From: BC Forest Safety Council <bcforestsafe@imambo.com>Subject: Forestry TruckSafe Rumblings - October 30, 2009

Date: October 30, 2009 11:31:15 AM PDTTo: erik@casper.ca

Reply-To: BC Forest Safety Council <bcforestsafe@imambo.com>

October 30, 2009----ISSUE 112

WINTER DRIVING SEASON IS HERE!

Today’s Rumblings is largely dedicated to winter driving, and snow tires in particular. Yesterday’s first major snowfallin the interior brought a 50%(!) Increase to ICBC claims for one day. So take heed. RCMP will be ticketing for worn orimproper tires. And there are new signs around for “snow tire zones”. Log truck drivers, look for the axle weightchanges coming Dec 31.

Snow Tires vs. All Season/3 Season Tires

Tires marked "M + S" (“mud and snow”), also known as "all-season" tires were designed for wet anddry driving on pavement. NOT snow covered conditions. All season tires perform well for 12 monthsof the year where there is no snow. However here in BC, other than a few areas on the coast, the allseason tire performs well only in Spring Summer and Fall. (hence 3 seasons). According to theRubber Association of Canada, all-season tires tend to stiffen and lose gripping power around zeroCelsius.

BC winters, especially in the interior, require snow tires that were especially designed for slippery conditions and verycold temperatures. Wherever cold or snowy winters are the rule, snow tires become a necessary safety precaution. Indeep snow, winter treads improve traction by allowing the tire to rid itself of snow as it rolls, giving it a clear bite on theroad.

We are not talking about just aggressive tread patterns either because snow tires are also specifically designed withvery soft compounds that help better grip the road during very cold weather.

No matter how many safety features your vehicle has, it's the tires that enable you to handle it in the snow and ice.When shopping for winter tires, look for the peaked mountain with snowflake symbol. Tires marked with this symbolmeet specific snow traction performance requirements and have been designed specifically for use in severe snowconditions. The Transport Canada Web site contains a list of tires that display the symbol.

Ministry of Transport Winter Driving Tips brochure

This handy guide explains the difference between tires, what kind of chains to have, etc. Go to

This handy guide explains the difference between tires, what kind of chains to have, etc. Go tohttp://www.th.gov.bc.ca/popular-topics/driver_info/winter/Winter_Safety_Brochure.pdf

ICBC recommends drivers “Get a Grip” ... and is giving away snow tires!

Winter is here and with it, the hazards of driving in snowy and icy conditions. ICBC wants to remind drivers that when itcomes to safety, a set of four quality winter tires can make all the difference. And to promote the use of winter tires, theCorporation is giving all northern B.C. residents the chance to win them.

This November, at local hockey games throughout the North Central region, ICBC Loss Prevention coordinators will beawarding up to $1000 towards a set of brand new winter tires to lucky hockey fans. “In addition to recommending wintertires through our educational advertising, we also wanted to let people experience the difference for themselves,”explains ICBC Regional Loss Prevention coordinator Dave Turko, organizer of the region-wide campaign. “A driver whoowns winter tires notices the significant difference they make to winter driving, and often encourages friends and familyto make the investment too.”

Seven communities throughout the North Central region are participating in the Get A Grip campaign. Local attendeeswill receive a ticket as they enter the arena, and four lucky winners will compete in an on-ice tire roll for the new tires,except in Prince George where the winner is randomly drawn from the audience. Participants must be 19 years andolder and a legal resident of British Columbia to win.

“The message we want to send is that all-season tires are simply not recommended for winter driving in the NorthCentral region,” says Turko. “The fact is, all-seasons don’t have the traction to deal with the conditions we regularlyexperience on northern roads. They freeze in colder conditions, and don’t grip to the pavement, whereas winter tiresprovide better traction and braking in deep snow as well as greater stability and control on icy and slushy roads.”

Some winter tires also offer features such as studs, specialized rubber compounds or additional traction enhancersmoulded directly into the tire to allow for better grip in icy conditions. Studded tires are only permitted on B.C. roadsbetween October 1st and April 30th.

The regional Get A Grip contest runs for the month of November. Here is a list of participating North Centralcommunities and hockey arenas:

Nov 3 Williams Lake - Cariboo Memorial Complex Stampeders Nov 3 Terrace - Terrace Arena River KingsNov 9 Prince George - CN Centre Cougars (draw only)Nov 10 Smithers - Smithers Civic Centre SteelheadsNov 14 Dawson Creek - Memorial Arena Jr. CanucksNov 28 Fort St. John - North Peace Rec. Centre HuskiesNov 30 Quesnel – Quesnel and District Twin Arenas Millionaires

Police will ticket if you don’t have winter tiresICBC and the RCMP have launched a campaign about driving too fast for conditions, and winter tires. RCMP saysenforcement won’t just be looking for those who are driving too fast for the road conditions, there will also be a focus onthe condition of the tires on your vehicle.

“All season tires are not good enough in this part of the province,” says RCMP North District Traffic Services InspectorBrewer “you’ve got to use winter tires to get from point ‘a’ to point ‘b’. We’re going to issue tickets, but what we’d rathersee you do, is take the money you would have spent on that ticket and put it towards a good set of winter tires. Cut outthe middle man, us.”

