Legal Tyre tread depth

[dave_bambers_right_sock]

found this informative article on google :

http://www.2pass.co.uk/tyres.htm#.UIksCmcatoo

Quoted from article : An easy way to check the tread depth of your tyres if they don't have wear indicators is with the use of a 20 pence coin. Place the coin in the tread and make sure the tread covers the edge as shown in the video above.

[Simon Pieman]

Also depends what type of driving you do. Around town tyres get eaten up fairly quickly, I usually opt for branded tyres but could only afford budget tyres last time round. Around town they're fine, it's a bit of a waste of money to go for the more expensive ones if you drive round town 90% of the time anyway (from a mate who used to be a tyre fitter).

Worked out at £55 a corner on my motor, the branded tryes are about double that.

[Batch]

I would say the depth on that picture is about 4-5mm so quite legal.

Pity batch doesn't have that tyre on his car 

Quite!

It'd be the safety I'd be concerned with, not the legality.

I've aquaplaned myself once and completely lost control for a couple of seconds, it's very easily done with worn tires. Fortunately I was going quite slowly so nothing serious happened.

Indeed your words rang true and I headed down to Bathwick. It looked to me that the circumference groove was close to the limit anyway. Turns out there are 2 indicators on Bridgestones, on at 3mm and one at 1.6mm.

My tyres are over 3mm so I'll use them up a bit more (mainly motorway) and change when they dip below 3mm (or before it snows, Bridgestone ER300 are like wearing slippers on an ice rink).

Thanks all.