You are, as usual correct Ise, my memory is not what it was! The following is copied from etyres website, but was typical of many web sites.
The use of winter tyres is not mandatory in Austria, although their use can be enforced through road signs. In particularly snowy areas drivers have two options; either use winter tyres or fit snow chains around the car's summer tyres. All-season tyres can be accepted as winter tyres if they carry the M+S mark and have at least 4mm of tread. Any tyre with a tread depth of less than 4mm is regarded as a summer tyre. Snow chains may be used when the motorist deems them necessary. In addition chains canbe made compulsory in certain regions. Spikes can be used with cars that weigh up to 3.5 tonnes and speed limits are enforced for these vehicles.
Salzburg to Kaprun - Snowchains??
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Ah. I see. I was also under the impression that it was a legal requirement, which as you have pointed out several times, it actually isnt. Apologies. I am only ducking across the border into Austria, so my point was that I thought Germany and Austria would have the same rules on tyres, seeing as you can cross from one to the other along a long border many many times.
So Ise - without any cryptic responses, can you clarify please:
Picking up a hire car in Munich, it will not have winter tyres. If there is snow on the road in either Germany or Austria, there is now a low which says you HAVE to have winter tyres or chains: correct?
If thats the case, and I get to Munich and its snowing, surely the hire company are KNOWINGLY sending me out to break the law?
That's a good point and I think they do have the same rules, in fact I *think* that's part of the reason for the updated German law.
There always has been in Austria and it's not altered much in Germany, the police could always bar access based on conditions just as they can in the UK for that matter.
You may wish to put that to the hire company. I would imagine they'd feel you weren't obliged to take the car off a main prepared road though.
It's the same, I'm not sure how many times I need to explain this :roll:
Thanks Dave. I am driving down from Munich in a hire car with no snow chains, so I am hoping for some nice weather over Christmas, after about a weeks worth of serious snow of course....
I am glad to hear the road from Worgl is passable.
Confused, I've certainly got a headache :wink:
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Started by Dianep in Austria 11-Dec-2008 - 34 Replies
Dave Mac
reply to 'Salzburg to Kaprun - Snowchains??' posted Dec-2008
Ise
reply to 'Salzburg to Kaprun - Snowchains??' posted Dec-2008
I can do better than that in fact, this is what the Austrian Government say :
Compulsory Winter Tyres
Trucks with a permissible maximum weight exceeding 3.5 t and busses
Trucks with a permissible maximum weight exceeding 3.5 t and related motor vehicles may be operated only between 1 November and 15 April if winter tyres are installed on the wheels of at least one drive axle.
Busses and related motor vehicles may be operated only between 1 November and 15 March, if winter tyres are installed on the wheels of at least one drive axle.
Please Note: Winter tyres are tyres designed for use as snow and mud tyres with a certain profile depth, i.e., tyres marked "M + S". All-season tyres are also considered winter tyres if they have the "M + S" mark.
Vehicles exempt from this requirement are:
public security service vehicles, army vehicles, and fire trucks on which it is impossible or not useful to install winter tyres due to the vehicle's design or due to its predominant purpose of use,
vehicles equipped with "special" tyres due to the vehicle’s design or due to its predominant purpose of use,
vehicles used for tests or the transfer of vehicles.
Passenger cars and trucks with a permissible maximum weight of up to 3.5 t
Passenger cars and trucks with a permissible maximum weight of up to 3.5 t may be operated only between 1 November and 15 April in winter conditions such as snow, slush or ice if winter tyres have been installed on all wheels.
As an alternative to winter tyres, snow chains may be used on at least two driving wheels, however, these may only be used in case the road is covered by a complete or scarcely broken snow cover or sheet of ice.
Please Note: Winter tyres are tyres with a certain depth of profile used as snow and mud tyres or as snow, mud and ice tyres, i.e., tyres marked "M/E" or "M/S/E".
Compulsory Snow Chains
Between 1 November and 15 April drivers of trucks with a permissible weight exceeding 3.5 t and bus drivers as well as drivers of related vehicles are required to carry suitable snow chains for at least two driving wheels onboard.
Snow chains may only be used if necessary and only if they are mounted in such a way that they do not damage the road surface.
Vehicles exempt from this regulation are:
vehicles on which it is impossible to mount snow chains for design reasons,
vehicles that can only be used on snow-free roads due to their design,
vehicles belonging to Class M2 and M3 (busses) used for public transportation.
Tony_H
reply to 'Salzburg to Kaprun - Snowchains??' posted Dec-2008
ise wrote:
Finland? that's a fair few km away to be fair.
