58-60 USAF in NH, 62-65 North central MT, Anchorage/Fairbanks/Barrow in the early seventies, computer service and sales.
What I've been trying to say is that here in my area conditions that require winter tires are rare enough that it's better to simply rely on chains for those rare times. So I never have to buy winter specialty tires of any flavor (nor pay to have them swapped over) and I only have to buy new tire chains if the "next" vehicle I buy requires larger ones.
Intermixed with all that is my patent/extreme dislike of FWD & F/AWD vehicles in ANY adverse roadbed condition wherein they can suddenly become extremely dangerous with no warning to an inexperienced driver.
Were I still living in MT and had to make a choice between a FWD or F/AWD equipped with the best winter tire imaginiable and a RWD or R/AWD with summer tires I would choose the latter EVERY TIME..!
On an adverse, slippery, roadbed FWD or F/AWD vehicles are just as dangerous, or even moreso, as a 4WD/4X4 with the diff'l remaining locked after underway, highway cruising.
Me too... I have all season and live in Canada. Whenever the road gets slick i slap on my snow cables (Security Chain Co model shur grip Z, s rated link: http://www.scc-chain.com/Traction%20Pages/Trac_SGZ.html )
I really believe a lot of snow tire users dont really need them or could do fine with cables. Perfect safety-product Marketing ploy...but it help the economy.