Driving on a flat tyre... Can I do it?

[TREMAiNE]

Hit a pot hole driving home from a 12 hour night shift, hit a pothole which blew the tyre completely.

Currently on the side of the road awaiting AA to recover the car home - back at work tonight so no time to sort this morning and will have to use another car.

Anyway, I have a tyre place 0.5 miles from my house.
One fairly quiet residential road from my house.

I don't have any Jacks or Axle Stands, foolishly.
Am I alright crawling it at 5-10mph to the tyre place, or is there too much risk it'll ruin my rim?

[Blib]

As its just up the road, can you ask the AA to take your car to the tyre place, rather than home?

[anonymous-user]

I’ve used ‘tyres on the drive’ a few times. They come to you. Quick & prices are good

[TREMAiNE]

No, because they don't open until 9am, and will not have the same spec tyre in stock.
Ideally I want to just be dropped home, get some sleep for my next shift, and sort the car out when I get a chance.

Will look at tyres on the drive. Thanks.

[Squishey]

Although it's not ideal, in your situation I'd risk it. If it's a short distance on quiet roads with no speed bumps, etc.

But if you have access to another car then see if you can borrow a jack and sort the tyre on your day off. Surely someone at work could lend you one for a few days?

Edited by Squishey on Friday 15th March 06:30

[twokcc]

Depends on how quick AA can get to you, I'd be tempted tp wait they may have a sealant (although unlikely to work if tyre slashed). Get them to relay car to garage you mention, drop it off there, shove a note through letter box or leave message on answer machine with instructions. Get AA man to relay you home and ring tyre place as soon as open to confirm instructions. May need to leave your car keys .-maybe in letter box depending on how secure. Get some sleep once sorted then walk to garage once tyre repaired. Hopefully wheel not damaged- take some photos of wheel and pothole and lookup how to claim for pothole dmage on local authorities site whilst you're waiting for AA man.

Hope it gets sorted quickly

[twokcc]

TREMAiNE said:

No, because they don't open until 9am, and will not have the same spec tyre in stock.
Ideally I want to just be dropped home, get some sleep for my next shift, and sort the car out when I get a chance.

Will look at tyres on the drive. Thanks.

If car there first thing may be able to get you tyre same (or next day) how you going to get to work tonight?
depends on tyre size etc.. But as stated above tyre on the drive may be able to come out today and replace to your requirements.
Don't suppose you know if rim damaged?

[sixor8]

Depends on whether you want it repaired or not, which will only be possible if it's a small hole. Driving on a completely flat tyre crushes the metal carcass and it 'should' not be repaired. Some people probably do.

I've driven a couple of cars on a flat a short distance, but don't go over about 10-15 mph max IMHO, slower if possible. The week after I bought a second hand Lotus Excel in 1993, I got a total flat overnight. I then found there there was a nice full size spare in the boot, but no jack. Drove it a0lmost a mile slowly to a tyre place (I had breakdown cover but it was Sunday morning and they'd be ages and I wanted to be in the pub by 12.

You have t go a long distance at a fair speed to rip a flat tyre to shreds.

[Blib]

Of course, if the OP's car was supplied with a spare then he'd be home by now.

In this age of safety over everything, being stuck on the side of the road for want of a spare beggars belief.

[TREMAiNE]

Blib said:

Of course, if the OP's car was supplied with a spare then he'd be home by now.

In this age of safety over everything, being stuck on the side of the road for want of a spare beggars belief.

Very true.
I'm actually lucky to have breakdown through my bank...
I'd never bought breakdown cover because "it'll never happen to me".

[TREMAiNE]

twokcc said:

TREMAiNE said:

No, because they don't open until 9am, and will not have the same spec tyre in stock.
Ideally I want to just be dropped home, get some sleep for my next shift, and sort the car out when I get a chance.

Will look at tyres on the drive. Thanks.

If car there first thing may be able to get you tyre same (or next day) how you going to get to work tonight?
depends on tyre size etc.. But as stated above tyre on the drive may be able to come out today and replace to your requirements.
Don't suppose you know if rim damaged?

I have other cars to use luckily which is why I'm prioritising sleeping when I get home and sorting the tyre when I get a day off.

I don't think the rim is damaged but who knows.
It looks OK, from hitting the pot hole to pulling over I've done half a mile. The pressure came out pretty quickly. I've driven mayne a quarter of a mile with under 10psi, from 50mph down to a crawling speed for the last 50-100m.
I should be ok, I hope.

[Yertis]

TREMAiNE said:

Blib said:

Of course, if the OP's car was supplied with a spare then he'd be home by now.

In this age of safety over everything, being stuck on the side of the road for want of a spare beggars belief.

Very true.
I'm actually lucky to have breakdown through my bank...
I'd never bought breakdown cover because "it'll never happen to me".

I thought all cars had to have a jack and spare, or some means of reinflating a punctured tyre, to be deemed roadworthy, pass MoT etc. Is this not the case?

[BertBert]

Yertis said:

I thought all cars had to have a jack and spare, or some means of reinflating a punctured tyre, to be deemed roadworthy, pass MoT etc. Is this not the case?

No

[jamei303]

I saw a lady merrily doing this last week on the A road near me. She was doing 20 in a 30 so that made it ok.

[vikingaero]

TREMAiNE said:

Blib said:

Of course, if the OP's car was supplied with a spare then he'd be home by now.

In this age of safety over everything, being stuck on the side of the road for want of a spare beggars belief.

Very true.
I'm actually lucky to have breakdown through my bank...
I'd never bought breakdown cover because "it'll never happen to me".

OP, your next job is to look on Facebook Marketplace for a spacesaver spare and jack/toolkit.

[Puddenchucker]

I've driven about a mile at 10-15mph with a flat rear, on a front drive car, after nail caused the tyre to go pop.
Tyre was repaired and lasted for over 15k miles without any issues and no rim damage.

[hidetheelephants]

Tyre likely knackered anyway, rim may well be also, just drive slowly if it's just a mile or so.

[fooman]

I wouldn't I got a flat 100m from home, took it slow but as I turned into drive it caused tyre to roll off the rim. No damage and I was now home but I'd put spare on next time.

[bitchstewie]

Totally anecdotal but I had a tyre get what I think was part of a spike strip go in it on a motorway around Christmas.

I was doing 60/70mph and expected the rim to be absolutely shredded but there wasn't a mark on it.

Crawling down the slip road at 10mph felt and sounded absolutely horrendous though.

[Collectingbrass]

vikingaero said:

TREMAiNE said:

Blib said:

Of course, if the OP's car was supplied with a spare then he'd be home by now.

In this age of safety over everything, being stuck on the side of the road for want of a spare beggars belief.

Very true.
I'm actually lucky to have breakdown through my bank...
I'd never bought breakdown cover because "it'll never happen to me".

OP, your next job is to look on Facebook Marketplace for a spacesaver spare and jack/toolkit.

Speak to Chris, a very helpful and knowledgeable guy.