Quebec introduced legislation last year that made it mandatory for drivers in that province to have winter tires on theirvehicle for the winter season. This campaign is not a step towards such legislation here says ICBC. However, there arecertain stretches of major highways in the province that are signed as requiring snow tires – you’ll see an orange signwith a picture of a tire and chains on it, that says “winter tires or chains” and the dates October 1 to April 30. On thatstretch of highway, snow tires or chains are mandatory. In Prince George or Quesnel, that means anybody going upthe hill to Walmart must have winter tires.

Brewer says typically, the fine for having poor tires on a vehicle is in the $150 dollar range.

From: BC Forest Safety Council <bcforestsafe@imambo.com>Subject: Forestry TruckSafe Rumblings - October 30, 2009

Date: October 30, 2009 11:31:15 AM PDTTo: erik@casper.ca

Reply-To: BC Forest Safety Council <bcforestsafe@imambo.com>

October 30, 2009----ISSUE 112

WINTER DRIVING SEASON IS HERE!

Today’s Rumblings is largely dedicated to winter driving, and snow tires in particular. Yesterday’s first major snowfallin the interior brought a 50%(!) Increase to ICBC claims for one day. So take heed. RCMP will be ticketing for worn orimproper tires. And there are new signs around for “snow tire zones”. Log truck drivers, look for the axle weightchanges coming Dec 31.

Snow Tires vs. All Season/3 Season Tires

Tires marked "M + S" (“mud and snow”), also known as "all-season" tires were designed for wet anddry driving on pavement. NOT snow covered conditions. All season tires perform well for 12 monthsof the year where there is no snow. However here in BC, other than a few areas on the coast, the allseason tire performs well only in Spring Summer and Fall. (hence 3 seasons). According to theRubber Association of Canada, all-season tires tend to stiffen and lose gripping power around zeroCelsius.

BC winters, especially in the interior, require snow tires that were especially designed for slippery conditions and verycold temperatures. Wherever cold or snowy winters are the rule, snow tires become a necessary safety precaution. Indeep snow, winter treads improve traction by allowing the tire to rid itself of snow as it rolls, giving it a clear bite on theroad.

We are not talking about just aggressive tread patterns either because snow tires are also specifically designed withvery soft compounds that help better grip the road during very cold weather.

No matter how many safety features your vehicle has, it's the tires that enable you to handle it in the snow and ice.When shopping for winter tires, look for the peaked mountain with snowflake symbol. Tires marked with this symbolmeet specific snow traction performance requirements and have been designed specifically for use in severe snowconditions. The Transport Canada Web site contains a list of tires that display the symbol.

Ministry of Transport Winter Driving Tips brochure

This handy guide explains the difference between tires, what kind of chains to have, etc. Go to

Fines for speeding range from $138 to $483. Drivers who have one or more excessive speeding convictions on or afterJanuary 1, 2008, will also pay a Driver Risk Premium (DRP), which is separate from insurance premiums. In addition tofines, drivers who speed can also face a variety of sanctions, including driving prohibitions.

The campaign is underway now, and over the next six weeks there will be a major public information push. InspectorBrewer says commercial drivers will also be under scrutiny “This is all classes of vehicles out there, CVSE (Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement) will be heavily involved in vehicle inspections.”

There are a number of things you can do to keep yourself, and others, safe on the roads:

Slow down, especially on wet roads, in bad weather conditions or uneven roads. Consider driving below the postedspeed limit. Allow at least four seconds of following distance between vehicles in bad weather or uneven roads.Prep your vehicle for winter. Invest in new winter tires and wipers, pack an emergency kit, top up fluids to avoid freezing,and frequently check tire pressure – tires deflate in cold weather.Stick a twoonie in your tire. If the tread doesn’t hit the gold centre of the twoonie, it’s time to speak to a tire expert aboutnew winter tires.Plan ahead and give yourself extra time for possible delays that may occur, due to inclement weather. Checkwww.drivebc.ca for road and weather conditions

AXLE WEIGHT REDUCTIONS COMING DEC 31The maximum allowable axle weight in tridem pole trailers will be reduced from 25,000kg to 24,000kg, effectiveDecember 31, 2009 (Commercial Transport Regs, Appendix H)

The maximum allowable axle weight in triaxle pole trailers will be reduced from 26,100kgs to 24,000kg effectiveDecember 31, 2009 (Commercial Transport Regs, Appendix I)

This handy guide explains the difference between tires, what kind of chains to have, etc. Go tohttp://www.th.gov.bc.ca/popular-topics/driver_info/winter/Winter_Safety_Brochure.pdf

ICBC recommends drivers “Get a Grip” ... and is giving away snow tires!

Winter is here and with it, the hazards of driving in snowy and icy conditions. ICBC wants to remind drivers that when itcomes to safety, a set of four quality winter tires can make all the difference. And to promote the use of winter tires, theCorporation is giving all northern B.C. residents the chance to win them.

