Next two week time, I will go to Poland by car for holiday & family relatives
I am not sure with “Winter Tyres”!!! I know in Germany there are compulsory with winter tyres and have to use from November to April
How much is the fine € for without use Winter tyres to transit across to Germany
Is worth to change the winter tyres for my car 
Betz winter tyres are to be used in snow conditions if you have
all year round tyres with the snow flake on the side these are LEGAL as well, check the weather conditions and see what the forecast says ,at present the roads in the North of Germany are free from snow mate just strong winds about, so be-careful of bits of trees coming down , if you have a accident in the snow and have summer tyres then yes they will fine you,the fines can vary depending on the circumstances , here is a tip also when you get to Poland, check around for a place which does worn tyres with a good tread of say 5mm and if cheap enough buy them and get some rims then you have yourself a good set of tyres which you can fit on your car in the winter months as these are much much better than summer or all year round tyres in snow and icy road conditions ,best place may be a car breakers your girl friends relatives will know where to go, if you do like the suggestion made ,Another tip the A2 has been having a lot of accidents these past few days so take care as there are lots of idiots out there on the roads , have a great holiday mate ,
brit pete:
here is a tip also when you get to Poland, check around for a place which does worn tyres with a good tread of say 5mm and if cheap enough buy them and get some rims then you have yourself a good set of tyres which you can fit on your car in the winter months as these are much much better than summer or all year round tyres in snow and icy road conditions ,best place may be a car breakers your girl friends relatives will know where to go
Always found tyres to be expensive in Poland, including part worns.
I arrived home to Poland last night from Denmark, Poland has snow now although not as much as normal for this time of year, but I wouldn’t care to do a trip into Poland without winter wheels. As Brit Pete mentioned buying some secondhand tyres would be a cheap way. Its not the time of year to take chances, even with gritting going on last night on the A2 there was a very bad part near Poznan were drifting snow and ice was catching a few folk out. Forget the ins and outs of the law, keeping it in a straight line is the important bit.
I don’t quite understand this. Surely if they are compulsory in Germany you will have to have them anyway as you have to go through Germany to get to Poland?
I’d certainly be reluctant to run through Germany taking a chance.
GBPub:
brit pete:
here is a tip also when you get to Poland, check around for a place which does worn tyres with a good tread of say 5mm and if cheap enough buy them and get some rims then you have yourself a good set of tyres which you can fit on your car in the winter months as these are much much better than summer or all year round tyres in snow and icy road conditions ,best place may be a car breakers your girl friends relatives will know where to goAlways found tyres to be expensive in Poland, including part worns.
My first set cost 25 quid and did a season, in our family we use a small tyre firm to change the tyre’s from winter to summer and back again, he tells us when we should replace, the last set was 30 quid a wheel for almost new. I had a deer run out the forest last night on an untreated B road with ditches both sides, you cannot know when this may or may not happen however careful you are, so these wheels paid for themselves right then.
If Betz has connections to family in Poland, maybe they can point him to a source, I have found a lot of different prices in our local area, we settled on our supplier as he seems a straight bloke with us and his wife is slightly scary…
GBPub:
brit pete:
here is a tip also when you get to Poland, check around for a place which does worn tyres with a good tread of say 5mm and if cheap enough buy them and get some rims then you have yourself a good set of tyres which you can fit on your car in the winter months as these are much much better than summer or all year round tyres in snow and icy road conditions ,best place may be a car breakers your girl friends relatives will know where to goAlways found tyres to be expensive in Poland, including part worns.
Which countires does sell cheap winter tyres? Belgium, Holland or Germany?
drew128:
I arrived home to Poland last night from Denmark, Poland has snow now although not as much as normal for this time of year, but I wouldn’t care to do a trip into Poland without winter wheels. As Brit Pete mentioned buying some secondhand tyres would be a cheap way. Its not the time of year to take chances, even with gritting going on last night on the A2 there was a very bad part near Poznan were drifting snow and ice was catching a few folk out. Forget the ins and outs of the law, keeping it in a straight line is the important bit.
Yes I have seen by Polish news TV - quite bad snow in some part of Poland! I don’t want to have risk and drive the snowy without proper tyres! by the way glad to hear u r ok & back home safely
Harry Monk:
I don’t quite understand this. Surely if they are compulsory in Germany you will have to have them anyway as you have to go through Germany to get to Poland?I’d certainly be reluctant to run through Germany taking a chance.
