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'Also steering covers, seat covers and they have to wash the keys in and out as they give us the keys or take the keys.” “For the team members going into the car, either bringing the car in or taking the car out, they do have to have clean hands, wear gloves,” said Lee Hamelin. We’ve taken some racks out of the showroom to put a few more chairs, but still social distancing.”Īs a result, he said appointments are taking a bit longer this year. We try to keep only six or seven chairs in the showroom. “We want to make sure that everybody that shows up here we know who they are and when they came in. “As the come in they have to wear their mask, they have to sign in, we have to make sure we clean the pens,” said Lee Hamelin. Right now Kal Tire is “booked solid” with extra safety measures put in place this year because of COVID.

“Speaking from the past if we do attend a motor vehicle collision in the winter months and sliding or skidding off the road or those type of events are occurring then yeah, we’ll look whether or not snow tires were used,” he said. It moves water away and it sticks to the road better, thus giving you better traction.”Īlthough beneficial, snow tires are not a requirement in Ontario, Young added.

'So what that means is it doesn’t harden up in cold temperatures and it sticks to the road better.

“Snow tires are designed and engineered for these specific reasons, so I think the biggest aspect with the snow tires is the rubber compound is a lot softer,' said Const. It becomes a little bit harder, the rubber compound, which makes it more slippery in the winter conditions, ice, snow.” 'When you get to about 7 C, that rubber compound on three-season tires - that other people call all-season tires – they’re really good for three seasons. “Do people need them? Absolutely they need snow tires on their vehicles, especially in Northern Ontario,' he said. That's is something that Lee Hamelin agrees with.

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19 reminding people of the benefits of snow tires, reminding drivers that “all-season tires don’t work the same on snow, ice or cold pavement” and that “the stopping distance of a car with winter tires an be up to 30 to 40 per cent shorter than one with all-season tires.” 15 you should have your snows on already.”Įlliot Lake Ontario Provincial Police sent out a media release Oct. After that it’s a gong show, so you get in as fast as you can … Like I said, with the extended hours we’ve been servicing more customers, which helps out. 15 (is when to) start thinking about putting your winter tires on. six days a week,’ said manager Kim Lee Hamelin. “We see this year that (customers are) booking earlier, they’re making sure that they want to come in and because of that we’ve extended our hours from 7 a.m. So don’t go without them.”Īlthough there hasn’t been a significant snow fall yet, Kal Tire has been busy with appointments making sure that everyone is safe for when the snow is here to stay. “They reduce breaking, save on insurance, lot less crashes and economical on gas … Bus drivers, other vehicles out there, reducing braking, you know more maneuverability and so forth. “This is the time of the year to start getting them on,” said resident Chris Derochie who already had his tires changed. The thin layer of snow melted in North Bay by mid-morning Monday, but it did help remind people of what’s to come.

'Maybe it’s a false sense of security, but I do think we have to protect ourselves and protect others, as well.” I want to keep myself safe, but also if I have passengers in the car, I think there’s that extra measure of security knowing that you have your snow tires on. 'We know we’re going to get three, four, five feet of snow over the course of the winter. “Living in North Bay and northern Ontario, I use snow tires every year and you never know what the weather’s going to bring,” said resident Gisele Lynch, who booked her tire change Monday. With the first real snow Monday morning in North Bay, drivers around the area say it’s time to get serious about winter tires.