He did , but what you have to take into consideration that a lot of UK driving( especially north ) is done in sub 8 deg temperatures , so in effect the summer tyre rubber begins to imitate plastic and does not do as good a job as any tyre made for all season /winter ie sub 7 deg . So its really a case of the rubber cocktail they use. to keep supple belo7 deg C ......... then the thread pattern and sipes come into play for water dissipation .