CO I70 Traction Laws

[Jbehredt]

The people with temp tags that expired 7/2024 don’t know/care about your tire laws. Even if they had the money they’d buy an eighth and some new Nikes. And it only takes one to wreck the world’s most decent parking lot (I-70) for hours. They are your neighbors now. Embrace the suck.

 

[Riplip]

I will chime in on this as I just made a trip last weekend from Pitkin County to the Front Range on a Sunday in the snow. What a complete chit show. It completely baffles me how people drive, especially in the snow. I cant tell you how many times I was cut off, tailgated or had people weaving in and out of traffic over Vail Pass (I don't drive slow or hug the left lane). Even had a few asshats that attempted to tailgate an ambulance up Eisenhower to get ahead of everyone else. Several of these idiots were in jacked up trucks with some kind of "I am a badass" bumper sticker running 33" mud tires. No problem with this as I have a truck as well, but use some common sense and try not to be an a-hole. Rant over.

 

[Phaseolus]

Trivia points for identifying the songwriter who wrote this, “Damn this traffic jam, hurts my motor to go so slow, time I get home my supper’ll be cold, damn this traffic jam”.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

I wonder if on a forum anywhere on Earth anyone is admitting to being the problem. It's always the other guy/gal.

 

[Sniff]

“You are not in traffic, you are traffic.”

 

[Marbles]

I've not needed chains with winter tires, but even with studs, if you have slick ice and a grade you are not getting anywhere without them. Studs only help on ice, no benefit in snow.

I have tried going up a few things just for fun with studded Hakkapalitta 10s in 4 low with rear locker and ATRAC on, only to slide back to the bottom as soon as momentum was lost.

So, winter tires or not, 4x4 or not, chains are still good to carry.

As for CO, check points and small fines for even trying to go through with improper equipment is the solution, larger fines on commercial that specifically targets the company.

I bet plenty of the idiots are local though. Regardless, a massive fine will only be enforced when something bad happens, which is a bad prevention policy, you need something small enough that no one feels bad writing and enforcing it on the 16 year old driving to school, but enough to suck. Then you need to enforce it with brutal strictness. But that means more officers, and it will not be a day before people start complaining about freedom and government overreach and dumb _______ (pick you least favorite political viewpoint).

 

[Hnthrdr]

I've not needed chains with winter tires, but even with studs, if you have slick ice and a grade you are not getting anywhere without them. Studs only help on ice, no benefit in snow.

I have tried going up a few things just for fun with studded Hakkapalitta 10s in 4 low with rear locker and ATRAC on, only to slide back to the bottom as soon as momentum was lost.

So, winter tires or not, 4x4 or not, chains are still good to carry.

As for CO, check points and small fines for even trying to go through with improper equipment is the solution, larger fines on commercial that specifically targets the company.

I bet plenty of the idiots are local though. Regardless, a massive fine will only be enforced when something bad happens, which is a bad prevention policy, you need something small enough that no one feels bad writing and enforcing it on the 16 year old driving to school, but enough to suck. Then you need to enforce it with brutal strictness. But that means more officers, and it will not be a day before people start complaining about freedom and government overreach and dumb _______ (pick you least favorite political viewpoint).

That’s part of the problem, everyone who moved here is “local” now. You simply cannot double the population and increase the tourism, and have traffic free driving, and it’s not always the snow and ice, try coming home I-70 on most Sunday afternoons in the summer still a damn parking lot

 

[TaperPin]

I’m in favor of outlawing stupid people. Lol

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

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.

We don't get as much snow on the front range but I've drove through plenty on trips in this state and others, personally I haven't felt the need for winter tires in my 4x4 truck with M + S tires and haven't been terrified. If I was up a few thousand feet higher in elevation and regularly driving on snow and lots of slopes involved in the roads I was on I am sure I'd feel different. I do carry full chains though IF it ever came to it, but I more so have full chains to deal with gumbo mud if needed.

Point being, folks on the front range with 4x4 and good AT tires aren't dumb/reckless/etc (not saying you said that btw) for not racing out and getting winter tires for periodic trips up into the mountains, presuming they have a clue how to drive in the snow.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I wonder if on a forum anywhere on Earth anyone is admitting to being the problem. It's always the other guy/gal.

I have met numerous folks who have said "I don't drive in snow" so they admit they are a problem and avoid it.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Regardless, a massive fine will only be enforced when something bad happens, which is a bad prevention policy, you need something small enough that no one feels bad writing and enforcing it on the 16 year old driving to school, but enough to suck.

For what its worth CO does have a fairly intensive program for 16yr olds to drive (the requirements trail off as the age of getting a license gets older, IE less if you get one at 16.5yrs, less at 18yrs).

If a kid wants to drive at 16:
-They need to finish a 30hr drivers education course and pass an exam before they turn 15.
-At 15 they obtain their driving permit and must wait 12mo from their permit date to apply for a license.
-They need to log 50hrs of driving, including 10hrs at night with a 21yr old supervising.
-They need to drive 6hrs with a professional instructor.

My oldest just started drivers ED so I just researched all of this.

 

[Poser]

For what its worth CO does have a fairly intensive program for 16yr olds to drive (the requirements trail off as the age of getting a license gets older, IE less if you get one at 16.5yrs, less at 18yrs).

