^
One of the worst drives of my life was on summer tires on 1" of snow.. whatever the tire is that comes stock on an STi (Bridgestone RE something Potenza) was NOT meant to go on any kind of snow or cold pavement..
I had to ferry the car from Richmond Hill Subaru to Downtown Subaru where I worked.. usually I'd be really happy about that, but on my way back it started snowing.. It was that kind of snow where it was falling on ground that had only moments before been wet, but it had frozen, so there was an ice layer it was sticking to... I had little to no traction... anything more than 20km/h and I couldn't stop or turn.. and getting going off traffic lights the thing spun all 4 wheels and started sliding with the camber of the road towards the kerb. The closest I came to losing it was at Yonge and Eglington the thing just decided not to turn when I was making a left.. left foot brake.. nothing.. and I hadn't gotten enough turn momentum to use the handbrake yet.. (I was going maybe 10-15km/h) but I had the DCCD set for a little more rear anyway so i just cranked it to the rear wheels and floored it so i spun rather than kerb it.. then I gingerly crawled out of the intersection with people honking at me and looking on in disgust.. like I fucking meant to do it?!?! Luckily it was only like 10-11am so it wasn't so busy.. but still.. by the time I got to the dealership I was shaking like a leaf. And I thought that my first time in an STi in the snow would be fun
Another more fun snow moment in Toronto.. same year.. same type of snow but a little thicker and on more ice.. on a morning commute.. I was on the hill at Bayview and something heading south.. where all the hospitals are.. anyway.. there was a dodge ram van and a bimmer stuck on the hill that were blocking all southbound lanes.. so every idiot had stopped at the bottom of the hill and they were all stuck down there because of the ice and their poor tire choice.. this was when I had my old black legacy, 250+hp on a JDM rex motor.. but it looked more or less stock.. after the ram van had decided to stop fishtailing backwards down the hill and admit defeat stopping on the kerb..
I decided to have a little fun with the bimmer.. I went around all the stopped cars at the bottom of the hill.. once free of all traffic opened up the car and spooled up the turbo so I was crabbing up the hill with all 4 spinning... I stopped very close to the bimmer (the muppet was driving a 540 on bald summers and stopped on the hill trying to make a left... ) Anyway.. 2 typical business guys.. big trenchcoats.. flashy watches/suits and neither of them had any idea what was going on around them, other than the fact that they were rich and needed to get somewhere in their expensive car to spend more money.. quickly. The BM had been sitting there doing the one wheel peel ever since I was stuck at the bottom of the hill.. I had my windows open because I'm like that in fresh snow.. don't ask... the passenger rolls down his window.. "stuck too, brutal weather!"
I just look over.. smile.. hand him my business card through the window (was selling subarus at the time) then I did a nice launch next to him giving him an earfull of blowoff valve and exhaust.. pretty much made my day..
If you're wondering, I never heard from the guy.. But I always get a kick out of recalling their faces when I pulled off..
So I guess that's a good comparison of winter tires VS not winter tires
That and stuff like this is fun too
