Tyre kicking

[GTIR]

Why do people do this?

I just saw a black cab driver (Female, rather nice actually) do it, but only to one tyre and it looked ok to me. (I was looking at her bottom though. Not flat)
What possible use would kicking a tyre have that looking at it couldn't show?

"Hmm, all looks good. Tyres = four - CHECK, colour = black - CHECK. Hold on >kick< Oh no, it's flat!"
It's not like if for example you had no wheel nuts/bolts kicking it would make the wheel move, it's got the weight of the car in it!

I know it's a phrase "No tyre kickers" but does that mean people who kick tyres never buy cars?

Actually, I'm sure I've kicked tyres before.

[Timmy35]

I used to kick the tyres on my Alfa Romeo all the time, usually whilst shouting something like "vaffan culo you ***king piece of Italian sh**te" at it. This generally coincided with the latest garage bill.

[T0nup]

Timmy35 said:

I used to kick the tyres on my Alfa Romeo all the time, usually whilst shouting something like "vaffan culo you ***king piece of Italian sh**te" at it. This generally coincided with the latest garage bill.

What, only the tyres you light weight?

[seeby]

When I went to look at the first TVR I was interested in ,the bloke selling it said "its a British sports car mate ,what do you expect " with that he grabbed my arm and led me round the car and gave each tyre a good kick .Needless to say I didn't buy it.

[markmullen]

I've kicked so many I reckon I am within a couple of psi, helps to know when to inflate the tyres.

[944fan]

GTIR said:

I know it's a phrase "No tyre kickers" but does that mean people who kick tyres never buy cars?

It is generally a warning sign that they know fk all about cars and are a bit odd. Similar to window lickers.

[Melman Giraffe]

944fan said:

GTIR said:

I know it's a phrase "No tyre kickers" but does that mean people who kick tyres never buy cars?

It is generally a warning sign that they know fk all about cars and are a bit odd. Similar to window lickers.

What has a Sunshine bus got to do with kicking tyres?

[GTIR]

Tyre lickers.

[beko1987]

I have a slow puncture which I need to get sorted, and gave it a kick once when it was quite flat. Did nothing, didn't magically re-inflate or anything, didn't put the 50p into the machine to put 28psi back in to bring it up to scratch.

It's overrated IMO

[Vieste]

Never done it and will never start to do it.

[Kiltie]

madness

[jon-]

Stronger sidewalled tyres can look perfectly inflated when they're not. A little kick with a laser calibrated foot can help judge the actual inflation status by accurately measuring the lateral deformation.

[sbird]

markmullen said:

I've kicked so many I reckon I am within a couple of psi, helps to know when to inflate the tyres.

I push the sidewalls with my thumb. If they feel different then I go and get the pressure gauge out.