No Good Deed - Tyre Weld (Long Story)

Tygermoth

If you want to jump the convoluted saga, the question is at the end.

No good deed goes unpunished.

I saw an older gent by the side of a fairly unused remote road yesterday with a flat. He was red faced in the sun franticly using a foot pump to try and inflate the tyre.

I drove past then feeling guilty (as I wouldn’t want someone to just pass me by) I turned round and went back.

The Gent was happy someone had stopped as he was lost, hot and no one had been by in ages. I offered a lift to a tyre retailer/town and also advised the Gent that I had an inflate/puncture repair kit if he wanted and I was happy to lend it to him.

The bloke was absolutely made up and asked to use the repair kit, as in his words, much cheaper than tow truck call out. He promised to drop a replacement off asap he took my details and I his, he then started to use the device.

On starting to inflate the tyre it transpires there was a very large irregular tear (and incidentally looked to be quite a bit of wear) he then realised that there was no way he was driving on it.

At a speed that was staggering he then shoved the kit back at me snatching back the scrap of paper with his contact details. He stated because it had not worked he would not be replacing it as he would now have the cost of calling the AA to come and get him.

Startled, I pointed out the kit was for one use only but he pooh poohed this then sharply raised his hand up to cut me off mid response and walked away dialling his mobile.

Angry and indignant I was loading the stuff back in the car when he came back up to me to mention he could not get a signal on his mobile to get hold of the AA. I advised that he would need to go some distance to pick up a signal… He then asked me for a lift to the mobile signal range or a tyre retailer whichever came first.

I am not proud of the fact I drove off and left him there but it soothed my irritation somewhat..... even if two wrongs dont make a right.

Anyhoo to my question, can they be used twice? I only have tiny tyres on a Smart and don’t want to cough up for another kit in light of the above.

P.s I was not expecting the item to actually be returned - human nature and all but i was expecting better than the above!

Bravehearted_2

Hahaha - I dont know the answer to your question, but that was funny as hell.

A+ for not giving him a lift too. He might have complained that your style of driving was jerky, too fast, bumpy etc

fivetide

Great story! As above, i don't know the answer but if it makes him think twice about behaving like that again then you have done a good thing and you were right to drive off.

Some people just don't have a clue.

5t.

timbo58

What an ungrateful ar*e.
He may well have caused the tear by driving on the flat tyre for some distance in any case.

I would have shrugged my shoulders and said 'oh well: worth a try' and still replaced the contents when I was able to as promised.

I think you did the right thing in leaving him there: a good walk might help him to understand that politeness costs nothing at all.

After using that tyre repair stuff the tyre is scrap anyway apparantly, so no doubt he would have blamed you for that also in any case?

fivetide

timbo58 wrote: »

After using that tyre repair stuff the tyre is scrap anyway apparantly, so no doubt he would have blamed you for that also in any case?

Excellent point. It's what I thought was going to be the complaint when I opened the thread, you'd (the OP) ruined his wheel/he'd had to pay to get it cleaned off the rim afterwards.

5t.

Gordon_Hose

And they say respect your elders.

I'd have left him there as well.

JimmyTheWig

We've used this stuff on pram (bicycle) tyres before*.
Obviously that didn't use a whole can and we were able to use it more than once.
Whether there would now be enough in it for a car tyre, I don't know.

* For those that are wondering, it wasn't particularly successful!

Mr_Thrifty

He'd have probably sued you for whiplash or something.

Beware the oldies, they're nothing but trouble.

Ms_Chocaholic

Fab tale.

To make my day .... how long would the man have had to walk to pick up a mobile signal?

Norman_Castle

I like him. He's a real money saver. It was probably Martins dad.

How much is it to replace the kit and how much of a pain would it be if you needed it and it wouldn't work. (Possibly due to abandoned old man karma).

Biglad_3

timbo58 wrote: »

After using that tyre repair stuff the tyre is scrap anyway apparantly, so no doubt he would have blamed you for that also in any case?

The tyre is not scrap, btw, it simply needs a wash or flushing with a hose. Most tyre places are more than able to deal with a tyre that has been repaired with 'gunk'.

To the OP well done :T people like that deserve it.