Quote Originally Posted by bubba
A 4x4 helps in snow but it doesn't do squat on ice. The only things that can help on ice are studded tires or chains. The simple fact is most people don't know how to drive, all they do is aim and too many aren't very good at that. I drove professionally for 20 years without an accident. I accomplished this feat by assuming every other vehicle on the road was piloted by a suicidal maniac determined to take me out with them.
Assuming everyone else on the road is an idiot has kept me alive more times than I like. I haven't been driving "pro" for very long, but I've always had the mentality to do it.

As for studded tires...we get so few occasions to use them here that they really don't like us using them. Our roads are normally clean and dry. They only get snow/ice on them right after a storm, then within a few days they've either been cleared by the road crews, or a Chinook wind blows in, the temps rise, and the stuff melts away.