32-year Old Dies After Car Tyre Is Punctured (Vandalism)

Crabman

I'm sure some have already heard of this (it's a couple of days old) but the severity of the crash was shocking, considering the cause appears to be a deliberate puncture to a rear tyre in a senseless act of vandalism:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9565378/Tyre-slashing-manslaughter-inquiry-launched-after-pharmacists-fatal-car-crash.html

It's probably a good enough incentive for us to check tyres before every journey. I try to walk around the car before getting in to do a motorway journey to make sure the tyres look ok but must admit I don't always do so. I do check them weekly with a 12V air compressor to ensure pressures are ok (easiest way to detect slow punctures as you can't easily inspect the full circumference of each tyre).

I'm wondering whether run-flats are a way forward in this area. They may cost more and need replacing after being driven on a puncture, but at least those who do more than just city driving have peace of mind in terms of not suffering an unexpected blowout. Another option may be tyre pressure monitoring which I believe is supposed to be or will shortly be mandatory on new cars in Europe.

Found dashcam footage of a rear blowout on a motorway, not a pleasant experience but this driver was lucky it ended well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iqyvwzpnHk

Out of interest, how often do peeps on here check tyre condition and pressure? Before every journey, every week/fortnight or longer?

forgotmyname

Would the driver not hear the rumble of a flat tyre? Especially at 70mph?

Notmyrealname

forgotmyname wrote: »

Would the drive not hear the rumble of a flat tyre? Especially at 70mph?

I followed a woman for 20 miles up a yorkshire country road who had a flat tyre trying to get her to stop. She was completely oblivious to it.

Most drivers are completely incapable of "feeling" that the car isn't quite cornering right, the main giveaway of a soft or flat tyre.

Wig

Doesn't have to be flat to cause the problem, it could have been almost flat. in either case the tyre doesn't make a lot of noise.

The easy giveaway is a rear jelly like wobble when you change lane or corner. I was going on a long journey a month ago and as soon as I got on the motorway I felt a wobble on lane changing. I knew instantly I had under inflated tyre(s) on the back, I took it easy to the next exit and then could feel it was underinflated with my fingers. (it wasn't that visible), Pumped it up and all was well. The pump said it was about 20 - 23 psi , and oddly I think both rears were flat.

Then you wonder what made it go down, because it doesn't normally go down, so that leaves one possibility, someone let it it down.

Maybe it should be part of the driving test or learning process that you learn what it feels like to have a flat on the car.

skivenov

Really makes you think what a difference taking 2 minutes to walk round your car can make.

andygb

Notmyrealname wrote: »

I followed a woman for 20 miles up a yorkshire country road who had a flat tyre trying to get her to stop. She was completely oblivious to it.

Most drivers are completely incapable of "feeling" that the car isn't quite cornering right, the main giveaway of a soft or flat tyre.

I may well get flamed for this, but a great many women drivers do not have any idea about cars, how they go and stop, what they should feel like as you are driving.
Years ago, my OH totally ignored the temperature warning light when it came on one evening. She then proceeded to drive home, forty miles away, despite the car "feeling strange". The car siezed a mile from home.
Tonight, she told me that her supervisor (a young woman of thirty) was concerned, because all the warning lights on her dashboard had been on for a couple of weeks.
What can you do?

s_b

tyres blow out, always did
i read the piece where they said it was caused by vandalism
the tyre could have hit something in the road causing the blowout
personally i think they have put her family in great pain because they will never trust anyone in the vicinity again
looking at the car i thought it was a rav with run flats too but with those weird special rims?

Tobster86

My OH is of the same nationality as the unfortunatley lady in the article, and pretty well knows her way around a car. There are plenty of fellas out there that really should know a thing or two more than they do about cars.

I read that less than 1% of KSIs were as a result of mechanical failure, but most of those involved tyres. It is worth checking tyres regularly but also trying (for what it's worth) to have a plan or at least consider what action to take. I consider myself fortunate that both blowouts I've experienced were controllable. One was a known good tyre, the other was known to be a bit old.

Weird_Nev

So it's the drivers fault her car was vandalised and she died is it?

I've seen people on here suggesting that people let down tyres over parking disputes or similar.


You have been warned, and should be ashamed. You know who you are.

Wanton

Notmyrealname wrote: »

I followed a woman for 20 miles up a yorkshire country road who had a flat tyre trying to get her to stop. She was completely oblivious to it.

Most drivers are completely incapable of "feeling" that the car isn't quite cornering right, the main giveaway of a soft or flat tyre.

She was probably scared of the person following her for 20 miles on a country road trying to get her to stop!

Wig

s_b wrote: »

tyres blow out, always did
i read the piece where they said it was caused by vandalism
the tyre could have hit something in the road causing the blowout
personally i think they have put her family in great pain because they will never trust anyone in the vicinity again

Did you also read the bit where it said three other cars where she had parked for the weekend were also vandalised in the same manner?

looking at the car i thought it was a rav with run flats too but with those weird special rims?

I can't see the rims in the photo?