Last chance for winter tires

Photo: Jennifer Zielinski

Anyone who hadn’t already gotten their winter tires surely found themselves at a local tire shop this morning, following the Okanagan’s first significant snowfall of the season.

Upwards of 20 centimetres fell in some areas, with treacherous road conditions leading to over a dozen accidents.

So it was no surprise to Jamie Desert at the Kal Tire location on Kirschner Road when approximately 50 cars were already lined up when he arrived to work Wednesday morning.

He says that is not unusual for this time of the year, but the number may have been a little higher than last year.

The first major snow of 2013 fell on Oct. 30, and Desert recalls people scrambling to get their tires mounted, with a lineup extending down the street.

This year he believes the late snowfall afforded motorists the additional time to get tires on their cars without waiting until the last possible moment to ensure their safety.

For anyone still looking to get their winter tires, Kal Tire and many other tire shops do not take reservations and work on a first come, first serve basis.