Yes it is quite risk to run through across Germany espc Polizei and Zoll!
I have heard German polizei gonna fine cost €40 without winter tyres! per each tyre or whole tyres? 
Harry Monk:
I don’t quite understand this. Surely if they are compulsory in Germany you will have to have them anyway as you have to go through Germany to get to Poland?I’d certainly be reluctant to run through Germany taking a chance.
The German law is quite simply a joke. It only applies when there is snow/slush (winter conditions) on the road, at other times when the roads are clear you don’t require them. Surely it would have made more sense to say winter tyres are compulsory between say i.e. Nov to April.
Drew, interesting you could buy part worns so cheap, last time I asked for a price, they were astronomical.
GBPub:
Harry Monk:
I don’t quite understand this. Surely if they are compulsory in Germany you will have to have them anyway as you have to go through Germany to get to Poland?I’d certainly be reluctant to run through Germany taking a chance.
The German law is quite simply a joke. It only applies when there is snow/slush (winter conditions) on the road, at other times when the roads are clear you don’t require them. Surely it would have made more sense to say winter tyres are compulsory between say i.e. Nov to April.
Drew, interesting you could buy part worns so cheap, last time I asked for a price, they were astronomical.
We have 3 local places, the family has used this guy for many years, most of the village do. I have a relative 20 km away who also in the same business and even with a family discount he does not get close. If one thing I have found in Poland is a lot of difference in prices, quality etc, so when you find a gem you stick with it 
I agree that it would be a simpler way to do a time period if its a requirement in Germany rather than just if the conditions dictate, certainly in rural Poland the first sign of bad weather is enough to join the queue at the tyre fitters.
GBPub:
The German law is quite simply a joke. It only applies when there is snow/slush (winter conditions) on the road, at other times when the roads are clear you don’t require them. Surely it would have made more sense to say winter tyres are compulsory between say i.e. Nov to April.
It’s not like that. They are mandatory for German Registered cars, but they cannot force foreign registered cars to do it - Vienna convention, if it’s legal in UK/Poland/Wherever, it has to be legal in Germany.
So to foreign registered cars they don’t give penalties for not having ones, but for dangerous driving if you skid, for blocking the road if you struggle to start etc.
So you are basicly right that if the road is clean, they can’t do anything to you.
I’ve been once in Poland on summer tyres (long story).
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It can be done, 20 years ago nobody in Poland heard about summer/winter tyres and everyone was driving as normal. You just have to be more careful.
Saying that, I don’t recomend it.
You could consider, if your tyres are nearly gone to buy yourself set of all season ones, I have Vredestein Quatracs on my car, only few pounds deerer than proper summer tires, good all year round in Scottish weather and very good value for money.
Thanks, Yes I have heard out there - still some snow and pretty cold! so I have got winter tyres on my car. I bought part worn winter tyres on last weekend but they are still looks new! got 4 tyres for 100 quids inc fitting! 
good bargain!
Next week Thursday will off to Poland via train tunnel and stay hotel at Berlin then next day continue to reach to Poland - Onward!
orys:
How much is the fine € for without use Winter tyres to transit across to Germany
40€ and 1 point driving without winter tyres
80€ and 1 point for obsruction
100€ and 1 point for endangering
120€ and 1 point for an accident
orys:
It’s not like that. They are mandatory for German Registered cars, but they cannot force foreign registered cars to do it - Vienna convention, if it’s legal in UK/Poland/Wherever, it has to be legal in Germany.
Not true!!!
German Winter tyre law comes under the “Stvo” (German highway code) which has to be followed by forigners,and not under " STzo" (German construction and use)
Geoff
orys:
It’s not like that. They are mandatory for German Registered cars, but they cannot force foreign registered cars to do it - Vienna convention, if it’s legal in UK/Poland/Wherever, it has to be legal in Germany.Not true!!!
German Winter tyre law comes under the “Stvo” (German highway code) which has to be followed by forigners,and not under " STzo" (German construction and use)
Geoff
Well, German internal law can’t rule over the international agreement when the foreign registered vehicle is in question. If the car is legal in UK, it is legal in Germany.
