Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1998 16:28:47 -0800
Reply-To: Ari Ollikainen <Ari@OLTECO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Ari Ollikainen <Ari@OLTECO.COM>
Subject: Re: Snow tires, Police, getting stopped, etc.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
At 3:15 PM 11/16/98, Malcolm Holser wrote:
>
>Meanwhile we chatted. I noticed that he had very aggressive *studded* tires
>on his patrol car, and we discussed them. Studded tires are pretty rare in
>California -- I'm not even sure they are legal for civilian use. His car
>(a big Ford) had them on all four wheels. He loved them. I mentioned that
>I didn't think they'd be too safe in a high-speed pursuit, and he said they
>were real scary, but that they don't have much occasion to chase folks around
>where I live, but they often must go out on emergency calls on ice and heavy
>snow. I don't know the brand or anything -- I didn't bother looking. The
>CHP tends to use tires that are too expensive for the rest of us.
>
>It was interesting to see real meaty studded snow tires for a change. The
>rest of us in California have to carry chains everywhere.
>
I, too, thought that studded tires had been outlawed in California
years ago...but then I checked the California Vehicle Code and
discovered Section 27454 Protuberances on Tires: Exceptions
(see (e) and (f)):
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Protuberances on Tires: Exceptions
27454. No tire on any vehicle upon any highway shall have on its periphery
any block, stud, flange, cleat, ridge, bead, or any other protuberance of
metal or wood which projects beyond the tread of the traction surface of
the tire.
This section does not apply to the following:
(a) Tire traction devices of reasonable size used to prevent skidding
when upon wet surfaces or when upon snow or ice.
(b) Pneumatic tires which have embedded therein wire not to exceed
0.075 of an inch in diameter and which are so constructed that under no
conditions will the percentage of metal in contact with the roadway exceed
5 percent of the total tire area in contact with the roadway, except that
during the first 1,000 miles of use or operation of any such tire, the
metal in contact with the roadway may exceed 5 percent of the tire area in
contact with the roadway, but shall in no event exceed 20 percent of such
area.
(c) Vehicles operated upon unimproved roadways when necessary in the
construction or repair of highways.
(d) Traction engines or tractors when operated under the conditions of
a permit first obtained from the Department of Transportation.
(e) Pneumatic tires containing metal-type studs of tungsten carbide or
other suitable material and which are so inserted or constructed that under
no conditions will the number of studs or the percentage of metal in
contact with the roadway exceed 3 percent of the total tire area in contact
with the roadway, between the first day of November and the first day of
April. The commissioner, after consultation with the Department of
Transportation, may extend the period during which studded pneumatic tires
may be used in any area of the state for the protection of the public
because of adverse weather conditions.
(f) Pneumatic tires used on an authorized emergency vehicle, as defined
in Section 165, containing metal-type studs of tungsten carbide or other
suitable material, if the studs are so inserted or constructed that under
no conditions will the number of studs or the percentage of metal in
contact with the roadway exceed 3 percent of the total tire area in contact
with the roadway. Notwithstanding subdivision (e), authorized emergency
vehicles are permitted the unrestricted use of studded pneumatic tires
throughout the year.
Amended Ch. 71, Stats. 1990. Effective May 1, 1990, by terms of an
urgency clause.
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OLTECO Ari Ollikainen
P.O. BOX 3688 Networking Technology and Architecture
Stanford, CA Ari@OLTECO.com
94309-3688 415.517.3519
