A disregard for the safety of everyone.

[Dieselman]

...... this begs a question .....

We are taught to drive. Why are we not taught to maintain ?

We are. In the Highway code it says to check your tyres. That's a condition of driving on the highway.

With tyres like that, how often is the pressure being checked?

Mind you, Toyo proxies on what looks like a Peugeot 307 aren't going to last long.

Vehicle maintenance, safety and security : Directgov - Travel and transport

 

[Dieselman]

Some people that we advise that the tyres are bald react like its our fault that we have told them!

Maybe it is. What about all the doughnuts you might have been doing on the test drive...

 

[ringway]

Here's the Demon.

And yes, the owner is a lady teacher.


I'm pretty sure she'll address the problem tyres after the chat with the HM.

 

[markjay]

Car is very shiny though, at least she gets it washed from time to time!

 

[Uncle Fester]

I'll get my wide brush out (again) and say.....
Most people who buy PT Cruisers (and their ilk) know sweet FA about cars, how they work and how to maintain them!
They do know "that they look nice" and they can polish them, that's about it.

 

[markjay]

...The car is a 52 plate so will (possibly) have an MOT certificate...

This is actually quite interesting. I wonder how long ago was her MOT... car would have to do at least several thousand miles to get to that from 1.6mm.

 

[greekCL]

Sometimes you can have a bald tyre and not even knowing it ....
I found out while I was washing my MR2 ... the the outside of the rear wheel was looking fine with half thread ...
However 3/4 ... of the inside of the tyre is totally bald!!! I was shocked ...
The fact I did not notice it ... it is because I have done 5000 miles in a month ... and bad tracking managed to achieve this in a week or so ...

Anyhow I have put the car off the road until I sort it out... and I am using one of the others now.

 

[Colin_b]

I am struggling to remember when I last had a car long enough to need to replace the tyres.

Try getting a car with more than 30bhp

 

[Charles Morgan]

Make that 300bhp and 2 3/4 tons....

 

[Uncle Fester]

Worn dampers can affect tyre wear drastically, so the tyre will wear on one or more patches but leave good tread on others, so when you look at it, if you see the good bit then you think it's ok, caught me out once when I was younger, lesson learned.

I hope this school teacher learns her lesson, and get them sorted before she kills one or more of her charges.

An old saying, that never gets old.........

Every day's a school day!

 

[grober]

The practical driving test includes one "show me" and one "tell me " question at the beginning. Failure to ask one or both questions counts as black mark against passing- you are allowed up to 15 black marks in total in the practical test I believe. Not exactly rigorous?? here's a sample list of the questions http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consu...n/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_170484.pdf
the relevant [tell] question which you may or may not be asked is:-

Question B13

Tell me how you would check the tyres to ensure
that they have sufficient tread depth and that their
general condition is safe to use on the road.

Answer
No cuts and bulges, 1.6mm of tread depth across
the central ¾ of the breadth of the tyre and around
the entire outer circumference.

Notice the answer does not require any understanding of how you would perform this test so presumably you can just learn the answer by rote.

Here's the video YouTube - Canal de dsagov

 

[jonnyboy]

This is actually quite interesting. I wonder how long ago was her MOT... car would have to do at least several thousand miles to get to that from 1.6mm.

Sadly not necessarily.
Put 4 x tyres on the q7 in December, just before Xmas if I recall. Bridgestones. £800. Prob done 3000 miles. Went to take "for sale" pics at beginning of March.
Rear tyres shot to pieces on outer edges.
Tracking at rear a mile out - prev owner had bling wheels fitted which I sold on and refitted originals, I suspect the angles had been altered to accomodate.
Not happy.

 

[Ade B]

Car is very shiny though, at least she gets it washed from time to time!

That's the problem, the local guys have jet washed the tread off..

 

[Dieselman]

Here's the Demon.

And yes, the owner is a lady teacher.


I'm pretty sure she'll address the problem tyres after the chat with the HM.

You should definitely have reported Her to the style Police. PT Cruisers are ****

 

[Dryce]

And yes, the owner is a lady teacher.

Not uncommon. I can think of quite a few ladies of a certain age (ahem ... mine) who are divorced and don't take their car to a garage except when it goes wrong.

One recently came round to ask about the red light that had come on that evening (oil). Three years after separating from ex-husband and had never once thought about checking tyres, oil, or getting car serviced.

A while back one set off on a long journey and thoughtfully top up with oil before setting out. Spluttered and stopped after about two miles from home after laying down a smoke screen. Dipsticks were news to her. It had taken several bottles of oil to fill it to the top.

This doesn't tend to apply to those who always looked after their own cars.

 

[st4]

...... this begs a question .....

We are taught to drive. Why are we not taught to maintain ?

The newer DSA test has a very small degree of basic car DIY, checking oil. lights, tyres etc.

You cannot account for peoples wilful neglect and ignorance.

Graeme, a decent driving instructor should show a pupil how to do these/

 

[Ade B]

Not uncommon. I can think of quite a few ladies of a certain age (ahem ... mine) who are divorced and don't take their car to a garage except when it goes wrong.

One recently came round to ask about the red light that had come on that evening (oil). Three years after separating from ex-husband and had never once thought about checking tyres, oil, or getting car serviced.

A while back one set off on a long journey and thoughtfully top up with oil before setting out. Spluttered and stopped after about two miles from home after laying down a smoke screen. Dipsticks were news to her. It had taken several bottles of oil to fill it to the top.

This doesn't tend to apply to those who always looked after their own cars.

My sister (an ex teacher) has a similar approach to her car

OTOH I have a male colleague who's car has had the service due text on the dash for over a year, bulb failure light and oil level light on his Touran and he's oblivious..

 

[neilrr]

I don't understand why you'd go to the Headmaster instead of pointing it out to the car owner. What business is it off the Headmaster's?

 

[ringway]

I don't understand why you'd go to the Headmaster instead of pointing it out to the car owner. What business is it off the Headmaster's?

Neil,

I actually didn't go to the HM. He walked past the car whilst I was was loading my van, at which point, I thought it a good idea to mention the condition of the tyres to someone. (I actually didn't know if he was the HM at that time).

How on earth would I know which teacher the car belonged to? (Ooh yes, they belong to Mrs Baldtyre in room 4c).

Are you suggesting that I should have spent the whole day knocking on each classroom door asking who the car belonged to?

Someone had to be told about the condition of those tyres because the car owner clearly doesn't care, or doesn't know how to care for the only thing that connects that car with the road surface.

I'd feel a tad p!ssed off with myself if that vehicle killed a young child and I heared about the tragedy, knowing I could have prevented it.


Your turn:

 

[219]

Also , if the teacher ever happens to take pupils anywhere in the car , their safety is the responsibility of the school .

When I was at school , I and others were taken on visits to universities etc in teachers' cars , so it can happen .