I’ve been studying this problem closely when I was going to Poland on summer tires two winters ago. I don’t remember exactly, but the clue is that if it’s written “car has to be fitted with” - it does not apply to you, because Vienna Convention covers you, saying that if the car fullfils requirements in one country, other countries has to respect it. If the law says “driver has to carry with him” - that’s the different story, and this is why you should carry hi-vis jacket or triangle in the countires which require it.
There was a similar case few years ago about German giving out tickets to foreign cars for not having a first aid kit on board. When Poland started to fine German cars for not having fire extinguishers they found that the tickets were actually unlawful and paid it back to the Polish drivers 
This is a source: wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/kraj/1,34309,4970628.html sadly only in Polish and in paid archive, but you can see that I did not taken it out of the blue.
German like this things, years and years ago I remember another case -they were fining cars with non-removable towing bar, which were legal (and AFAIK still are) in most Eastern European countries (and also it seems in UK as well). Again, someone refused to take ticket, took the case to the court and win.
So I stand by my opinion. I have lot of Polish friends here in UK and also in Holland and France, many of them were driving home for Christmas with summer tires on, some of them had the control and never had any problem.
In my work they also seem not too keen to fit proper tires for winter, saying “we drive like that for 15 years and never had any problems”.
orys:
Well, German internal law can’t rule over the international agreement when the foreign registered vehicle is in question. If the car is legal in UK, it is legal in Germany.
Correct!!! Contruction and Use
orys:
There was a similar case few years ago about German giving out tickets to foreign cars for not having a first aid kit on board. When Poland started to fine German cars for not having fire extinguishers they found that the tickets were actually unlawful and paid it back to the Polish drivers
Correct !!! Construction and Use
orys:
German like this things, years and years ago I remember another case -they were fining cars with non-removable towing bar, which were legal (and AFAIK still are) in most Eastern European countries (and also it seems in UK as well). Again, someone refused to take ticket, took the case to the court and win.
Correct !!! Construction and Use
All foreign vehs must stop at a “stop sign”
Correct !!! Highway code
All foreign vehs must drive on the right
Correct !!! Highway code
All foreign vehs must giveway to the right(unless otherwise stated)
Correct !!! Highway code
All Foreign vehs must be fitted with winter tyres
Correct !!! Because it is law in the German highway code and not the Construction and Use
Geoff
gbtransp:
orys:
Well, German internal law can’t rule over the international agreement when the foreign registered vehicle is in question. If the car is legal in UK, it is legal in Germany.Correct!!! Contruction and Use
I am glad that we agree that my statement above is correct altough I dont’ really get why you added “contriction and use” to it. 
orys:
There was a similar case few years ago about German giving out tickets to foreign cars for not having a first aid kit on board. When Poland started to fine German cars for not having fire extinguishers they found that the tickets were actually unlawful and paid it back to the Polish driversCorrect !!! Construction and Use
Not really correct. Polish goverment tried to negotiate with Germans, but they were claiming that this interpretation is valid. Only when Poland started to use this interpretation to fine German registered cars, their changed their mind. At the meeting in Świnoujście in March 2008 the Polish and German police forces agreed to the proper interpretation, that is the one which takes Vienna Convention in consideration. After that meeting Polish drivers had their fines for not having first aid kit refunded, and this few Germans who were fined had their fines for not having a fire extinguisher refunded.
Fire extinguisher in Poland is a thing which every car has to be fitted with and it’s checked on MOT. I was controled with my British registered car or van on many occasions in countries which require fire extinguishers and I had never any problem with not having one. They cannot fine you for that, as it is tied to the car.
But for example it’s not mandatory for driver to carry documents with him in UK, but it is mandatory in Poland (Germany/whatever). Therefore you can be fined for not having your logbook with you, because it’s not technical requirement to have car fitted with document, but it’s a driver’s duty to carry paperwork with him.
orys:
German like this things, years and years ago I remember another case -they were fining cars with non-removable towing bar, which were legal (and AFAIK still are) in most Eastern European countries (and also it seems in UK as well). Again, someone refused to take ticket, took the case to the court and win.Correct !!! Construction and Use
I agree that we have the same opinion on above: if the towing bar is legal in country of registration, Germans cannot fine anyone for having one fitted when driving in Germany
All foreign vehs must stop at a “stop sign”
Correct !!! Highway code
This one is not about vehicles but drivers. It’s drivers who have to stop at “stop sign”. It’s driver who drives the car, therefore highway code apllies to him, not to his car. It has nothing to do with technical requirements in one’s car’s country of registration. Therefore altough you are off course right, the analogy here is fraud.
