Snow/ice clearance and winter tires

RichA · Feb 17, 2012

nfitz said:
Gasoline taxes go to the province, and go to general revenue. If you take the total square feet of paved roads in the City of Toronto, you'll find that the vast majority is not maintained by the province.

I'm tired of driver's getting a free ride at the city's expense. $100 a month would seem reasonable to me!

I'd like Toronto and the surrounding areas to offer drivers the choice to replace road salt with a non-corrosive substitute. I figure for about $50.00 per year, per vehicle we could get rid of salt completely and that would save billions of $'s in damage to vehicles. Of course, new car sellers might not like it...

doug · Feb 17, 2012

I'd like Toronto and the surrounding areas to offer drivers the choice to replace road salt with a non-corrosive substitute.

What non-corrosive substitute do you have in mind?

RichA · Feb 17, 2012

Something that will drastically cut the cost of the effects of road salt

doug said:
What non-corrosive substitute do you have in mind?

Here's one reference:

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/27/n...rst-test-in-county.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

doug · Feb 17, 2012

While road salt costs between $25 and $25 a ton, the new substance, a mixture of limestone and acidic acid, sells for $650 a ton.

Who's going to pay for this?

Calcium magnesium acetate can help raise the alkaline content of the soil, he explained.

Acid and alkali are opposites...if this stuff is acidic, it can't raise the alkaline content.

there were ''a couple of open questions'' about the mixture, including its potential to reduce the oxygen content of water.

seeking more information about a product that he said he believed has not been thoroughly tested.

''A number of our members were concerned about the kind of gases that might be emitted when a combination of calcium and magnesium hits metal. We are waiting for an answer from the Senator.''

Sounds like it's more caustic than sodium chloride.

RichA · Feb 17, 2012

But salt destroys everything from steel and aluminum in cars to steel and concrete

doug said:
Who's going to pay for this?

Acid and alkali are opposites...if this stuff is acidic, it can't raise the alkaline content.

Sounds like it's more caustic than sodium chloride.

Interesting article from 2008;
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/308533

EMP1729 · Feb 17, 2012

RichA said:
Interesting article from 2008;
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/308533

What is your point?

doug · Feb 17, 2012

But salt destroys everything from steel and aluminum in cars to steel and concrete

...and the stuff you want to use might be worse...what's your point?

Tarantulal Downpours · Feb 17, 2012

RichA said:
I'd like Toronto and the surrounding areas to offer drivers the choice to replace road salt with a non-corrosive substitute. I figure for about $50.00 per year, per vehicle we could get rid of salt completely and that would save billions of $'s in damage to vehicles. Of course, new car sellers might not like it...

How about this?

[video=youtube;RoOFMGb0I7Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoOFMGb0I7Q[/video]

RichA · Feb 17, 2012

That we are behind the times and should try something new?

doug said:
...and the stuff you want to use might be worse...what's your point?

Why are we always 10 years behind modern American cities and 20 years behind modern European cities whenever it comes to...anything?

RichA · Feb 18, 2012

Might work

Tarantulal Downpours said:
How about this?

Seems like a good product, though they'd have to determine whether it would end up creating dust clouds or would need clean-up on highways like sand does.

Admiral Beez · Feb 18, 2012

doug said:
What non-corrosive substitute do you have in mind?

When I lived in Fredericton they used sand on much of the roads. This was necessary as salt doesn't work well below -7'C. Of course nearly everyone had snow tires too.

EMP1729 · Feb 18, 2012

^^^
Gritters use a mixture of salt and sand over here too.

You do have a point about the winter tires. The city should have a by-law that all vehicle owners in Toronto must purchase and use winter tires. If not there will be a $60 penalty.

spider · Feb 18, 2012

You do have a point about the winter tires. The city should have a by-law that all vehicle owners in Toronto must purchase and use winter tires. If not there will be a $60 penalty.

I agree only if "vehicles" includes bicycles as we are so often prompted to believe they are vehicles too. Where are those cyclists these days anyways? Also, let's not forget the pedestrians, surely they must be compelled to wear skid proof footwear. I wouldn't want one losing control on a bit of ice and running into me.

nfitz · Feb 18, 2012

EMP1729 said:
You do have a point about the winter tires. The city should have a by-law that all vehicle owners in Toronto must purchase and use winter tires. If not there will be a $60 penalty.

Why? Park the car and take transit on the rare occasion it snows.

Juan_Lennon416 · Feb 18, 2012

nfitz said:
Why? Park the car and take transit on the rare occasion it snows.

People aren't doing that right now

Snow/ice clearance and winter tires

RichA

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doug

Active Member

RichA

Banned

doug

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RichA

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EMP1729

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doug

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Tarantulal Downpours

Banned

RichA

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RichA

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Admiral Beez

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EMP1729

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spider

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nfitz

Superstar

Juan_Lennon416

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