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From: Douglas Payne on 3 Apr 2010 16:28
Ret. wrote:
> Douglas Payne wrote:
>> Mrcheerful wrote:
>>
>>> This was classic Darwinism, she was holding a tyre with a bulge,
>>> removed because it had suffered damage, she had not put the tyre in
>>> the boot where it would have been no danger, but instead held it on
>>> her lap inside the car, if it was really vital to keep the tyre in
>>> the passenger compartment rather than replace it in the spare wheel
>>> well then she could have let the air out of the tyre which would
>>> have made the tyre safe. It is akin to holding a firework that has
>>> gone out.
>>
>> Except that tyres are not specifically designed with the sole purpose
>> of exploding spectacularly a long way away from people.
>
> True.
>
>>
>> I don't treat inflated tyres as if they are fireworks nor does anyone
>> I know.
>
> But you (and they) should - if it is clear that the tyre is damaged and
> 'bulging' as this one was.

Clearly we should, but untill I read this story I probably wouldn't
have. The point I was making was that I'd wager that most people are
not aware of the consequences of a bulging tyre and that a car tyre
could so easily kill them. So are unlikely to have taken the precaution
of deflating it.

The government doesn't broadcast public information films about 'never
go near a bulging car tyre'. I'm not sure Darwinism comes into this really.

>> It's tragic for someone to lose their life like this, but I don't
>> think it's reasonable to expect someone to know to deflate a tyre
>> that has been removed or be killed as a result.
>
> If a tyre is sufficiently damaged that part of it is bulging, it should
> be obvious to most people that the air pressure in the tyre is causing
> the damaged and weakened part to push out.

Yes, however, I don't think it's obvious to everyone, even people like
me who take an interest in motoring that it should be deflated prior to
transportation, so the couple in question weren't acting out of outright
stupidity, merely a widespread ignorance of the consequences.

>> I own a car where an inflated tyre on a roadwheel won't physically fit
>> in the boot, let alone the space underneath it where the spare wheel
>> lives.
>
> But would you get your wife to hold a clearly damaged and bulging tyre
> on her lap?

Not now, but who knows I might have.

--
Douglas
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