There rules say you need a spare tyre when driving in Italy. Does it really mean tyre or does it really mean spare wheel? Everywhere I've checked says tyre. I've asked Italian websites and no one seems to know. Any ideas?

Are you renting a hire car? it will have what you need.

otherwise, what they mean is a spare wheel with a tyre on it, obviously. The tyre by itself wouldn't be much good would it?

This website may help:

http://www.snowheads.co.uk/ski-forum...ic.php?t=90556

The law in Italy doesn't require that you carry a spare tire (wheel) in your car, although common sense would mandate some sort of provision of the sort. In the past, maybe there was such a law.

New cars in Italy usually have an emergency "ruotina" (little wheel) which is suitable only for driving short distances at low speeds. Some people carry an emergency repair kit instead.

I'd be OK as I always carry a spare tire around my waist!

perhaps it's matter of terminology.

Here in the US (or at least my part of the US) we call the metal part that bolts on to the axel the rim & the rubber tire... well, we call that a tire.

The extra rim + tire, ready for use in case of a flat tire, we call a spare tire.

As for wheel? We call a big rig/semi truck + trailer an 18 wheeler. We call an RV trailer with a hitch mounted in the bed of a pickup a "fifth wheel." around here we don't use the term wheel for any of the metal or rubber meeting the road. It's rubber that meets the road.

A set of tires (as in "I need to buy a new set of tires") = I need 4 new round rubber things to put on to metal rims.

A set of wheels (as in "I need a new set of wheels") = I need a new car.

There's a kid's song called "the wheels on the bus go round and round". I don't think kids care if it's about tires, tyres, wheels, or rims.

We have an expression "wheel and deal" - I suspect that has more to go with gambling than autos.

perhaps it's matter of terminology.

Here in the US (or at least my part of the US) we call the metal part that bolts on to the axle the rim & the rubber tire... well, we call that a tire.

The extra rim + tire, ready for use in case of a flat tire, we call a spare tire.

As for wheel? We call a big rig/semi truck + trailer an 18 wheeler. We call an RV trailer with a hitch mounted in the bed of a pickup a "fifth wheel." around here we don't use the term wheel for any of the metal or rubber meeting the road. It's rubber that meets the road.

A set of tires (as in "I need to buy a new set of tires") = I need 4 new round rubber things to put on to metal rims.

A set of wheels (as in "I need a new set of wheels") = I need a new car.

There's a kid's song called "the wheels on the bus go round and round". I don't think kids care if it's about tires, tyres, wheels, or rims.

We have an expression "wheel and deal" - I suspect that has more to go with gambling than autos.

In the UK, the wheel is the entire thing that goes round, the tyre is the rubber bit that attaches to the metal inside of the wheel.

The "wheels on the bus" refers to the whole caboodle, not just the rubber bits!

In Italy it's called a wheel ("ruota"), and a spare tire is a "ruota di scorta".

Next time I've got a puncture in Italy, bvl, I'll try to remember that!

A tyre/tire would be useless without the wheel/rim. So if there is a spare tyre -- it will be pre-mounted on a wheel/rim. It isn't required but unless there are 'run flat' tyres, it would be silly not to have a spare. What is required are reflective vest and warning triangle.



>>Here in the US (or at least my part of the US) we call the metal part that bolts on to the axle the rim & the rubber tire... well, we call that a tire.<<

Where I live the terms 'wheel' and 'rim' are pretty much interchangeable for passenger cars. "Spare tire" would mean the tire plus the wheel (or rim).