For many children, especially the younger ones, it was like a dream come true. The whole country lay under a thick blanket of soft, crunchy snow with some parts of England reporting as much as 30 – 40 centimetres of snowfall overnight. Even schools were forced to close their doors, which only added to the children’s delight. For the rest of the nation it was a nightmare. The cold snap, the worst in 30 years, left whole villages cut off from the outer world, causing cities to become hopelessly clogged and commuters driving home from work to become stranded in their cars where the unluckier ones suffered abysmally as they spent the night on one of many thousands of miles of roads and motorways across the country that had turned into treacherous ice rinks or become impassable because of snow drifts and heavy snow. Yet despite the gruelling winter we had last year – and the winter before that – and the prospect of yet another big freeze that is forecast to take another harsh, icy grip on the UK and the rest of Europe this year, there are still some diehards out there who cannot see the sense in fitting their cars with winter tyres when the year draws to a close and the temperatures in our otherwise relative mild mainly maritime climate start to drop.

Winter tyres do not only make a difference on snow-covered or icy roads. They make a difference as soon as the temperature of the road surface drops below 7 degrees Celsius – plus that is.

If you live in a rural area, or it is essential that you get to work by car, then there’s no need to wait until the roads freeze over or the first snowflakes start to fall – or for the first stockists to sell out – before you switch from summer to winter tyres. There is a whole host of organisations which propagates the use of winter tyres – not only in the country – when temperatures drop below 7C, even though this may not be a legal requirement in the UK as it is in many other parts of mainland Europe where you can be fined for becoming an obstruction or impeding the flow of traffic and held responsible for any accidents ensuing from the fact that you have failed to adapt your car to suit the prevailing winter conditions. German motorists, for example, can even count on losing at least part of their insurance cover.

Winter tyres are made of a different rubber compound that gives them a better grip on both colder and slippery, slushy or snow covered roads and they also have a different tread pattern which significantly improves the car’s handling and performance as well as considerably cutting down on braking distances in adverse winter conditions.

Two additional factors which can considerably affect the way your car handles on winter roads as well as the distance it covers before it comes to a standstill is the depth of your tyre tread and your tyre pressure. Although a tread depth of 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tyre around its entire circumference is permissible, most organisations and agencies recommend that you do not drive on winter tyres with a tread depth of less than 3mm. One way to check to see if your tyre tread meets the legal requirement, as shown in this inventive and entertaining clip, is to take a 20p coin and place it in the main groove of the tyre tread. If the outer rim is hidden, then your (summer) tyres are safe to drive. And as to the tyre pressure…

When the temperature drops, so does the pressure in your tyres – as much as 1 psi per every 5.5C. It is therefore important that you check your tyre pressure regularly, preferably on your garage forecourt or in your drive or off-road parking space, where the temperature is the same as the surrounding environment. In addition to the points mentioned above, driving with insufficient tyre pressure can not only increase your fuel consumption and make your ride less comfortable, it can wear out the tyres’ shoulders more quickly also cause the tyres to overheat and even burst. Overinflated tyres, on the other hand, wear out the middle of the tread more quickly and can also put an unnecessary strain on other key components of the car such as the suspension.

The BY10 tyre pressure gauge from Trotec may seem small and relatively insignificant at first sight, but it is in fact a hugely useful and valuable device which allows you to check your tyre pressure and provide you with either bar or psi readings when and where you want to. It fits easily onto the most common valves and snugly into almost any glove compartment.

Don’t get caught out this winter. Make sure your journey through your next fairy-tale winter landscape is a safe one.

Trotec. We’re serious about safety.

Accidents happen. And sometimes it seems that there was nothing that anyone could have possibly done to prevent them. In fact, some people firmly believe that our lives are predetermined and that no matter which actions we take or whichever path through life we choose to follow, the outcome will inevitably always be the same.

But for those of us who are not prepared to accept this notion and put their destiny in the hands of fate it would appear to be a good idea to look more closely at the facts and the tide of events that lead up to an accident and to determine whether the accident could have been prevented if certain rules had been adhered to or if there had been a change in certain behavioural patterns.

What can you do to stop road accidents from occurring?

Road accidents occur for a number of different reasons and it is important to know what you can do to prevent them from happening to you and the people who are close to you.

