People driving with a completely flat tyre
Discussion
During the last week, whilst walking round town, I saw three different cars being driven with a completely flat tyre.
All were still driving at normal speeds (30ish keeping up with traffic). Only one seemed to have even acknowledged the fact that something was wrong by driving with the hazard lights on, and I did see that car stopped at a tyre shop about half a mile up the road.
The two other cars must have gone some distance as there was a distinct smell of burning rubber and visible smoke from the wheel as they went past.
It's a while since I've had a puncture, but when I did, nursing the car at about 10mph for a few hundred yards to stop somewhere safe was bad enough.
Surely these people must have noticed, or are people so oblivious these days and modern cars so detached from the road that they don't even think that the steering wheel vibration, bumping and awful noise might mean something is wrong....
Other than once or twice with car being driven very late at night, I've never come across anyone doing this before. Previously I'd assumed the only time anyone would do that would be if they are in a dodgy area and don't want to stop, or so drunk that they don't notice.
All were still driving at normal speeds (30ish keeping up with traffic). Only one seemed to have even acknowledged the fact that something was wrong by driving with the hazard lights on, and I did see that car stopped at a tyre shop about half a mile up the road.
The two other cars must have gone some distance as there was a distinct smell of burning rubber and visible smoke from the wheel as they went past.
It's a while since I've had a puncture, but when I did, nursing the car at about 10mph for a few hundred yards to stop somewhere safe was bad enough.
Surely these people must have noticed, or are people so oblivious these days and modern cars so detached from the road that they don't even think that the steering wheel vibration, bumping and awful noise might mean something is wrong....
Other than once or twice with car being driven very late at night, I've never come across anyone doing this before. Previously I'd assumed the only time anyone would do that would be if they are in a dodgy area and don't want to stop, or so drunk that they don't notice.
When I was 18 one of my best mates and I drove back to the city from a restaurant about 10 miles away. He was in a Merc C280 (metallic green with tan interior for maximum PH points). I was driving behind him in my Yaris (mk1, non GR, for no PH points).
About halfway into the journey one of his rear tyres must have got a puncture. From that point on, there were sparks regularly flying from his rear wheel. I tried to signal to him to stop, he just thought I was being a t
t. Got to the end, he got out, and was very surprised to find that he's had a completely demolished tyre and a slightly ground down wheel.
He didn't feel a thing/realise something was wrong and drove as normal across various roads up to 50mph!
These days, it's a testament to how well engineered and isolated modern cars are, that someone can not notice a flat tyre and think the car is still driving OK. It's also why TPMS is mandatory, to protect all involved from such ignorance!
The real problem I suspect is that there's a large overlap in the population who won't notice a flat tyre, and the population who will happily ignore the TPMS warning sign on the dashboard.
About halfway into the journey one of his rear tyres must have got a puncture. From that point on, there were sparks regularly flying from his rear wheel. I tried to signal to him to stop, he just thought I was being a t
t. Got to the end, he got out, and was very surprised to find that he's had a completely demolished tyre and a slightly ground down wheel. He didn't feel a thing/realise something was wrong and drove as normal across various roads up to 50mph!
These days, it's a testament to how well engineered and isolated modern cars are, that someone can not notice a flat tyre and think the car is still driving OK. It's also why TPMS is mandatory, to protect all involved from such ignorance!
The real problem I suspect is that there's a large overlap in the population who won't notice a flat tyre, and the population who will happily ignore the TPMS warning sign on the dashboard.
A few years ago I had a puncture on my way to the dealer for an annual service. I drove the last half mile on a flat at 20mph as there was no nearer fix and of course no spare.
And I would previously have been saying 'what's that idiot doing driving on a flat'!
And that is apart from how stable modern cars can be. I have also had the experience of not noticing a puncture at 50 mph - rear tyre on an RX8, 7 miles down the A3 and only discovered it when I parked at journeys end.
And I would previously have been saying 'what's that idiot doing driving on a flat'!
And that is apart from how stable modern cars can be. I have also had the experience of not noticing a puncture at 50 mph - rear tyre on an RX8, 7 miles down the A3 and only discovered it when I parked at journeys end.
