Print Version
Email this story
Comment
It’s beginning to look a lot like...
 |
| H&N photo by Andrew Mariman Chris Ross, a full-time employee at Turn Thom Tire Factory on Washburn Way, mounts studded tires on a passenger car Monday as Klamath Basin motorists start getting ready for winter driving. |
Local drivers get ready for winter weather
By STEVE KADEL
H&N Staff Writer
Oregon Institute of Technology student Jamie Stein took advantage of the Veterans Day holiday Monday to run an important errand — getting snow tires mounted on her 1999 Mustang.
The recent unsettled weather prompted Stein and many others to get ready for snowy driving conditions. A nasty-looking bank of dark clouds rolled toward Klamath Falls early Monday afternoon.
“Look at the clouds,” Stein said while picking up her car at Les Schwab Tires. “That’s coming this way. I didn’t want to wake up one morning and see snow on the ground without being ready.”
Another Schwab customer, Frank Hunter, admitted he’s usually a procrastinator when it comes to making the tire switch. Not this year, though.
“I think this will be a heavy winter,” he said. “It’s been about 10 years since we had heavy snow.”
He put studded tires on his Nissan pickup truck.
“That’s the only way I can get it stopped,” he said of icy conditions. “Regular snow tires don’t help that much.”
Schwab store manager Bob Coyle said business for winter changeovers started picking up last week.
“We’re putting studded tires on, but we’re seeing more of the stud-less winter tires,” he said. “They’re becoming more accepted.”
Changing tires required a two-hour wait at Les Schwab, but customers at Basin Tire Service had better luck. Co-owner Mike Romtvedt said the pace was “just right.”
“People aren’t having to wait too long,” he said. “You just about get caught up and four or five more show up.”
Romtvedt agreed with Coyle that stud-less tires are making inroads.
“They’re better for the road,” he said. “The acceptance level is getting better, and they do work.”
At Turn Thom Tire Factory, co-owner Gary Turner reported brisk business Monday. That not only included mounting snow tires, but winterizing vehicles as well. The latter involves a cooling system flush, oil change, and check of belts, hoses and batteries.
Turner said lots of his customers are asking for reliable studded tires.
“No matter how good the stud-less tires are, you still have 10 percent additional traction benefit on ice with studs,” he said.
The real rush to change from summer to winter tires hasn’t hit yet, Turner said, despite recent weather forecasts hinting at snow.
“I’ve been in this business since 1971 and it’s the same thing every year,” he said. “The minute it snows, it turns into absolute bedlam.”
The recent unsettled weather prompted Stein and many others to get ready for snowy driving conditions. A nasty-looking bank of dark clouds rolled toward Klamath Falls early Monday afternoon.
“Look at the clouds,” Stein said while picking up her car at Les Schwab Tires. “That’s coming this way. I didn’t want to wake up one morning and see snow on the ground without being ready.”
Not a procrastinator
Another Schwab customer, Frank Hunter, admitted he’s usually a procrastinator when it comes to making the tire switch. Not this year, though.
“I think this will be a heavy winter,” he said. “It’s been about 10 years since we had heavy snow.”
He put studded tires on his Nissan pickup truck.
“That’s the only way I can get it stopped,” he said of icy conditions. “Regular snow tires don’t help that much.”
Schwab store manager Bob Coyle said business for winter changeovers started picking up last week.
“We’re putting studded tires on, but we’re seeing more of the stud-less winter tires,” he said. “They’re becoming more accepted.”
Changing tires required a two-hour wait at Les Schwab, but customers at Basin Tire Service had better luck. Co-owner Mike Romtvedt said the pace was “just right.”
“People aren’t having to wait too long,” he said. “You just about get caught up and four or five more show up.”
Stud-less tires
Romtvedt agreed with Coyle that stud-less tires are making inroads.
“They’re better for the road,” he said. “The acceptance level is getting better, and they do work.”
At Turn Thom Tire Factory, co-owner Gary Turner reported brisk business Monday. That not only included mounting snow tires, but winterizing vehicles as well. The latter involves a cooling system flush, oil change, and check of belts, hoses and batteries.
Turner said lots of his customers are asking for reliable studded tires.
“No matter how good the stud-less tires are, you still have 10 percent additional traction benefit on ice with studs,” he said.
The real rush to change from summer to winter tires hasn’t hit yet, Turner said, despite recent weather forecasts hinting at snow.
“I’ve been in this business since 1971 and it’s the same thing every year,” he said. “The minute it snows, it turns into absolute bedlam.”
 |
||
| Farmers Market finds |
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of HeraldAndNews.com. Comment Disclaimer: The editors of heraldandnews.com reserve the right to refuse publication of any comment posted for consideration. We may refuse for any reason, including use of profanity, disparaging comments, libelous comments, etc. Any reader who notices a comment they believe is particularly offensive, should notify us at webmaster@heraldandnews.com.
RSS