When to put on snow chains?

I know we have had numerous topics covering snow chains and snow tyres. However, my recent experience has left me wondering when do you need to put on chains. Smart alec answers like "when it snows" not required :roll:.

Basically, I faced a fresh fall of snow on my way back to the airport from my recent trip. While the road had been ploughed in places, there was still a covering of compacted snow on the surface. Thankfully, traffic was very light and I was able to keep going on the winter tyres but only at a very slow speed. There were one or two very slight slides but nothing of any consequence.

In terms of other road users, I would estimate that about half had put on chains but obviously, I don't know if they had winter tyres.

Any thoughts on whether I should have put on the chains? Or is it a case that you can keep going as long as you can keep going without them?

Wanderer wrote:Or is it a case that you can keep going as long as you can keep going without them?

Pretty much this. If your winter tyres are half-decent they'll get you there 99% of the time but occasionally you'll have a slope with fresh snow on an icy base or something... Depends on your car as well of course (assuming winters, then 4WD and/or a lighter car will keep you mobile uphill for longer).

Think I've only needed to put chains on winter tyres a couple of times in <cough> years (usually on a hire car that had crap rubber on).

You should put snow chains once you hit the road with a good solid layer of compacted snow or ice. Listen to radio announcements, you may also see police at motorway exits stopping cars and making them put chains. If the road has been cleared (plowed) with some patches remain you don't really need chains as driving on bare pavement will be awkward and not good for either your car or the road surface.

Having used both chains and snow tyres, providing the tyres are of good quality you should not need chains. chains are not easy to put on even if you are experienced at putting them on, I would not bother. If you can't make it on snow tyres it's maybe time to book into a hotel.

With good winter tyres on, chains should really be only a last resort in very deep snow, ice, or steep inclines.

You may have already seen my post of our drive across the Jura Mountains (between Switzerland and France) a few weeks ago, in a car with good winter tyres:

Image broken by Photobucket - use Upload Pic for J2Ski to host

I've done the same journey before with winters on, but in much deeper snow, and still not needed my snow chains. Of the eight or so cars in our convoy, only the big SUV 4x4s had any problems, with the X5 in front ending up in the ditch (I think just due to poor driving) and the Mitsubishi behind taking a lot longer distance to stop than the rest of us (the big SUVs may have 4WD but their weight is a problem in snow). The only other issue was with a guy who had chains on and ended up having to take them off because the snow wasn't deep enough (I think he'd put them on too early, and the vibration when he hit open tarmac was huge).

The convoy was averaging about 50-60Kph on this sort of surface, and perhaps 40Kph where it was thicker snow. All the cars in the convoy were good at leaving loads of space in front.

Actually, the worst part of the journey was on the main A9 Autoroute around Lake Geneva, where the snow wasn't bad but it was really slushy, and tended to pile up at the edge of each lane. With cars and lorries really close and to my mind driving too fast, it was much more difficult than crossing the mountains.

You'll be surprised just how good winter tyres will be in snow, the photo above is a perfect example of when people think either that normal tyres will be ok and are definitely not, or at the other end others think its got snow on it much need chains.
As has been said, chains should only be used in fresh snow or packed ice conditions. Road signs and radio messages will tell you when it is obligatory, as will the police who will close roads to anyone not using chains if they deem it so.

Slushy snow on motorways where many drivers don't have winter tyres as they're not planning on going high can be a massive problem. People think the road is just wet so its ok, but the build up of slush can easily throw you off track and cause a spin, or damage your car as happened to my Passat when slushy wet snow built up underneath and forced the under tray off.

I find its best to "play" in conditions and see what your car will do. If you get lots of spinning with winter tyres pulling off or skid stops, put the chains on.

By the way, the X5 probably went off the road BECAUSE its a BMW and they are awful in the snow. Being 4WD the driver may have also thought he was skiing in a helmet and therefore invincible!

Great video on routine about a car driving up an indoor ski slope with winter tyres against a 4WD vehicle without, you'd be amazed how much better the normal car with winter tyres was.

{By the way, the X5 probably went off the road BECAUSE its a BMW and they are awful in the snow. Being 4WD the driver may have also thought he was skiing in a helmet and therefore invincible!}

I think it was definitely the latter, plus intrinsic problem of heavy SUVs in snow. We were in a 3.0L BMW 3 Series, so not exactly 'snow-friendly' but no problems at all (albeit xDrive AWD). The two big SUVs in our convoy both seemed to have the problem of momentum: it took them 50% longer to come to a halt, I assume because of their mass. To be fair to the X5 driver, it looked like he had very, very gradually drifted off to the right, but was just not able to shift back onto the road proper. Again, I assume that the SUVs weight made it hard to correct, even 'though he had plenty of time and space.

Where we have our apartment, almost all the locals seem to have AWD estates or hatchbacks, not 4x4s. If what we saw is typical of your average SUV/4x4 in the snow, then I'm not surprised they opt for more 'ordinary' cars.

Couldn't agree more. Audi A6 AWD would be my car of choice.