Edited by mac96 on Monday 2nd February 12:43
Walking along Putney high street about 15 years ago I saw a car in the traffic with a flat tyre. I knocked on the window and the woman driving looked at me as if I was going to murder her (it was broad daylight at lunchtime). She refused to wind down the window so I pointed at the wheel and loudly said "You have a flat tyre" she barely acknowledged me and just drove away.
I don't bother trying to help anyone anymore.
Woman I used to work with hated stopping so much that she refused to put petrol in her car (made her husband do it) so she regularly just ran out of fuel and was left stranded. Another time she got a puncture on the motorway, refused to stop so just ignored it. The tyre disintegrated and caused damage to the arch and suspension as it flailed about.
I don't bother trying to help anyone anymore.
Woman I used to work with hated stopping so much that she refused to put petrol in her car (made her husband do it) so she regularly just ran out of fuel and was left stranded. Another time she got a puncture on the motorway, refused to stop so just ignored it. The tyre disintegrated and caused damage to the arch and suspension as it flailed about.
Edited by ThingsBehindTheSun on Monday 2nd February 12:43
Many years ago I left the motorway in my Rover SD1 and noticed a strange clicking sound as I drove up the slip road. I stopped as soon as it was safe and found that one of the rear tyres was a smoking melted mass. No idea how long I had been driving since the puncture. It goes to show just how good the ride was on these cars.
ThingsBehindTheSun said:
Walking along Putney high street about 15 years ago I saw a car in the traffic with a flat tyre. I knocked on the window and the woman driving looked at me as if I was going to murder her (it was broad daylight at lunchtime). She refused to wind down the window so I pointed at the wheel and loudly said "You have a flat tyre" she barely acknowledged me and just drove away.
I don't bother trying to help anyone anymore.
She probably did appreciate it later on. I think people's initial reaction to stuff like that can be a little irrational as their brain has to fire up and run through a long checklist of potential situations before they can settle on, "yes, this person is simply giving me some useful information".. I don't bother trying to help anyone anymore.
I remember somebody coming up to me when I was parked up having some lunch and telling me my lights were on or something. It threw me off a bit and I ran through various, "is this some kind of scam?" scenarios but by the time my brain gave it the all clear, they'd already walked off.
From their point of view, they'd given a stranger some useful information and the response was a vacant stare, but I was thankful... eventually.
The only time I ever had a flat (not completely flat, I picked up a puncture and it was pretty flat by the time I stopped) the only thing that was off was when I took a roundabout at an unremarkable speed but had tyre squeal.
Mrs D had a full-on blow-out at 70mph and it wasn't dramatic. She knew what had happened, slowed down and coaxed it a couple of miles at a lower speed as she was on a long bridge in the dark and the rain. Correct call, Vs stopping in L1 with lorries blasting up behind.
One factor that might explain what OP saw is people driving cars they don't own. There are things I'd subject a rental car (with all damage covered by my employer) to that I wouldn't subject my own car to. So, if I was driving my own car and realised I had a flat, I'd stop asap and change the wheel. If I was driving a hirecar, I might push on if I was very close to my destination. Have my meeting while the tyre gets changed.
Mrs D had a full-on blow-out at 70mph and it wasn't dramatic. She knew what had happened, slowed down and coaxed it a couple of miles at a lower speed as she was on a long bridge in the dark and the rain. Correct call, Vs stopping in L1 with lorries blasting up behind.
One factor that might explain what OP saw is people driving cars they don't own. There are things I'd subject a rental car (with all damage covered by my employer) to that I wouldn't subject my own car to. So, if I was driving my own car and realised I had a flat, I'd stop asap and change the wheel. If I was driving a hirecar, I might push on if I was very close to my destination. Have my meeting while the tyre gets changed.
Running tyres that are flat quicly ruins them to the point where a new tyre is required rather than just a repair. This can then cause further issues if the tyres are worn as you have one with full tread and one worn on an axle which isn't ideal. I know in the real world most people don't care and will just fit the cheapest Chinese tyre to replacve it. My parents have just bought a shed Renault Megane and I was particularly impressed to see four different brands of tyre (five if you count the spare)
But this is pistonheads, most of us can feel when a tyre is even 2psi low surely?
But this is pistonheads, most of us can feel when a tyre is even 2psi low surely?
