Need for ski chains and or winter tyres in the Italian Dolomites

[malumbu]

YESSSSS this is more like it. A proper East Dulwich Forum thread.

Hiring a car from Treviso near Venice in a week or so's time and drivng up to the Dolomites. Main roads are kept clear but almost came a cropper a few years back as the snow was so heavy and the car had summer tyres.

Once upon a time booked snow chains and was frustrated as didn't need them. Never booked them since, and in more recent years travelling in Germany/Austria winter tyres are compulsory so as long as you don't get stuck in snow roads are fine.

Booked this time through Ryanair. Don't trust them an inch. No info on Thrifty who we have booked though Ryanair, and nothing about optional extras on the Website. I have a phone number that is all.

Don't want to risk the same experience as last time. Snow socks could be brought over with us, but are not recommended for proper snow. What do you all reckon? I'll call the hire place if needs, but hate being fleeced as a "distress purchase" ie where you are forced into buying something at a silly price.

Does this go down as middle class dilemma of the week?

[Seabag]

What car are you hiring

[Loz]

My thoughts:

1) Personal opinion is that snow socks are the most useless things ever. Even more so at any decent speed.

2) Cortina is showing light snow for early next week. So, at the very worst, I'd want winter tyres as you'll look very strange with full snow chains in 5cm of snow.

3) Some resorts/areas mandate snow chains in certain situations, but usually only in heavy snow, which weather forecasts are currently not predicting (but with the added caveat that weather forecasts over about 2 days in the mountains are notoriously inaccurate).

A final tip: Next time, if you are a BA exec club member (any old colour will do), the Avis deal they do via the Exec Club website is pretty good (and they usually throw in an extra driver for free).

And at least thank small mercies that Ryanair didn't saddle you with Goldcar or Firefly...

[IlonaM]

See: http://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-abroad/winter/

Italy

Winter tyres ? RECOMMENDED* - Between October and 15 April or, at other times if conditions dictate

Snow chains ? REQUIRED* - Between October and 15 April or, at other times if conditions dictate

*Note: Some parts of Italy can introduce their own legislation making the use of winter tyres and snow chains compulsory.

[malumbu]

Thanks, I'd better double check with Thrifty.

I usually book with Economy car rentals, web site is a bit clunky, and you get a token, but you can speak to people there.

Only time it went wrong is that they booked me with....... Goldcar (Malaga airport). That really was bad.

At Xmas booked off airport hire at Malaga - so that's why it was so cheap. It actually worked OK (almost in walking distance) and they checked every inch of the car over at the end to try to get their pound of flesh.

[malumbu]

Thanks, the weather was hot so no problems with snow/ice.

Thrifty were difficult to contact - could only upgrade insurance on line, and didn't want to phone up the office. But the car (Alfa) came with snow chains in the boot, not sure if there is any compulsion but it was very reassuring. They seem to be part of Hertz.

They gave me an automatic. I've only driven them infrequently and this was one were it goes into a manual sort of mode if you grab the shifter and think you are driving a manual - freaky as suddenly you are stuck in one gear. Have no knowledge of how to drive an auto on slippy surfaces, is it easier than a manual.

Is there not a thread on "where I go skiing, darling'? Or in my case - how can I minimise the costs and still have a good time?

[rendelharris]

Automatics can be harder than a manual to drive in slippery conditions as the gearbox will keep the revs at a normal level, when ideally you want to keep them low. Check if there's a low ratio button on or near the gearstick, it'll be marked with an L or a snowflake, that will drop the revs for any given speed.

ETA it's been many years since I last skied when arthritis reared its head, but I have fond memories of Andorra. The skiing's not exactly as extensive or challenging as one finds in the Alps, but the hotels were cheap, the food good value and booze and smokes at tax free prices made up for a lot!