You got a flat tire dude!

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On the way to work this morning, I saw someone driving on a flat tire. It looked like the wheel cover (over a steel wheel) had come off. The tire was really flat, and the bead had clearly separated from the rim. However, the driver kept on driving merrily along, while this thing is going whump whump whump. He's going about 25 MPH driving slowly, and there's no way he can't hear it if I can from a distance. It looked like the tire had been like this for a while as it was literally kind of wavy looking, and it also looked as if there was wheel contact with the road, although no sparks. I've driven slowly home less than a half mile, but with my blinkers on. I tried honking, but the driver seemed oblivious.

I'm not sure if he knew or not. However, this car clearly needed a tow or at least a spare (it might have been a compact spare). There were people on the sidewalk staring at the car since it was so loud.

Now what's the worst that could happen? I've driven on a flat tire to get home or to a safe place to change a tire or wait for a tow. However, that's always been where the bead is still secure on the wheel and the tire is between the pavement and the ground. I was thinking it could damage an axle or wheel bearings.
 
I am pretty sure that the worst that would happen is a ruined wheel. If the vibration from that would hurt an axle or bearing think what would happen on some road surfaces at high speed. And potholes.
 
If you go fast enough, it could catch fire, or disintegrate and wrap around the hub taking out the brake line.
Lots of trailer tires blow and then catch fire if they driver doesn't notice.
 
Better than the people that think their car is completely immobile if they get a flat, and stop immediately in the middle of the road.
 
Originally Posted By: KD0AXS
Better than the people that think their car is completely immobile if they get a flat, and stop immediately in the middle of the road.


A couple years ago I got rear ended and pushed into two other cars because a woman stopped in the middle of a freeway due to a flat.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: KD0AXS
Better than the people that think their car is completely immobile if they get a flat, and stop immediately in the middle of the road.


A couple years ago I got rear ended and pushed into two other cars because a woman stopped in the middle of a freeway due to a flat.



People stopping in the middle of the interstate is pretty normal for me. The 690/81 interchange through downtown Syracuse NY is a bit confusing. When people miss their exit, their thought isn't "let me take the next exit", their thought is "let me stop right in the middle of the interstate".

Last year a friend of mine was in the hospital. I went to visit him. For a few days, there was this car that would come over to the hospital from the south side on the same flat tire and shredded wheel.
 
I one time saw a guy driving across a very large parking lot with all four tires flat. It looked like he was driving very slowly towards an auto shop that was on the far end of the parking lot, and even though I was young I remember looking at it like it was strange and thinking that I'd be worried getting it towed onto a flatbed, let alone driving all that distance to the auto shop.
 
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