European Winter Tire Legislation (A-L)
Posted on February 5, 2011
Filed Under Interesting, Winter Tires | 1 Comment
Although it isn’t necessary to drive with “M+S” branded tires everywhere in the Old World, it is still a must to use winter tires only on some roads or mountain passes. Continental company has summed up the rules that different European countries follow as regard to winter tires.
In 1992 the EU has defined winter tire as the tires featuring tread picture and internal construction optimized for driving on slush and in light snow, but they said nothing about the structure of rubber compound. Nevertheless, it was explained that only those tires that offer 7 per cent better braking performance than standard “M+S” tires can be given a snowflake marking.
So, let’s set off for a trip around Europe
Austria – Here winter tires must be used in a period from November 1st till April 15th. The tires tread should measure at least 4 millimeters in depth. Moreover, on some roads you’ll have to use anti-skidding chains. Studded tires can be used on vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tons.
Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg – There’s no law concerning winter tires, but studded tires are forbidden. Here you’d better use “M+S” - marked tires in winter.
The Czech Republic – Winter tires are a must on some highways from November 1st till March 31st, which is indicated by special road signs.
Denmark – Nobody is made to use winter tire here, but the Danes themselves use it to ensure their safety. Winter temperatures are low in the country, that’s why winter tires would be your good companion here. Studs are permitted yet rarely used.
Estonia - Winter tires are to be used from December 1st till the end of February, though depending on the weather the terms may be shifted. Studs are forbidden.
Finland – they drive on winter tires from December 1st till the end of October. The law is applied to those coming from outside the country.
France – there’s no law about winter tires, but you’d better use them in the French Alps. On some roads anti-skidding chains are required. Studded tires can be used from November till March at moderate speeds (33 mph and 50 mph in and outside the city respectively).
Germany – According to German road rules drivers must equip their cars in accordance with weather conditions and use winter tires depending on the situation. Vague wording it may be, drivers can be fined if they violate these rules.
Italy – Winter tires are not necessary except for on some roads. Studded tire owner must keep to moderate-speed driving – 30 mph in the city and 55 mph on highways.
Latvia - Winter tires are a must from December 1st till the end of February.
Lithuania – From November 1st till April 1st.
Citroen and Pirelli Maintain Races Together
Posted on February 1, 2011
Filed Under Interesting, Pirelli Tires | Leave a Comment
Pirelli, Italian tire-making company, has recently signed up a three-year contract for exclusive tire delivery to serve Citroen Racing Trophy (CRT) races that will take part in ten countries in 2011.
All Citroen mono-driving racing car can participate in CRT. It is also true about the C2-R2 MAX and the newly-launched DS3 R3, the latter having won five times in its category during its last-year debut.
The cars for CRT will be fitted with select asphalt and gravel Pirelli tires created by the same technologies used for the World Rally Championship (WRC) in the period between 2008 and 2010 when Pirelli was the official supplier of the WRC. Those tires were known by their exceptional durability and great puncture resistance.
Citroen DS R3 will be fitted by 17-inch RX and RE tires for asphalt roads and 15-inch K tires for gravel roads. The same tires will be mounted on R2-series cars, but asphalt tires will measure 16 inches in diameter.
The CRT is to be held in ten countries this year, namely Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Switzerland and Great Britain. The competition is organized in such a way so as to allow racers to take part in several competitions for there will be more than one hundred different races. The races will be held in cooperation with the Rallye Torrie in Portugal and the Rallye Sunkeeper in Great Britain.
Paul Hembery, Pirelli autosport manager, said that the company is glad to take this privilege again and resume the cooperation. They are especially glad that their tires will be used by young talents in one of the most important international races in Europe.
Tire Makers Should Invent Their Quartz
Posted on January 27, 2011
Filed Under Continental Tires, Interesting | Leave a Comment
James Rippy, ex vice-president of the Continental company in North America, has given his opinion on innovations in tire-making industry. He maintains that tire-makers need to invent something completely new now for everything what’s being done now is just a slight alternation of already existing things.
Mr Rippy says that the needed breakthrough is as important as it was with the invention of quartz in watch-making industry. Back in time, the Swiss thought that watches should be made with the help of pinion gears and springs, but later on they understood that there was no need to improve the existing mechanism. Quartz watches were invented, which was much better.
The last important breakthrough in tire-making industry took place fifty years ago. It was the invention of radial tires that gradually replaced diagonal ones. The new tires delivered a considerably longer life span in comparison with the latter and offered smoother running, better handling, a more durable construction, etc.
After that there happened nothing more substantial than the transition from diagonal to radial tires. There followed only slight improvements, but not innovations. Run-Flat technology was invented, silica was added to compounds, tread pictures were enhanced towards better hydroplaning resistance, green eco tires with low rolling resistance appeared, but these are just alterations, just marketing, just a new way the company’s resort to in order to advertize their tires in a more attractive manner.
Now what, asks Mr Rippy. Somebody must do the first step towards the real improvement, the real revolution. For instance, who said that tires should be made of rubber compounds? Some companies have already tried it and made tires from polyurethane. Hybrid cars are also perfect examples of the real progress. The problem is that there should be always people who would insist on their point of view and wouldn’t be afraid to take responsibility to place science above money matters.
James Rippy was vice-president of North American Continental in the period between 1974 and 2000. He has been working in the tire-making industry for forty years, during which he gained a profound experience in new tire development, took part in numerous scientific projects and cooperated with such automotive manufacturers as GM, Chrysler, Ford and Toyota.
Studded Tires Negatively Affect Human Immune System
Posted on January 23, 2011
Filed Under Continental Tires, Hankook Tires, Interesting, Pirelli Tires | Leave a Comment
It’s a well-known fact that studded tires cause damage to asphalted roads but the Swiss has recently found out that asphalt elements in the air might be the reason of a number of inflammatory processes in human macrophage cells.
Macrophage cells guard our immune system by actively capturing and neutralizing extraneous substances that try to get into our body through different channels including breathing passages.
The research was conducted by a group of Swiss specialists in hygiene and ecological medicine under the leadership of Anders G. Ljungman. In his article Mr. Ljungman provided a detailed description of how the macrophages behave during the contact with asphalt microelements. He also maintains that their research can help avoid negative consequences of the use of studded tire in future as well as allows for better understanding of a causal relationship between microelements in the air and the origin of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.
During the research white blood cells and lung microphages were exposed to the influence of asphalt and granite microelements measuring 3-4 mcm in diameter. The latter were generated by a special machine that imitates driving situations on the road. The changes in cells were studied by electrophoresis and mass-spectrometry after eighteen hours of exposure.
