Apparently I should get my snow tires put on the car soon. The snowy front that trekked through Seattle and Idaho earlier this week is dumping frozen rain on us.
Really? I thought studs were illegal on MI roads, too. I certainly don't know anyone who ever used them, and TC is a lot hillier and snowier than SE MI.
Answer: Yes, with certain restrictions. MCL 257.710 allows for the use of studded tires if they meet the specifications listed in subparts (c), (d), and (e). The part that specifically deals with studded tires is subpart (d) which states; "The department of state highways and transportation shall promulgate rules establishing acceptable standards to permit the use of a tire with studs or other traction devices to be used on a street or highway after April 1, 1975. The rules shall make separate provision for the extreme winter snow and ice conditions of the Upper Peninsula and the Northern Lower Peninsula. The rules shall include a restriction on the amount and dimension of protrusions that may be allowed on a tire, the type of material that may be used in a stud, traction device, or tire, and the amount of road wear that a tire with studs or other traction devices may cause on a street or highway."
Administrative Rules 247.171 through 247.175 govern studded tires and set the criteria for their use.
These rules state two conditions that must be met for the use of studded tires. Note: to date no manufacturer of tire studs has supplied information to the Michigan Department of Transportation that their product meets or exceeds the required pavement wear specifications.
First, they can only be used between November 15 and April 1 of the succeeding year except in the Upper Peninsula and the Northern Lower Peninsula , where, because of extreme winter snow and ice conditions, they may be used between October 1 and May 1of the succeeding year. Northern Lower Peninsula is defined as those counties whose southern boundaries are as far or farther north than the southern boundary of Missaukee county.
Second, studs or other traction devices shall not be used unless they wear either concrete or asphalt pavements, typical of those in this state, at a rate not to exceed 25% of the reference standard studded tire.
I also got a little smug satisfaction from verifying that, yes, it is not lawful to use the center turn lane as a merge lane when entering the road (a peeve of mine). I don't know if that's true in other states, but at least I remember my schooling right. =)
It doesn't happen often, mostly because I don't know very many Tori Amos references. (: And yes, that's the secret that those guys with the burly 4x4 trucks have yet to learn--it doesn't matter how much better your traction is if your coefficient of friction is zero.
The trick in Texas was to wait about a day after an ice storm for all of the yahoos in the 4x4s to end up in the ditch before you go out. Then you don't have to worry about them trying to blow by you at 70 while you're driving 35 on the freeway. I'd expect they have more snow/ice clearing equipment up thataway, however, so it might not be a problem.
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Which, I suppose, makes them unhelpful in ice, but good to have in slush.
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And yes, that's the secret that those guys with the burly 4x4 trucks have yet to learn--it doesn't matter how much better your traction is if your coefficient of friction is zero.
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