All foreign vehs must drive on the right
Correct !!! Highway code
Last time I checked HIghway code, it was written that everyone should drive on the left Off course you are right if you think about Pravidla silniÄnÃho provozu, Das Straßenverkehrsgesetz or Kodeks drogowy. But the same note as above apply in that case 
All foreign vehs must giveway to the right(unless otherwise stated)
Correct !!! Highway code
Again the same.
All Foreign vehs must be fitted with winter tyres
Correct !!! Because it is law in the German highway code and not the Construction and Use
Not correct. Because Vienna Convention says “The vehicle must meet all technical requirements to be legal for road use in the country of registration. Any conflicting technical requirements (e.g. right-hand-drive or left-hand-drive) in the signatory country where the vehicle is being driven do not apply.”
And since Vienna Convention is an international treaty, signed and ratified by Germany, it stands above local law (in this case this ones you call “Construction and use”).
Thereofore Germans cannot fine you for not having winter tires, altough they have full right to fine you for blocking the road, dangerous driving or whatever they want, as long, as it applies to DRIVING, not to the car specification.
I rest my case
Have to agree with orys on this one.I hold the same view that construction & use overides highway code. I actually said this on here about 12 months ago when the new rules came in and was given the same speil about it being law as it was in the German highway code. Couldn’t be bothered arguing about it at the time, but if I was stopped and fined for not having winter tyres on my car I would contest it to the highest level.
gbtransp:
All Foreign vehs must be fitted with winter tyres
OK maybe this statement was a bit misleading and shoüld read
All Foreign vehs must be fitted with winter tyres when been “Driven” in Germany,
and you as the driver are breaking the law(Highway code) for "driving " a veh in winter conditions without winter tyres.
For what reason is this law■■?
Because by the first bit of snow, and the first light hill ,vehs with sommer tyres were getting stuck causing huge jams on the Motorways.
Why does it also imply to “Drivers” of foreign vehs ?
What is the use of a German reg veh ,fitted with winter tyres driving up a hill and coming to a standstill ,because a foreign reg veh is been “Driven” up the hill on sommer tyres and gets stuck,blocking the road ?
Geoff
Sorry, I don’t accept that the german highway code can ride roughshod over construction & use regulations. It is construcion & use that regulates such things as tyres, lights etc. etc.
Therefore as orys has already stated, if a vehicle is legal in it’s home country (EU) then it is legal in all EU countries.
Hi all.Surely this is a prime example of Europe not funcioning as a cohesive entity.Laws which say what is allowed,permitted,mandatory etc are just ridiculous.It would be much simpler for example to just say that if you come from a country,or are going to,or through a country which has snow that you have to have winter tyres.If you don’t want to buy winter tyres for your holiday trip take the plane.The initial cost maybe a little high but you have the tyres for several winters,or can resell them.It must be cheaper in the long run than having your car towed out of a ditch or repatriated on a breakdown truck as an ‘‘almost write off’’.I am now on my 3rd winter with my studded tyres and will get 1 more at least,so work it out.Mike
hutpik:
Hi all.Surely this is a prime example of Europe not funcioning as a cohesive entity.Laws which say what is allowed,permitted,mandatory etc are just ridiculous.It would be much simpler for example to just say that if you come from a country,or are going to,or through a country which has snow that you have to have winter tyres.If you don’t want to buy winter tyres for your holiday trip take the plane.The initial cost maybe a little high but you have the tyres for several winters,or can resell them.It must be cheaper in the long run than having your car towed out of a ditch or repatriated on a breakdown truck as an ‘‘almost write off’’.I am now on my 3rd winter with my studded tyres and will get 1 more at least,so work it out.Mike
The USA is one country, but each state has different rules. You have to have a movable bogey on your trailer, so you can move the wheels up or down your trailer to suit the different rules for each state. (You can have 4 axles on your trailer, with individual lift controls, so you can lift axles as required to suit instead)
You think minor things like winter tyres rules makes the European Union ridiculous ?
We are still a collective of different countries, with different customs and traditions and different laws. Long may that continue.
