2-4 inch of snow, are chains needed?

[mattack4000]

BTW, thank you to the poster that explained all season tires are consider "snow tires" in the books of California law.

Now here is my rant. On Saturday, they did require people to have chains on non 4wd vehicle. They stopped all the traffic to check everyone's car. Here is the problem, they put the traffic in an area where the rain turned into ice, so cars were getting stuck before the checkpoint. Also what is the point of chains on 2wd wheels, sure it makes the car go up the hill faster. If the road is really that bad, the same cars will just slide down any hill. It's absolutely bizarre how they have these rules from the 60s and they are still following it. There is no reason to have them for cars (definitely for commercial vehicles). If they truly care about safety, they should require cars to have real snow tires. All season isn't going to help coming down a steep grade.

Also most people took off their chains 2 miles after the checkpoint anyway, it honestly was a waste of time. It's one of those stupid California rules.

 

[abasile]

Requiring chains on 2WD vehicles is essentially a method of "crowd control" in the California mountains. It forces everyone to drive more slowly and it reduces the number of cars on the road.

The biggest safety issue I see is that too many people driving AWD vehicles are overconfident. They assume that AWD is going to make them safer, even when going downhill! Of course, safety is more about tires and traction than the number of drive wheels.

I wish that California would quit distinguishing between AWD and 2WD in terms of chain requirements. Instead, the state could require real snow tires (with the mountain snowflake symbol) as an alternative to chains in R-2 conditions. This would be more like Nevada law. In that case, we would be able to order the Model 3 with 2WD today, and install snow tires each winter.

 

[TaoJones]

Anyone know offhand if Autosocks qualify as chains in the eyes of the local CA constabulary?

These would have been acceptable in Colorado on I-40 through the Eisenhower Tunnel (11,300') - although AWD & M+S were also an acceptable combination. Of course, there were no Autosocks to be had within 50 miles so if you didn't have a set with you, you were pretty much SOL.

Per the point made above, they just closed that pass (both directions) intermittently (this was in mid-May last year) rather than require chains for all, although chains were required for trucks and 2WD. When it was opened midday, I recall getting over the pass just fine - except the wipers and fluid froze which led to a windshield that was 2/3 opaque for a few miles. I added a small putty knife-sized scraper to the emergency kit after that.

Update: Answered my own question - FYI, per the CHP website, these are approved. A buyer printed the notice and put it in the Autosocks bag in case the question came up at a traffic stop. Good thinking.

 

[FlyF4]

Also what is the point of chains on 2wd wheels

Also most people took off their chains 2 miles after the checkpoint anyway, it honestly was a waste of time. It's one of those stupid California rules.

A bit puzzled. I'm thinking you are serious with that comment and probably not a physics teacher ;-) It does make a difference. It is not just a California rule. By living in the south for 20 years and traveling to the North East, this is a requirement in a lot of states.

 

[mattack4000]

I am not saying it doesn't make a difference, but not having the ability to stop the car is just as dangerous if you hit a small downhill. Modern snow tires can do just as well as chains while giving the driver the ability to stop, but I guess they have this rule to not force people who only go up once a twice a year to buy snow tires.

 

[Visscher]

Blizzarding here now. Snowed 2-4” since arriving at work. Snow still 2’ deep in our yard. Everyone’s got their summers back on since the winter is obviously over and this sissy snow isn’t worth tires for us.