@Akikiki - I say this affectionately: "smartass!"
I gave you a "funny" for that post, but also need a "wiseguy" button...
@ELECTROMAN - glad you're home safe. If you don't mind a question or two... I am shocked by the pictures you shared! Does everyone in Oregon drive on summer tires?
Just how much snow was there, anyway? From your messages and the talk of "carnage" -- and then the pictures! -- I was picturing a foot or two of snow. But it looks as if there was maybe 3" of snow! The roads almost uniformly didn't look steep. I'm just flabbergasted that so many people had so much difficulty. Maybe it's all just due to infrequent snow storms in Oregon, so no one has any familiarity with driving in the snow?
IMHO, if your winter experience routinely includes temperatures below about 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit, you probably will benefit from winter tires. Forget the snow and ice issues for a moment; the formulation of rubber in the winter tires works much better in colder temperatures than all-season or summer tires. Basically, the tire works better even on dry pavement. THEN, if you also add snow or ice, your winter tire does even better. Some people recommend the Nokiaan WR G3 as an "all season" tire that does well in the cold. I personally use Nokiaan Hakkapolitta R2s or R8s -- three Boston winters, careful driving, no worries.
For all the money that you spent on your car, there are only four, smallish places where the car actually meets the road. Those are the contact patches on the tires. Having now experienced summer tires, all seasons and winter tires (all on a P85) within about a week's span during a cold December, plus winter tires on snow and ice, I am converted to the importance of winter tires. To the point that I went out and bought a set for my Prius, too, and let me tell you, THOSE make a difference, too. No more Prius flailing its way up an embarrassingly gentle slope.
I just took delivery on a new S with summer tires a couple of days ago, and I'm driving around Maryland in 25-30 degree Fahrenheit weather on what feel like hockey pucks. Ludicrous mode on these tires at these temperatures? Fuhgeddaboudit! Gotta change over to those Hakkas ASAP!
Alan