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I’ve only ever had one tyre blowout – I was in my early 20s and still living in New Zealand, and had driven an hour-and-a-half north to go to the races with some friends.
I was on my home again when it suddenly felt like I was driving over a cattle grid. Pulling over, I could see my front driver’s side tyre was completely gone.
I was still nearly an hour from home, stranded on the side of a country road. I’d been driving in an oblivious, slightly hungover bubble, so had NO clue what part of the highway I was on, or even what the nearest town was, and my mobile phone was almost dead.
Thankfully, there was JUST enough juice left to place a panicked call to my stepdad, who basically drove until he found me and helped me change the tyre (before you ask – I had been taught how to change one, but in my hungover state I just couldn’t deal with the reality of it all).
Now, more than 20 years later, I’d love to say I could handle a little flat tyre… but the truth is I’d probably (definitely) still freak out if I had another blowout. Thankfully, it’s much easier to sort these things now – a quick Google search using location services will tell you exactly where to hobble to sort out any flats, slow punctures or worn treads. You can even book to have your tyre conveniently changed on your driveway.
POST-LOCKDOWN TYRE CARE
One unexpected side effect of the pandemic has been an influx of flat tyres.
How so? With schools shut and people working from home, in many cases the family car been sitting idle on the driveway for months on end. Vehicles aren’t designed to stand still, and if tyres are left in the exact same position for weeks on end you could end up with a drop in pressure, and annoying flat spots.
The best way to avoid this is to make sure your tyres are fully inflated – even pumped up an extra couple of PSI (while staying within the recommended range of your car’s make and model).
Before rushing back on the school run, thoroughly check your tyres again to make sure they haven’t deflated or fallen foul to a slow puncture. If they do need some TLC, it’s a simple task to book them in to get checked over or changed. If they still have plenty of life, consider getting them rotated to round out flat spots and make sure they wear down evenly.
You’ll be safely back on the road in no time.
• looking for new car tyres in Kent? Shop branded car tyres at the reasonable prices at Dartford Tyres’ Kent branch.
