CO I70 Traction Laws

[Poser]

I’m sure most of you are aware of the I70 traction laws between Oct and May. Seems that this winter has been a particularly bad shit show with gridlock: out of state tourists, tourists in rental cars (rental companies don’t care and will totally rent you touring tires during a storm cycle) and, in particular semi trucks.

The Vail mayor is calling for fines up to $20,000 for violating traction laws.

Vail mayor calls for $20,000 fines for violation of traction laws on I-70

Vail Mayor Travis Coggin wants to see massive fines levied on drivers who violate Colorado’s traction laws on Interstate 70. The breaking point was a Dec. 30 incident in which more than a dozen semitrailers...

www.vaildaily.com

Take a scroll of the Co Snow Reddit sub for a full load out of complaints and images: https://www.reddit.com/r/COsnow/s/dFDYG7tbaE

 

[Eagle]

I’m sure most of you are aware of the I70 traction laws between Oct and May. Seems that this winter has been a particularly bad shit show with gridlock: out of state tourists, tourists in rental cars (rental companies don’t care and will totally rent you touring tires during a storm cycle) and, in particular semi trucks.

The Vail mayor is calling for fines up to $20,000 for violating traction laws.

Vail mayor calls for $20,000 fines for violation of traction laws on I-70

Vail Mayor Travis Coggin wants to see massive fines levied on drivers who violate Colorado’s traction laws on Interstate 70. The breaking point was a Dec. 30 incident in which more than a dozen semitrailers...

www.vaildaily.com

Take a scroll of the Co Snow Reddit sub for a full load out of complaints and images: https://www.reddit.com/r/COsnow/s/dFDYG7tbaE

It's never just the out of staters, it's often the new instaters as well, or at least, that was the case while I was there 2018-2020.

 

[Dos Perros]

Seems one could make a business out of this. Pit stop type chain installation.

 

[Poser]

It's never just the out of staters, it's often the new instaters as well, or at least, that was the case while I was there 2018-2020.

True. If you are going to face that commute in winter conditions, then you need winter tires. Period. Semi worn AT tires won't cut it and just because tires have a "M+S" rating, doesn't make them ideal. AWD with touring tires definitely won't cut it. To stop and start on those grades in the worst conditions, you need a winter tires.

 

[Poser]

Seems one could make a business out of this. Pit stop type chain installation.

There is talk of doing just that.

 

[mmac]

This won't change unless they put in checkpoints or high fines. As Poser said, stopping and starting on grades is where it starts. Always amazing to me when your stuck behind the mustang on i 70 and the guy thought he would make it with the summer tires. ...

 

[rayporter]

aint nothing like new snow tires.

 

[Truck24hr]

I don't like to chain. Not because it's hard, but because it's so often not needed, and hard on equipment.

But when Habeeb can't read the sign that says chain up, he can't read the 20k$ fine sign either.

Those same Vail city council members would probably let him slide cause he can't read English.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

In some cases on icy grades studded snow tires are the only thing that's gonna get you going if you don't have chains. Studded tires were normal in Iowa back when I was a kid in the 80s when most cars were still RWD. Today, to @Poser's point, folks in their AWD cars and SUVs and jacked up trucks think they can go anywhere with a M+S rated tire.

 

[Poser]

In some cases on icy grades studded snow tires are the only thing that's gonna get you going if you don't have chains. Studded tires were normal in Iowa back when I was a kid in the 80s when most cars were still RWD. Today, to @Poser's point, folks in their AWD cars and SUVs and jacked up trucks think they can go anywhere with a M+S rated tire.

I spent one winter on mud tires rated M+S on a AWD 4runner here in the Southwest and it was terrifying. I had 3 close calls including doing a 180 on the road. Generally, in this part of the state, AT tires are sufficient so long as you replace them regularly. I prefer swapping to winter tires myself as the traction is and stopping power is considerably improved over AT.

 

[BluMtn]

2 years ago I was in Denver for new year's eve and on the 2nd I was going to head home. I had come through Wyoming on 80, but the whole state was shut down due to a massive snowstorm that came in overnight. So I opted to take 70 through Utah to get back. My cousin who I was staying with told me you will need to leave early to beat the ski traffic. Got up the next morning at 3 and had breakfast and was on the road at 4. I was in north Denver and by the time I was headed west on 70 it was 5 and traffic was building. So I am in bumper to bumper traffic at 70mph and every billboard road sign I go by says chains required. Nobody is even slowing down let alone put chains on. The freeway is compact snow and ice and again traffic is at a steady 70 mph, but nobody is doing anything stupid, everyone is staying in their lane. The only time I felt comfortable was when we went through the tunnels because it was dry in there. When I got to Eagle, myself and about 3 other cars were all that was left on the freeway. I was amazed that there was not one accident that slowed us down. Wildest ride I have ever taken during the winter and I have travel thousands of miles in the dead of winter all across the northern US.

