18048 replies to this topic

[BrewerGeorge]

Then the tire comes back and hits the car for good measure.  Sheesh.  

That's my favorite part.  It's like one last Fuck You from the tire. 

 

"Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale; to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee."

 

I wish the SUV had been white.

[zymot]

I had that happen to me, on a bridge. A flatbed truck with a bunch of old tires piled on on the back passed me. I said to myself, "One of those tires is going to come off the that truck. I just know it." So I backed way off and kept my eye on the pile of ties on the flatbed.

 

Then one of the tires did come off the truck. It was the left rear tire, it broke away from the axel. I had cars passing me on the left lane, and a guard rail between me the San Francisco Bay on the right. The tire came off and was rolling back at me. I slowed down and figured I might have to hit the tire and take my chances.

 

I veered over to the right and the tire rolled past me on the left.

[Stains_not_here_man]

Before I was born my mom (according to a story she has told over the years) was driving in Minnesota and a tire came off a semi in front of her like that, rolled a bit and then hit something in the road at the last minute before it was going to hit her car. It bounced up and arced over my mom who drove right under it and it came down on the windshield of the car behind her

[Big Nake]

There was a big story years ago about a part flying off of a semi and going through the windshield of a minivan and taking out an entire family.  Every time I pass a semi at high speed I envision something like that happening.  AFAIK, I have never, ever seen a a tire fly off of a vehicle anywhere near me... and I have done a lot of driving in my life.  

[TonyBrown]

there was an incident years ago (maybe urban legend) about a motorcyclist that got killed - nearly decapitated - by the retread of a semi trailer.  I worked at the tollway and picked up many of those on the side of the road, when they let go the radial belts turn the side of those into a saw blade and a full one weighs about 60-80lbs so it is believable to me...

[Dave McG]

I've seen a semi lose a tire at speed twice, both in Ohio. In one case we were far enough back to watch it come off the trailer, roll at speed for a bit before bouncing over the guardrail. We caught up to the trucker & got him to stop, he didn't know it happened. The other time a group was driving in convoy from a kayak trip. A semi ahead lost both the tire and the attached axle, just in front of a friend. Every car around us jammed on the brakes because the tire was bouncing erratically. No one got hit but about ten drivers got off at the next exit to change their shorts.

[idajack]

Years ago when my grandpa was alive he had just bought fresh tires for the snowmobile trailer, headed to the cabin and made it 55 miles to the turn to head up toward the parking area and one of the left tires flew off and hit an oncoming car. Checked the other three tires on the trailer and they were all loose.
He never used les schwabs tires again, it rattled him pretty good but only slightly dented the fender and hood of the oncoming car.
And maybe fifteen years ago I watched a recap on a semi blow and take out the hood and windshield of a hummer 2 that was driven by an asshole who was weaving in and out of traffic tailgating anyone who wouldn’t get over for him, I think everyone around me was smiling and thinking karmas a bitch at that one.

[Buscotucky]

I went to an NFL game many years ago, and going around the parking lot saw a vehicle lose a tire...wasn't going very fast, but the tire took off across the parking lot towards a bunch of tailgaiters. One guy, no doubt filled with Irish courage, jumped out in front of the tire to catch it. He got flattened & the tire didn't even slow down lol.

[Gumbo Leviathan]

The amount of kinetic energy in a rolling tire is huge.  A relatively small bag of meat and water (beer?) isn't going to do much to stop it