Some motorists show a blatant disregard for the Highway Code and act as if they own the road. Some seem to think they are the Stig. They ignore traffic signs, flout speed limits, double park on busy roads and generally make a nuisance of themselves. It does not necessarily always have something to do with the size of their car or engine, and it does not necessarily have anything to do with the size of a part of that particular driver’s anatomy, but because such egocentric petrolheads are not only a danger to themselves but more importantly still to those around them, it always pays not to be caught up in an attack of road rage and to let that man in a white van or that psycho in a souped-up SUV surge past rather than slam on the brakes when he is tailgating and behaving as if a significant part of his brain is missing.

It is important to note that it is not a sign of weakness when you pull over to let the driver with the flashing headlights pass. When you get angry, you start to act irrationally. And when you act irrationally, you start to make mistakes. Mistakes which could cause an accident. Mistakes which could cost you dearly. And when an accident has happened it is too late to wish that you could turn back the clock. So be smart and stay safe.

There are other drivers who suffer from a severe case of overestimation with regard to their motoring skills. It is not until the tyres of your car have lost traction – and as a consequence you have lost complete control of your car – when you are tearing down the fast lane in the driving rain that you remember all that you have ever read and heard about aquaplaning. It is at this moment, frozen in time, as your car glides along on a cushion of water that all that is left for you to do is hope – or pray – that you slow down fast enough or that your tyres regain their grip on the road before you come up against an inert object or perhaps some other motorist who is suffering the same fate as you. The saying “It is better to lose a minute of your life than your life in a minute” has never rung more true than when you waive aside the laws of physics and career home or to work or whichever destination you are heading for in unfavourable weather without bothering to put into practice one of the first things you learnt at driving school.

Remember: Your tyres are the only point of contact between your car and the road!

That’s why it makes sense to adapt your driving speed to suit the road and weather conditions. And that’s why it makes equally good sense to make sure that your tyres are always in good shape and have the correct pressure so that you can rely on them to bring you safely to your destination. It pays to look after your tyres in more ways than one. Not only are you endangering yourself and your passengers when you drive on under inflated or over inflated tyres (under inflated tyres are prone to overheating and affect the way your car handles and the distance it covers before it comes to a standstill; over inflated tyres give you a rougher ride and are more susceptible to damage, when your car hits a pothole for example), you are also paying more at the pump because your car consumes more petrol, and you are paying more at the garage because your tires wear out more quickly. In fact according to a survey carried out by one of the largest tyre manufacturers in the world – the one that is also noted for its road maps and the stars it awards to the chefs and restaurants famed for their outstanding culinary achievements – UK motorists shell out a massive, unnecessary, £440m a year on fuel which they could have saved if they had been driving with the correct tyre pressure. At the same time an additional 1 million tonnes of CO² are being pumped into the atmosphere thereby increasing the effect of global warming and changing the climate of the world we live in.

Yet the solution is so simple.

The digital BY10 tyre pressure gauge from Trotec is a pocket-sized measuring device which can be used to check the tyre pressure before you set off to work or on your journey. It fits on all so-called Schrader or American valves and can tell you in a jiffy whether the tyre pressure is sufficient for the tyres of your car, motorbike even your push-bike if you are trying to circumvent the congestion charge. Just one small device and one small check, that’s all it takes to tell you whether you are driving on the safe side and making your trip a comfortable one while cutting costs and keeping your petrol bill down to a minimum.

Although we may not be able to foresee an accident, we can do everything in our power to prevent one from happening.

Trotec. The company that cares.

The best way to start is to clean your bike conscientiously to discover any damage like rust stains or leaks. When you’re done with cleaning, you should definitely check some technical details of your motorbike. This includes inspecting the battery, the oil level and the lighting, as well as a check-up of the brakes and brake linings. The tyres deserve closer attention: if you don’t ride your vehicle during the winter, it is wise to unload some of the weight off the tyres to guarantee that the tyres don’t bulge and still run smoothly. You should also make sure that there are no porous spots or cuts which could lessen your driving safety. The tread depth is another factor which is mainly responsible for the safety of your motorbike. A minimum depth of 1mm is required for motorcycles by law but the AA recommends a tread depth of at least 2mm so that you are prepared in case of wet roads for example.

And last but not least: the tyre pressure!

In order to ensure that you drive safely and comfortably, the tyre pressure needs to be checked regularly. The ideal tyre pressure is specified in the technical manual of your motorbike. Usually there is a distinction between different driving situations like the applied load – riding alone or with a passenger or luggage – and the speed. But from experience, tyre producing companies can tell that most motorcyclists fail to make sure that the tyre pressure matches their driving situation.

