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rozwado1 · Nov 26, 2005, 05:26 PM

Bad:
I just got back from a 15 mile walk back to my house with my bike in hand. Turns out my friend decided to 'clean out' my repair kit and I was left stranded with a flat 15 miles from home. Said friend also had his cell phone off, so I got screwed.

Good:
One of my best friends managed to sleep with a girl by helping her change a flat on the side of the freeway. He was driving up to school and decided to help her out; he came back bragging that he got a 'Bo Jackson' on the way to the tire shop (of course we didn't believe him). Turns out we met the girl the next night at a party and I asked her what went down. She shrugged and said "I had to repay him somehow." Later that night he put his P into her V.

The Godfather · Nov 26, 2005, 05:37 PM

Hopefully your friend won't get an I on his W.

One of my car tires blew up when driving on the highway 2 years ago. I had been reading up on car skills that year, so I rolled up my good dress shirt and changed my a tire for the first time in my life. I showed up to class right on time.

mindwaves · Nov 26, 2005, 05:58 PM

I bought a brand new 2005 Civic. Two days later I had a flat tire because I ran over a nail...lame so I took it and got the flat fixed for around $8.

sek929 · Nov 26, 2005, 08:00 PM

One time I got a flat in Newark on I-95 S, what a terrible place to have to change a tire.

KeriVit · Nov 26, 2005, 08:09 PM

Flat on my Accord EX V-6... Damn tires were $175 ea, fixed it. Then Papa borrowed the car next day... hit a pothole... another $175... 3 days after... I ran over a bolt... another $175... 2 weeks 3 tires... $525.

wallinbl · Nov 26, 2005, 08:15 PM

My wife called me to come put the spare on for her when the right front tire blew out (car had a habit of that for a while because the suspension was damaged). I left work and drove across town to change it for her. She had pulled off the road into an empty parking lot. I jacked up the car and took the tire off. A few seconds later the car rolled forward off the jack. I had never really looked to see if it was level in that lot (it was close, but not enough). No real damage to the car, but I thought for sure something was going to need replacing after that. The car left a nice gouge in the concrete where it hit.

nredman · Nov 26, 2005, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by rozwado1

Later that night he put his P into her V.

nredman · Nov 26, 2005, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by KeriVit

Flat on my Accord EX V-6... Damn tires were $175 ea, fixed it. Then Papa borrowed the car next day... hit a pothole... another $175... 3 days after... I ran over a bolt... another $175... 2 weeks 3 tires... $525.

damn - don't they saw bad things happen in three's????

marden · Nov 26, 2005, 08:44 PM

Just this note.

The heat generated when driving at speeds over 85-95mph softens the rubber in your average family car tyre so that they loose lateral stability in the sidewalls. Turning a corner at 100 mph may be a snap for you, but your tyre may turn noodle-y. If a footballer runs full speed and suddenly tries to change direction, midway, he exerts great pressure on his ankles. If they can't take the stress, he goes down. If you try a leisurely curve at high speed but your tyres have been softened by high speed driving your whole day could be ruined.

Obey traffic laws and unless you have tyres made for high speed driving, do not exceed the posted limits.

KeriVit · Nov 26, 2005, 08:48 PM

Who the hell turns corners at 100 mph?!?

marden · Nov 26, 2005, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by KeriVit

Who the hell turns corners at 100 mph?!?

Quite right.

Speeding at 100mph, then slowing down to take a turn on heat weakened tyres can ruin your day.

Changing lanes on heat weakened rubber can send you out of control.

waxcrash · Nov 27, 2005, 06:04 PM

Last year on Christmas Day, my brother and I were driving back from my dad's in Milwaukee to Chicago. We stopped to get gas and when we were at the gas station a girl who looked like she was 17 or 18 asked if we could help her. She said she had a flat and didn't know what to do. She tried calling a bunch of gas stations, but none could help because it was Christmas Day. I asked her if she had a spare tire and how far her car was, which was a few miles away. Anyways, we drove her to her car and changed her tire for her. It was just a random act of kindness.

