And I have to say, it gives food for thought on car tyres. Everyone goes on about grit wagons, but how few people actually have car tyres suitable for snowy conditions? I certainly don't. And maybe we all should...
No, please don't.
Winter tyres are slightly better than normal tyres in very cold conditions, and much better in the snow. However, they are significantly worse in merely cold conditions (ie the majority of the average British winter) and normal conditions.
The problem in the (majority) of the UK is that we only get these sorts of conditions for two or three days a year. Therefore it is not a reasonable use of tax payer money to have the amount of specialist equipment on standby that would be needed to keep the roads clear, and it's just not realistic to think that the motoring public would change their tyres (or add/remove snow chains) on a daily basis. Countries that have regular prolonged periods of snow and ice handle it better, because it is for prolonged periods, which means it's practical for governments (and individuals) to invest in the equipment needed.
The best thing that most people can do is heed the warnings from the governmental bodies and only travel if you need to. A lot of the people on the roads today probably don't need to be.
