Sounds of the Season

No, I'm not talking about carols wafting out from store fronts, or bells jingling on horse sleighs, or even the scraping of frost off of car windshields. Rather, I refer to a uniquely maritime sound with which I have become aquainted.

The other day I had a car drive past me that had wheels that made a weird sound on the pavement. It sounded almost like it had a flat tire, or something stuck in the treads. But the car was a beater, so I just laughed at it and thought nothing more of it. Then yesterday the same thing happened. And today, yet another. No longer could it be a coincidence. So I took a closer look at the tires on the car today and noticed the glint of metal coming from the treads. That's when I remembered - unlike Ontario, the Maritimes allow studded tires. So while Ontarians are all switching to their winter tires, out here folks are putting on the studs, and making more of a racket on the roads.