Gankdawg · Nov 27, 2005, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by waxcrash

Last year on Christmas Day, my brother and I were driving back from my dad's in Milwaukee to Chicago. We stopped to get gas and when we were at the gas station a girl who looked like she was 17 or 18 asked if we could help her. She said she had a flat and didn't know what to do. She tried calling a bunch of gas stations, but none could help because it was Christmas Day. I asked her if she had a spare tire and how far her car was, which was a few miles away. Anyways, we drove her to her car and changed her tire for her. It was just a random act of kindness.

Spliffdaddy · Nov 27, 2005, 06:16 PM

A co-worker called me just before work and asked if I could help her change a flat tire. I drove down to the gas station where she'd stopped, about a mile away. I felt pretty good about helping her out because I'd been hitting on her for like five years - and I was flattered she called me. So I arrived on the scene to save the day and began changing the tire for her. She said her boyfriend hadn't been answering his phone and she left him several messages.

Before I could get the car jacked up, another car pulled up alongside me. This dude stepped out, walked over to me, and pushed on the side of my head causing me to fall over. It was her boyfriend, and he was pissed because some strange guy was changing his girlfriend's tire.

wallinbl · Nov 27, 2005, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

I felt pretty good about helping her out because I'd been hitting on her for like five years - and I was flattered she called me.

A smart chick knows that when a guy wants her, he'll do damn near anything.

Face Ache · Nov 27, 2005, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

Before I could get the car jacked up, another car pulled up alongside me. This dude stepped out, walked over to me, and pushed on the side of my head causing me to fall over. It was her boyfriend, and he was pissed because some strange guy was changing his girlfriend's tire.

That's what tyre irons are for.

My first car was a jalopy that developed a bulge in a rear tyre wall, causing the car to vibrate over 80km/h. I took it up to 120km/h before that sucker blew. It was then that I found out the jack didn't work.

Fortunately a mate (with a working jack) drove by about five minutes later.

Doofy · Nov 27, 2005, 08:29 PM

Only ever had one flat. Chick's jealous ex-boyfriend slashed my tyres while I was partaking of a cup of coffee and philosophical discourse at her house one evening.

Volks · 08:50 PM

Changing a flat is a piece of cake:

1. Dial AAA on your cell phone

2. Wait for AAA towtruck to arrive

3. Wait while AAA person changes your tire/tows you to wherever.

Pretty simple.

I don't think changing a tire merits sleeping with a girl.

isao bered · Nov 27, 2005, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by Volks

I don't think changing a tire merits sleeping with a girl.

well what else are ya supposed to do once you've got the rubber on? hmmmmm... on second thought maybe i don't want to know... ;-)

be well.

laeth

Rev-O · Nov 27, 2005, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

<snip>
...he was pissed because some strange guy was changing his girlfriend's tire.

Last week I watched some guy trying like hell to change a tire for his Girlfriend/wife/whatever in a parking lot. It was a truly pathetic sight: fought like hell to get the vehicle jacked up then couldn't undo the lugs because he hadn't broken them loose while the tire was on the ground. So after watching the whole exercise in futility for several minutes, I walked over, asked for the tire iron and loosened all the lugs with quick kicks. Then I took the lugs off, handed the guy the tire iron and said "There ya go." Sheesh. How hard can changing a tire be? If you drive a car, know where your jack is, know where the jack points are, and know how to change a flipping tire.

It was such a complete violation of the guy's code: making one guy feel inadequate infront of his girlie. Heh, and the girl said "Oh wow! Thanks so much!" It was a d!ckhead thing to do in a way, but I got a laugh out of it.

Railroader · Nov 28, 2005, 12:36 AM

I had a tire "blow out" when driving past a gun club once. Hmmm.... That was the worst.

The "best", was once while driving in a friend's Ford Fiesta, he got a flat tire and I was able to lift* the car up long enough for him to change the tire.

