I don't want to generalize here.. but coming from Nova Scotia I have to say that I notice a huge difference in the mentality of people in Calgary when it comes to tires on their vehicles.
*begin rant*
I've never seen so many people driving around with BALD tires and/or summer tires in winter. Hell.. even All Season tires for that matter. People who say "oh.. there's no difference between all season tires and winter tires" have obviously never driven with winter tires! For those people who have their summers on right now.. please stay home today, you're an accident waiting to happen.
I took this with my cell this morning.. this is people trying to come up 33 Avenue west, and merging onto Crowchild Tr. North:
What you're seeing there is a bunch of jackholes with crappy tires blocking a bunch of traffic because they can't make it up 'the hill'.. and for those of you that know this spot.. it is just a hill. At first I thought.. "wow, it must be crazy icy there".. then I watched a bunch of 4x4's drive up with no problems and thought "okay.. well, it's icy enough that the 2 wheel drive vehicles can't make it up".. and then I watched a few 2 wheel drive vehicles drive around these guys and up and realized "OH.. so it's those idiots with either bald or summer tires!" Wife told me that a lady called into one of the radio stations this morning and said "I would like to mildly chastise Calgarians with their summer tires on today who are stuck and blocking traffic.. it's not summer yet people!"
Frick.. get a brain before you kill somebody!
*end of rant* (not sure if I feel any better)