Last year’s heavy snowfall sends drivers to tire shops

Drivers are flocking to tire workshops to prepare their cars for winter, with last year’s heavy snowfall prompting many to act early, mbl.is reports.

About 100 cars a day are now visiting N1’s tire workshop in Fellsmúli for tire changes. Long queues have also formed outside Sólning’s workshop in Skútuvogur, where some customers arrive at 6 a.m., two hours before it opens.

Benedikt Jónatansson, a sales representative at N1, said business had increased significantly in recent weeks and the workshop was entering one of its busiest periods of the year. Many drivers had acted earlier this year than last, particularly those who ran into trouble when heavy snow hit the capital region in late October last year.

Sigurður Gunnar, an employee at Sólning, said customers had been waiting as long as two to two and a half hours at the busiest times. He said people were coming earlier than in recent years, mainly to avoid a repeat of the transport disruption caused by last October’s snowfall.

Both workshops expect to remain busy over the coming days, although the weather will play a large role in what happens next.