*If you knew how tiny a Fiesta was you wouldn't be impressed at all.

marden · Nov 28, 2005, 12:53 AM

Originally Posted by Rev-O

Last week I watched some guy trying like hell to change a tire for his Girlfriend/wife/whatever in a parking lot. It was a truly pathetic sight: fought like hell to get the vehicle jacked up then couldn't undo the lugs because he hadn't broken them loose while the tire was on the ground. So after watching the whole exercise in futility for several minutes, I walked over, asked for the tire iron and loosened all the lugs with quick kicks. Then I took the lugs off, handed the guy the tire iron and said "There ya go." Sheesh. How hard can changing a tire be? If you drive a car, know where your jack is, know where the jack points are, and know how to change a flipping tire.

It was such a complete violation of the guy's code: making one guy feel inadequate infront of his girlie. Heh, and the girl said "Oh wow! Thanks so much!" It was a d!ckhead thing to do in a way, but I got a laugh out of it.

Temptation must've been too great. I can understand that mixed feeling. Wanting to help those in need. Not wanting to make the guy feel bad in front of his girlie. At least you know that doing it was partially wrong makes it excusable.

SSharon · Nov 28, 2005, 03:24 AM

The only flat tire I have ever had while driving was last year 4th of July weekend. I was 100 miles southwest of chicago and saw a bulge in a tire. After about 10 miles (this was the return trip) it busted and somehow AAA had it fixed and I was driving again in under 45 minutes. I would have done it myself but it wasn't a long wait and since it was a full size spare I had no intention of changing it after getting home.

Albert Pujols · Nov 28, 2005, 06:16 AM

Put cans of that run-flat stuff in your trunk. That way you're not stuck changing a tire on the side of the road, in the rain.

wallinbl · Nov 28, 2005, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by marden

Temptation must've been too great. I can understand that mixed feeling. Wanting to help those in need. Not wanting to make the guy feel bad in front of his girlie. At least you know that doing it was partially wrong makes it excusable.

Get over your egos! So what if the guy doesn't know how to change a tire? If his girl cares about that, then she's not worth it.

Doofy · Nov 28, 2005, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by wallinbl

Get over your egos! So what if the guy doesn't know how to change a tire? If his girl cares about that, then she's not worth it.

Hmmm... On the one hand...

• He might be a brain surgeon. When you get a brain tumor and he's operating on you would you prefer that he spent his time learning about cars or learning about surgery?

On the other hand...

• Every car manual tells you how to change a flat tyre. RTFM.

I have no idea which way to go on that one.

ghporter · Nov 28, 2005, 10:52 AM

Railroader, my mom drove a Festiva for several years-I'd have been surprised if you couldn't hold it up so someone could change the tire!

My goddaughter went on a band-related road trip with a group of friends once, and while on the upslope of the Ozarks, the car she was in had a blow out. She was the only person in the car who knew how to change a flat, so not only did her girlfriend owe her, the two guys who she directed through the process owed her BIG TIME. They were embarassed that they didn't know how to do it, but my goddaughter felt that it was about as basic to driving as knowing how to put gas in the car, so she was just startled to be The One.

My son has had the opportunity to change a real flat, and he did quite well at it-under the direction of his mother, who was driving when the tire went out. But I feel confident he'd not only be able to handle the thing by himself, but do so without doing much more damage than getting his hands dirty.

And Doofy, you'd be surprised how many people don't even know that there IS a manual for their car, let alone what's in it. Sad...

wallinbl · Nov 28, 2005, 12:04 PM

I just remembered my worst flat tire story. After my junior year prom, a group of us were headed out to the beach. We stopped on the way so that the girls could change out of their dresses. Since it was around midnight, the parking lot was empty. The guys proceeded to drive the car around the parking lot as fast as they could get it going. After a few minutes, we clipped a curb on a turn, and popped both tires on the passenger side. With only one spare, we were stuck. I called my dad who replied, "It sucks to be you!" It was a lousy end to prom night!