$600 well spent

Posted Jan 12, 2012 By Kristen Coughlar

EMC Editorial - I've got a new best friend. Black, circular in size, v-shape tread design, dual polymer blend tread compound.

You've probably guessed by now that my new best friend is a vehicle tire, four Goodyear Nordic winter tires to be exact.

This is the first winter that I decided to invest in winter tires. I've been driving for 10 years. It wasn't until last year that I had a bad winter driving experience. The long and short of it: bad weather/road conditions on Taylor Kidd Boulevard saw me involved in a two-car collision. The passenger side of my vehicle was mangled, $5,000 worth of damage. My confidence driving in winter was shattered.

I travel as part of my job. Driving the streets of Kingston in winter is unavoidable, so in an attempt to reduce the anxiety that was beginning to build with the approach of winter, I was out shopping for winter tires.

I've referenced my love of shopping in a few of my other columns, however, vehicle parts are not among the list of that which I love to shop for. The idea of spending over $600 on tires was painful. That's $600 that could be spent on clothing, a trip, or even paying down student debt. These were more than just winter tires though, they were a security blanketsomething that would make me feel safer traveling the roads. How could I put a price on that?

I took the plunge. Up until last Thursday night it was looking as though I wasn't going to be getting my money's worth out of my new winter tires this year. That night I did.

It wasn't the largest of snowfalls by any means, but it was enough to blanket the roads. Driving home late in the evening, the roads were covered, lane markings not visible. It was the perfect occasion to test my new winter tires, and my own resolve.

I was still anxious, I didn't yet know how the tires would perform. I was pleasantly surprised and pleased. I felt safer, more grounded. The tires tested well coming to a stop, accelerating off a green light, and rounding corners. By the time I'd made it safely home, I was thinking to myself that those tires were $600 well spent.

Had I known their level of superiority over my regular all-season tires, I no doubt would have invested in a set much earlier. I'm still a little anxious of all those who share the roads with me on a regular basis who may or may not have winter tires, but I take comfort in knowing I've done what I can on my end to keep both myself and others safe while traveling the winter roadways.

A word of advice: if you don't already have a set of winter tires, don't wait until you get in an accident to make the investment. You can't put a price on your own safety.

kcoughlar@theheritageemc.ca