Germany and Austria have the exact same rules in this regard, on snow covered roads you're required to be equipped with chains or winter tires, in the case of Germany that's actually a new law from last year.
Ah. I see. I was also under the impression that it was a legal requirement, which as you have pointed out several times, it actually isnt. Apologies. I am only ducking across the border into Austria, so my point was that I thought Germany and Austria would have the same rules on tyres, seeing as you can cross from one to the other along a long border many many times.
So Ise - without any cryptic responses, can you clarify please:
Picking up a hire car in Munich, it will not have winter tyres. If there is snow on the road in either Germany or Austria, there is now a low which says you HAVE to have winter tyres or chains: correct?
If thats the case, and I get to Munich and its snowing, surely the hire company are KNOWINGLY sending me out to break the law?
Ise
reply to 'Salzburg to Kaprun - Snowchains??' posted Dec-2008
Tony_H wrote:
Ah. I see. I was also under the impression that it was a legal requirement, which as you have pointed out several times, it actually isnt. Apologies. I am only ducking across the border into Austria, so my point was that I thought Germany and Austria would have the same rules on tyres, seeing as you can cross from one to the other along a long border many many times.
That's a good point and I think they do have the same rules, in fact I *think* that's part of the reason for the updated German law.
Tony_H wrote:So Ise - without any cryptic responses, can you clarify please:
Picking up a hire car in Munich, it will not have winter tyres. If there is snow on the road in either Germany or Austria, there is now a low which says you HAVE to have winter tyres or chains: correct?
There always has been in Austria and it's not altered much in Germany, the police could always bar access based on conditions just as they can in the UK for that matter.
Tony_H wrote:If thats the case, and I get to Munich and its snowing, surely the hire company are KNOWINGLY sending me out to break the law?
You may wish to put that to the hire company. I would imagine they'd feel you weren't obliged to take the car off a main prepared road though.
Dave Mac
reply to 'Salzburg to Kaprun - Snowchains??' posted Dec-2008
Ise, like tony, i wa a bit confused about the siyuation. The AA seeems to have changed it's info during the past year.
It would be interesting to bottom out the law in Germany and Switzerland as well. People join J2 all tyhe time, and the question gets asked at least twice a season.
Tony, re access to Niederau, you have previously expressed your intention to travel by autobahn, and that leg of the journey should not be an issue. Niederau is 7 km up from Worgl. The road is not that steep, and it is well serviced by shovels and gritters.
In the event that you are travelling up the hill during a dump, then snowchains will do the job.
It would be interesting to bottom out the law in Germany and Switzerland as well. People join J2 all tyhe time, and the question gets asked at least twice a season.
Tony, re access to Niederau, you have previously expressed your intention to travel by autobahn, and that leg of the journey should not be an issue. Niederau is 7 km up from Worgl. The road is not that steep, and it is well serviced by shovels and gritters.
In the event that you are travelling up the hill during a dump, then snowchains will do the job.
Ise
reply to 'Salzburg to Kaprun - Snowchains??' posted Dec-2008
Dave Mac wrote:Ise, like tony, i wa a bit confused about the siyuation. The AA seeems to have changed it's info during the past year.
It would be interesting to bottom out the law in Germany and Switzerland as well. People join J2 all tyhe time, and the question gets asked at least twice a season.
It's the same, I'm not sure how many times I need to explain this :roll:
Tony_H
reply to 'Salzburg to Kaprun - Snowchains??' posted Dec-2008
Dave Mac wrote:
Tony, re access to Niederau, you have previously expressed your intention to travel by autobahn, and that leg of the journey should not be an issue. Niederau is 7 km up from Worgl. The road is not that steep, and it is well serviced by shovels and gritters.
In the event that you are travelling up the hill during a dump, then snowchains will do the job.
Thanks Dave. I am driving down from Munich in a hire car with no snow chains, so I am hoping for some nice weather over Christmas, after about a weeks worth of serious snow of course....
I am glad to hear the road from Worgl is passable.
Ian Wickham
reply to 'Salzburg to Kaprun - Snowchains??' posted Dec-2008
Dave Mac wrote:Ise, like tony, i wa a bit confused about the siyuation. The AA seeems to have changed it's info during the past year.
It would be interesting to bottom out the law in Germany and Switzerland as well. People join J2 all tyhe time, and the question gets asked at least twice a season.
Tony, re access to Niederau, you have previously expressed your intention to travel by autobahn, and that leg of the journey should not be an issue. Niederau is 7 km up from Worgl. The road is not that steep, and it is well serviced by shovels and gritters.
In the event that you are travelling up the hill during a dump, then snowchains will do the job.
Confused, I've certainly got a headache :wink:
Topic last updated on 02-January-2009 at 18:51