Though it can be so easy: with the Trotec Tyre Pressure Gauge BY10 you are able to check your tyre pressure whether you’re at home or on the road. With its slim design it fits snugly in every saddlebag and allows you to measure the tyre pressure with digital accuracy. It is standard equipped with a connecting piece that is compatible with every Schrader or American valve, which is used on nearly all tyres. There are also various adapters available to enable you to use the BY10 with a variety of different types of valves as well.

Because the ideal tyre pressure of your motorcycle not only increases your safety, it also reduces road resistance and therefore is responsible for saving fuel. In fact the wrong tyre pressure can cause a severe reduction of the durability of your tyres: if the pressure is too low, the tyres start to heat up a lot, which can damage your tyres. On the other hand, if the pressure is too high the consequence may be an uneven wearing of your tyres.

And remember: always check the pressure of your tyres when they are cold because hot tyres may have a 0.5 bar excess pressure which will regulate itself automatically once the tyres cool down again.

Now that your bike is spick and span and the technical check up is finished successfully too, there is nothing to stop you from putting on your helmet and going for a road trip because real bikers are “born to be wild”…

But even a trip down to the shops, school or the local supermarket can end in an accident or even tragedy if you fail to take some precautionary measures and prepare yourself, and your car, for this bitterly cold and totally unpredictable time of the year.

Here are a number of valuable tips and some good sound hands-on advice that will help to get you through the winter and make sure that your next journey is a safe one.

• Winter tyres: There is still a small percentage of the population who staunchly believe that they can make it through the whole year with the same set of tyres. Opponents of winter tyres are often quick to point out that we don’t get enough snow in these thar parts to warrant kitting your car out with winter tyres. Well, this year proved them wrong. Winter tyres are not just better on snow: due to the rubber compound used, they are also better when the road surface gets colder. In Germany there is legislation in place that clearly states that as of the beginning of this month all cars, buses, lorries and similar vehicles which are travelling through Germany have to be equipped with winter tyres when there is snow or slush on the roads or roads are covered with frost or ice. By failing to comply with this law motorists and other road users risk being fined anything upwards of 40 euros and also losing their insurance cover.
• Tread depth: Don’t forget to check the tread depth of your tyres. The tread depth can seriously affect the way your car handles. Worn out tyres spell less grip, less performance and longer breaking distances. Current legislation requires a tread depth of at least 1.6mm across 75% of the tyre, and although some tyre manufacturers claim that their tyres function just as well with 1.6mm of tread as with 9mm, there are enough experts who recommend that you change your tyres when a minimum tread depth of 3mm has been reached. If you want to see if the tread depth is sufficient, all you need is a 10p coin or a euro, depending on which country you live in. If the tread covers the dotted rim of the 10p piece or the gold rim of the euro, then your tyre tread is within the legal limit.
• Tyre pressure: Although most motorists know that it pays to check the pressure of the tyres on their car regularly, some uncanny hidden force still prevents them from doing so. Driving with underinflated tyres can put pounds on your petrol bill, increase the CO2 emissions of your car, cause your tyres to wear down much more quickly and most importantly of all they can seriously affect the way your car performs. Tyre pressure gauges at service stations are often unreliable and poorly serviced. That’s why it makes sense to invest in a digital tyre gauge and check your tyres fortnightly at least. And one more word of warning: be sure to check them when they are cold.
• Clear visibility: Car windscreens have a tendency to mist up as soon as you get into the car when it is parked outside in winter. Do not under any circumstances set off until you have clear visibility as you are endangering your life as well as the lives of others. So what can be done to remedy the problem? Try laying out newspaper in the footwell of your car. The newspaper absorbs the moisture inside your car and stops it from settling on your windscreen. And don’t forget to stomp the snow off your shoes either before you swing into your car. The less snow, slush and moisture inside your car, the better.
• Check your car battery: According to a renowned motoring association, problems with car batteries are one of the most common reasons why cars break down. And who wants to break down on a remote stretch of road or the hard shoulder on a motorway when the temperature dips to below zero? In winter you need to be able to rely on your car battery, because car batteries do overtime. Of course you don’t want to buy a new battery if you don’t have to. But remember: they power your fan, the electrics, the heating and your lights. Get wise and check to see how much life is left in your battery before the winter gets a firm grip on you.
• Fill her up, please: Over the past few weeks the price of petrol has continued to rise steadily and many motorists are understandably reluctant to fill up their car and tie up their savings in a full petrol tank. But things can get worse. And being stuck on the side of the road at sub-zero temperatures because your car has run out of petrol is anybody’s nightmare. You really don’t need to top up your car every time you drive past a petrol station, but you should make sure that there is enough petrol in the tank, and one or two warm blankets in the back perhaps – just in case your luck ran out too.