 

[ODB]

In some cases on icy grades studded snow tires are the only thing that's gonna get you going if you don't have chains. Studded tires were normal in Iowa back when I was a kid in the 80s when most cars were still RWD. Today, to @Poser's point, folks in their AWD cars and SUVs and jacked up trucks think they can go anywhere with a M+S rated tire.

A few years ago I had to drive from Seattle back home to Boise in that awful Presidents’ Day storm. I was in my wife’s Highlander with studs. We were on snoqualmie pass when it closed and they were turning people around. I took a ln exit, drive through a foot of fresh snow and popped out past the turnarounds. Eventually as the night went on we were the only people on the road. Oregon was a sheet of ice, the blues sucked, dead man’s pass was empty but we trucked on. 14 hours later and we arrived safely. I love me some studs and AWD.

 

[Phaseolus]

There’s a good reason why I try not to cross The Continental Divide and end up on the east side. Best Slope.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

It's never just the out of staters, it's often the new instaters as well, or at least, that was the case while I was there 2018-2020.

A lot of the traffic is caused by clueless CDL drivers that have no idea how to use chains or descend grade. It also doesn't help that tourists and Denverites drive recklessly in the snow causing even good CDL drivers to panic brake or jackknife to avoid some idiot that merged 6 inches in front of them in a snowstorm.

CDOT keeps closing Vail Pass and the tunnel anytime a snowflake touches the asphalt.

People are passing through on bald tires or summer tires.

Everything gets gridlocked since there are essentially only 2-3 routes back to the Front Range. Summit County becomes locked and no one can get to work and run errands. It's been especially bad this year and a huge contention point.

The thing is, traffic on 70 has hit steady state traffic the last few years. We arent really getting busier than before. It's just people are getting worse at driving.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

A lot of the traffic is caused by clueless CDL drivers that have no idea how to use chains or descend grade. It also doesn't help that tourists and Denverites drive recklessly in the snow causing even good CDL drivers to panic brake or jackknife to avoid some idiot that merged 6 inches in front of them in a snowstorm.

CDOT keeps closing Vail Pass and the tunnel anytime a snowflake touches the asphalt.

People are passing through on bald tires or summer tires.

Everything gets gridlocked since there are essentially only 2-3 routes back to the Front Range. Summit County becomes locked and no one can get to work and run errands. It's been especially bad this year and a huge contention point.

The thing is, traffic on 70 has hit steady state traffic the last few years. We arent really getting busier than before. It's just people are getting worse at driving.

I truly believe that COVID permanently changed how people treat others behind the wheel. Add in the fact that in Iowa at least, they suspended driver's ed programs and let parents "teach" their kids how to drive.

 

[Quandary]

I’m sure most of you are aware of the I70 traction laws between Oct and May. Seems that this winter has been a particularly bad shit show with gridlock: out of state tourists, tourists in rental cars (rental companies don’t care and will totally rent you touring tires during a storm cycle) and, in particular semi trucks.

The Vail mayor is calling for fines up to $20,000 for violating traction laws.

Vail mayor calls for $20,000 fines for violation of traction laws on I-70

Vail Mayor Travis Coggin wants to see massive fines levied on drivers who violate Colorado’s traction laws on Interstate 70. The breaking point was a Dec. 30 incident in which more than a dozen semitrailers...

www.vaildaily.com

Take a scroll of the Co Snow Reddit sub for a full load out of complaints and images: https://www.reddit.com/r/COsnow/s/dFDYG7tbaE

Tourist and tourist in rental cars can be a problem. However the biggest problem on I70 is front rangers. 90% of whom have no clue how to drive in the snow and no clue how to drive in the mountains. Denver has become a complete shit show of transplants.

 

[Loo.wii]

They need to implement something like this yesterday.

 

[LostArra]

I spent one winter on mud tires rated M+S on a AWD 4runner here i

AWD or 4WD?

 

[Hnthrdr]

Honestly the issue is too many dang people. Transplants, tourons, citiots. Really I could give a damn that all the idiots that flooded this state have to sit in traffic. I could really couldn’t care less what the mayor of vail an ultra wealthy transplant and tourist town has to say… come one come all and love it to death baby!!! Then complain on Reddit when the loving it to death has negative consequences…

 

[Poser]

AWD or 4WD?

Sport Edition. Toyota markets it as "full time 4wd", but you're actually AWD in until you shift into 4 low and lock the center diffs.