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Old 06-26-2011, 12:53 AM   #20 (permalink)
Thymeclock
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zonker View Post
i guess i should clarify - on a production made passenger car, mounting the thinnest tires possible will help fuel economy but at a huge sacrifice to safety, braking, cornering, and general roadholding.
True. Wider tires give better handling and cornering capability. That makes the car safer if it responds better in avoiding a collision. (I would expect that those who are primarily concerned with or obsessed with fuel economy will be dismissive of that aspect. If you call wide tires a "conspiracy" that shows a certain bias.)

Hydroplaning has relatively little to do with the width of the tire and is much more due to tread design. You can find both wide and narrow tires that are prone to hydroplaning. Usually you get what you pay for. I prefer to avoid tires that are poorly rated, especially if they have poor wet traction.
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