Well, I did not comment on what the law says. This is clear and it was even stated by the OP. I was referring to what can happen (and it did happen to me). I agree, keeping your stand with the police should not normally be an issue, except in instances when the driver and the police don’t have the same mother tongue and the policeman doesn’t (or claims not to) understand English. But by all means, go ahead and drive without winter tires in Austria (and many other European countries) in winter and advise others to do the same, just because the law says it is not mandatory.