Italy is very specific about when vehicles must have winter/snow tyres (or chains in the vehicle) and when owners are permitted to change them back to summer tyres.
Winter/snow tyres must be on by 15 October and summer tyres can be on any time after 15 April.
Why have different tyres anyway? Why not just use winter ones all year round?
As an ignorant Australian, I asked this same question a few years ago...
Apparently winter tyres make your car less fuel efficient so it pays to put your summer tyres on as soon as you can.
Since we spent April in Australia, we must be the only people in Italy who changed their tyres in late May!
Posted with Blogsy
I thought these 2 dates sounded familiar! I then realized that they are exactly the same for when we in Venice can start using heat for our homes!!!! Due to the expense of buying gas, the city won't turn it on until October 15th. officially - an unusually cold autumn and they might relent a little sooner - and then it is officially turned off again April 15th.! Never knew that tires, too, had to abide by the calendar...... but then, I guess we wouldn't!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHaha! Piemonte is very clear on it's dates for changing tyres...you wouldnt want to be stuck in snow or ice without your winter ones on...just like you wouldnt want to be stuck in a cold Venice apartment on a damp Autumn day without heating! ;-)
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