In which I pay extra for the privilege of obeying the law

[pne]

It used to be that it was up to every driver whether to use “summer” tyres or “winter” tyres in winter; however, last December or so, a law was passed requiring drivers to use “winter” tyres when there is snow on the ground. (Or something along those lines: I’m not sure of the exact circumstances when they’re required.)

However, when I rented a car for the coming weekend, I had to check a box and pay €10/day extra if I wanted winter tyres: they’re an optional extra. (So you might luck out and get a car with winter tyres anyway, but you’re not guaranteed it unless you check the box and pay the price; a bit like requesting a diesel engine in that respect, for example.)

So I called the office to ask whether this was still true even after this law had been passed and the lady said, yes, it’s up to every driver to determine whether they want to use winter tyres or not, and that it’s the driver, not the owner, of the car who gets dinged for breaking the law.

Now, the roads are mostly free right now (though there was some ice this morning, rather treacherous since you couldn’t see it) and temperatures will probably stay above freezing for several days before the weekend… but I wonder what their line of argument would have been a couple of weeks ago, when there was snow everywhere and people couldn’t legally have driven off their parking lot without snow tyres. “Up to the individual driver”?

What next: we get to pay extra for spare tyres and for a first-aid kit in the car, such that it’s “up to each driver” whether to pay for those (legally-required) “optional extras”?

Or pay extra for brakes?

I’m slightly annoyed but will cough up the money for the snow tyres: even if the main roads may be free of snow, I don’t know about side roads, where the snow may not have melted even after several days of above-zero temperatures.

Daylight robbery, I tell you.

Comments

[schnurble]

I feel with you. In the beginnings of my work, I had to rent cars very often, and it was always a hassle to convince the rental agency I need winter tires in winter, would they put them on the car please? I don't know if it did cost extra because my company paid the rent, but why had they always to discuss whether I need winter tires at all?

Now that there's a law that you have to use tires that suit the weather, the rental agency shouldn't take extra money for them. I'm not a lawyer but I think it's not legal to rent out cars for money, which don't adhere to road traffic security laws. Summer tires in winter is a break of the law, so they should adhere to the law or keep the car in...

[pne]

I'm not a lawyer but I think it's not legal to rent out cars for money, which don't adhere to road traffic security laws. Summer tires in winter is a break of the law, so they should adhere to the law or keep the car in...

That's what I would have thought, too.

But the time, money, and hassle for a lawyer to test this theory will surely be more than the €30 I'll be paying extra this weekend.

(And I'm reminded of the German saying, "'Recht haben' und 'Recht bekommen' sind zwei verschiedene Dinge".)

On the other hand, perhaps the Verbraucherschutz might be interested in the story.

[quinctia]

Huh...where I live, the idea of having specific snow tires is an obsolete one. Tires are considered "all weather." Wikipedia is telling me that it's a US thing, though.

Now, I'm squeaking by one more winter on my tires and would've probably benefited from buying a new set due to tread wear, but otherwise they performed just fine in the snow. I don't know how often there are snowy conditions where you live, but this winter I've already had conditions where I had to drive through 4-6 inches of snow (err... 10-15cm?) without much issue. I live on a dead end side road that gets plowed last, and if you drive during a snowstorm, your entire route probably won't have been plowed recently. It's a common occurrence.

So, to me, it seems odd that there would be a mandate to switch tires when there are ones that perform decently all around in weather conditions. Honestly, my only fear driving in the snow is that my car is low to the ground and may get caught up in a high amount of wet, heavy snow. (It's this one, but in white.)

[pne]

I've heard of all-weather tyres here, too; I'm not sure how common they are, though.

(And not owning a car of my own, I'm not sure whether those still count for winter driving conditions or whether you specifically need "winter" ones - literally, ones marked "M&S" for "Matsch und Schnee" = "mud/sludge/slush and snow".)