Mondays at the tire shop

[wmtire]

I guess I'm losing my mojo or miracle rating. Had a male and female drive up wanting a tire repaired. When they finally were able to figure out how to bavk up in the bay, she could not find her key to the locking lug nut. She called her ex husband who said he had it in his truck and would bring it to her in about an hour.

I told them to just pull out of the bay and into a parking spot while they waited as I had other customers to pull in the bay. The male started to but she stopped him. She tells me her ex will be here in an hour and she was going to keep her spot.

I told her that was not the way it worked and to pull in a parking spot. She refused again.

I had enough of her and told her to pay me 200 dollars cash right now as that was the cost of an hour for my bay. She must not have had the money nor did it miraculously appear as she did pull out and drive off.

[cc102bob]

Originally Posted by wmtire

I guess I'm losing my mojo or miracle rating. Had a male and female drive up wanting a tire repaired. When they finally were able to figure out how to bavk up in the bay, she could not find her key to the locking lug nut. She called her ex husband who said he had it in his truck and would bring it to her in about an hour.

I told them to just pull out of the bay and into a parking spot while they waited as I had other customers to pull in the bay. The male started to but she stopped him. She tells me her ex will be here in an hour and she was going to keep her spot.

I told her that was not the way it worked and to pull in a parking spot. She refused again.

I had enough of her and told her to pay me 200 dollars cash right now as that was the cost of an hour for my bay. She must not have had the money nor did it miraculously appear as she did pull out and drive off.

The problem with magic is that once you explain to someone how the magic works, it's no longer magic and therefore quits working.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by wmtire

She called her ex husband who said he had it in his truck and would bring it to her in about an hour.

Her ex is a nice guy. If my ex called me with a similar request I'd tell her she's on her own now, just pay the extra cost to have the locking lug nut removed.

(actually, my ex remarried and she's now someone else's problem )

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by pwoods

Reminded me of an incident in Feb 2020. We caught up to a car just as we entered a relatively new roundabout in a rural area (Santa Ynez, Ca.). Had to take it slow and the other car looked hesitant so it didn't surprise me when they pulled to the right onto the wide shoulder upon exiting the roundabout. I thiught "how nice of them to let me pass". So I hit the gas. What did surprise me was the immediate u-turn they pulled in front of me. Seems like we missed by less than an inch. Had to pull over myself to get the heart rate down.

They put a roundabout in front of a new casino built near my house several years ago. We have a lot of drivers visiting from foreign countries where they drive on the wrong side of the road. I've encountered numerous drivers who enter the roadway just North of the roundabout, automatically get in the left lane, then enter the traffic circle going the wrong way. They then expect those going the right way to back up and let them out not realizing that THEY are the only ones without several cars stacked up behind them.

[wmtire]

This man was so sure he knew his tire pressure monitoring system on his Honda CR-V better than I did, but I couldn't get him to put his money where his mouth was.

He said his low tire light was on, and it was the same tire we repaired a few weeks ago...the driver rear....or driver passenger to FROG BOB.

I asked him how he knew that and he showed me the light on his dashboard, which only indicates a low tire...but not which one. I told him that and he said there were four of those same lights and the one that was on, indicated the driver rear.

I told him I had never seen that before and to show me on his dash. It only had one low tire light but he insisted there were three more than were not illuminated and tried to show me that there would be one on top of the illuminated light and two to the right showing the passenger tires.

I told him I have never seen such and he got adamant that i was wrong and he was right. I told him if he could show me that I would fix his tire for free or charge him double if he couldn't.

He then backed down and I showed him how there was only one light.

I also showed him it was his passenger rear tire that was low with 24 psi.....or passenger passenger for Bob. lol

I thought I was going to make some easy fast extra money but it was a bust.

P.S. I forgot to add that for someone so sure of something on his vehicle...he didn't even know the model year for certain. He had to get his paperwork out.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

The white arrows are the directions of travel for the lanes. I was the green arrow getting ready to make the right turn. I did not bother looking to my left because as that is a one way street at that point there should be no traffic coming from the left.

I always look the wrong way even if it's a 1-way street. I hate to admit, twice in my driving career, I've gone the wrong way on a 1-way street. Worse yet, once was just a few years ago in my dually onto a small 1-lane city street!

My daughter just started driving and I've engrained in her to look the wrong way, as well.

[5er_tom]

I my motorcycle days, and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, I was taught to always look both ways before entering an intersection, regardless of a green light for me. I still do that today.
Our daughter got broadsided by a drunk driver at an intersection where she had a green light. If only see had looked both ways......

PS: She was not seriously hurt.

[PodGeek]

Originally Posted by 5er_tom

... I was taught to always look both ways before entering an intersection, regardless of a green light for me.

Running red lights and stop signs is fast becoming the national pastime. You can't be too careful on the road.

[yukongold]

Originally Posted by 5er_tom

I my motorcycle days, and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, I was taught to always look both ways . . .

I remember being taught, in 1st and 2nd grade, to look both ways before crossing a street. It was repeated and repeated and repeated until it sunk in - - for most of us, anyway. This was in the 1950's when people still took responsibility for their own safety and before pedestrians expected drivers to take all of the responsibility (leaving them free to enter a street without even looking up from their "smart" phone). Anyway, that training and mindset just naturally took effect as we learned to drive, also. At least for everyone I grew up with.
Glad your daughter was unhurt. Hopefully she learned from that incident.

