, and the Great National Stupidity

Overall, a very good article. Like most things, different situations call for different solutions.

 

[Spanky61]

No offense Larry but the Article is a FAIL IMO;

This is a man who has raced in illegal cross country races like; ie., Gumball Rallys, Bull run, racing around Manhattan. Breaking the laws of our cities, states and country at will, endangering innocent pedestrians and motorists at ever chance and now calls others; stupid, idiots?? I think if the shoe fits, he needs to wear it for sure. I don't believe his mother made a very good impression on him actually.

This is an individual who promotes self-driving autonomous cars, illegally raced twice across the country 50 hours and 16 minutes. Wow, this is an intelligent, responsible individual and he calls others stupid and idiots for utilizing OEM equipped all-season tires? That's a laugh!

I don't admire, endorse or promote such individuals, nor their personal ideologies. He's a self promoter; the Ultimate Playboy, as he's called.

This will give you a basic understanding of who Alex Roy actually is.

Alex Roy - Wikipedia

Tolerance of others? Love for his fellow man? Admiration? Understanding? Instead, he uses words labeling others; stupidity, idiots, optimal life etc. Sorry, we aren't in charge of how long we live and allot of time how we die. He might need to try a responsible, realistic approach to life for a while. That's common understanding, (sense).

How do children or adults have a choice if they get cancer, diabetes type I or not? If you're blind or not? If they live one day or one hundred etc; They don't have a choice, they live with what they have. Just like millions of others, who can't afford two complete sets of tires, one for summer and one for winter use.

Ranting about things you cannot change or have no power to change, is not common sense. It's simply futility. Seems, he has a great deal of time to practice his futility but very little time to spend on those things that make a much more positive impact on others. If he's so knowledgeable and aware than why, is he so blind to everyone else. I suppose, popularity and money have a great deal to do with this whole subject.

 

[larrymg1]

No offense Larry but the Article is a FAIL IMO;

This is a man who has raced in illegal cross country races like; ie., Gumball Rallys, Bull run, racing around Manhattan. Breaking the laws of our cities, states and country at will, endangering innocent pedestrians and motorists at ever chance and now calls others; stupid, idiots?? I think if the shoe fits, he needs to wear it for sure. I don't believe his mother made a very good impression on him actually.

This is an individual who promotes self-driving autonomous cars, illegally raced twice across the country 50 hours and 16 minutes. Wow, this is an intelligent, responsible individual and he calls others stupid and idiots for utilizing OEM equipped all-season tires? That's a laugh!

I don't admire, endorse or promote such individuals, nor their personal ideologies. He's a self promoter; the Ultimate Playboy, as he's called.

This will give you a basic understanding of who Alex Roy actually is.

Alex Roy - Wikipedia

Tolerance of others? Love for his fellow man? Admiration? Understanding? Instead, he uses words labeling others; stupidity, idiots, optimal life etc. Sorry, we aren't in charge of how long we live and allot of time how we die. He might need to try a responsible, realistic approach to life for a while. That's common understanding, (sense).

How do children or adults have a choice if they get cancer, diabetes type I or not? If you're blind or not? If they live one day or one hundred etc; They don't have a choice, they live with what they have. Just like millions of others, who can't afford two complete sets of tires, one for summer and one for winter use.

Ranting about things you cannot change or have no power to change, is not common sense. It's simply futility. Seems, he has a great deal of time to practice his futility but very little time to spend on those things that make a much more positive impact on others. If he's so knowledgeable and aware than why, is he so blind to everyone else. I suppose, popularity and money have a great deal to do with this whole subject.

WOW! "A fail" because you don't agree with a number of things this individual has or hasn't done. My subject matter was the proper use of tires.
Sorry I really didn't investigate his background. I posted in reference to, IMO, a legitimate issue on types of tires people should or shouldn't use under various driving conditions.

As to your contention that he "promotes self-driving autonomous cars". His statement appears to contradict that assumption:
"Which brings us to self-driving cars. Poor choices are the moral raison d'etre of self-driving cars. Every other justification pales in comparison. I have faith that technology can solve problems, and one of those problems is road safety. Someday, maybe, self-driving cars will work in most places, in most conditions. Between now and then, they will only work in some places, sometimes. The irony is that for self-driving cars to work in more places, say, places where it snows, they will need much better software....and snow tires. If, like our deluded friend in the Tesla, you don't have snow tires, all-wheel drive isn't going to help, and nor will self-driving technology. It's almost inconceivable Tesla could ever enable "Full Self-Driving" in snowy conditions unless snow tires were installed, which would require a tire/car interface I'm pretty sure doesn't exist on current Teslas.
Tesla's aren't magic. They're cars like any other, and subject to the rules of Mother Physics, like every other."

 

[EdP]

The irony is that for self-driving cars to work in more places, say, places where it snows, they will need much better software....and snow tires. If, like our deluded friend in the Tesla, you don't have snow tires, all-wheel drive isn't going to help, and nor will self-driving technology. It's almost inconceivable Tesla could ever enable "Full Self-Driving" in snowy conditions unless snow tires were installed, which would require a tire/car interface I'm pretty sure doesn't exist on current Teslas.
Tesla's aren't magic. They're cars like any other, and subject to the rules of Mother Physics, like every other."

Tesla aside, it will take more than just snow tires for any self driving car. There are certain conditions that no car will move, yet some idiots are trying. Will it be up to the driver or the software to decide not to turn onto the un-plowed road with 18" of snow? Or the ice on the hill? It will take some sophisticated software to get through some storms I've been in.

Exceptions will be self driving SUVs. Like the regular ones, they car still cruise the left lane at the speed limits no matter the conditions, Well, until they end up in the median.

 

[larrymg1]

Tesla aside, it will take more than just snow tires for any self driving car. There are certain conditions that no car will move, yet some idiots are trying. Will it be up to the driver or the software to decide not to turn onto the un-plowed road with 18" of snow? Or the ice on the hill? It will take some sophisticated software to get through some storms I've been in.

Exceptions will be self driving SUVs. Like the regular ones, they car still cruise the left lane at the speed limits no matter the conditions, Well, until they end up in the median.

Agreed. Add to that pickup who because they have 4WD think that they can go anywhere under any conditions.

 

[Spanky61]

Actually, looking at his life style and what he advocates for others, I believe his logic is a bit flawed. Common sense?? I don't see where he exercises such sense in his own life. It's more about, "do what I say but don't do what I do." Hard to overlook such logic, from someone who says people are; idiots and stupid along with the Great National Stupidity, if they drive in winter weather with all-season tires. Wow, All I had to do is look as who he is and his background to know he doesn't live in the same universe you or I do.

I'm saying, some people have no choice. They don't have the money to spend on snow tires and or additional rims to fit them. But I guess according to him, they're idiots and stupid for attempting to do so.

Larry, I'm not angry with you or anyone else. I'm just looking at the obvious in the article you posted and some of the logic that he uses. I'd like to keep the discussion as a discussion, nothing more. I'm not calling you or anyone else stupid or ignorant. Just attempting to add a different point of view.

 

[Mr. Incredible]

"all season" tires work fine in some places that don't technically have Four seasons. SoCal for example, we have Hot or Cold, sometimes rain, no snow in most of the State.

I wouldn't use all season tires in snow, but then again I also learned to drive in Manhattan in the 1980s in a 1968 Ford Thunderbird with a 429 Thunderjet and zero traction control safety features.

People today aren't taught how to drive, they are taught to point their car in a given direction and mash the gas, and hope they don't hit anything between point A and point B.