When you say winter tires, are you talking about tires that are "studded"?
Meaning metal studs sticking out of the tread.

Chains will stop you in 1/2 the distance of good snow
tires.

http://www.4x4abc.com/ML320/ml_chainss.html

I think it is foolish to drive in
winter where snow is expected
without carrying tire chains for emergencies.

Just look at the other
thread where two guys died after getting stuck in
snowbanks.

http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=159695#Post159695

You are correct, chains will stop you faster. In winter driving conditions, you never, ever drive or follow too close to the vehicle in front of you. You need at least 5 times the normal distance and obviously much less speed. I and my fellow firefighters have spent many cold and miserable nights out on the highways and roads trying to save lives because people cannot (or refuse to) remember this.

As for the people who died as mentioned in the link you supplied, they made a number of simple but deadly mistakes that cost them their lives. Not having tire chains is not the cause of their death. They died by not being Equipped to Survive.....period.

Sherpadog, since you're in Canada, I think the Snow Tires might make more sense for you than they would for me.
From what I have heard, Snow Tires will have worse gas mileage than either "summer" or "all season" radials.

Since we don't see snow conditions that often here in Tennessee, I think it would probably be best for me to stick with "regular" tires, and then have the Chains or Cables as a backup for the few times that they might be needed.

Those two poor folks likely could driven out of those snow banks if they had been "Equipped" with tire chains on.

Shovel, cell phone, chains, tow strap, flashlight
warm clothes etc.

The fire department here runs chains on all
fours on every call in the winter on its ambulances.
The fire trucks have automatic chains that deploy
by themselves.

School buses run chains. The post office jeeps run chains.

If you want to be extra sure you get where you are going,
that's what you do.

I think you are missing my point. Driving in whiteout conditions and you veer off the road into a 2-3' deep ditch, having chains on is not going to help if the vehicle is buried uo to it's frame and axles. Also the article does not mention how much snowfall there is on the road. Many times, the wind is bad enough that the snow is literally blown off the road and the people crash simply because they are driving too fast for road conditions and they cannot see 2' in front of them and loose sight of the road. There are some current or ex Leo's and some firefighters/1st responders in this forum and others who can attest to this also.

Lets assume they had tire chains on and the same situation occurred and they got stuck. I am almost certain that if they would be foolish enough to walk anyways..regardless of the extenuating circumstances.

Anyway, I think we have beaten this subject enough....time for me to move on to some other subjects and threads.

This is where I disagree. Often you can drive out of a
2-3" ditch with snow up to the axles if you have good
chains on. And you may not end up there in the first place
as you will be driving slow with chains and have better
control.

Dismissing use of chains just because one has snow tires will
be fatal for some.

People around here are driving with chains (both kinds)... on the freeway... at freeway speeds. There are chains all over the place on the roads and freeway. I saw one guy in Seattle today pick up a link-type chain and drop it into a pothole. Not a bad idea!

One thing I am noticing as I'm driving slowly through the unplowed, lumpy, wet, sandy, chunky-ice city streets, is that if you create a gap in traffic so those on the cross streets can turn in front of you, they are less likely to get aggravated and cause trouble. I noticed after I let people in front of me as we all crawled along, they would wave their thanks, and then they would let someone pull in front of them farther on. You're not going fast enough to make good time anyway, so you might as well do something to help reduce some of the frustration.

Seattle is going to be a REAL mess tomorrow morning when all the wet stuff freezes again.

Sue

I`m getting some for my ATV to plow with

I`ll post pics and comparison chained vs. not when I can test.

My rules re chains:

Read your owners manual to see what type of chains are right for your vehicle. Some vehicle, Saturn for one, make you sign a form when you buy a new vehicle stating that you have been informed to use only cable chains. Regular chains will damage the vehicle.

Learn how to put them on in your driveway. Do not wait 'til it is snowing like crazy to learn.

Carry them all the time, or at least all the time during winter months, or whenever going high up in the mountains.

I am pretty lucky, I have purchased chains for every vehicle I have owned since the early '70's, and never had to put them on. Sure as heck, first time I don't own chains I will need them...