Subaru Forester (2010) and Chains, WTF

Grip in the rain seemed diminished.

Interesting. I would like to see some performance testing on all these tires to see what they really do under differing conditions.

Thanks for the encouragement on used subarus.


Alan

Interesting.  I would like to see some performance testing on all these tires to see what they really do under differing conditions.

Thanks for the encouragement on used subarus.


Alan

Do a search.  consumersearch.com consolidates several reviews.  Bottom line is all winter tires perform less well on wet and dry pavement than all season tires.  See a

simulation video

Interesting no one mentions using driving skills to match conditions and equipment. In '07 I was driving to Summit in February in an AWD rental. Almost to the West exit and directly behind the DOT sander. Sander lost traction on the black ice and couldn't move. With a little judicious use of the throttle and steering, I moved/slid the car slowly sideways to the gutter and feathered the gas enough to inch 100 yds to the exit. 10 minutes later and in the west bound lane this happened. 50+cars I read.

Interesting no one mentions using driving skills

Illusory superiority and driving ability

"Swenson (1981) surveyed students in Sweden and the United States, asking them to compare their driving safety and skill to the other people in the experiment. For driving skill, almost all of the US sample (93%) and 69% of the Swedish sample put themselves in the top 50%. For safety, 88% of the US group and 77% of the Swedish sample put themselves in the top 50%.

McCormick et al. (1986) asked subjects to evaluate themselves on eight different dimensions of driving skill, such as the "dangerous-safe" dimension or the "considerate-inconsiderate" dimension. Out of 178 subjects, only a tiny minority of responses were below average and for some of the measures, large majorities rated themselves as above average. Taking the eight dimensions together, just under 80% of the subjects put themselves above the average driver."

Illusory superiority and driving ability

"Swenson (1981) surveyed students in Sweden and the United States, asking them to compare their driving safety and skill to the other people in the experiment. For driving skill, almost all of the US sample (93%) and 69% of the Swedish sample put themselves in the top 50%. For safety, 88% of the US group and 77% of the Swedish sample put themselves in the top 50%.

McCormick et al. (1986) asked subjects to evaluate themselves on eight different dimensions of driving skill, such as the "dangerous-safe" dimension or the "considerate-inconsiderate" dimension. Out of 178 subjects, only a tiny minority of responses were below average and for some of the measures, large majorities rated themselves as above average. Taking the eight dimensions together, just under 80% of the subjects put themselves above the average driver."

How did the Brits do compared to the Yankees and Scandies?????

Illusory superiority and driving ability

"Swenson (1981) surveyed students in Sweden and the United States, asking them to compare their driving safety and skill to the other people in the experiment. For driving skill, almost all of the US sample (93%) and 69% of the Swedish sample put themselves in the top 50%. For safety, 88% of the US group and 77% of the Swedish sample put themselves in the top 50%.

McCormick et al. (1986) asked subjects to evaluate themselves on eight different dimensions of driving skill, such as the "dangerous-safe" dimension or the "considerate-inconsiderate" dimension. Out of 178 subjects, only a tiny minority of responses were below average and for some of the measures, large majorities rated themselves as above average. Taking the eight dimensions together, just under 80% of the subjects put themselves above the average driver."

Prairie Home Companion (NPR) did a major disservice to America by making all Americans believe their children are above average and their women are all good looking (seen any of the Walmart shopper virals?).

David Broder (long-time national news figure, now senile) was on XMPR recently and said the most astute thing I've heard in a decade:

All Americans think they are born with perfect knowledge and seek out and only listen to whichever information confirms that personal knowledge. 

[Philosophers call this post-modernism--when confronted be a technical expert or scientist with knowledge contradictory to yours, the only reply is "That is just your opinion!"]

IMHO, Americans in general are amongst the worst drivers in the world (I've traveled extensively in Europe and Africa, but not in Asia).  They have poor driving skills, they are inattentive, and they are oblivious to what is going on around them.  This opinion of mine arises not only from my travel but from taking advanced driving courses for motorcyclists and my experiences in Mt. Rainier NP--it seems that this spring, summer, and fall about 1 of 3 drivers could not even stay in their lane; I watched one woman go around a curve ending up in the oncoming land and staying there until oncoming drivers started locking up their breaks and burning rubber  (I was behind her, way behind her).  I probably don't have to tell anyone here about poor driving during the winter--I've witnessed multiple accidents and had one person lose it in a ditch, gun it, pop out the ditch and hit me head on (I saw him coming and had pulled to the edge of the road, stopped, and turned the front of my car away from him so he would hit me at an angle (yes, there was that much time).