30 minutes after the snow fall there will be compacted snow on some routes. In the morning the snow will freeze and these compacted routes will be ice sheets. Any partial thaw will result in a layer of ice for the morning commute.
I have yet to have any snow without the tyres being of benefit
Simply where there is snow, snow tyres will give you additional grip and safety .....
They are only a waste of money and time in those places where the snow magically appears and disappears without any thawing
... and hope to hell that there is nothing hidden in it like a kerb, verge, pothole, or any other hazard?
My you do come across as the ray of sunshine that brightens my day
You are in the south of England, I am in Canada. I am going to make the guess that my snow experience is very different from your experience of snow.
Here magically it snows in November and the snow stays till March. As the temperature dose not normally go above zero Celsius until March the snow does not thaw.
There is a big difference between snow tyres and spiked tyres, snow tyres are well worth the expense when dealing with snow. Metal spikes do not help when dealing with snow, ice is a different issue.
And the snow drifts that we get here
off road , there are no kerbs, verge, or potholes to deal with. The drifts can build up as much as 4 feet deep and are a source of joy.