These tips – or better still golden rules – can all change the outcome of your next journey this winter. Please be sure to follow these precious guidelines so that you reach your destination safe and sound!

But although these rules may provide the essence of a safe journey with regard to you the driver, it doesn’t mean that these same rules must also apply to the tyres on your car or motorbike.

Tyres need pressure. And you have to keep up the pressure on them if you want your tyres to last longer and your car to consume less petrol and handle more safely.

According to the ADAC, Europe’s largest automobile club, one out of two cars driving on European roads is doing so with the wrong tyre pressure. With disastrous possible consequences:

• The higher the pressure, the less the tyre squirm. Or to put it differently: a pressure loss of 0.5 bar can result in a 20% increase in tyre squirm.
  Tyre squirm is name given to the phenomenon that occurs when the sidewalls of a tyre come into contact with the ground while the car or motorbike is negotiating a bend. This is because tyres that are not inflated properly have less grip when they go into corners. The result: the car can understeer and pulls towards the outer edge of the curve, which can be exceptionally dangerous when the bend is being taken at high speed.
• The braking distance of a car depends heavily on the tyre pressure, especially when the roads are wet.
  Tests carried out by the ADAC confirm that a pressure loss of 1 bar on only one of the front wheels can increase the breaking distance of a car with ABS by as much as 10%.
• Modern electronic stability systems like ESP or ABS can fail to respond correctly if the tyre pressure is too low.
  This can lead to precarious situations, especially when cars are pushed to their limits and the driver has to perform a sudden swerve to avoid hitting an obstacle.
• The rolling resistance increases with lower tyre pressure. This is bad for the environment and bad for your wallet.
  The tread on your tyres wears down more quickly when the tyres are underinflated. Not only do you have to spend more money sooner on new ones, you also have to pay more money at the pump because flatter tyres increase the drag, thus causing the car to consume more petrol.

Unfortunately on-board tyre pressure monitoring systems are not yet standard equipment in cars. This is why it pays to use a tyre pressure gauge to check your tyre pressure at least once a fortnight. In fact, the BY10 from TROTEC is so handy that you can even quickly check your tyres before you set off. This also allows you to check the pressure while the tyres are still cold, thus avoiding any errors that can occur at filling stations when checking tyres that are already warm from friction.

Make your journey a safe one. With the BY10 tyre pressure gauge from TROTEC.

Be quick off the mark and get an extra discount of 25 % on a BY10 tyre pressure meter. For a short time only! Simply enter the voucher code below during the ordering process and save money.

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See more details on the BY10 tyre pressure meter.

Small & handy - the BY10

Just imagine if life would be a little bit more comfortable. What if there was a small and handy tool which allows you to save valuable time – and money! Well, there’s yet another smart solution from the Trotec MultiMeasure Basic-Series.

It is well known that low tyre pressure causes tyre wear and a higher mileage. To prevent our customers from additional costs on their cars and motorcycles Trotec now offers the BY10 tyre pressure meter. This very favourable and user-friendly measuring devices is suited best for the use at home or if you’re constantly on the go by car.

You don’t need to rely on tyre pressure pumps at filling stations which are often badly main-tained or poorly placed anymore. The BY10 tyre pressure meter fits on all Schrader or American valves, which are used on nearly all tyre makes for cars, motorbikes, mountain bikes or even kids’ bikes. The device got a measuring range from 0.35 to 6.9 Bar, 5 to 100 PSI and 35 to 690 kPa.

So don’t hesitate and grab a BY10 tyre pressure meter right now! Simply go to the online shop and save money today!

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Get more information on the BY10 tyre pressure meter here.

Pressure: Measure pressure with the brand new BY10 tyre pressure meter. Easy and fast measurements are now possible wherever you are. The BY10 allows you to measure the tyre pressure of your car as well as of your bike. Just have a look at the new BY10 tyre pressure meter.

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But there’s more to it than that! An extremely versatile gas detector is now available in the MultiMeasure Basic Series. Ready to detect methane, ethane, propane, butane, acetone, alcohol and many more gases the gas detector BG30 is well-suited for reliable leak detections.

If you need further information on one of the new devices, please visit our homepage. You can find specific details on each specific meter in the categories emission, pressure and electricity.

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