New Tires now have flat spots...

ultrarunner · Jun 16, 2014

On my way home from the ranch last night driving 55 mph through the Caldecott Tunnel in the slow lane a motorcycle pulls right in front of me from the fast lane and a moment later an SUV pulls in front of the motorcycle and brakes.

They were passing on the right to get around a slow fast lane driver.

Thought it was going to be the end for the motorcycle as I locked up all four brakes and went into a skid going downhill.

Strange feeling skidding straight down the road at highway speed.

Motorcycle veered off to the shoulder lane... an entire lane reserved for emergency parking.

Anyway... my new $900 Michelin Truck tires all have flat spots and it is noticeable.

Saw my skid marks this morning...

I guess the only thing that would have save my tires would be ABS brakes.

So much for keeping the required number of car lengths and cautiously driving in the slow lane...

HHR · Jun 16, 2014

Call around to your local tire and truck shops and find out which ones do tire truing/shaving.
http://youtu.be/GAasIWzUJaU

oosik · Jun 16, 2014

It really makes you wonder how people can take the value of their lives and the value of others so lightly.

I'm certainly glad this did not become a accident.

3930dave · Jun 16, 2014

As a MC rider, I want to say "Thank You", for paying attention.

Careful what you wish for..... you probably stopped faster without ABS. PITA event for sure, but even if you end up replacing

those new tires, that is still cheaper in $ terms than rear-ending somebody....

It's not what you want to have to do for a street vehicle, but I'll be slightly surprised if a good shop can't shave those back True.

Rgds, and Thanks Again, Dave.

GManBart · Jun 22, 2014

ultrarunner said:
So much for keeping the required number of car lengths and cautiously driving in the slow lane...

Glad you were paying attention, and it wasn't any worse than just the flat spots!

This last comment is why I cringe when I see people talk about, or post pictures, of overloaded trailer combos, and then say "but I went slow, and was really careful." The problem is the morons out there on the road....the idiot driving slow in the left lane, the people making stupid passes to get around them, etc.

ultrarunner · Jun 22, 2014

It's the only time as a driver I have ever had to stand the brakes with no chance of steering around.

Definite flat spots and I can feel every tire rotation... the fronts have it worse than the rears... front disc and rear drum.

Probably just going to live with it...

At least the brakes pulled even... no veering... just a straight, white knuckle ride for a few moments.

It's been a few days now and the skid marks are still clear as day...

TripleR · Jun 22, 2014

3930dave said:
As a MC rider, I want to say "Thank You", for paying attention.

Careful what you wish for..... you probably stopped faster without ABS. PITA event for sure, but even if you end up replacing those new tires, that is still cheaper in $ terms than rear-ending somebody....

It's not what you want to have to do for a street vehicle, but I'll be slightly surprised if a good shop can't shave those back True.

Rgds, and Thanks Again, Dave.

:thumbsup:

newbury · Jun 22, 2014

Good to hear your OK

GManBart said:
<snip>The problem is the morons out there on the road....the idiot driving slow in the left lane, the people making stupid passes to get around them, etc.

But how slow is slow? I just finished hauling my trailer to and from Mississippi, about 1,800 miles. Numerous times I'd be in the middle lane of a three lane wide stretch having just passed an even slower vehicle and have to wait for a stream of people zipping by on my right before I could get back over to the slow lane. And usually I'd be doing about 5 mph below the speed limit at most.

Here in the DC area I'll often be doing 5 mph ABOVE the posted limit and have people going by me on the right at 20 mph above the speed limit. I'll watch people weaving in and out on the two rightmost lanes of a 4 or 5 lane wide road just to get there faster.

When I'm driving my dually on three lane and wider roads with frequent exit/entrance ramps I usually travel one lane over (at the speed limit) from the slow lane so I'm not constantly slowing for those entering and exiting.

ultrarunner · Jun 22, 2014

Must be a full moon or something...

Not related to the panic stop.

Last night driving city streets I saw several occasions where stop signs were ignored...

I came to a stop and a car on the right and left blew through the sign and the guy on the right was showboating... weaving across the yellow line with his Caprice with 22" rims...