Well, there's your problem. You get no sympathy for being dumb! And trust me, I know dumb That litany of stupidity above is only a very small part of the stupid things I've done over the years.

I don't, personally, think that studded tires are needed all the much in the winter...at least not in the Denver area. I have a studded tire but I've only used it 3 or 4 times since I bought it a year ago. However, I have commuted for 30+ winters and I've learned how to deal with ice without studs. Most importantly, don't do anything radical when on the ice. That means no turns, no sudden stops, no stops at all if you can avoid it, and develop a very smooth pedal stroke. I like to think of it as if I were riding on egg shells. If you have to go around a corner on ice, try to make the corner a square. I look for dry patches in or around the ice to make course corrections. Alternatively, I try to ride around the ice...especially if I know it's there