snow chains

i drive 60 miles each way to work and back. no other route except the back lanes...
first sign of snow and the main a30-a38 trunk road grinds to a halt.

would you buy snow chains so you can take the back roads?

took me 8 hours to travel 60 miles the other month. i have no choice but to drive back as i have a small baby to look after?

ok only maybe use them once in 3 years, but £50 sounds like a fair investment.

if i remember rightly they are compulsory in switzerland.. ok they have loads of snow.. but could be a useful addition to the emergency kit.

Try to find 'single' strap chains .. have not found by googling .. saw them in use back in '82, very easy to fit when required, say 3 per driven wheel, no pieces of chain to flail the bodywork.
I have used chains, brilliant in snow, but off the white stuff they are, ( probably properly )crap
Alternative which allows running on non snowy metal would be good... Also saw some Renault kit plastic with studs in use .. did the job well.

We sort of covered this here :-
I found some plastic studded kit (not the Renault stuff, but similar) also rubber (looked good)
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=238861

You could always buy a 4x4,I've had a few and never been caught out,having said that you usually need to tow a fuel bowser behind you.
A few years ago you could get tyres that did both,they had metal studs permenentaly fitted to them,ask at a tyre specialist they might be able to point you in the right direction.

You could get yourself a set of soft compound mud and snow tyres.