If im traveling to lake Como in Italy from Amsterdam in December will I need to fit snow tyres ( legally) to cross Austria. I believe its a legal requirement but according to the route map I'll be on Motorway all the way except for 40 km in Italy . Seems crazy to have to buy 4 snow tyres for the trip .
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Quote: Originally posted by andywskf on 17/10/2010If im traveling to lake Como in Italy from Amsterdam in December will I need to fit snow tyres ( legally) to cross Austria. I believe its a legal requirement but according to the route map I'll be on Motorway all the way except for 40 km in Italy . Seems crazy to have to buy 4 snow tyres for the trip .
It's a very grey area.
Personally as long as tyres have plenty of tread that is sufficient.
BUT
Snowchains are compulsory.
Any reason why you are going via Austria. It will add at least 100 more miles onto your trip.
Under EU law if your UK reg car is legal in the UK then it is legal to be driven in any other EU country if you are a visitor to that country. How a local copper would interpret this is another matter.
Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 17/10/2010Under EU law if your UK reg car is legal in the UK then it is legal to be driven in any other EU country if you are a visitor to that country. How a local copper would interpret this is another matter.
This is quite correct although we are having trouble with Spain and light bars at the moment.
Like I said earlier find some cheap snow chains off flea bay or a car boot if you are lucky.
Tyres will be fine in the most part as long as they aren't on the last few miles before the wear bars.
Although saying that if you want the (totally unnecassary) cost and hassle I have a good supplier of winter tyres in the Midlands.
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Quote: Originally posted by andywskf on 17/10/2010
If im traveling to lake Como in Italy from Amsterdam in December will I need to fit snow tyres ( legally) to cross Austria. I believe its a legal requirement but according to the route map I'll be on Motorway all the way except for 40 km in Italy . Seems crazy to have to buy 4 snow tyres for the trip .
doesn't it snow on motorways ???
also suggest you are clear on the difference between winter tyres and snow chains - there seems to be some confusion
personally I've no time for idiots who dismiss information merely because it may be inconvenient - or who act from insufficient knowledge
winter tyres are not unnecessary hassle - but a crucial requirement just because you're british doesn't mean you are excluded from another country's laws
follow that logic it is legal to drive with 0.8 mg per ml
anywhere in the EU
fancy trying it ?????????
Just a thought in respect of snow on motorways. Generally the alpine regions are very, very good at clearing them with regular, frequent, snow ploughing or blowing. The only time we have ever had to use snow chains on a motorway was when we landed in Calais one evening in light snow. By the time we were on the motorway we were in a near blizzard and vehicles, especially lorries were getting stuck on even slight inclines.
We came to a stop too(not good on a motorway but everyone else apart from 4x4`s were in the same situation) We put on our chains and thanks to the common sense of those vehicles that had halted, (or most probably just luck) the outside lane remained unblocked and we continued to an aire where we comfortably spent the night. The motorway was cleared early in the morning and we progressed all the way to our winter camp site without needing the chains again!
Northern France, like much of the UK, is not set up for clearing roads quickly when it snows, but the alpine regions are.
Quote: Originally posted by rayduff on 18/10/2010
personally I've no time for idiots who dismiss information merely because it may be inconvenient - or who act from insufficient knowledge
winter tyres are not unnecessary hassle - but a crucial requirement just because you're british doesn't mean you are excluded from another country's laws
follow that logic it is legal to drive with 0.8 mg per ml
anywhere in the EU
fancy trying it ?????????
Crucial but not legal requirement.
The EU construction and use regs are totally different to the drink driving laws.
Vehicles are subject to EU type approval not individual countries type approval.
Following your argument forwards, every UK vehicle that goes to Spain,Italy and a few other countries are illegal and thus their vehicles in the UK.