tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718527.post-85455925118019777342008-07-16T08:50:00.006-05:002008-07-16T09:43:30.899-05:00Wassup, Y'all!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_S_UdrVDtgug/SH4Gm6IBEUI/AAAAAAAABVo/kEdFhOrUFPs/s1600-h/tire.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_S_UdrVDtgug/SH4Gm6IBEUI/AAAAAAAABVo/kEdFhOrUFPs/s320/tire.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223619883304030530" border="0" /></a>I <a class="snap_shots" href="http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=4826897" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: bold;">caught this story on 20/20 over my basement email wire</span></a>. I missed the original airing so I thought I'd check it out since I'm <span style="font-weight: bold;">not known to rotate the tires on the hoopty too frequently</span>. In my impressionable days I used to believe that as long as a tire had enough tread to touch Abe Lincoln's head on an upside down penny, you were <span style="font-weight: bold;">good for another 100,000 miles or so</span>. Now I see the folly of my logic, y'all. The way 20/20 broke it down is that any tire that's 6 years old or older has a higher potential for '<a class="snap_shots" href="http://www.tiredefects.com/tire-belt-separations-and-tread-separation.cfm" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: bold;">tread separation</span></a>' - no matter how good the tread looks on the tire...<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Even after hearing that I was like '<span style="font-style: italic;">So? All you need to do is pull over and change that joint like any other flat tire</span>'. This is the type of attitude you get <span style="font-weight: bold;">when you know everything like me</span>, y'all. And it's <span style="font-weight: bold;">a wonder that ol Ty isn't dead yet</span>. In the piece they did a controlled experiment with a '<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">professional driver on a closed course</span>' who knew his tire was about to go and when it did go, ol boy was <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">still</span> unable to control his ride and ended up crashing. The thing with tread separation vs. a regular blowout is that once the tread is off the tire, it's like riding on an ice cube - there's no grip.<br /><br />Turns out that <span style="font-weight: bold;">tire dealers sometime sell old a$$ tires as new</span> and because the tread looks good and they've never been used, they look like brand new tires despite the fact that <span style="font-weight: bold;">they've been manufactured back when Lionel Richie was big</span>. The good news is that there's actually a manufacture date on each tire, but<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> it's in code</span> and sometimes on the *inner' wall of the tire where you'd need to get up under the car to read it.<br /><br />Anyway, the story is <span style="font-weight: bold;">short enough to take in over some coffee and that plate of cold chicken</span> that mama left out for breakfast. If it's just you ridin' around in your hoopty and <span style="font-weight: bold;">you're normally in there with a open 40 and a blunt with the windows rolled up</span> - no need to watch - something else is gonna take you out. But if you're ridin' around with your boo, your kids, nieces or nephews and/or your mama, do the right thing, y'all - watch and learn.<br /><br />Peace@Least,<br /><br />Tyrone</span>Tyrone Malonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11882300320969756241noreply@blogger.com