Rochester, NY – Today, John Werner, editor of The Snow Tire FAQ (http://www.snowtire.info), announced plans for the Second Annual Tire Test to be conducted this coming winter season.

“Since its inception, The Snow Tire FAQ has helped thousands of people learn about snow tires and has helped them make the right choice for their needs. There are many people making many claims about tires. We try to help the consumer see through the confusion and make clear choices.”

The Annual Tire Test is one way to help consumers by providing them with real world reviews of snow tires. “As the Snow Tire FAQ became more popular, I began receiving more and more e-mail asking me for my opinion and recommendations on snow tires. Since my experience was limited, I came up with the idea of the Tire Test, a winter long test of snow tires on real roads in real world conditions.

“The world is not a controlled situation. Consider this: When is the last time you drove on ice as perfectly flat and maintained as a hockey rink? Have you ever driven in a parking lot full of fresh, virgin snow? The Snow Tire FAQ test is different from many others, in that it is done in the same conditions that you or I would find when we drive; the conditions we find on the roads we drive on.”

Thanks to the help of Goodyear Dunlop Tires North America, Ltd., Nokian Tyres, and Vredestein Tires USA, the Snow Tire FAQ was able to evaluate 3 studdless snow tires, during this past winter. John hopes to see the number of brands grow. “I am continually getting bombarded with questions about makes and brands of snow tires that I have never heard of. Generally, people will ask 'Is this a good tire?'; to which I can only reply, 'I don't know. I've never tried it.' The Annual Tire Test is a way to get a look at a larger collection of tires.”

The Annual Tire Test is simple in form. “The first step is to obtain snow tires. Last year, three companies, Dunlop, Nokian and Vredestein, donated tires to run. All of the tires were the same size and purpose (in this case, non-studded snow tires).

The second step seems easy, but the details can be interesting – secure the use of nearly identical cars for all the tires with drivers who have similar driving styles. “The hard part here is convincing people to try something new. The second hardest part is convincing those same people to let others borrow their car for comparison.”

Step three is the easiest – Drive the tires through the winter.

The final step is meeting with all the drivers to get the opinions and write the review. “People are busy today. Getting everyone to sit down in the same room and compare notes can be difficult.”

The force behind both The Snow Tire FAQ and the Annual Tire Test comes from John's desire to help people. “Last year, while watching reports of yet another fatal accident involving an SUV, snowy conditions, and a highway overpass, two things were clear: 1) the SUV was going too fast for conditions; and 2) it did not have snow tires. I sat there wishing there was something more I could do to convince people that snow tires are as essential to winter driving as track shoes are to running. It sometimes seems like educating the public is an uphill battle, but more and more people are learning. Too many people think that a 4-wheel drive and a big SUV are enough to get through snow. A 4WD does help, but if you can't get a grip on the road, it's not going to help much.”

The Snow Tire FAQ is an independently operated, non-commercial site. “I make my living writing software for a small company located near Rochester, NY. I don't sell tires. I don't even get advertising revenue from tire manufacturers.”

During the winter months, the site will often have well over 100 visitors per day, with peak days coming close to 300 per day. “I had no idea how popular the site had become until I stopped and looked at the hit counters. The hit counters explained why I was getting so much mail about snow tires. One of the most interesting things about those counters is that I can tell that there is a snowstorm somewhere, without even looking at the weather. When a snowstorm hits, people start looking for snow tire information.”

For more information on The Snow Tire FAQ, the Second Annual Tire Test, or for information on how to get your snow tires evaluated, please contact:

John Werner
Editor
The Snow Tire FAQ, http://www.snowtire.info
27 Rolling Hill Drive
Fairport, NY 14450

e-mail: flybrick@frontiernet.net
phone: (716) 223-2036