This November, at local hockey games throughout the North Central region, ICBC Loss Prevention coordinators will beawarding up to $1000 towards a set of brand new winter tires to lucky hockey fans. “In addition to recommending wintertires through our educational advertising, we also wanted to let people experience the difference for themselves,”explains ICBC Regional Loss Prevention coordinator Dave Turko, organizer of the region-wide campaign. “A driver whoowns winter tires notices the significant difference they make to winter driving, and often encourages friends and familyto make the investment too.”

Seven communities throughout the North Central region are participating in the Get A Grip campaign. Local attendeeswill receive a ticket as they enter the arena, and four lucky winners will compete in an on-ice tire roll for the new tires,except in Prince George where the winner is randomly drawn from the audience. Participants must be 19 years andolder and a legal resident of British Columbia to win.

“The message we want to send is that all-season tires are simply not recommended for winter driving in the NorthCentral region,” says Turko. “The fact is, all-seasons don’t have the traction to deal with the conditions we regularlyexperience on northern roads. They freeze in colder conditions, and don’t grip to the pavement, whereas winter tiresprovide better traction and braking in deep snow as well as greater stability and control on icy and slushy roads.”

Some winter tires also offer features such as studs, specialized rubber compounds or additional traction enhancersmoulded directly into the tire to allow for better grip in icy conditions. Studded tires are only permitted on B.C. roadsbetween October 1st and April 30th.

The regional Get A Grip contest runs for the month of November. Here is a list of participating North Centralcommunities and hockey arenas:

Nov 3 Williams Lake - Cariboo Memorial Complex Stampeders Nov 3 Terrace - Terrace Arena River KingsNov 9 Prince George - CN Centre Cougars (draw only)Nov 10 Smithers - Smithers Civic Centre SteelheadsNov 14 Dawson Creek - Memorial Arena Jr. CanucksNov 28 Fort St. John - North Peace Rec. Centre HuskiesNov 30 Quesnel – Quesnel and District Twin Arenas Millionaires

Police will ticket if you don’t have winter tiresICBC and the RCMP have launched a campaign about driving too fast for conditions, and winter tires. RCMP saysenforcement won’t just be looking for those who are driving too fast for the road conditions, there will also be a focus onthe condition of the tires on your vehicle.

“All season tires are not good enough in this part of the province,” says RCMP North District Traffic Services InspectorBrewer “you’ve got to use winter tires to get from point ‘a’ to point ‘b’. We’re going to issue tickets, but what we’d rathersee you do, is take the money you would have spent on that ticket and put it towards a good set of winter tires. Cut outthe middle man, us.”

Quebec introduced legislation last year that made it mandatory for drivers in that province to have winter tires on theirvehicle for the winter season. This campaign is not a step towards such legislation here says ICBC. However, there arecertain stretches of major highways in the province that are signed as requiring snow tires – you’ll see an orange signwith a picture of a tire and chains on it, that says “winter tires or chains” and the dates October 1 to April 30. On thatstretch of highway, snow tires or chains are mandatory. In Prince George or Quesnel, that means anybody going upthe hill to Walmart must have winter tires.

Brewer says typically, the fine for having poor tires on a vehicle is in the $150 dollar range.

Fines for speeding range from $138 to $483. Drivers who have one or more excessive speeding convictions on or afterJanuary 1, 2008, will also pay a Driver Risk Premium (DRP), which is separate from insurance premiums. In addition tofines, drivers who speed can also face a variety of sanctions, including driving prohibitions.

The campaign is underway now, and over the next six weeks there will be a major public information push. InspectorBrewer says commercial drivers will also be under scrutiny “This is all classes of vehicles out there, CVSE (Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement) will be heavily involved in vehicle inspections.”

There are a number of things you can do to keep yourself, and others, safe on the roads:

Slow down, especially on wet roads, in bad weather conditions or uneven roads. Consider driving below the postedspeed limit. Allow at least four seconds of following distance between vehicles in bad weather or uneven roads.Prep your vehicle for winter. Invest in new winter tires and wipers, pack an emergency kit, top up fluids to avoid freezing,and frequently check tire pressure – tires deflate in cold weather.Stick a twoonie in your tire. If the tread doesn’t hit the gold centre of the twoonie, it’s time to speak to a tire expert aboutnew winter tires.Plan ahead and give yourself extra time for possible delays that may occur, due to inclement weather. Checkwww.drivebc.ca for road and weather conditions

AXLE WEIGHT REDUCTIONS COMING DEC 31The maximum allowable axle weight in tridem pole trailers will be reduced from 25,000kg to 24,000kg, effectiveDecember 31, 2009 (Commercial Transport Regs, Appendix H)

The maximum allowable axle weight in triaxle pole trailers will be reduced from 26,100kgs to 24,000kg effectiveDecember 31, 2009 (Commercial Transport Regs, Appendix I)

If you know someone who would be interested in receiving TruckSafe Rumblings, please forward this email along. Signing up is easy. Justclick here and you will be taken to our new sign up page. If you know someone who'd be interested but doesn't have email, forward theirfax number to us at arcand@bctrucksafe.org

Copyright 2009

This message sent by: BC Forest Safety Council

#200 Guinness Tower Vancouver BC V6E 2E9 Canada

Forward this message Update your profile Update your subscription