text: At least one 1992 article suggests it is a slightly misconceived misconception to ascribe regelation to ice skating. The problem with matching the (large) magnitude of the water-ice p-V gradient above the triple point boundary with the magnitudes of prevailing temperature and pressure in the case of the ice skating context applies equally in the context of the classic lab experiment with a copper wire cutting through an 10cm ice block with say a 28 swg wire. The misconception is not that these observations fail to be regelation but that regelation can be explained (solely) in terms of the magnitude of p-V gradient above the triple point. There is much more going on. Regelation is empirical&mdash;it is a phenomenon as was, for example, Brownian Motion before, during, and arguably even after Einstein modelled it. It has been so widely observed and described that we generalise to describing it in terms of pressure causing increased surface melting. The recognition of this phenomenon in all the mentioned contexts is not in doubt. Car tyres work in snow even though there is some increased surface melting because they have tread which allows water to be liberated.
  Ice skating is given as an example of regelation; however, the pressure required is much greater than the weight of a skater.  Additionally, regelation does not explain how one can ice skate at sub-zero (0°C) temperatures.
  Compaction and creation of snow balls is another example from old texts. Here, the pressure required is far greater than the pressure that can be applied by hand. A counter example is that cars do not melt snow as they run over it.