The Nice People Thread, No.16: A Universe of Niceness.

chris_m

Pyxis wrote: »

it's ok, it's checked every year at its MOT and service.

Goodo.

Is the spare (if included) part of the MOT nowadays? It's several years since I had to put a car in for a test so I don't know if the test has changed and does include the spare now.

Pyxis

chris_m wrote: »

Goodo.

Is the spare (if included) part of the MOT nowadays? It's several years since I had to put a car in for a test so I don't know if the test has changed and does include the spare now.

I've always assumed it was, which is why I thought it was mandatory, but perhaps it's included if there is one, IYSWIM.

I know the spare is always mentioned on the paperwork, but whether that's on the MOT or the Service, I can't remember.

chris_m

Pyxis wrote: »

I've always assumed it was, which is why I thought it was mandatory, but perhaps it's included if there is one, IYSWIM.

I know it didn't used to be included, because I took one of my first cars in for the test and the examiner asked what the spare was like. I said that I didn't think it was included, to which he replied that it wasn't but the worn one on the left rear was, so if I'd like to swap it for the spare and the spare was OK he'd pass the car, otherwise he'd have to fail it :embarasse

Edit - I've just checked, and the spare is not part of the test unless it is fitted instead of one of the normal wheels/tyres. The only way the spare can fail the test is if it's in an underslung carrier and that is insecure.
BTW, A "temporary use" wheel & tyre if fitted to the car instead of a normal wheel/tyre WILL fail the test - because all four wheels/tyres must be the same size, unless the car was designed/built with different sizes front and rear, in which case both wheels/tyres on each axle must be the same size.

Edit 2 - more checking elicits the information that it is not a legal requirement to carry a spare wheel/tyre, nor a repair inflation kit, at all. It is, however, recommended.

zagubov

Pyxis wrote: »

A proton-pump inhibitor. Omeprazole is one, but there are others.

That's probably what it was but I can't recall the precise version or brand I was prescribed. Had to synchronise it with mealtimes or something.

chris_m wrote: »

Many cars nowadays don't come with a spare wheel but a pump and a can of "jollop" tyre sealant, which is road legal.
It's a combination of saving money and saving weight to help with emissions. To be even more unhelpful, the sealant only works on basic punctures and tyre places often refuse to repair tyres that have had the sealant used because the stuff goes everywhere inside the tyre.

Some cars don't have the space to store a full-size wheel and tyre but do include a space saver wheel and tyre, some (like my now departed Mercedes A-Class) don't even have the space to store any form of spare wheel other than taking up some of the normal boot space.

I'm pleased to say that my Dacia Duster did come with a full-sized spare, albeit a steel rather than alloy wheel, but that's only because it's the 4x4 variant. The 4x2 variants only get the jollop, although real spare wheels and an under-floor cage are an option.

I've managed to avoid cars that don't have a spare tyre. My current car is tiny but still has a spacesaver. I once had to use that sealant spray and it didn't do much for the tyre. Wouldn't touch them with a bargepole now.

Pyxis

Yes, I think that if you do have a spare, it has to comply with the rules about tyre condition, and tread etc.

In other words, if you change a flat tyre or a worn tyre for the spare, you can't just keep the flat/worn tyre in your boot indefinitely, (assuming the 'spare' tyre used isn't a space saver one which has to be changed back soon anyway).

Unless they've changed those rules as well.

Doozergirl

Some cars don't have spares. Runflats exist, as do those bizarre cans of expanding foam.

I haven't had a spare tyre in a car since 2006!

chris_m

Pyxis wrote: »

Yes, I think that if you do have a spare, it has to comply with the rules about tyre condition, and tread etc.

Nope. The "spare" can be as bald as a coot, with wires sticking out all around the rim and it's perfectly legal - right up to the point that you use it as a road wheel. Until that point it's just counted as "luggage".

PasturesNew

I've no idea if mine's got a spare or not.

Had two punctures in recent years, once when I was parked just 50 yards from the tyre place - and the other one I drove home on for at least 20 miles thinking "back end feels really odd, maybe I'm in a truck rut", looked when I got home ... and called the tyre place to come and change it. Tyre place is the best/prices in the area and only ¼ mile away from my house, so I've been quite lucky there to have them so close.

PasturesNew

If everybody's fence is the same, stained regular brown (and faded) .... and visitors to the property struggle to work out where your house/number is as they have a long length of fence without any clues, (visitors arrive into the rear car park, not the front of the house) do you:

A] Buy brown, slap it on.....
B] Think about colour and maybe get a pale green colour so you can at least advise visitors "head for the green fence"? https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/0f/86/04/0f8604022ed9c3300e365dd0e639a545--garden-bar-cottage-garden.jpg
C] Have another idea?

I'm tempted to do A as it's easiest/cheapest.

Pyxis

PasturesNew wrote: »

If everybody's fence is the same, stained regular brown (and faded) .... and visitors to the property struggle to work out where your house/number is as they have a long length of fence without any clues, (visitors arrive into the rear car park, not the front of the house) do you:

A] Buy brown, slap it on.....
B] Think about colour and maybe get a pale green colour so you can at least advise visitors "head for the green fence"? https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/0f/86/04/0f8604022ed9c3300e365dd0e639a545--garden-bar-cottage-garden.jpg
C] Have another idea?

I'm tempted to do A as it's easiest/cheapest.

Why not stick your house number on the fence? Would save painting it. If there's a gate in the fence, stick the number on the gate.


Or tell them to look for the one with the periscope on it! :rotfl:
(Or a plastic seagull? )