[5er_tom]

Yes, she now looks both ways. But, her Nissan Armada tow vehicle was totaled. Five airbags deployed!

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by 5er_tom

I my motorcycle days, and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, I was taught to always look both ways before entering an intersection, regardless of a green light for me. I still do that today.
Our daughter got broadsided by a drunk driver at an intersection where she had a green light. If only see had looked both ways......

PS: She was not seriously hurt.

Back in 1969 I looked left when entering an intersection on my motorcycle with a green light. Two cars wewe stopped but then a drunk ran the red light between then. Result? Me flat on my back in the hospital with a full leg cast, broken pelvis, dislocated shoulder and severe concussion.

That incident took a year out of my life but at least my leg was saved.

A simple phrase ---"look left and live".

Looking both ways is important but remember, the one on the left will hit you first if you overlook an approaching vehicle so looking left is worth an extra look.

[LittleBill]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Looking both ways is important but remember, the one on the left will hit you first if you overlook an approaching vehicle so looking left is worth an extra look.

x2
There is a county road that crosses a state road that has just a 2-way stop sign where I grew up. There is no obstruction preventing a clear view. But there has been some fatal accidents at that intersection. Ever since I started driving 60 years ago, I have looked left, then right, then left, then right and then left making sure no traffic that would interfere with my crossing the highway. Being vehicles are traveling nearly 60-65 (55 speed limit), it doesn't take long for them to come up on you and you can easily miss one with only one glance.

Be safe out there -

[dmctlc]

I couldn't tell you how many Motor Vehicle accidents I've been to in my 36 yrs. in firefighting that a person ran a red light drunk, sober, distracted on a phone or arguing other than to say too many. I tried to get my DW and kids to always look at lights or stop signs and don't take a chance even if they have their directional on because in the end you can stop carelessness in drivers even if it is an accident. A quick story to stress that point. Many years ago on duty we had the other stations over the main station so perhaps 3 additional engines along with my engine as officer on duty and the quint for a special training exercise. Alarm goes off for a structure fire across town through a main intersection. Being first out the opticon turn the light green as we came out of the station followed by the chief and ladder etc. I pulled up to light slowed down even though it was green and as we all started going through a kid ran the red light to my right just missed us but rammed the chiefs car. We slowed briefly he told us and most of the rest to continue to the call that he was alright. Came out later the kid said he didn't see the chiefs car and thought he could run between the engines. Luckily even though both cars totaled no real life threatening injuries. Needless to say the kid didn't do to well with the police afterwards. I always do a double take even when I got a green light, stop signs etc. The extra few seconds could save your life or someone in your car. Sorry for the long story.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by dmctlc

I couldn't tell you how many Motor Vehicle accidents I've been to in my 36 yrs. in firefighting that a person ran a red light drunk, sober, distracted on a phone or arguing other than to say too many. I tried to get my DW and kids to always look at lights or stop signs and don't take a chance even if they have their directional on because in the end you can stop carelessness in drivers even if it is an accident. A quick story to stress that point. Many years ago on duty we had the other stations over the main station so perhaps 3 additional engines along with my engine as officer on duty and the quint for a special training exercise. Alarm goes off for a structure fire across town through a main intersection. Being first out the opticon turn the light green as we came out of the station followed by the chief and ladder etc. I pulled up to light slowed down even though it was green and as we all started going through a kid ran the red light to my right just missed us but rammed the chiefs car. We slowed briefly he told us and most of the rest to continue to the call that he was alright. Came out later the kid said he didn't see the chiefs car and thought he could run between the engines. Luckily even though both cars totaled no real life threatening injuries. Needless to say the kid didn't do to well with the police afterwards. I always do a double take even when I got a green light, stop signs etc. The extra few seconds could save your life or someone in your car. Sorry for the long story.

As a retired firefighter, I have similar stories. I'm the same, I also do a double take.

[stephndudb]

Originally Posted by bikendan

As a retired firefighter, I have similar stories. I'm the same, I also do a double take.

I almost rammed a police cruiser with my ambulance. Both going to the same call, lights and sirens. He ran the red light at the intersection, I had the green. Fortunately, I slowed as I approached. Just missed him. You never know.

[wmtire]

Had a customer come in over a month ago wanting some front lawnmower tires swapped out. He had some fairly aggressive turf tires he wanted mounted on some wheels that had slicks on them. I asked if this was on a ztr mower and he said they were. I told him these tires would tear up the grass if he put thrm on a ztr. I thought he agreed with me and decided against it. He left without getting the tires mounted.

He just came back and guess what...he had gotten those turf tires mounted somewhere. He now had slicks to replace them with. He was telling me how the turf tires tore up some customers yards...so evidently he mows yards as a business.

I didn't tell him that I remembered him and had told him so last month. I figure he bought this education.

[wmtire]

Would you hire this person for being honest...or not hire this person for what they were being honest about.

Had a prospective employee interview this morning. When asked if he was currently taking any illegal drugs, he said he had done some meth this morning.

I now have to wonder if his being all messed up is what have him the motivation to go look for a job.

[CA Fisherman]

An agent with your liability insurance carrier will have a quick answer for you.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Would you hire this person for being honest...or not hire this person for what they were being honest about.

Had a prospective employee interview this morning. When asked if he was currently taking any illegal drugs, he said he had done some meth this morning.

I now have to wonder if his being all messed up is what have him the motivation to go look for a job.

That's methed up.

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by ependydad

That's methed up.