Oldtimer, I think we agree, which is why I wrote, “Most of us, however, drive on the streets, and tires that cut through the snow are desired.”
Tell that to people who have are health care workers, emergency vehicle operators, your wife/daughter who’s pregnant and due any day in the winter, officials for all winter sporting events (was one) and are expected to be there snow or no, anyone at work when it’s fine and find they have to go home in snow (not all bosses are that considerate), everyone who lives in an area where snow removal is not always on time(waited 9 days during ice storm for ANY vehicle to drive by), anyone running low on food, fuel medicine, anyone with any medical emergency…yada yada yada.
It’s not a perfect world and your advice is too less than perfect for we in snow ctry where snow is the norm, not the exception. Schools here don’t close with just a snow flake falling. NE colleges often have storm cancellation policies that sound like this…“there are none!!!” You have to be living in OZ. 
If snow is so bad that winter tires whether wider vs narrower makes the difference of getting about (safely), you should not be driving.
I agree…to a point…There are times where you just HAVE to drive…Emergency…Storm sneaks up on you…Son’s away basketball game…
However the difference between wider/lower profile and narrow tires/higher profile at best is maybe 30mm. That is not going to make or break your winter drive. I don’t buy it as a life or death situation.
I only use those #'s as I had 205/55/15’s on a Jetta GLI 16v(sporty) model but could downsize to 175/70/13’s(golf rims).
Beadsandbeads, I think my advice was based on the lack of data: I would not go so far as to buy a non-stock size of tire to improve traction. I think it would be wiser to buy the size tire your manufacturer recommends, but get the best winter tires you can find in that size.
If you have standard 205mm wide tires normally, never consider dropping below 195mm and only if that were a recommended tire size width. If 175 were the standard tire, and 205 was recommended, then yes, you could safely do it.
That you don’t buy it as a life or death situation is dependent upon where YOU live, your necessary traveling conditions and your attitude towards safe winter driving. But for you or I to tell others they should not be driving in snow, is not for us to decide.
My rule was always that if it is not so slippery that I fall down on the way to the car, it is good enough to drive Of course that does not mean that I won’t get stuck, just that I am not likely to go out of control and hit something.
Why did those narrow WWII Jeep tires get the nickname “grave diggers”?
You missed my point. I did not say not to drive. I said the difference in width is not substantial enough to make any significant difference in snow. Basically if that 25mm makes the difference you likely will get stuck and should not be out.
The difference in winter is having winter tires vs all-seasons, AWD/4wd, clearance, vehicle weight with the width of tires the most minute factor. I put winter driving skill at the front of that list.
Guess I did, I thought you were referring to winter tires in general…“if necessary then you shouldn’t be driving”…sorry for the misinterpretation.
Poorly written sentence by me after I re-read it.
I guess that even in the summer when I trip and fall going to the car, I shouldn’t be driving ? No wonder my son offers to drive me home frequently. 
However the difference between wider/lower profile and narrow tires/higher profile at best is maybe 30mm. That is not going to make or break your winter drive. I don’t buy it as a life or death situation.
I don’t worry about it now…but for real snow areas…it DOES make a huge difference.
I would guess it was because they got stuck in the mud at some of the worst possible times.
Speaking of jeep tires, check these babies out.
Remember the old T.V. commercial: “How does the guy that drives the snow plow, get to the snowplow?” He drives up to the big plow in a V.W. bug. Narrow tires and all. The point there was the narrow tires bite better on snowy roads. Not sure how true that was, but it seemed to sell a lot of VW bettle cars in the late 60’s and early 70’s. And it was VERY snowy in the 70’s in Wisconsin. (Global cooling in those days)
I didn’t go through all 55 posts, but when I bought 33" tires for my wife’s Wrangler, I DID NOT go for wide tires. I found tall and skinny 33x9.50rx15. High ground pressure (anyone who works with heavy equipment knows the term). Tall and skinny is superior in situations where you have a semi hard bottom to reach. We rarely see snow above a 24" blizzard …so she doesn’t have to float on top of the stuff.
Now in my 1979 Rabbit Diesel, I DID put wider tires on it and could drive through as deep a field of fresh snow as I pleased. The thing would paddle wheel and the back would float. So as long as I could get on top of it, I could manage quite well. The problem that car had was with rutted snow. It was so light you went where the ruts took you.
“Larger tires are more expensive.”
Whoa, wait, huh?
Comparison:
I drive a 1991 Ford Explorer – 235/75R15 – $80 each.
My friend drives a 2007 Ford Freestyle – 215/65R17 – $240 each.
Less rubber used in making hers, but mine’s cheaper.