2003 Snow Chains

It's best to; they are sold in most big supermarkets and not too expensive..... they also beat the alternative ;)

[QUOTE=simonandjo]We will be travelling to the Gualdo area in Le Marche over the Christmas/New Year period. Would be interetsed to know about whether we need/might need snow chains at this time of the year?

Thanks

S&J[/QUOTE]

Yes, definitely have snow chains in the car. Although snow at that time of year is not guaranteed, if it does start to snow the Italian police have been known to stop all vehicles at certain points and any cars not carrying chains on board are forbidden from continuing onwards. At this time of year, most Italians also change their tyres and put winter tyres on, this reduces the need for chains considerably, but there are still instances when chains are obligatory. It is better to be safe than sorry so the advice is to carry chains in the car at all times during the winter months.
Good luck and have a safe journey.

PS: have sent you a PM.

If the Gualdo you mention is the one near Sarnano check out Pennys pic

on the 'first Snow this winter' thread. A picture paints a thousand words.

Dave

[QUOTE=simonandjo]We will be travelling to the Gualdo area in Le Marche over the Christmas/New Year period. Would be interetsed to know about whether we need/might need snow chains at this time of the year?

Thanks

S&J[/QUOTE]
Yes it is obligatory to have snow chains with you to be able to travel on certain roads over the winter months. (Roads are signposted with dates at start of chain requirement areas)

And perhaps, if one is going to carry tyre chains, it would be a good idea to practice -- in non-snowy conditions -- putting them on and taking them off at least once so the process is understood. As that's being done, it might also be a good idea to think about what should always be kept in the car's boot so the chains can be put on with as little difficulty and discomfort as possible: work gloves? something waterproof to kneel on? a torch? a warm jacket and hat?

The process is not difficult, but it isn't one that many Brits are familar with and I don't think the best place to do it for the first time is in a blizzard with the car and road already covered by 30 cm of snow.

Al

EDIT: [URL="http://www.tutorials.com/06/0696/06968.asp"]Here[/URL] is a step by step guide to putting on chains.

[QUOTE=AllanMason]And perhaps, if one is going to carry tyre chains, it would be a good idea to practice -- in non-snowy conditions -- putting them on and taking them off at least once so the process is understood. [/QUOTE]

I can definitely confirm this - last winter I was coming home from work when the snow worsened to the extent that the traffic came to a standstill whilst everyone stopped to put their snowchains on. Never having seen snowchains in my life before my first thought was why aren't there four of them? :o Anyway after watching everyone around me I realised that there were only two and started putting them on the front wheels. Fortunately the instructions were in English so after laying them out and eventually working out which bit went where I was feeling rather proud of myself when the first one was finally on. Until that is a kind fellow driver pointed out that since my car was a BMW it was probably a rear wheel drive and they should therefore go on the back wheels.:o I think at that point I must have looked so dismayed and cold (I was doing all this wearing my office clothes, heeled boots, no gloves etc) that a group of men helped to put them on.
My one hour journey took 3 hours that night and I got a very warm welcome from my boyfriend - touching how much he cares I thought, until I realised it was probably for the car - it belonged to him :rolleyes:

Moral of the story - be prepared ;)

Thanks to all. I'm ordering some as soon as I have finished sending this!!!

By the way, with snow chains being obligatory in Italy, are winter tyres obligatory too?

Stephanie

[QUOTE=Iona]By the way, with snow chains being obligatory in Italy, are winter tyres obligatory too?

Stephanie[/QUOTE]

I think it is also necessary to have winter tyres, certainly most of the drivers I know have changed their tyres for winter ones already, my mighty Panda 4x4 runs on m&s tyres all yr. round, so I don't have the problem :) :)

No, Winter tyres aren't obligatory, and in heavy snows they are not very good either.
This past winter, we had alot of snow here in Marche, many people here were still getting caught out with winter tyres. Alot of the normal family cars i saw couldnt cope with the amount of snow building up in the wheel arches, even with chains as the front wheels wouldn't turn!

wol

Hope this isn't a stupid question, but does anyone know if Hertz supplies snow chains for their hired cars? Hoping they do if it law to use them.

regards Eileen.

[quote=eatone]Hope this isn't a stupid question, but does anyone know if Hertz supplies snow chains for their hired cars? Hoping they do if it law to use them.
regards Eileen.[/quote]

I think only certain rental locations have them available as extras. I think you have to contact them and ask.

By the way, for those of you who have used them, how do they actually fit around the tyre? How do you get them on?

I rang Hertz only half an hour ago and asked the same question
They can supply chains for I think 30 euros with instructions in English

[QUOTE=derekL]By the way, for those of you who have used them, how do they actually fit around the tyre? How do you get them on?[/QUOTE]

Erm... I posted a link above to a page that explains all, but [URL="http://www.tutorials.com/06/0696/06968.asp"]here it is again[/URL]. :)

Al

[quote=AllanMason]Erm... I posted a link above to a page that explains all, but [URL="http://www.tutorials.com/06/0696/06968.asp"]here it is again[/URL]. :)

Al[/quote]

Ok, my mistake. Thank you.

[QUOTE=Robert]I rang Hertz only half an hour ago and asked the same question
They can supply chains for I think 30 euros with instructions in English[/QUOTE]

My son bought some for less than that in the local hypermarket - so you may want to wait and see whether you need them where you are going

In my area the Communes are great at clearing the roads, so although I drive the roads that have the 'snow chains' signs up, I have never needed them [up to about 1500m height]

Thank you, GeorgeS & Penny, for your replies regarding winter tyres. Much appreciated... :)

Stephanie

[QUOTE=alan haynes]My son bought some for less than that in the local hypermarket - so you may want to wait and see whether you need them where you are going

In my area the Communes are great at clearing the roads, so although I drive the roads that have the 'snow chains' signs up, I have never needed them [up to about 1500m height][/QUOTE]

You are lucky then not to have been stopped.! We have been led to understand that it is a legal requirement to have chains in the car if you are on those roads?
Maybe misunderstood you may have chains just never needed them?

[QUOTE=alan haynes]- so you may want to wait and see whether you need them where you are going

[/QUOTE]
Surely it is too late by then!
When you do need chains you need them there and then and to have to start searching for the correct size set in a shop/garage could be impossible -these things never crop up at the most convenient moment! As has already been posted, when the snow starts to fall the police do organise checkpoints, especially at autostrada junctions, and vehicles are prohibited from continuing onwards if chains are not being carried. Most of the motorways do not display the snow chain signs, so you could very easily be turned back if stopped. It is illegal not to have chains in a car on roads with the snow chain sign, regardless of the conditions at the time. Better safe than sorry.

[QUOTE=anne2]....! As has already been posted, when the snow starts to fall the police do organise checkpoints, especially at autostrada junctions, and vehicles are prohibited from continuing onwards if chains are not being carried. Most of the motorways do not display the snow chain signs, so you could very easily be turned back if stopped. It is illegal not to have chains in a car on roads with the snow chain sign, regardless of the conditions at the time. Better safe than sorry.[/QUOTE]

That's most of my village breaking the law then