Weather.... late 2009

[Lesley Cox]

I'm not a great fan of VW beetles, especially the two abandoned in our yard (Roger can't bear to part with any vehicle he's ever owned) but I have to admit it is the only vehicle that will go on any mountain track anywhere we've been, even the deeply rutted or boggy tracks which are our lot now that NZ Electricity Dept (no longer extant) maintains them, and not bothered by snow either. My Morris mini rarely let me down though I used chains on that in snow.

[Lori S.]

So, here's a winter driving phenomenon that is near and dear to the hearts of we hardy northerners.... "square tires".  Anyone know what it means?

[Michael J Campbell]

Almost flat?

[Lori S.]

No. Any other guesses?

[David Shaw]

Tyre chains? Big and bulky making the wheel feel as if it is square.

[Lori S.]

No, nothing to do with tire inflation or chains.

It's when a vehicle has been parked out overnight in extreme cold, and the rubber of the tires freeze, such that there is an imperceptibly flattened area where the tires rested on the road.  When you start driving the car, the flattened area on the tires cause the wheels to bump and clunk along until the road friction heats them up again.... "square tires".   

It seems to have to be -40 C or worse for this to happen.  What a country! 

[Sinchets]

I'm not a great fan of VW beetles, especially the two abandoned in our yard (Roger can't bear to part with any vehicle he's ever owned) but I have to admit it is the only vehicle that will go on any mountain track anywhere we've been, even the deeply rutted or boggy tracks which are our lot now that NZ Electricity Dept (no longer extant) maintains them, and not bothered by snow either. My Morris mini rarely let me down though I used chains on that in snow.

I can recommend a Lada Niva, ours has taken us up various dirt, mud and rock tracks of mountains throughout  Bulgaria and Greece. She's a noisy little thing but she's a go-er.  

[Maggi Young]

No, nothing to do with tire inflation or chains.

It's when a vehicle has been parked out overnight in extreme cold, and the rubber of the tires freeze, such that there is an imperceptibly flattened area where the tires rested on the road.  When you start driving the car, the flattened area on the tires cause the wheels to bump and clunk along until the road friction heats them up again.... "square tires".   

It seems to have to be -40 C or worse for this to happen.  What a country! 

 Crumbs! Thankfully, this is not something with which we should ever have to contend. 

[johnw]

No, nothing to do with tire inflation or chains.

It's when a vehicle has been parked out overnight in extreme cold, and the rubber of the tires freeze, such that there is an imperceptibly flattened area where the tires rested on the road.  When you start driving the car, the flattened area on the tires cause the wheels to bump and clunk along until the road friction heats them up again.... "square tires".  

It seems to have to be -40 C or worse for this to happen.  What a country!  

Had this happen once when staying inland from here. It was -25F at about 8am.  I thought I had driven over telephone poles. The car really seemed to jump up in the air.

johnw

[David Shaw]

It makes you appreciate our weather, Maggie!

[Michael J Campbell]

We just fit floats instead of chains on the cars  for the winter

[Anthony Darby]

No, nothing to do with tire inflation or chains.

It's when a vehicle has been parked out overnight in extreme cold, and the rubber of the tires freeze, such that there is an imperceptibly flattened area where the tires rested on the road.  When you start driving the car, the flattened area on the tires cause the wheels to bump and clunk along until the road friction heats them up again.... "square tires".  

It seems to have to be -40 C or worse for this to happen.  What a country!  

Had this happen once when staying inland from here. It was -25F at about 8am.  I thought I had driven over telephone poles. The car really seemed to jump up in the air.

johnw

-25^oF reminds me of the scratches on my Grandfather's thermometer recording winter temperatures in the 1940s. They are all in Fahrenheit. Nothing as low as that though. I am from the generation that had to relearn temperatures when the weather forecasters changed from oF to ^oC, and then had to change from Centigrade to Celsius. I still convert back for a hot sunny day (28^oC = 82^oF) not that we ever get that hot! More like 16^oC = 61^oF at best!

[Lesley Cox]

I read in today's paper that in Russia, the weather is warmer than usual, up to 10C days and so polar bears are not going into hibernation. I hope they're growing extra thick coats.

[Anthony Darby]

Polar bears hibernate?

[mark smyth]

Isnt there another word, Anthony? According to Seaworld/Busch Gardens only female Polars bears hibernate but other web site say they dont