Not exactly - what about storage?  I don't have space for an extra set of wheels/tires... Store 'em in my living room?  No thanks.... 

 

Nick, just throw a plank of wood on top and call it a coffee table.

Living in a very hilly area full of curvy roads with a RWD car, I'm seriously reconsidering my stance that my 'winters' be high performance all season tires (Bridgestone Potenza RE970 Pole Position).  Up until a few years ago, I lived in an area where I could get away with running all seasons in winter.

 

The problem is, I cannot stand how crappy the grip is on the snow tires I've tried (Bridgestone Blizzak LM33) during the 99% of times I'm driving on them where there ISN'T snow on the road, which is why I have run all seasons for winter.  I do have a 3rd set of [unused] rims, maybe I should get winters for the original rims for November-February, all seasons for early spring and fall for the 16"s I run for winter now, and then cherish every precious moment on those wonderful summer tires (Dunlop Direzza ZII) and rims during the summer...

Snow tires are very soft with tons of grip, dont mistake a soft tire for no grip.... Your literally shredding your tires every time you take a hard turn and feel the car slip.. They have an intended purpose and it is not to drive fast. I've used blizzaks and dunlops snow tires and they are probably the best you can buy, drive them within there limitations.. If you expect to get dry weather performance out of a snow tire your insane, they are too soft to be driven like an all season or summer tire. That no grip experience you think your getting is actually to much grip and the soft tire being shredded. In fact most high performance winter tires have carbon nano tubes in the tread for increased grip..I would put the snow tires on the smallest rims you have, they will benefit from the larger sidewall, and the advantage of slightly deflating them for increased grip when you get deep snow.

Not exactly - what about storage?  I don't have space for an extra set of wheels/tires... Store 'em in my living room?  No thanks.... 

Can't please everyone.... I keep my friends set of tires right next to mine, sealed up in trash bags right under my deck.  they stack easily and dont take up much room... i'm sure you could find a friend, I mean what are friends good for?

I also grew up right on the NH border in Mass and yes northern New england may have less dense population but I used to commute 55 miles each way in and out of Boston I would take that commute any day over a 15 mile commute here in NJ... People around here just do not have any common sense when it comes to snow or what good snow tires can do. I use to drive a Ford Lightning and that thing was absolutly horrible in the snow...Until I put on bridgestone Blizzaks. I can honistly say I could go most places that 4 wheel dirves could go with those tires. I drove to Killington VT almost every weekend in that truck skiing and never once got stuck even in a foot of snow, and trust me I never drove slow.

The other thing when I was learning to get my license I can say a lot of people went to empty parking lots every storm and intentionally skidded around and learned how to break and how to drive into a skid... most importantly how not to panic went you did go into a skid..

I firmly believe when my kids get old enough to learn driving I will bring them to open parking lots and teach them how to control a skidding vehicle.

Of course this cannot save you from other idiots but it helps you become a better and more conciensus driver overall.

Though in NJ now, I learned to drive in Minnesota. My modified Subaru STI with snow tires on an extra set of rims for the snow is great fun. IMO, in the white stuff, snow tires > good all seasons > bad all seasons/any high performance summer. Tires matter; the differences are significant.

 

Addenda: 1) Others are a serious concern. As much as possible, it is nice to easily create distance away from threats. 2) RE: all seasons: One can make do with the ordinary, but that doesn't make it preferable.

Though in NJ now, I learned to drive in Minnesota. My modified Subaru STI with snow tires on an extra set of rims for the snow is great fun. IMO, in the white stuff, snow tires > good all seasons > bad all seasons/any high performance summer. Tires matter; the differences are significant.

Also have an STI with snows. A joy to drive in the fresh stuff! It's the other drivers that we all have to worry about.

I managed to drive with no issues in a 2 door coup with all season tires for 6 years in Syracuse, the snowiest urban area in the country. Much like a great gun won't make a mediocre shooter a marksman, winter tires don't did stupid.

Besides the tires, automatic transmissions make snowy weather driving more challenging. The ability to slow yourself by downshifting is great in the snow.

 

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All-Season Tires = Jack of all Trades..... Master of None

 

Marketing has drilled into the public that all-season tires are the way to go....  In truth, they are not bad, depending on the brand, but for people who demand performance in certain weather conditions, the dedicated tires are MUCH better at doing the job......

 

I can certainly appreciate the lack of space for a 2nd set of tires/rims. And truth be told, if in a bad storm, you dont have to go out, waiting the few hours after the storm the roads will be clear enough ....

 

But if you are in a profession where you MUST get somehwere regardless of the weather or live in a very rural area....  Snows are the way to go

The roads in my town right now are all completely snow covered, but it's so cold, I can't even make the tires spin on my Subaru or my truck. My truck did spin a little...I was pushing a mountain of snow up a 20 degree grade, other than that it's like being glued to the road.  It's very crunchy.