As Graham says, no tyre (other than a studded one) is going to be great on ice, but a winter tyre is clearly still going to be considerably better than a summer one.
I can assure you that with decent winter tyres fitted I have managed to drive (albeit gingerly) on icy (melted/refrozen) roads up in the mountains when there is no way that summer tyres would work.
The whole business of salting mountain roads is quite controversial with the locals as the salt melts the snow, but then once it gets down to -15°C or so that melted snow refreezes as sheet ice. So for those with proper tyres fitted, just snow ploughing is a better solution; leaving a "route blanche" with reasonable adherence rather than creating an ice rink.
as I read your post, a shiver runs down my spine because something very similar happened to me this year; not on ice though but on a wet and slippery road AND in my best friends car which I picked up for him at the dealer... I needed a crane to get the car out of its misery but the damage to my self esteem was the worst part... Nothing serious for 30 years and then this. I felt like an idiot. Well, I learned from this too and I was very glad that my friend did not rip off my head for hurting his car... We both took the car on the same road in the same weather a week later with ME as a driver to fix my trauma...
Safe roads to you all!!!
The hills are alive with the sound of... ...MORGAN
Sorry to read of your mishap, Phil. There really isn't much you can do once you've lost control on ice. Glad to hear you're ok and the car isn't too bad.
Tim H. 1986 4/4 VVTi Sport, 2002 LR Defender, 2022 Mini Cooper SE
Not long after I started driving I was working for Currys (student job) at Northampton and they'd just opened a new store on a retail park and I drove in between Christmas and New Year. The new tarmac, black ice and a chicane caused me to spin 360 and clip a curb imprinting the 90 curb in the road wheel of my Dad's car. He was not best pleased until he took it to get the wheel replaced and the garage said I'd done well not to roll the car! I was doing less than 15 mph as I'd just come off a roundabout. Many people did similar during the day.
When I was a youth, I had a girlfriend who lived on top of the Cotswolds and a 250 Royal Enfield. One Winters evening, there was a light dusting of snow, making the ride home from her house somewhat hazardous. So it was one foot covering the back brake and the other acting as an out-rigger. Nearer home in Bristol, I was able to get both feet back onto the pegs. Arrived home, triumphant that I had got home safely. Stopped in the drive and fell off! Feet frozen to the pegs.
Hard packed snow is as bad as ice. The tread contact behaves the same...no grip. Softer snow is a bit less hazardous as the tread penetrates. It is similar to aquaplaning where the layer of water from rain or the pressure area on ice forms a slippery layer. Once you lose grip and slide it is luck that helps.
