[pauldun170]

When I'm in Atlanta, I'm always fascinated by the amount of cars driving around on bald tires.
New cars, old cars, expensive cars, it makes no difference.
Down to the steel belt seems to be the general guideline for tire usage down there.
In Atlanta, it appeared that there was an unwritten rule that whenever a car is aquired, the stock wheels are to be discarded and replaced with aftermarket wheels. Those wheels are to be then shod with low profile summer tires and then those tires are shaved down. My guess is that the owner wasn't happy with the lowness of the profile and wanted it even lower. That or "it just like racing slicks".
All driven by people who embrace tailgaiting, and drive like assholes.

I can only imaging what its like when you toss in snow and ice.

As for ice and snow, I live in a hilly neighborhood filled with dead ends that the town rarely visits. My house is at the top of a hill with a steep driveway on a dead end that rarely gets plowed and we never get salt. At most, its a local guy in a pickup tossing some sand down. As long as you keep your distance and travel at a safe speed, its all shits and giggles for me. My fwd drive car with all seasons gets me where I have to go.
I driving a manual with no ABS, no traction control, no stability control.