Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[cleggy]

I 've just heard on the news that from tomorrow tyres will appear with labels intended to help motorists understand them better. The label will include Stopping Distance in the Wet, Wear and Noise. It is en EU ruling that will become law in November, seems like a reaonable idea to me

[feeutfo]

Absolutely. Good on the eu.

[TheBoy]

"Stopping distance in wet", but on what car?  I'd expect a lightweight sports car to stop quicker than a 3t RR on the same tyre.

So this could have a negative downside as well.

[feeutfo]

Anything that makes customers think about what they are buying, instead of just black round things that keep the rims off the floor, can only be a good thing IMO.

[OOMV6]

"Stopping distance in wet", but on what car?  I'd expect a lightweight sports car to stop quicker than a 3t RR on the same tyre.

So this could have a negative downside as well.

Not sure you'd put the same tyre on both of those cars.

[TheBoy]

"Stopping distance in wet", but on what car?  I'd expect a lightweight sports car to stop quicker than a 3t RR on the same tyre.

So this could have a negative downside as well.

Not sure you'd put the same tyre on both of those cars.

But the theory holds

[OOMV6]

"Stopping distance in wet", but on what car?  I'd expect a lightweight sports car to stop quicker than a 3t RR on the same tyre.

So this could have a negative downside as well.

Not sure you'd put the same tyre on both of those cars.

But the theory holds

Of course it does, but so does reality and practicality.

[TheBoy]

Anything that makes customers think about what they are buying, instead of just black round things that keep the rims off the floor, can only be a good thing IMO.

Whilst I agree, for the sake of debate, will little jonny driving mum's massive 2t Phaeton crashing into the car in front try to deflect blame that the car didn't stop in 26m or whatever?

Maybe a star system for each dry/wet/ice etc?

Although this is only stopping, and bears no resemblence to lateral grip in the wet. So we'll have people with slingalongs saying they must be the best tyre, based on sidewall markings, and we know they will throw you in the ditch.



//Edit - just seen it is a A-F rating system

[TheBoy]

"Stopping distance in wet", but on what car?  I'd expect a lightweight sports car to stop quicker than a 3t RR on the same tyre.

So this could have a negative downside as well.

Not sure you'd put the same tyre on both of those cars.

But the theory holds

Of course it does, but so does reality and practicality.

Its a rating system, rather than actual distances, so a moot point

Though not sure if they include handling, just stopping, fuel efficiency and noise

[feeutfo]

I presume we're talking an average rating under a set of laboratory type circumstances.

Type of car won't/can't be relevant. Only how it ( the tyre ) performs in comparison to the next tyre is relevant.

[OOMV6]

Although this has many good points as CG states, I would prefer to see tyre companies help, both on a financial and marketing level, with educating drivers about stopping distances. In particular, about the fact that it doesn't matter what tyres you have, if you drive less than 2 seconds (or whatever is chosen) behind the car in front, you are potentially putting yourself and others in danger.
Both tyre companies and safety organisations keep pushing the "be safe" thing, so why not have a campaign, a shocking one preferably, to show drivers what can happen.......

[Dishevelled Den]

Yes, this tendency towards over-regulation in a variety of fields by various arms on the EU machine has been evident over the years.

This hasn’t been a bad thing in my view as there has been important law enacted on matters embracing Health and Safety, Human rights, Environmental and so on. Where this inclination does fall down however is in the practical application of such intentions.

Regarding the point raised by the OP, would the inclusion of such data be of any use on a tyre fitted to an older version of a (long-lived) vehicle like the Range Rover?

I would imagine there would be a difference in the overall braking efficiency between a new RR and a 10 year old one so how such information placed on its tyres would assist anyone to decide if that tyre was suitable for their vehicle (over and above the size/speed rating) I fail to understand – surely there would be too many variables to consider such as the age of the vehicle, environmental effects (winter/summer, hot/cold, wet/dry, road surface and so on before any information like this could ever be considered to be of benefit to any driver.

Practical driver training and refresher driver testing would be a much better way to help people keep up the skills necessary to drive on the ever challenging roads of today. 

[Sir Tigger KC]

I think that most people who think about tyres rate them on the price.  ie cheap=ditchfinder

A system where the tyres are properly tested and rated might throw up some suprising results and we may all end up running round on £20 North Korean Wonkees!! 

[Kevin Wood]

Another expensive  gimmick from nanny state.

.. any why won't the majority still buy the cheapest round rubber thing on the shelves at Kwik Fitup?

IF there is a problem with cheap tyres being dangerously bad they should regulate what gets onto the market, not rely on the consumer, the majority of whom couldn't give two hoots until they're in a ditch.

[Plomien]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18663023