snow tires now mandatory in BC outside of GVRD
 

i just saw this on the news ticker watching the morning news on global.

"from beginning of october to the end of april, it is mandatory to have approved snow tires to drive on BC highways outside of the lower mainland".

i don't know if there was a news report associated with this because i had to go to work, but i can't find anything on google.

does anyone know more about this?

EDIT: here is the link: http://globalnews.ca/video/884457/wh...er-winter-tire

That's either your misunderstanding or shoddy reporting by Global. You don't specifically need snow tires to drive anywhere in BC as far as I know. Any of the routes indicated on the maps shown at the link below require you to be using either snow tires or simply carry chains:

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure

I'd go with the former - there's really only so much information that can be packed into a news ticker.

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure

someone PM'd me the link to the news report:

What defines a proper winter tire? | Watch GlobalNews Videos

so it's less about what the ticker said and more about whether an "approved" snow tire means M+S or a mountain/snowflake on BC highways.

i thought ministry and RCMP argued about this last year... normally this dosen't matter to me but the job i work at now needs me to travel as far as hope or princeton. i guess i have to check with rental car agencies and ask what do they have on their cars when i head out there...

I wouldn't worry much about it on the way to Hope, that part of the highway is kept pretty clear, and there are no designated chain-up areas (that I can think of) between here and there.

Princeton, on the other hand, can get tricky through the Manning Park/Allison Pass section when there's lots of snow. Remember to check drivebc.ca for condition info before you go, and if you're worried about a rental car being "properly equipped", just ask when you're picking up your rental. It's in their best interests, if you're going into the interior, to make sure their car won't have issues with the road conditions.

BTW, Allison Pass road cam shows a dusting of snow on the shoulders... :troll:

http://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwayca...cameras/65.jpg

ha. if that "light dusting" were in the lower mainland news stations would be calling it the next snowpocalypse :lol

between costco having xmas decorations out for the last month already and this... i'm not ready see winter dammit :QQ:

for a minute there i thought you now need winters to drive to the US :lol

Godamnit, good chains for the cummins are the price of a good set of used snowies. I'll just stick with my M+S tires and weight in the bed.

Buying a set of snowies isn't that much and they make a world of difference stopping in the cold/ice/snow.

Just north of my house, the RCMP are on the S2S all the time, performing road blocks heading towards Whistler and turning cars around without snow tires or chains. And I think this is a good thing - it puts the rescue workers in danger going out in the snow storms to rescue idiots on their all season tires

And I have yet to ever witness one of these roadblocks... Snow tires are good for ice, that's about it. On actual snow a M+S will perform just the same.

Never seen one, been to whistler a fair bit...

Just to note, the GVRD and Lower Mainland are not interchangeable terms.

Go on a snowy day, you'll see them. They set up just past Alice Lake on the highway; were there several times last year. Every store in town was sold out of chains most of the time - so don't rely on that as being a solution.

I was passing cops on the last snowy day, still didn't see a road block. (I'm just givin ya heck, i'm sure they have em, just never seen one).

the news ticker said GVRD. afterwards the news report said lower mainland. i edited my post to reflect that but i cannot change the title.

so what's the answer?

are you still allowed to drive in BC with all season tires during the winter?

check out "Do I have to use winter tires?" section...

it says "Although winter tires are not mandatory in B.C."

ICBC | Winter driving

^ unless this is an outdated info

The line was so long one time, I had to skip going to the back woods area where my family gets their Xmas trees from! boooo

Just before I turned around, there was an M3 that was turned around with all seasons and it was puking out.

I heard there will be more tire checks this year.

Personally I wouldn't leave the GVRD without snow tires on my car. Nor would I drive in the Lower Mainland past November without snow tires, as well.

this was posted elsewhere and i mentioned that my friend had these on his car going to whistler and they turned him back at the checkpoint. unless things have changed in the last 2 years, they do not recognize this as a substitute for tire chains. on top of that, the first patch of clear pavement you hit and these will start to shred unless you drive like a granny. his did not last 2 winters, and there wasn't that much snow in vancouver.

if you get a rubber chain it should be a lot quieter

http://www.honda.co.jp/ACCESS/auto-a...ire-chain.html
http://image.space.rakuten.co.jp/lg0...a06zikazj.jpeg

yeah but is it actually mandatory now? like the title says?

I think the story is B.S. Last time i checked Victoria didn't even own a single snow plow and Nanaimo has a highway running right thru it. You expect everyone in Nanaimo to get snow tires?