Tire Size Change Question

[Jackpine]

I'm guessing here, but I think the 5% figure that Ford uses accounts for the tendency of the "average" driver to ride around on underinflated tires. I'm pretty sure most don't check their tires at all, and they depend on the dealership or whoever changes their oil to do it for them, every 3-4 months.

I was in Discount Tires a few months ago getting a tire rebalanced and overheard some poor old soul being told that he/she (I can't remember which now) was going to have to get 4 new tires because the ones that were on the vehicle were worn beyond safe limits due to poor alignment and no rotation.

- Jack

[Grabber523]

Originally Posted by JackandJanet

I'm guessing here, but I think the 5% figure that Ford uses accounts for the tendency of the "average" driver to ride around on underinflated tires. I'm pretty sure most don't check their tires at all, and they depend on the dealership or whoever changes their oil to do it for them, every 3-4 months.

I was in Discount Tires a few months ago getting a tire rebalanced and overheard some poor old soul being told that he/she (I can't remember which now) was going to have to get 4 new tires because the ones that were on the vehicle were worn beyond safe limits due to poor alignment and no rotation.

- Jack

I feel absolutely NO sympathy for those people whatsoever. If you don't know how to maintain your vehicle, you shouldn't be driving it. Period. There should be an elimination process...in your scenario, the customer would buy the new tires and have their License revoked on the spot. They could have their car back but wouldn't drive it again until passing a written and practical test. I can't tell you how many cars I see on the road with a tire so flat that it's riding on the bead, and it makes me real nervous, especially when I have my 9 month old with me. If some ignorant puke injured or killed someone in my family, I would personally ensure that they would not make it to the hospital.

[Power Hungry]

Originally Posted by Grabber523

I feel absolutely NO sympathy for those people whatsoever. If you don't know how to maintain your vehicle, you shouldn't be driving it. Period. There should be an elimination process...in your scenario, the customer would buy the new tires and have their License revoked on the spot. They could have their car back but wouldn't drive it again until passing a written and practical test. I can't tell you how many cars I see on the road with a tire so flat that it's riding on the bead, and it makes me real nervous, especially when I have my 9 month old with me. If some ignorant puke injured or killed someone in my family, I would personally ensure that they would not make it to the hospital.

While I do feel your solution might be a little excessive (but only a little), I definitely agree with you about ignorance of vehicle maintenance. Now if someone intentionally hurt my family... well let's just say that there would be a few well-fed alligators somewhere.

I certainly understand that emissions inspections can be tedious, but there is absolutely no reason to not have a mechanical inspection of every vehicle on the road. For example, Utah inspections will pull the wheels off and even inspect the thickness of the brake linings and condition of other mechanical components as well as check headlight alignment, wiper functionality and other stuff. Yeah, it's inconvenient but like security checks at the airport, it's in the best interests of public safety.

Too many people are killed every year from failed tires, brakes, steering components, and other mechanical issues and there is simply no reason for it. Owner/driver ignorance is not an acceptable excuse. Heck, how many people don't even have the common sense to check there oil, much less change it? These people should not be allowed to drive at all.

One other thing that pisses me off, while on the subject of maintenance, is the sad fact that there are fewer and fewer gas stations that provide facilities to check tire pressure and the ones that do charge anywhere from 25¢ to $1.00 for compressed air they are producing pretty much for free. Yeah, it's a little electricity and a compressing station, but isn't it worth giving that stuff away if it saves just one person's life? Too many people seem to put profit over common sense, which is unfortunate.

Anyway... that my