If a kid wants to drive at 16:
-They need to finish a 30hr drivers education course and pass an exam before they turn 15.
-At 15 they obtain their driving permit and must wait 12mo from their permit date to apply for a license.
-They need to log 50hrs of driving, including 10hrs at night with a 21yr old supervising.
-They need to drive 6hrs with a professional instructor.

My oldest just started drivers ED so I just researched all of this.

This is a good point. In Durango, as far as I know, there is exactly one service (husband and wife) that provides the professional instruction. I'm sure they mop up the floor with their riches because I see them all of the time and I assume its not cheap, but what a terrible job... can you imagine spending 8 hours a day in a car. with 15 years olds driving? I mean, sure, I had driver's ed in high school that the assistant basketball coach taught, but I'm sure he didn't spend more than 1-2 hours of his day doing it.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

This is a good point. In Durango, as far as I know, there is exactly one service (husband and wife) that provides the professional instruction. I'm sure they mop up the floor with their riches because I see them all of the time and I assume its not cheap, but what a terrible job... can you imagine spending 8 hours a day in a car. with 15 years olds driving? I mean, sure, I had driver's ed in high school that the assistant basketball coach taught, but I'm sure he didn't spend more than 1-2 hours of his day doing it.

Here it cost $690 for the 30hr course, premit exam, 6hrs driving lessons, license test.

Yeah it would take a special disposition to deal with new drivers non-stop...

 

[Marbles]

For what its worth CO does have a fairly intensive program for 16yr olds to drive (the requirements trail off as the age of getting a license gets older, IE less if you get one at 16.5yrs, less at 18yrs).

If a kid wants to drive at 16:
-They need to finish a 30hr drivers education course and pass an exam before they turn 15.
-At 15 they obtain their driving permit and must wait 12mo from their permit date to apply for a license.
-They need to log 50hrs of driving, including 10hrs at night with a 21yr old supervising.
-They need to drive 6hrs with a professional instructor.

My oldest just started drivers ED so I just researched all of this.

That is good.

My point was only to do with large fines being inconsistently inforced, replace 16 year old with widowed 30 year old mother of 5 driving her kids to school in the morning before work.

A $50 fine, with a 1 week period after the fine to correct the issue and revocation of license after 6 fines in a single winter with hard enforcement (make it be cause for a stop and allow enforcement on parked cars in public locations) would be significantly more effective in getting compliance than a $20k fine that is rarely enforced. Like dogs or kids, adults respond best to consistency and are very bad at factoring in risk. If the possibility of death/maiming doesn't work now, a 20K fine will certainly not work.

There are plenty of all season tires that met basic traction requirements, so one could opt to use those over a dedicated winter tire. I'm in agreement with you that not everyone should have to use dedicated snow tires.

 

[prm]

Many years ago people would change out their tires for studded snows in the winter. I worked at Discount Tire in Denver and we would have days where we had 50+ cars yet to finish when we stopped taking work at closing time. Looong days.
Now folks have their low profile sporty tires that simply do not work in the snow.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

You don't need chains in a car on 70, if you do, the road should be closed. I have never put chains on a pickup on the pavement here. In fact, I drive in RWD with blizzaks without issue, including my commute up to 11000 ft. Snow tires make a huge difference but the problem would still remain as frangers keep creating issues and commercial vehicles get slaps on the wrist for shutting the road down.

 

[Poser]

You don't need chains in a car on 70, if you do, the road should be closed. I have never put chains on a pickup on the pavement here. In fact, I drive in RWD with blizzaks without issue, including my commute up to 11000 ft. Snow tires make a huge difference but the problem would still remain as frangers keep creating issues and commercial vehicles get slaps on the wrist for shutting the road down.

I saw some Texas plates with chains between Durango and Purgatory during the recent storm cycle and I was thinking how terrible it must be to be driving on a plowed road with chains on. Better than sliding around, but still: bump, bump, bump, bump...

The other thing about chains is that nobody ever seems to acknowledge is that, unless you have a solid front axle or a lift on your your vehicle, modern vehicles don't, for the most part, accept chains. If you have independent front suspension without a lift, you are unlikely to have the clearance around your upper control arm, brake lines etc.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

I saw some Texas plates with chains between Durango and Purgatory during the recent storm cycle and I was thinking how terrible it must be to be driving on a plowed road with chains on. Better than sliding around, but still: bump, bump, bump, bump...

The other thing about chains is that nobody ever seems to acknowledge is that, unless you have a solid front axle or a lift on your your vehicle, modern vehicles don't, for the most part, accept chains. If you have independent front suspension without a lift, you are unlikely to have the clearance around your upper control arm, brake lines etc.

Hahaha. Probably more dangerous with chains on dry pavement!

Yes my current past time is finding subies with cable chains on that you can pull 6 inches of slack out of. Just a disaster waiting to happen. These people can't drive and we expect them to put chains on.

 

[justinspicher]

This is why I don’t go to Denver. If I do, I am just angry the entire time. I don’t even need snow to see stupid drivers. The speed limit signs might as well be taken down, nobody does the speed limit anyway.