Slip sliding away

On the first Thursday of 2010 I had all the proof I needed that I had to get new tires for my car. We received a pretty good snowfall, and I didn't feel like I had very good control of the vehicle.

Today we didn't get nearly as much snow as a year ago, yet my car exhibited practically no traction. Making a slow right turn onto a neighborhood street, I skidded toward a car sitting at the cross street traffic light. Fortunately I came to a stop in time. (I may have been luckier nobody from behind plowed into me.)

That would be enough to keep me home, but I had to head out for the evening. The roads weren't terrible, but traffic was exceptionally slow for early evening beyond rush hour. On the way back I chose to take city streets for the last leg as a police car was dealing with another driver at the on ramp to the outerbelt. Smart thinking? Maybe, maybe not.

I was being a careful driver, which is probably what saved me earlier and definitely did on this second occasion. The car in front of me slowed to a crawl and then a near stop to get around a car in the ditch being assisted by a tow truck. As I hit the breaks I fishtailed and started sliding toward the car on the road and the one half off of it. I jammed on the brakes, which didn't seem to be doing much good, and came to a stop turned around almost ninety degrees. Again, I hit no one.

When I bought this car--a replacement for the one totaled when someone hit me last March--one benefit was that the tires appeared to be new. The tread is certainly in good shape, but if today's any indication, they have no grip. I nearly slid down the small incline from my apartment complex's parking lot into oncoming cars.

I didn't expect to, nor planned on, replacing tires in perfectly fine condition, but at least after today, I feel like they may get me injured or killed otherwise. Tire Rack, here I come again?