Likewise, two of my bikes are 25+, my car 12+, the other bikes 4-11 years.

BUT, once my tires are down to the wear marks, I get new ones.

Tires work like crap when you are that low, in any case.

Tom

It is a bit tough the copper didn't show any leeway on this, but two illegal tyres is difficult for Swiss police to ignore.

The also have quotas to hit as well no doubt, so you kind of served yourself up on a plate sailing so close to the wind, mixing my metaphors.
Could also be the youngster was learning the ways of the traffic police etc, etc, etc.

You've not mentioned anything about checking the tyres yourself, or mentioned you were going to get new ones sometime in the future, so it's reasonable to think you'd have carried on driving on them for some time to come.

So, a rum do for the OP, but not the end of the world, and a lesson to us all not to expect any leniency from plod.

All fair here what you stated, and agree 100%. The plan was to change them after this winter. As I stated we were at the garage at AMAG to do the regular service and the guy told me personally its fine for the rest of the year, so I went with that. They did not look bad at all, so I did not go around with the tool to see exactly where they stood. Lesson learned.

So from my experiences do check your tires, also I was told that insurance would not cover you in an accident even if you are fully covered if the tires are below the limit. Hope this helps others!

I agree it is pretty harsh to not let you of with a warning for .1mm however i think it is logic from a system point of view with the two fines. As the owner had a car "not fit for purpose" and driver drow a car "not fit for purpose".

As other said, dont know what challenge can be done now. But i would probably try to appeal to some common sense.

Having said that, it is a little silly to run tyres so close to the legal minimum.

They don't have fine quotas. Two of my relatives (well actually relatives of my ex) are cops, and they say that's a myth. And it's technically impossible. You cannot send a cop on patrol and tell him to come back with a certain amount.

1.6 mm is legal, but that does not mean it's good. In case you have an accident that could have been avoided by a better profile, you can be held responsible even with tires within the legal range. Even if you just block the traffic on a steep road because of a legal but (in that particular situation) inappropriate profile, you can get fined.

As mentioned by Mr. Idiot, anything below about 4 mm, albeit legal, is not recommended for winter tires, and using summer tires with that your minimal profile during winter would be downright dangerous.

Ask TCS (Touring Club der Schweiz), for instance. That's the guys who do all the real-life testing. They can tell you a few stories. Sad stories. Killing the money-maker of a family costs millions (yeah, insured), so your fine is peanuts compared to that.

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"This is AMAZING! I have the exact amount of money Joe Biden has cost us playing golf in my sweatpants pocket!" — Kona Lowell

Doesn't mean you can't give him a bonus for extraordinary results.

You should also get the TCS legal insurance. It's quite reasonably priced. I think it's still less than 100CHF per year. They know exactly what to do in these cases.

Do you know that this happens or are we just adding to the rumors & myths?

Hi, welcome to Switzerland

Here is a link, you can see, wath cost traffic problems www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/741_031/app1.html I didn't found this, wath you wrote...!? I would ask for understanding, before I pay...

If you have any question, you can ask the TCS (is like the AAA) or you can phone the police in Meilen and ask there...

Sorry for my English, I hope you understand, wath I mean.

Good luck....

some forces in UK have quotas and plod are on a mission so it is perfectly possible

And what are your sources?

OK I am not sure what you are thinking but who in the world said I would drive with summer tires in winter? Please I am not a kid and don't need a lecture now, which it seems this always becomes. Thanks, got it, its above 4mm now.

I got it and said previously, it is our fault and I should pay a ticket, no issues there. My question was not should it be 2, 3, 4 mm - but hey thanks.

*** WARNING - Daily Mail ***

Legal minimum means exactly that. It doesn't mean safe. The more tread you have, the safer you are. I recall reading that the stopping distance at 120kph with 1,6mm tread is 150m. With double that it's 115m. The less tread, the more heat builds up, leading to greater risk of blowout. Also, greater risk of hydroplaning. I change mine as soon as possible after I see they've reached 2mm. That doesn't require checking every day or even week. But every month, when I check pressures as well. I don't rely on the garage, as it's my responsibilty. (Well, apparently my wife's as it's in her name).

Worn tyres may also be indicative of underinflation, which can cause nasty accidents even with full tread.

Is it? I understood it to be a civil offence, not a criminal one.

I've no sympathy whatsoever for driving on worn tyres - and you accepted responsibility as well - but the fact that you got slapped twice - once for the driver, once for the owner - is crap, I agree. The fine "per tyre" is the same as in the UK. There, the penalty is up to £2500 and 3 points - per tyre. Maybe you did get off lightly - I wonder what the tariff is for CH?

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Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!

it wasnt that article, but something similar.... was also in the telegraph.

pold had been given target points to achieve each month - eg no insurance was 10 ppoints, littering, 1, no tax 3 etc etc

Well, nobody said that. Not even me. I just pointed out the fact that a low profile on summer tires is even more dangerous in winter than the same profile on winter tires. That's because winter tires use a different rubber formula, which remains more flexible at low temperatures.

Does anybody know what speed the 1.6 mm profile car still has at 115 m? That's the speed at which it hits an object (possibly you). I suspect it may still easily kill you.