Sometimes it seems that our snow-prone Southern Californian mountain environs are too far removed from other snowed-in areas in more ways than just geography.
I am told by northern tire experts that big lugged mud and snow tires are great in mud and snow but bad on hard pack or ice. And highway rut-causing steel-studded tires (only allowed on the Hill for local driving) don’t stop too well on dry pavement.
So what I hear is “tire siping” is a service provided by northern tire shops that slices the treads that provides a more all around tire for all winter road conditions.
As a tire-chain-a-phobe, I believe walking may be better than tire chains. If siping is safer and more realistic, then why not have tire siping offered here too?
Then again, we may have little or no snow to contend with anyway.
Mike Reno
Pine Cove