You're not wrong in the sense that snow tires are designed first to stop you. Not to start you. But if you call snow tires on a FWD "kool-aid" I completely disagree with you there. unless maybe you bought "true" all seasons (tires where some of the tread is like a winter tire), which are still relatively new and have a lot of tread depth. Those can probably get you by OK to where you would think true snow tires aren't worth it. But once they wear I'd still take worn snow tires over them any day. Source - Worked at a large tire wholesaler. Driven multiple FWD cars with true all seasons and true winters in winter conditions.