Chain hire at the snowy

snippet from NPWS homepage
"Snow chains should be fitted as directed by NPWS, RTA and Police officers. 4WD vehicles do not need to carry snow chains. "

sorry...edit: "...have two patches of rubber driving, steering and braking or four"....

Hi Chrispy
I would have to disagree with what you said. Thats like saying when your out in the bush that it makes no difference whether you have a 4wd or 2wd. Next time your down in the mountains maybe you should visit Perisher Valley carpark one night and have a play and you will soon see the difference.
Cheers Dave

Sorry snowman but i have to agree with Chrispy here, aspecially after talking to the guy that drives the Mt Buller 4WD recovery truck, HE CARRIES CHAINS, why because even 4WDs need them his words and i know he recovered me when stuck in the high country in that truck.

He said and i quote i recover more 4WDs than any other vehicle in the snow because they don't fit chains when they should.

Don't believe me ring him at the mobil garage in Bonnie Doon, Vic.

Baz.

Oh and better to be safe than sorry.

$960 it cost me to get recovered and he used chains to get up one section of the hill i was stuck in !!!!

Hi Baz
The original question was for the NSW ski fields. I dont know how they manage their roads in Victoria so will not comment. I have worked at Perisher since 1991 so i do have some experience. Driving on snow covered tracks is different to drive on snow covered sealed roads.

At the end of the day everyone should only drive to there abilities!

And there are heaps of places to pick up chains from in Jindabyne and Cooma

Cheers Dave

15cm of snow last night and it is still snowing now
Cheers Dave

Snowman - I live just outside of Cooma. I kinda "play" in it all the time.....

Take a 2WD car and a 4WD car. Get onto some hard-packed snow (turning to ice in the afternoon - we DO live in Australia) doing a few km per hour, and apply brakes on both cars.

Difflocks and aggressive tyres will do you squat. 4 cold patches of rubber under brakes are the same in a 2wd AND 4wd.

As i said before "drive to your abilities". If your silly enough to put brakes on whilst driving on ice and loose control, your driving beyond your ability.
Cheers Dave

I'm not going to argue with you Dave - it's a moot point. I understand the physics - I live in the stuff and have driven in snow for around 25 years. The problems is that people exist who don't.....

There are plenty of people who do it every year - and lots of these people think that because they run a nice new 4WD they're infallible on snow and ice. Call them "silly"... there are plenty of them who have never experienced snow driving let alone been offroad at all. They just don't have any experience. Are you going to recommend to them that they shouldn't use chains? If I see one of these people behind me, I'll just pull over and let impending disaster pass thankyou....

Baz
I agree with your last post. I would never stop a person from putting chains on. I have not said that anyone should not fit chains be it a 2wd or 4wd. My response was to your comment that "...and it doesn't matter whether or not you have two patches of rubber driving, steering and braking or four"....
As there is plenty of snow falling here today( any in Cooma?) how about we have a snowball fight and last man standing wins ;-)
Cheers Dave

FYI - Cooma had the coldest recorded temp in the country last night: -6. No snow yet - at least not where we are. Dry Plains ain't called "Dry Plains" for nothing.... we're in a double-rain shadow near Adaminaby and rarely get MOISTURE, let alone snow.....

.... but we got a foot on our hill last year :)

His rig info says a Pajero on 31's. I presume he means 245/75-16's or 265/70-16's or thereabouts. Should be able to get a standard set given that - they're pretty common sizes these days.