Same here. The perennial question "Do I need studs?" is hard to answer because we don't know if the OP will need them or not -- some people can maintain their balance on ice, others can't. Often, I think the real undertone is "Man, those tires are expensive -- I don't want to pay that much!" or "They sound miserable to ride, maybe I can get away with not using them."

I personally don't **** around -- the studded tires go on before the snow falls here, and they don't come off until there's almost no chance of a refreeze in the spring. I do not want to slip and fall over in front of a car, and studded tires are not that horrible to ride once you get used to them.