Boggles my mind that people let their tyres get so low (especially in this day and age where many cars have tyre pressure sensors) to the point that the car is actually dangerous to drive, and they don't seem to notice the effect on steering, grip, etc. Lack of general awareness among many drivers is astounding.
Going into a shop the other day, I walked past a parked car with not one low tyre, but two on the same side. And when I say low, I don't mean slightly down, they looked like they had 5-10 PSi at best. I assume someone had left it there for ages but as I was paying at the till, I looked through the shop window and saw the driver jump in and nip off. There's no way I could have got out and told him in time.
Going into a shop the other day, I walked past a parked car with not one low tyre, but two on the same side. And when I say low, I don't mean slightly down, they looked like they had 5-10 PSi at best. I assume someone had left it there for ages but as I was paying at the till, I looked through the shop window and saw the driver jump in and nip off. There's no way I could have got out and told him in time.
I suppose for some it's a toss up between standing on the side of the road for a few hours or just throwing a couple hundred quid at worse at a new tyre.
If I had a flat, no spare and knew that I could make it to a tyre shop where I'd get a new tyre for £150 then I'd keep driving.
I have got a spare though, and a pump, and a tyre plug kit... And a can of fuel
If I had a flat, no spare and knew that I could make it to a tyre shop where I'd get a new tyre for £150 then I'd keep driving.
I have got a spare though, and a pump, and a tyre plug kit... And a can of fuel
vikingaero said:
I've seen someone driving on a Motorway with a flat and hazards on at around 50mph. I guess he didn't want to stop in one of those emergency lay-bys and I don't blame him.
That's exactly what those refuges are for, and why they are safer than hard shoulders, they are protected by crash barrierAlso as Highways say:
"Before leaving, you must contact the Regional Control Centre using the SOS phone. They’ll dispatch a National Highways Traffic Officer and/or set signs and signals (red 'X') to help you back onto the motorway safely. Do not attempt to leave until you have permission from the control centre or traffic officer"
Reading all this, l keep my runflats i think.
People are dumb. Why is this a surprise?
My most memorable encounter of this type was years ago on the M4 when i was overtaken by a Range Rover in the second overtaking lane doing a good 90 mph, with a nearside rear tyre that was all but flat.
A couple of miles on, there was a thick rubber-smelling fog across the motorway, a big black stripe from the second overtaking lane to the hard shoulder and, at the end of said stripe was a Range Rover leaning over at a jaunty angle with a very knackered wheel.
My most memorable encounter of this type was years ago on the M4 when i was overtaken by a Range Rover in the second overtaking lane doing a good 90 mph, with a nearside rear tyre that was all but flat.
A couple of miles on, there was a thick rubber-smelling fog across the motorway, a big black stripe from the second overtaking lane to the hard shoulder and, at the end of said stripe was a Range Rover leaning over at a jaunty angle with a very knackered wheel.
Back in tbr 1980's I came up behind a car at traffic lights in Gloucester & noticed the nearside rear tyre was flat. I got out & told the woman driving that if she pulled into the side road ahead, I'd change the wheel for her. "It's OK", she said ". My husband will change it when I get home", and drove off as the lights changed. I followed her out of Gloucester onto the A40 dual-carriageway at 70 mph & she then joined the M5 going north!
The last big puncture I had was in a rear tyre on the M25, in heavy traffic, in roadworks. Other than bringing the whole bloody thing to a stop I had no choice but to continue to the first available exit. By the time I had managed to stop safely and out of the way the tyre was, naturally, toast but, fortunately, the wheel was undamaged. What may otherwise have been a simple plug repair ended up costing me a pair of tyres. That was ste day.
te day.s p a c e m a n said:
I have got a spare though, and a pump, and a tyre plug kit... And a can of fuel
Same, and if I am going on a long journey I take a full sized spare in the boot as well. I don't carry a can of fuel though, I have never run out in 35 years of driving and just fill up when required. This wasn't even an issue on the NC500 where fuel stops are few and far between.I have never filled up on the motorway either, again I judge how much I need. I have also never put diesel in a petrol despite owning both at the same time.
It literally amazes me the messes people get themselves into because they are careless, not prepared or literally have no idea about the simplest of car maintenance.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff